Estate Pipes, Cleaning and Maintaining a Pipe and Questions

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jpmcwjr

Lifer
May 12, 2015
26,265
29,177
Carmel Valley, CA
I guess I better elaborate on the trough. He built up the bottom, creating a shelf, except the area where the draught hole is. He left about 1/4"-5/16" gap there. I guess the trough was about an 1/8"-1/4" deep. It was "C" shaped and tapered to the wall of the bowl near the draught hole. He claims it makes the pipes better smokers. He also mentioned opening up the draught hole. I think. My brains begging for a break. Not to mention my eyes.

Thanks
That can happen!

In many respects, pipes don't gurgle, people do! Usually moist tobacco and/or smoking too fast. Ambient humidity has a role, too.

Some pipes will tend to gurgle more readily than others, and some will swear they have had pipes that did nothing but gurgle. Others claim pipes that have never gurgled.
 
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johng99

Starting to Get Obsessed
Apr 14, 2020
139
1,062
Lake Havasu City
It was fun while I was building up my pipe inventory. Now that I have "enough" I am a lot more picky about what I buy and am just not interested in pipes that have been neglected/abused. I have been buying estate meerschaums lately. There are quite a few on the market that have never been smoked at really good prices.
 

lawdawg

Lifer
Aug 25, 2016
1,803
3,840
I'm quite frugal, and I've bought quite a few estate pipes, including some cheap ones in dirty crappy condition that I cleaned up. However, as I've started to get older, I've come to value my time outside of work more, and I avoid making additional work for myself such as cleaning up estate pipes.

I've bought perfectly serviceable estate pipes in the $20-$30 range that don't need any restoration, such as my two "Mountbatten" pipes, which are Charatan apprentice pipes and are higher in quality than any of the run of the mill $100 price range factory pipes I've smoked. One of my favorite pipes is a Savinelli apple I picked up for around $40 or $45 in excellent condition from rebornpipes.com. You just have to pick through the listings on ebay and elsewhere and find a good buy. They are there if you want to look.

I would maybe make an exception if I could great a really good deal on a high end pipe that just needs a very basic restoration, perhaps more accurately described as some basic long term maintenance of a neglected pipe. I would enjoy that process and it would feel rewarding to get a nice pipe for cheap in exchange for a bit of elbow grease.
 

Waning Embers

Captain of the Black Frigate
Nov 12, 2014
47,718
128,975
I'm quite frugal, and I've bought quite a few estate pipes, including some cheap ones in dirty crappy condition that I cleaned up. However, as I've started to get older, I've come to value my time outside of work more, and I avoid making additional work for myself such as cleaning up estate pipes.

I've bought perfectly serviceable estate pipes in the $20-$30 range that don't need any restoration, such as my two "Mountbatten" pipes, which are Charatan apprentice pipes and are higher in quality than any of the run of the mill $100 price range factory pipes I've smoked. One of my favorite pipes is a Savinelli apple I picked up for around $40 or $45 in excellent condition from rebornpipes.com. You just have to pick through the listings on ebay and elsewhere and find a good buy. They are there if you want to look.

I would maybe make an exception if I could great a really good deal on a high end pipe that just needs a very basic restoration, perhaps more accurately described as some basic long term maintenance of a neglected pipe. I would enjoy that process and it would feel rewarding to get a nice pipe for cheap in exchange for a bit of elbow grease.
I tend to be very cheap. 60% of mine are under $30, 30% are under $200, 5% are under $500, and 5% are $1000+.
 
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lawdawg

Lifer
Aug 25, 2016
1,803
3,840
I tend to be very cheap. 60% of mine are under $30, 30% are under $200, 5% are under $500, and 5% are $1000+.

Yes, same on the cheapness. I just call it "being frugal." I'm wearing a pair of Bass penny loafers right now that I bought new but unworn on ebay a couple years ago for $20 and they are just about to the point of developing holes in the soles. Time to go back to ebay for a new deal.

I just don't cheap out on important stuff like looking after my wife and her general happiness, my house, my cat, anything or anyone else that depends on me, etc. and some relatively inexpensive indulgences like a decent cigar or a good whiskey. I just try not to overdo it on the indulgences.

I always keep in mind the motto about not being penny wise and pound foolish. I don't penny pinch at all and freely spend money when I feel like it or when the occasion calls for it, but I try to make wise decisions on the big expenditures and save on the small ones where practical.
 

Waning Embers

Captain of the Black Frigate
Nov 12, 2014
47,718
128,975
Where'd you buy your big skull church warden? Sorry turned spell check off and my finger covers nearly 2 letters so once in a while I use the word suggestion and it tricks me sometimes.
It's a Kenan from Meerschaum Market.

IMG_4802__51590.1574218451.jpeg-2.jpg
 

mikethompson

Commissar of Christmas
Jun 26, 2016
12,122
26,848
Near Toronto, Ontario, Canada
I've seen the salt treatment and the alcohol. Do they do the same thing? If not which do you use for what? I'm guessing the alcohol sanitizes the pipe. Not sure what the salt does.

The salt wicks away tars and gunk from the briar over a period of about 24 hours. Here is a Nording I am getting ready. The pictures are about 6 hours apart.

P_20201028_100621.jpgP_20201028_151438.jpg
 

Waning Embers

Captain of the Black Frigate
Nov 12, 2014
47,718
128,975
I can look at it all day. I'm not a churchwarden person, but the detail is amazing. I saw they do custom work. Must be great artists. Bet they're parents told them they'd never make any money as a artist. Eating crow now I bet.
What's amazing me is that it's picked up so much color since I bought it in July.

20201029_063821.jpg
20201029_063945.jpg
20201029_063903.jpg
 
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