Pyrography: How to Clean Your Optima and other wire tip Wood Burning pens safely!

I have been asked what is the safe way to clean your Optima & other wire tip wood burning pens. Here is a video I quickly made to help you with this question. We get so much advice from the internet that it can be overwhelming. Hopefully, this video will help you clear up any confusion.
Mountain Woodcarver's
Strop & Aluminium Oxide
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Pyrography: How to Clean Your Optima and other wire tip Wood Burning pens safely!

[@karentravis7511]

Thank you so much! It's great to see the process being done instead of assuming Im doing it right! I have the Optima as well and want my pens to last as long as they can!

[@DrawingWithFire]

You are so welcome Karen! 🤗 I'm so glad it helped. I know it can feel overwhelming wondering if you are doing it right. Now you know you are! 😁

[@tunesandjams-lisa]

I already have the wax.. will snag the strop and Al oxide too.. thanks Valarie!

[@DrawingWithFire]

Awesome! The wax works best on the ball tips. 😉

[@danceswithaardvarks3284]

Thanks Val. I've finally bit the bullet and ordered a Peter Child kit, so i'm swatting up by watching some of your videos : )

[@awesomelytraci9512]

Thank you so much for the video. I have an Optima 1 and love it! Bought it based on your reviews and have not one single complaint. I've had it about a year. I do have a question. I cleaned my tips as you advised and they don't seem to glide as smooth as they use to. Should I call Pat or is there a different solution? My husband said it should be difficult to remove the annealing process, but I can't help but wonder if that's what I did.

[@DrawingWithFire]

Hi Traci! I'm so glad you are loving the Optima. 😁 The first thing I recommend doing is rubbing your finger nail over the tip. If you feel any kind of resistance then you still have carbon on your tip and it needs so more swipes on the strop. If it feels absolutely smooth, you could have accidentally removed some of the oxidation layer. It's a really quick fix and Pat can walk you through it over the phone. Sometimes if you get a little aggressive with the strop trying to take carbon off after burning hot for a while, you can have a small removal of the oxidation. Let me know how it goes for you!

[@awesomelytraci9512]

@@DrawingWithFire Thank you for your reply. I just emailed him. I also am a "pen" hoarder (even though I only use a few of the 10 I have), but I'm going to order a few more. They are like Pokémon....gotta catch 'em all!

[@DrawingWithFire]

hahaha yes they are! 🤣 Do you have the 18xs spear shader? I highly recommend that one.

[@awesomelytraci9512]

@@DrawingWithFire Actually, no, I don't have that one. I have the 18M. Does it go smaller than 18S?

[@DrawingWithFire]

Yep... it goes 18xs, 18s, 18m 18l. The 18xs & 18s are the ones I use the most.

[@jillk2316]

I ordered the strop etc yesterday from "mountain woodcarvers" from this page of yours :) Thank you for all you share :)

[@DrawingWithFire]

You are very welcome Jill! 😁

[@TheMilitaryArtist.WarShorts]

Hi Val, brilliant information my friend 😁👍👍👍👍

[@DrawingWithFire]

Thanks so much Jonny! 🤗

[@PyrographyMadeEasy]

Hi Valarie, interesting information. I wouldn't be surprised if some manufactures encourage the fine grit sandpaper just so you have to buy tips more often. I do have concerns about using Aluminum Oxide though as the MSDS sheets for it definitely warns about the serious dangers from dust exposure. The wax idea what interesting. I'll have to try that one. Thank for the info. Brenda

[@DrawingWithFire]

Hi Brenda! 😁 I would like to think that a profit motive is not behind some recommending sand paper for cleaning, but sadly anything is possible. I think a lot has to do with "hey everyone else is saying use sand paper, so it must be ok"... I have even seen it mentioned in a book or 2 and magazines. The dust exposure is in regards to processing. Please no one snort this stuff!! 🤪 I have the msds for aluminium oxide and under section 2: Hazards identification - not classified for physical or health hazards under GHS. Section 8: Exposure Control / personal protection- Respiratory protection: not require under normal conditions of use. *For anyone reading the comments and are curious what Brenda & I are discussing, you can obtain the msds saftey sheet for aluminium oxide here: www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=beta-static.fishersci.com/content/dam/fishersci/en_US/documents/programs/education/regulatory-documents/sds/chemicals/chemicals-a/S25149.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwjt3fi_gJzhAhVDs6wKHdelCdIQFjABegQIBBAB&usg=AOvVaw2r7Do8nS96zRUIrdYmc44J&cshid=1553472638931

[@marliess4752]

Hi Valarie. Is it also ok to use the strop and aluminum oxide for ball and writing tips?

[@DrawingWithFire]

Hi Marlies, yep you sure can. 😁

[@CyrKry]

Hello from France. Do you know the micron of abrasive powder ?? Thank you for these explanations. Have a good day

[@DrawingWithFire]

Hi Ancael, I'm not sure what the grit number is, but it is extremely fine. 😁

[@avrillaver4495]

thanks Val this was great

[@DrawingWithFire]

Thanks Avril! 🤗

[@debrasaas3939]

Is this still the best wood burner to purchase considering all reviews are over a year old ?

[@DrawingWithFire]

Absolutely Debra, I still very much recommend the Optima over the others.

[@debrasaas3939]

@@DrawingWithFire so many recommend the Razertip, can you tell me why you like the optima better. I want to purchase. one and make sure I get the right one. this

[@sharonh988]

Thanks Valarie.

[@DrawingWithFire]

You are so welcome Sharon. 🤗

[@laceychica1952]

this may be a strange question, but i use aluminum oxide sand for sandblasting, ,do you know what grit the powder is? if i ground the sand down to a fine powder would that be the same thing? i already have a strop and need to clean my pen tips! lol

[@DrawingWithFire]

Hi Lacey, great question! I am not 100% sure on the grit. I know my powder is extremely fine. Like powder sugar fine. I don't know if that helps.

[@laceychica1952]

@@DrawingWithFire I ended up having aluminum oxide powder for my air eraser (air brush) size sand blaster which is super fine dust! Worked amazing! Thanks!

[@DrawingWithFire]

Awesome!

[@jillk2316]

Thank you :) I was going to ask about this and here ya suggest to me already :) I was going to go ahead and order that little 'kit"but wanted to ask what that little bar thing was for then? The one from Optima. You use both? And thanks again !

[@DrawingWithFire]

You're welcome Jill. 😁 I personally prefer the powder, but the bar works too. One of the biggest bad habits I see are people cleaning their tips wrong. I did this myself based on bad info. We gotta luv on our pens so they luv us back. 😉

[@jillk2316]

Valarie Connell /DrawingWithFire “love us back” 👍🏻😊 and tks :)

[@martinhughes8037]

I've got a smooth leather strop and "smurf poo" polishing compound that I use to hone my bushcraft knives, would this work with cleaning my tips? Thank you x

[@DrawingWithFire]

Hi Martin, for Optima tips I'm really not sure. In fact, I have never used it. I wouldn't even know where to find a smurf. Do you track the smurfs and take their poo at night or do they bag it up & leave it for you? Which poo works better, poo after a day of soup or fiber day poo? Is that what Gargamel is really doing... stealing their poo for profit? 🤔 Lmao, sorry I couldn't help myself. 🤣😂🤣 In all seriousness, I'm really not sure. The main thing is how abrasive is it? If it is super fine and you use a light hand just to remove the carbon it should work. For Optima tips there is a protective polish that helps the tips glide that you don't want to remove. I hope you have a smurfy evening. 😁

[@ericgreen6437]

Where do u buy these items at?

[@DrawingWithFire]

Hi Eric, I have everything listed down in the video description. For the Optima, go to www.carvertools.com.

[@ericgreen6437]

@@DrawingWithFire i have colwood

[@DrawingWithFire]

@@ericgreen6437 I do to. 😉

[@ericgreen6437]

@@DrawingWithFire well where u get the lether and the i think compound at

[@DrawingWithFire]

@@ericgreen6437 I got it from Mountain Woodcarvers: mountainwoodcarvers.com/products/burner-tip-care-kit-5022-1224

[@lisavento7474]

i heard DENIM works well also.

[@DrawingWithFire]

Hi Lisa, yep denim can be used as well. 😁

[@tahirqkhan]

why not industrial alcohol?

[@DrawingWithFire]

Hi Tahir, no you don't want to use industrial alchohol to clean your tips. It will actually remove oxidation which you need on your tip to help it glide over the wood and remove carbon easier. The oxidation layer is hard than carbon and because of this the carbon releases. Thanks for asking! 😁

[@tahirqkhan]

@@DrawingWithFire Thank you for taking the time to reply. i am a beginner, and it is almost impossible to find equipment, so i have to make do with home made ones. And nibs are a major concern. Thanks

[@DrawingWithFire]

You're welcome Tahir, I completely understand. You can use denim as an option to wipe off your cold tips if yoh can't find leather to make a strop.