''Magic Eraser'' any equivalent here?

As a hobby I like to restore old briar pipes....to smoke not to sell on. I've recently purchased two rare and much sought after London made pipes off of Mercado Libre which were going for a song. Most pipe restorers use a Magic Eraser to get rid of the years of grime and carbon that can build up on vintage pipes.

I'd never heard of such a thing but seems they are commonly found in the US and Europe. I had a look on ML but nothing found. Does anyone know if they sell a similar item here?

Similar but seems to be without the cleaning agent compound the Magic Eraser has in it. I'll do more research to see exactly what the cleaning agent is which might be available here.

Quote from Rice

I doubt that these abrasive sponges are the same thing, but I’ve never seen a Magic Sponge in Argentina.

A Magic Sponge is white and soft; you dampen it and use it to clean such things as scuff marks on painted walls. It is only mildly abrasive, whereas the abrasive sponges on ML look as if they could scrape the chrome off a trailer hitch (also useful in certain circumstances!).

Yes that was what I was thinking.....might do more damage than good. I'm pretty sure it's not a magic formula that's in the Magic Eraser.

Quote from serafina

Oh so it's more like this?

Thanks that looks promising 👍 I shall consult the missus and see if they're available here.

Well I've been doing some research into what exactly makes a Magic Eraser. Seems it's nothing more than a piece of melamine sponge with some bicarbonate of soda or salt impreganted in it.

Probably just as well they aren't available here as I bet they'd cost a ruddy fortune.

Quote from serafina

But sodium bicarbonate is easily available in drugstores and pharmacies! And it should be also cheap!

Indeed....magic!!