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excav8tor

excav8tor

Can't Leave
Aug 28, 2010
447
2
South Devon, England
I have been restoring estate pipes for a few months now and have had some good sucesses, mixed in with some disasters. As someone new to pipe resoration I took advice from these very forums and only practised on very cheap pipes.
I am now at the stage where I can ream and sweeten the bowl and shank, remove dinks and scratches and also cleaning, reshaping and polishing stems. I can also strip back the surface, restain and polish to a mirror finish. I have as a consequence some really nice looking pipes.
However, I have also got some pipes that have split bowls, some hairline, others with large cracks. I have looked all over the internet for advice and methods of repairing cracks and splits, but have seen nothing save telling me to send it to a professional repairer. Now I can understand sending a £300 pipe to a professional, but when the pipe only has a limited value and I do not know how it smokes, I don't want to send it off only to have it returned to me as a bum steer. But more tHan that, I quite like the idea of being able to restore fully any kind of pipe that comes my way in the future.
Does anyone have any advice or methods of repairing splits and cracks, or can point me in the direction of a website that deals with the subject?

 
unclearthur

unclearthur

Lifer
Mar 9, 2010
6,875
5
Smaller cracks in pipes of minimal value I have repaired with epoxy and briar sanding dust. This works fairly well for cracks that do not extend into the chamber it's self. Big cracks I usually give the bowl a nice Christian burial.

 
robs

robs

Starting to Get Obsessed
Sep 1, 2010
157
1
Interesting point. At what stage would you Chaps think that a bowl had suffered "one reaming too many"? I have a Savinelli Dry System sitting here that I fear may have met the end of its days, it came with another pipe that I won and I have tried the Sav and given up almost immediately. The Bowl becomes very hot to the hand extremely quickly. I was wondering whether to attempt a salvage or whether I would be better served just offering it up when we next have an open fire. In many ways it would be a shame as everything else about the Pipe seems absolutely fine, but in all honesty, I don't have room for many "passengers".
All The Best

Rob

 
chuckw

chuckw

Part of the Furniture Now
Oct 7, 2009
679
12
Excav8tor, there was a gentleman on Pipes.org a few years ago that explained how he repaired split bowls with silver wire and glue. I wish I could remember the details but age and a fading memory prevent it.
Robs, if the bowl walls are as thin as you indicate, there is only one option in my opinion. Relagate it to the fireplace

 
robs

robs

Starting to Get Obsessed
Sep 1, 2010
157
1
Thank You Chuck, as I am typing this, Carol is laying a fire in the Lounge fire place. We have a horrid not quite winter day here, overcast, drizzle, cold wind, so I think Carol has the right idea somehow. We have several episodes of a new Period Drama to catch up with, so I suspect that the afternoon might be quite a restful affair? Favourite Pete and a nice bowlful of something suitable beckons.

 
S

strongirish

Can't Leave
Aug 20, 2010
343
1
Lake Conroe, TX
If the walls of the pipe are getting thin, you are very much over reaming your pipe. Leave some cake in the bowl, it is good for the pipe and it smokes better as well.

 
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