Reamer

[OwlTellYa]

I am restoring an older Stanwell, and it's looking really good so far. The pipe came to me caked in black and quite sour. I've gotten the exterior clean and shiny, but I am having difficulty getting the sourness out of it. What I discovered is that the bowl is deeper than the reamer I am using, and so some of the cake build-up remains. I posted a picture of the reamer kit I bought. Is there a better kit that would reach deeper into the bowl? The bowl is about 5/8 inches wide and 1 1/2 inches deep. The reamer tool is only 1 1/4 inches.

 

[RustiePyles CPG]

You can keep reaming past the working edge of the tool, it'll ream pretty deep pipe.

 

[OwlTellYa]

You can keep reaming past the working edge of the tool, it'll ream pretty deep pipe.

The handle is (just barely) wider than the bowl, and so it stops me from going deeper. Or is there a trick I don't know?

 

[OwlTellYa]

I'm scraping the deepest part with the back edge of an x-acto knife, which seems to be working.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Sandpaper

 

[El Capitán]

Sandpaper

What grit? 220?

 

[Chasing Embers]

What grit? 220?

I use 320.

 

[OwlTellYa]

Sandpaper

Good tip. I haven't mastered the art of keeping sandpaper on a dowel--the sandpaper has ripped or slipped when I try to get into the deeper corners.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Good tip. I haven't mastered the art of keeping sandpaper on a dowel--the sandpaper has ripped or slipped when I try to get into the deeper corners.

I just use my finger. More precise than a dowel.

 

[RustiePyles CPG]

The handle is (just barely) wider than the bowl, and so it stops me from going deeper. Or is there a trick I don't know?

Round the corners of the handle off so it fits. Sandpaper works as well.

 

[RustiePyles CPG]

I use one of these with a blunted tip for 99% of all my reaming needs, it's universal. I've yet to find a pipe it won't fit. They are easy to sharpen and won't create an out of round chamber.

https://www.mscdirect.com/product/details/98351984?cid=ppc-google-&mkwid=%7Cdc&pcrid=&rd=k&product_id=98351984&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQiAhc-sBhCEARIsAOVwHuROn7O2OdNF5Wk84BqEuH-_cXzHw3rmxUjV9Uo1HN9qNpQQ93eD6DcaAtElEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

[ThermionicScott]

The sourness might be in the shank, too.

 

[ThermionicScott]

Good tip. I haven't mastered the art of keeping sandpaper on a dowel--the sandpaper has ripped or slipped when I try to get into the deeper corners.

I use double-sided Scotch tape to hold a small rectangle of sandpaper on the dowel.

 

[OwlTellYa]

The sourness might be in the shank, too.

I've been cleaning out the shank, and I took a drill bit to the draw hole, which dug out a good bit of gunk. I didn't enlarge the hole, just the same size drill bit as the draw hole. Hopefully that will help with the sourness.

 

[ThermionicScott]

I've been cleaning out the shank, and I took a drill bit to the draw hole, which dug out a good bit of gunk. I didn't enlarge the hole, just the same size drill bit as the draw hole. Hopefully that will help with the sourness.

Right on. I like to dampen a fluffy pipe cleaner with Everclear and leave it in the shank overnight, being careful not to get any on the finish.

I used to do salt-and-alcohol treatments in bowls and neglect the shanks, and wondered why it didn't work as well as I'd hoped. Now I'm a lot more successful at neutralizing ghosts!

 

[OzPiper]

Right on. I like to dampen a fluffy pipe cleaner with Everclear and leave it in the shank overnight, being careful not to get any on the finish.

I used to do salt-and-alcohol treatments in bowls and neglect the shanks, and wondered why it didn't work as well as I'd hoped. Now I'm a lot more successful at neutralizing ghosts!

^^^^^ This

Sourness/skankiness is far more often due to a dirty airway than a ghosted chamber.
I often spend much, much more time cleaning out a shank than the chamber.
I often leave alcohol soaked cleaners in the shanks for 48 hours or more until they come out clean

 

[Seeleybc1]

I’ve messed around a little bit smoothing out chambers, new unsmoked and estate pipes, and have found this to work very well for sanding. Started out as a large brass punch. Chuck up in drill, start it spinning and contour the radius with file as it spins.. Then just a little tape and wrap whatever desired sandpaper around the punch and go to town! About the middle level rpm on a drill and it’s very controllable. Works pretty slick!

 

[Lees65GTO]

You could try a "Senior Pipe Reamer". They are available all over the internet.

 

[Pyrodoc]

I frequently have the same problem!! I start by putting the pipe in a stand, stem turned up & filling the bowl with 190 proof grain alcohol. After an overnight soak, dump it and let it dry a few minutes. After having tried every reamer over the years. I just start with a strip of sand paper a little wider than my index finger. Leaving a flap to cover my finger tip, I just go into the bowl and start to rotate. For thick, hard cakes I start with 80 grit. For finishing or more fine cakes, I’ll use 150-220 grit. Some of these cakes take some work, but serial sanding is the way to go rather than flaking or chipping a thick cake with tools.
The stummel vent gets brushed with grain and I’ll also use ‘prickly’ pipe cleaners until it’s clean and draws well. You can rinse with warm/hot water, just let it dry before the next round. Chances are that sourness will require you to take that cake down to the bowl briar.
Once I’m happy with the cake and I may do 2-3 consecutive nights with grain alcohol soaks on those really tough cakes, I will do the same with inverted stem and soak overnight with a high proof bourbon 114-125). I’ve never had a stinky pipe survive my liquor soaks! A wee dram of the bourbon on your lip buys a little a little extra as well (
Hope this helps, Mike