On Trimming Cake On A Bowl - Reamer, Knife, or Spade?

puffndave · May 27, 2015

Got a few briars and cobs which have been smoked a bit, and may soon be ready for some cake management. Can't imagine why I saw some references posted where I cannot remember, but it was for use of the "reamer" to do this. Hope my terminology isn't confused, but isn't that the pin-like (sometimes flared) part of a three-part multi-tool? I've got a Czech tool, and cannot imagine either the pin, (which I've used to loosen up blockages when I pack too tight) nor the spade being much use for this task (the spade could hardly work the bowl evenly). My other tool has a flared reamer (if that's what it should be called), but the long, flat-edged and serraded blade on this tool is what I would think is ideal. Can anybody clear up this confusion?

settersbrace · May 28, 2015

First off I'd like to see or have you describe the "cake" you want to ream. It takes quite a bit of smoking to build up any significant thickness, at least to where it needs attention. Reaming should be done by an experienced person with you watching for the first time and a specific tool used for the job is usually the safest bet. Your Czech tool isn't really designed for such a chore. There are some very experienced pipers that can use a blunt tip pen knife blade but let me caution you that serious harm can befall your pipes if you go into the job without some guidance. If there's not more than say an 1/8" of carbon built up on the walls of your pipes, you needn't worry about reaming.
A good habit to get into is to wait until your pipe cools, either take a couple bristled cleaners together and bend into a U shape, twist this around in the bowl and tap out the dust. You can also twist up a paper towel and "ream" the bowl between smokes. This will allow an almost microscopic layer of carbon to be maintained (which is beneficial) and you may never have to ream those bowls.

jkrug · May 28, 2015

Sounds like you are referring to the gadgets on a Czech pipe tool. None of those are a reamer. Google Senior Pipe Reamer and Pipnet Pipe Reamer and you will see what a pipe reamer is. There is probably others but these are two of the popular ones. These are available from many of the site sponsors.

zekest · May 28, 2015

I use a Castleford precision reamer set, $20.00 at Pipes & Cigars. It allows me to keep the cake perfectly uniform, at the thinness I prefer, and never gouge the sides. The set is very well made, and will last me a lifetime.
http://www.pipesandcigars.com/pipe-tools/66888/t-handle-pipe-reamer-set/#p-97360

warren · May 28, 2015

I use anything from a knife to a reamer. The question is do you know cake when you see it? If so, a dime's thickness is enough for me. Anything more I remove carefully with a sharp edge. If you see briar or cob you've removed too much so you have to rebuild. There is nothing arcane about cake removal. Watching someone perform the task may be beneficial but, certainly not necessary. Just go slow, taking small bites until you feel comfortable. You're not looking for hunks of cake, you are scrapping more than cutting and the loose cake with resemble dust, not chunks.
Look closely at the top of the bowl and you will see the layer of cake adhering to the briar. It's easy to spot if you haven't charred the rim. Eyeball the thickness and scrape away to the desired thickness. Some like thicker, some like none, and others thin. Cake is considered beneficial for briar by most and has been the conventional wisdom since pretty much the advent of the briar pipe.

sablebrush52 · May 28, 2015

A good habit to get into is to wait until your pipe cools, either take a couple bristled cleaners together and bend into a U shape, twist this around in the bowl and tap out the dust. You can also twist up a paper towel and "ream" the bowl between smokes. This will allow an almost microscopic layer of carbon to be maintained (which is beneficial) and you may never have to ream those bowls.

+1
When I do have to cut down cake, usually when I'm restoring an estate that I've bought, I use a Pipnet, which is much higher quality than the Castleford, or one of several special reamers, such as a Buttner, made for conical chambers. I also have a selection of Swedish made stainless steel reamers that are different sizes from the Pipnet. One can do a lot of damage with a knife as I've seen on a number of old estates. On occasion I'll use glass paper wrapped over a piece of doweling to take the cake down to nearly bare wood on a restoration. The point is to have the proper tool to perform the necessary task.

seadogontheland · May 28, 2015

I use the dull, flat end of an aluminum tamp/nail...its dull enough to take off the right amount of scraped cake and not cut into the briar if using a sharp instrument and a mistake is made.

puffndave · May 28, 2015

I have begun using the doubled- up pipe cleanerprocess in the bowl after every smoke, and maybe this will prevent the further build up of cake which is lumpy in large swaths. At first I thought it was black ash stuck to the bowl, but it could not simply be pushed off with a spade. Should i try and get rid of it somehow and then start again with a better breakin process? I dont want the uneven coverage to lead to problems.

sallow · May 28, 2015

Smoke your pipe, cake happens. Nothing to sweat about.

When it gets to the point that I notice I can't fit as much tobacco in the bowl I use a reamer, carefully. I like to keep some cake in the bowl. Try not to ream too close to the top or you could make the pipe out of round.

puffndave · May 30, 2015

Oh, so that's what a pipe reamer is - thanks for the link, Zekest! That clears it up for me, having presumed (for all the references I've seen to reamers, and some pipe multi-tools have what looks like a blade which they may be intended for scraping bowls instead of "spade" or spoon) that one of those three-part tools must be what it's called. Then again, the nasty, skinny object can obviously do only one thing, which is to "ream" (or I suppose "poke") anything from a shaft to a sheaf of papers. Guess I should call that a "poker" instead? Where I have seen general pipe maintenance discussions or the souring of pipes, there has been somewhat of an emphasis on the importance of the shaft as the culprit in the development of that problem, and sometimes the emphasis on the importance of proper "reaming" may be seen in the same paragraph.
It's now clear that I won't likely be needing to do this reaming task for awhile with any of my pipes, but when it happens, I may wonder about buying a four-part reamer kit. I already have around 20 pipes in my collection (must stop buying, gotta pay the mortgage), and they sure don't conform to only a few sizes. I don't suppose there are adjustable-size reamers on the market?

cigrmaster · May 31, 2015

For years I used to use the Senior Pipe Reamer with good results. I then began using a pipe kife and got better results because I had more control with it. Also the Senior does not get deep enough on some pipes where as the knife gets everywhere. Just go slow and be careful with what ever tool you decide to use. It can take as much as 2 plus years before I need to ream a pipe as I like to keep my cake at a dimes thickness.

acutabovebriar · Jun 1, 2015

I find it that using some 400 grit sand paper gives me more control over the outcome. No cracking risk at all and gets the job done! give it a try. i am too scared to use something too hard on my pipes.

jpmcwjr · Jun 1, 2015

I use the top side of a good paring knife as a pseudo reamer. If there's a good 90º angle on the non-cutting edge, held at a small angle, works very well to scrape off a thin layer of cake without grabbing or gouging. Learned this from old wood working techniques.

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