The broken piece inside the stummel is proving to be a challenge. I'm fairly sure there is a broken piece in there. Here is a shot of the stem removed from the pipe. Something is missing off the end right?
Barling's Make Clean-Up and Restoration
- Thread starter mikethompson
- Start date
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On a more positive note, the stummel has really cleaned up well. I still have a bit of work to do on the rim, but I think a few coats of wax will really bring out the grain ?
It's starting to look like the "broken piece" in the mortise isn't actually that.
More likely a spacer that someone made to remove the gap between the bottom of the mortise and the end of the tenon...
OR
(and no, I'm not kidding)... what's there is ossified gunk. Nearly glass hard "petrified" yuck, created by someone who smoked the pipe hard and frequently cleaned it (he thought) with frequent alcohol-soaked pipe cleaners. And never, ever took the pipe apart.
The gap acts as a combination alcohol wringer and crud trap, and the crud particles in suspension plate out as the alcohol evaporates. Repeat X 1000 and you end up with something damn near as hard as acrylic (but significantly more brittle).
I've seen it maybe two dozen times over the years.
The fix is easy (if that's what it is in your case): a slip-fit drill bit gently hand-turned into the mortise until the crap stops coming out and wood shows at the end of the tunnel.
More likely a spacer that someone made to remove the gap between the bottom of the mortise and the end of the tenon...
OR
(and no, I'm not kidding)... what's there is ossified gunk. Nearly glass hard "petrified" yuck, created by someone who smoked the pipe hard and frequently cleaned it (he thought) with frequent alcohol-soaked pipe cleaners. And never, ever took the pipe apart.
The gap acts as a combination alcohol wringer and crud trap, and the crud particles in suspension plate out as the alcohol evaporates. Repeat X 1000 and you end up with something damn near as hard as acrylic (but significantly more brittle).
I've seen it maybe two dozen times over the years.
The fix is easy (if that's what it is in your case): a slip-fit drill bit gently hand-turned into the mortise until the crap stops coming out and wood shows at the end of the tunnel.
@georged Not sure if you saw this pic from the other thread. Here's a close up I took before I sent the pipe to Mike.
Whatever it is...it's in there good.
Whatever it is...it's in there good.
Yup, that's deposited-over-many-years gunk, not the end of the tenon.
Gross to think about, innit?
Gross to think about, innit?
Hence my contention that if a pipe smokes funky or sour or just plain bad, it's shit in the mortise / airways rather than a ghosted bowl.
Damn, old heads just smoked em…never mind the pipe cleaners. ? You should be able to hand turn that yuck out with a small drill bit.
️
@georged thanks for your input. Guess I will try using a drill bit and slowly reaming out the gunk.
Yes it is gross. Thanks again for sending it my way Scott!
Maybe, maybe not. Some tenons were stepped, but many were not. Of course, it's a replacement stem, so no chamfering around the top of the tenon or at the base. Are you sure that that blob at the end isn't just hardened crap?
Jesse, take a look at the last few posts. It's probably hardened gunk. I'm going to try the drill method tomorrow.
The rim is starting to look somewhat decent again.
No pictures, but I can't say enough about bristle brush cleaners. Lots of brown coming out of the shank.
No after pictures of the salt soak, but I'm always impressed what gunk salt and vodka can wick out of briar.
Here is the bowl with two coats of carnauba wax. It has really cleaned up nicely. Next step for the bowl will be a couple rounds of damp coffee grounds to eliminate any remaining smells.
What I should have done is the coffee first, then finished with the wax, but I couldn't wait.
Here is the bowl with two coats of carnauba wax. It has really cleaned up nicely. Next step for the bowl will be a couple rounds of damp coffee grounds to eliminate any remaining smells.
What I should have done is the coffee first, then finished with the wax, but I couldn't wait.
Looking good, so far.
Thanks for posting those step-by step progress pics.
Thank you gentlemen, it is coming along slowly but surely. I wish my tablet could take better pictures. The grain and colour look really nice in person.
As for the stem @scloyd, I'm going to try to clean it up as well. If I keep it, it may just go to Briarville for a different stem.
As for the stem @scloyd, I'm going to try to clean it up as well. If I keep it, it may just go to Briarville for a different stem.
