One of the estate pipes I recently acquired, a Medico, has a gummy tar buildup the likes of which I haven't encountered before. I first noticed it when I cleaned out the stem and the shank, with the cotton swabs and pipe cleaners coming out with a sticky, gooey mess of black tar. It took a while but I got the stem and shank sorted out. I then went to ream out the caked bowl and noticed that it too is loaded with tar. Instead of scraping away dry carbon cake, I'm basically digging through sticky, gummy tar, and I see no end to it.
Anyone ever encounter this before? I'm used to the typical dry carbon cake that is easily reamed or sanded away, but this is totally different. I'm wondering how this pipe got this way and how to proceed with restoring the bowl, if it's even possible. I certainly wouldn't want to smoke it with all that tar lining the bowl.
Anyone ever encounter this before? I'm used to the typical dry carbon cake that is easily reamed or sanded away, but this is totally different. I'm wondering how this pipe got this way and how to proceed with restoring the bowl, if it's even possible. I certainly wouldn't want to smoke it with all that tar lining the bowl.
