Barling's Make Clean-Up and Restoration

[OzPiper]

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.

Now that you've really tidied up the stummel, it deserves a new stem.

I'm not that fixated on keeping all my pipes "original" as what I really want is a functional pipe
But if you intend to pass it on, then an original stem, albeit repaired, makes sense.
I'm sure Al (@ssjones ) can chime in on how to fix the original stem

 

[mikethompson]

then an original stem, albeit repaired, makes sense.

According to Jesse, it is a replacement stem on there already.

I'm sure Al (@ssjones ) can chime in on how to fix the original stem

Al has given me great advice on repairing stems. I think he was the one who told me about using epoxy to fill the hole and then sand it down when it dries.

I might go that route. I'm still undecided about keeping this pipe or sending it on its way.

 

[Simmerdown☕️]

Really nice work so far. Definitely bringing that back from the grave. ?️

 

[mikethompson]

@dPero here is what the coffee ground treatment looks like. The bowl is packed, and the shank has as much as you can as well. After a few days when the grounds dry, I will maybe give it another round. As the grounds dry they soak up any lingering smells.

 

[mikethompson]

As the coffee grounds work their magic, I'd thought I'd take my bristle cleaner to the stem.

It is clean but in rough shape.

 

[reloader]

Can't wait to see the finished product!

 

[orlandofurioso]

From Jesse ( who learned from George Dibos ) I learned to deghost a bowl with granulated active charcoal and alcohol. Works like a charm !
Cannot not wait to see the outcome , the stem is not beyond salvation !
I repair holes in stems with a slow setting two part black epoxy from StewMac :

Stewart-MacDonald Epoxy - StewMac

High quality clear and black epoxies.

www.stewmac.com

 

[Simmerdown☕️]

You can definitely redeem that stem. This pipe is going to look great. ?️

 

[mikethompson]

Here's how I go about fixing holes in stems, and I hope this can be of some help to some of you guys.

A backing piece is inserted into the mouthpiece to give the Por-15 something to stick to. Por-15 is a black seam filler that dries rock hard and gloss black.

After a few days I will remove the backing piece of wood and sand the patch smooth as I can.

 

[sablebrush52]

Here's how I go about fixing holes in stems, and I hope this can be of some help to some of you guys.

A backing piece is inserted into the mouthpiece to give the Por-15 something to stick to. Por-15 is a black seam filler that dries rock hard and gloss black.

After a few days I will remove the backing piece of wood and sand the patch smooth as I can.

View attachment 126919View attachment 126920View attachment 126921

Keeping my fingers crossed. I hope it works better than the cyanoacrylate based fillers. They mostly fall off after a few uses.

 

[woodsroad]

Surface prep is important. Scrape out the opening a bit to expose clean material. Still, there isn't much for the epoxy to adhere to. Did you coat the wood backing with something to act as a release agent?

 

[mikethompson]

They mostly fall off after a few uses.

I've had good luck with it in the past. I have a Brigham that I used this on and its held pretty good so far.

Did you coat the wood backing with something to act as a release agent?

Hmm in hindsight that's a good idea. I've never done that and it seems to release fairly easily.

 

[TheIronMonkey]

Would it have made more sense to clean up the stem before doing the epoxy so that you'd end up with a black to black transition?

 

[orlandofurioso]

I've had good luck with it in the past. I have a Brigham that I used this on and its held pretty good so far.



Hmm in hindsight that's a good idea. I've never done that and it seems to release fairly easily.

You could scotch tape the wood backing . It will also give a more smooth patch on the inside of the stem.
CA glue sucks, it will become brittle and fall off . Never really worked for me.
It's good to fill shallow tooth marks though. TM is right, work with a black to black transition.
Apart from your good care, the stem will eventually oxidize, the patch will not .

 

[mikethompson]

Would it have made more sense to clean up the stem before doing the epoxy so that you'd end up with a black to black transition?

I'm going to try a slightly different method with the stem, and hopefully that won't matter too much.

 

[mikethompson]

It has been a while since an update (pesky new job), but the POR 15 has hardened and I'm in the process of sanding it down. There are a few 'dips' that look similar to bite marks, which I could either fill with more POR 15 or just leave. I'm undecided. Given how rarely I would smoke the pipe, I might just leave it.

I'm going to try @woodsroad 's trick of dying the entire stem in leather dye. I thought I had a jar of it somewhere from when I redid a steering wheel, but can't seem it find it now.

 

[ssjones]

Keeping my fingers crossed. I hope it works better than the cyanoacrylate based fillers. They mostly fall off after a few uses.

Interesting, I wouldn't have thought of POR15 (and Jesse is right - they just don't hold up on big repairs like this).
I use POR15 for auto parts - it holds up forever. I don't know how it will polish, like the rest of the stem.
Curious to see the updates, great job so far!

 

[mikethompson]

great job so far!

Praise from Caesar indeed.

Here is how it sits so far. A truly awful picture, but the hole has been filled. You can make out what I mean by dips and ridges.

 

[jpmcwjr]

Amazon shows dozens of POR 15 products/sizes. I have just a couple of stems to try to repair, so can any one recommend a specific one that won't break the bank?

 

[mikethompson]

Amazon shows dozens of POR 15 products/sizes. I have just a couple of stems to try to repair, so can any one recommend a specific one that won't break the bank?

Here's what I'm using