Bowl Maintenance

[wgstraub]

Stupid question, perhaps: Would you ream a bowl before or after you perform the rock salt/grain alcohol procedure, or is there a better method? Also, reamer recommendations would be appreciated (and, being an old man, I always seek the less expensive route). Thanks in advance.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

I maintain my pipes by rincing them with water after each smoke and then reaming the bowl with a wad of paper towel. This prevents me from ever having to use alcohol. And, it slows down how long you will have to go between reams.

But, of I had to ream mine, I’d just use a skilled hand with the curved blade on my pocketknife. But, YMMV if you aren’t that savvy with a knife.

 

[verporchting]

Ream first. Simple Butner reamer works great, but even a cheap knockoff will work in a pinch. Or a dull pocket knife if you’re careful not to whittle your pipe away, but if you’re not confident with a knife the reamers work a little better. Just be conservative because you can’t put wood back on, so gently gently.

 

[anotherbob]

ream first. And with reaming just take your time. It's easy unless you get impatient. As has been pointed out wood can't be put back into the pipe. Where as you can ream more latter if you think you need to.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Reamers and blades can do a lot of damage quick. Sandpaper can be used easily and cause little damage.

 

[anotherbob]

Reamers and blades can do a lot of damage quick. Sandpaper can be used easily and cause little damage.

reamers and blades are easy to use. Just make sure you set more time for it then you need by a lot. I don't get how people damage pipes with reaming. It's like a auto scrubber or burnishing machine if you don't rush and just take time and focus it's real easy.

 

[python]

As others have said, ream first. But only if it needs it. And then salt & alcohol.

I have never had to ream one of my pipes. The only time that I need to ream is if I purchase an unrestored pipe. When I do need to touch up the cake, I use a small Swiss army keychain knife just like this one:

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I find the small blade is perfect for touching up cake and offers great control on what I'm doing.

The reamers that I have are a Senior Reamer:

Tampers & Tools Senior Pipe Reamer | Buy Tampers & Tools Pipe Accessories at Smokingpipes.com

Smokingpipes.com is your one stop shop for Tampers & Tools Senior Pipe Reamer Pipe Accessories and all your tobacco smoking needs. From new tobacco pipes and estate tobacco pipes to tin pipe tobacco and bulk pipe tobacco, we have everything you need

www.smokingpipes.com

And a British Butner Reamer that looks like this one:

Tampers & Tools Brigham Pipe Reamer | Buy Tampers & Tools Pipe Accessories at Smokingpipes.com

Smokingpipes.com is your one stop shop for Tampers & Tools Brigham Pipe Reamer Pipe Accessories and all your tobacco smoking needs. From new tobacco pipes and estate tobacco pipes to tin pipe tobacco and bulk pipe tobacco, we have everything you need

www.smokingpipes.com

They both work well and between the two of them I can ream any size chamber.

 

[stokesdale]

Stupid question, perhaps: Would you ream a bowl before or after you perform the rock salt/grain alcohol procedure, or is there a better method? Also, reamer recommendations would be appreciated (and, being an old man, I always seek the less expensive route). Thanks in advance.

If you are one of those rinsing perverts, like @cosmicfolklore , I would ream it before, during and after...then ream it again for good measure, then ream it before bedtime and when you wake up in the morning just to make sure you reamed it properly

 

[ashdigger]

The solution is one word. FIBER. You need fiber....oh, bowl....never mind.

I reamafter alcohol and salt given a light cake. If the cake is thick enough that a fat guy has a stroke, then I carefully ream and then alcohol and salt.

 

[cigrmaster]

Since the first time I reamed a pipe I have always used a Senior Reamer. Never tried another one as I felt comfortable with the Senior Reamer. It was the first one I bought and I never needed to buy another. I have looked at some of the others but decided if it ain't broke, why fix it. I have always been very gentle and I take my time and so far I have never had an issue reaming too strongly.

 

[ChuckMijo]

It depends on how hard the cake is. If it’s old thick and really hard. I’ll soak it with a cotton ball and alcohol first. Soft it up some. I personally don’t like salt. That just a ME thing. I much prefer cotton. The shank always gets a retort. A lot of ugly lives there.

 

[verporchting]

If the cake is thick enough that a fat guy has a stroke, then I carefully ream and then alcohol and salt.

LMAO! Ash, I snorted Dr. Pepper through my nose reading that, so thanks for that, lol.

 

[Chasing Embers]

The only time that I need to ream is if I purchase an unrestored pipe.

+1

 

[sablebrush52]

The suggestions above are pretty good overall.
If you're cleaning up an old pipe, ream back the cake, but you may want to avoid going all the way back to the wood on a really old pipe, lest you reveal the carnage that lies underneath, and is protected by, the existing cake.

I use a variety of tools, depending on the needs of the reaming job. I'll use a Pipnet, a Buttner-- especially on conical chambers -- any of several Swedish stainless steel reaming blades, and/or glass paper wrapped around the end of a Pilot marker and affixed with rubber bands. The sandpaper is great for careful work.

I've used the S/A method, cotton ball method, and retorts, especially for really stubborn deposits in the airway. With a really stubborn ghost you may have to repeat the S/A or cotton ball method, or send the pipes out to Walker Briars for an ozone treatment.

Go slowly and patiently. Avoid ringing a bell that can't be unrung.

For regular maintenance, wiping down the chamber walls with a wadded paper towel or three gets a lot of gunk, and bristle pipe cleaners -- doubled over -- rubbed over the chamber walls clean up a lot of gunk.

Make sure that the mortise is spotless.

Use alcohol on Vulcanite stems and water with unscented detergent on acrylic stems. Don't use alcohol on acrylic stems.

 

[telescopes]

When a pipe needed deep cleaning, my dad would remove the stem and insert a pipe cleaner in the shank. He would then wrap the remaining part of the pipe cleaner around the outside of the shank and fill the bowl with bourbon and let it set for the night. In the morning he would drain the bourbon and finish cleaning the pipe. His pipes never burned out and have lasted well over a half century of smoking.

 

[OzPiper]

Pipnet reamer - easy to use and idiot-proof (me )
Only if there is a thick layer of cake, but be gentle.
Available from sponsor SPC

 

[saltedplug]

No matter how careful, I never reamed a pipe without taking wood. It didn't help to use different reamers.

I finally settled on the blade of a pocketknife scraped against the bowl at a 90 degree angle. Never got wood and the bowl was reamed.

 

[FurCoat]

Reamers and blades can do a lot of damage quick. Sandpaper can be used easily and cause little damage.

This. I use 200 grit.

 

[tschiraldi]

Least expensive usually means most damage. For around $20, Blue Room Briars will ream, clean, and shine her up like new. Small price to pay!