First shot at rusticating.

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realfloopyguy

Lurker
Jun 11, 2015
34
0
I got this pipe a couple weeks ago. In the photo of all the pipes together it is the one on the top left.





I liked the shape alright but it was in pretty bad shape. The entire finish was bubbled and coming off. There were a half dozen large chunks taken out of it like the one pictured. I considered filling them but I didn't have any briar to make a putty with, so I went ahead and rusticated it. First, I soaked it in rubbing alcohol for a few days to get the old finish off, as well as lingering smells of something that should not have been smoked in the pipe to begin with. I used my pinky to sand the inside of the bowl with 100 grit sandpaper and then wiped it all out with acetone. I then cleaned the whole things again and ran some acetone through the pipe on a cleaner. I also sanded down the top of it due to a gouge there. Then I used a couple drops of boiled linseed oil to finish the outside. I will wax and polish the hole thing in a week or so once the BLO hardens.


I didn't even realize when I bought the pipe that the stem wasn't supposed to be gold. I thought it was actually supposed to be that color since it was so uniformly gold, but there was some chatter where I could see the black in one place. I used 1000 grit wet/dry, a paint stick, and the back of a very thin knife to get the gold off. I used the stick and the back of the knife as blocks to keep the lip profiled. I went over it with some 1200 after that. I then hand polished it with rubbing compound since I couldn't find the polishing wheel for my grinder.

The tenon is loose on the bit, but after I adjusted it, fits fine into the pipe. I intend to glue the parts together since that is how they appear to have been previously. The decorative ring thing is made up of 3 parts that slip over the tenon, which in turn pushes into the pipe. The part where it pushes into the pipe is loose. I can either heat it up a little and enlarge it, shim it, or put a drop of glue on it. Which one is the 'correct' way?

 

realfloopyguy

Lurker
Jun 11, 2015
34
0
I forgot to mention that the tool I used to rusticate it was a one of the cheap harbor freight screwdriver sets that you get free with a coupon. I took the phillip screwdriver, cut the end off with a cutting bit and then cut it into the grooves so I had 4 sharp points. I didn't clean them up. One was slightly longer and the rest were bent at odd angles. I used the longer point to hold it in place while I twisted and created the grooves. I only got my thumb once. :)
Overall, I am pretty happy with how it came out.

 

Chasing Embers

Captain of the Black Frigate
Nov 12, 2014
43,260
108,366
Have never seen a pattern like that before. Very nice. Excellent restore!

 

lohengrin

Lifer
Jun 16, 2015
1,198
2
Interesting rustication. It looks like a floral decoration and gives elegance to the pipe.

About warming or glue if it was me I'd use glue. If you didn't practice warming you risk to melt down the shape of the stem. You did a nice work in cleaning the stem outside. To clean the smoke channel of estate pipes I use sodium hydroxide with water, you will be surprised of how many dirty things will exit from the stem! Don't keep the stem longer than necessary in this liquid and above all don't use it for rings or other materials. If the stem has some decoration you cannot remove (for ex. the famous white spot)protect it with vaseline before dunking the stem in the solution.

 

tarak

Lifer
Jun 23, 2013
1,528
15
South Dakota
Very nice work. Would that qualify more as a carved vs. rustication? Either way well done, and nice job bringing new life to the pipe!

 

mso489

Lifer
Feb 21, 2013
41,210
60,433
Highly distinctive. No one else in the world owns a pipe like yours.

 

realfloopyguy

Lurker
Jun 11, 2015
34
0
Thank you everyone.
I'm new to pipes, but I assume that there are two types of pipes. Smooth and rustic. I know there are different categories like sand blast, wire, carved, and the like but they are all considered rustic, right? Some are half and half.
My wife says you guys are doing me like we do the kid. "Good job honey, you drew a beautiful picture, we are putting it on the fridge." lol.

 

seacaptain

Lifer
Apr 24, 2015
1,829
7
Can't say it's the best I've ever seen, but I can say it's better than anything I could do.
As to your "rustic" question, my understanding is that sandblasting is just that - blasting the pipe with a medium that brings out the natural grain pattern.
"Rustication" is creating an artificial pattern in the grain with a tool.
Anyone feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.

 

realfloopyguy

Lurker
Jun 11, 2015
34
0
I considered making a putty and making it darker(black) than the pipe and then filling all the holes that I made. It would be perfectly smooth but keep the marks. Anyone ever seen one done that way?

 

okiescout

Lifer
Jan 27, 2013
1,530
6
Nice job of imparting a portion of yourself into an old smoker that had been bypassed by time. This is the kind of pipe I can visualize a family member or friend treasuring long after you are gone.

 
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