Pipe Reamer Recommendations

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brass

Lifer
Jun 4, 2014
1,840
7
United States
The time is approaching when I will need to start maintaining the cake on some of my pipes - probably past optimal in some cases.
I've seen reamers for sale from a few dollrs to fancy kits costing $60 or more. What do I really need? I understand that one can easily damage a pipe by wielding a reamer with unskilled hands. Are there some that make the job a little more fool-proof? Or am I being overly concerned. I don't want to overspend but I especially don't want to go so cheap I have to buy another later.
I should not that I have a number of pipes in varying shapes and sizes - from small French pots to freehand volcanos with 3" chambers.
Pax

 

mcitinner1

Lifer
Apr 5, 2014
4,043
24
Missouri
Pax your going to get a wide variety of answers on reamers. The Senior reamer is NOT my favorite because the shape of it's 3 fingers don't curve like the bottom of most bowls. I use it as a clamp inside a bowl that then gets mounted in my bench vise for sanding. The Castleford reamer is the one I use all the time. It has four cutting edges that fit the curved bottom of a bowl. The down side being there's no adjustment; you have 4 inter-changeable set sizes. With any reamer you must be VERY careful not to get aggressive with the reaming, as that can only gouge the wood.

 

warren

Lifer
Sep 13, 2013
11,699
16,206
Foothills of the Chugach Range, AK
Lots of opinions to be found using the search function. The best all around I've found is the "fitsall" by Savinelli. No parts to interchange, no adjustments to make. I've yet to find anything, other than a good sharp pocket knife, that is so versatile. Small bites is the key and you must pay attention to what you are doing.
I have a Senior" which I like. But, the "fitsall" is the most used.

 

brass

Lifer
Jun 4, 2014
1,840
7
United States
In the old days, I used a little pen knife. I did have an accident once but for the most part, it worked fine. The biggest problem if I recall was getting obsessive about keeping the round. Would end up taking off more and more trying to keep the perfect round opening. I would be tempted to use a pen knife but finding a quality pocket knife at an affordable price is not as easy as it used to be.
Pax

 

brass

Lifer
Jun 4, 2014
1,840
7
United States
Edited to eleminate duplicate post.
This is the second or third duplicated posted in the last week. I assume I'm doing something wrong.
Pax

 

buroak

Lifer
Jul 29, 2014
1,867
14
I use the farthest left blade on this particular small stockman knife available from Amazon or specialty retailers. A carbon steel blade would retain its edge longer, but Case stainless holds an edge reasonably well. As cosmicfolklore says, however, using a pocket knife is certainly not for everyone. Also, the notion of using a knife to trim cake makes many experienced members here cringe and vomit.
For a beginner, I would recommend a PipNet reamer, which is the quality reamer set copied by Castleford. You do, though, need to be careful about the fit of the reamer to your bowl shape. Otherwise you risk wearing a "shelf" into a bowl with more taper than the fixed size reamer can accommodate.
When you get more experience, I would recommend you find an old Klean Reem pipe reamer. That reamer combined with the knife discussed above is about all I need to trim cake.
There is one more option worth considering: sandpaper. On a pipe I have purchased unsmoked, I generally maintain the cake with 220 grit sandpaper.

 

mso489

Lifer
Feb 21, 2013
41,210
60,433
I'm part of the small cadre that doesn't build cake, just wipe the bowl out after each smoke to maintain a thin carbon coating. No reamer ever needed. I know most like some cake, and don't mind buying a reamer and using it. Just go slow learning with a reamer. Many a pipe has been ruined by this "simple act" of maintenance. Meantime, I find this alternate method excellent. Some of my pipes are bought new and pushing forty years old, and the bowls are in fine shape.

 

gambit88

Can't Leave
Jan 25, 2015
341
2
I use an old medico reamer. It doesn't fit really big bowls but can handle 90 percent of the bowls I've come across. They pop up on ebay for pretty cheap. I use sand paper for the rest. I've had good luck with a dremel and a stone but It's not for the faint of heart and can easily be overdone.

 

brudnod

Part of the Furniture Now
Aug 26, 2013
938
6
Great Falls, VA
If reamers were sold in exact configuration to the inside shape of the bowl this would not be such an issue. Sadly, most reamers do not conform to that dimension. However, I also use the Castleford reamer set and a knife to make up the difference in shaping. Nothing is perfect. Good luck!

 

settersbrace

Lifer
Mar 20, 2014
1,565
5
The Castleford reamer is the safest tool there is to get an even, clean ream on most bowls. Some odd configurations may need a little pipe knife work but don't use a pocket knife. The small investment you'll make in the Castleford kit will last you a lifetime. I've also used the Senior pipe reamer with good results but it requires a light touch and takes more time per bowl but does come with a drill bit to ream the draft hole. The right tool for the job applies to pipes as much as it does to anything else you consider valuable. I see more pipes ruined or nearly ruined by folks who thought they knew what they were doing. We send them out for professional help, some make it, some don't.

 
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