Cake Removing Alcohol Rubbing Care Help

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sablebrush52

The Bard Of Barlings
Jun 15, 2013
21,518
52,608
Southern Oregon
jrs457.wixsite.com
@Sable,

It was not you that suggested sandpaper on the exterior, it was mentioned by Mike in the beginning.
Correct. The OP just wanted info on doing a basic clean up, not an extensive restoration such as topping and/or finish removal, and that's what I gave him. My mention of sanding was limited to the removal of oxidized vulcanite, and that was using Micromesh pads rather than a buffer. I will use sanding films when doing the final bit of cake removal. Like anything done to clean up a pipe, it should be done carefully, a bit at a time.

 

cosmicbobo

Part of the Furniture Now
May 11, 2017
657
2
Ixnay on the eamerray. Can jam, break, and just not fit. If the cake is too much, gently use a boning knife. My hands shake, yet I did a better job than the reamer I bought

 

mikethompson

Lifer
Jun 26, 2016
11,970
26,198
Near Toronto, Ontario, Canada
I was approaching it all wrong, and yes I was asking about the exterior of the bowl. I've got some carnauba wax coming and we'll see how that brings it back. It's the most cost effective way at this point. As for the cake, like jpmcwjr mentioned, hot water and a cloth are removing much of it.
Again I'm not doing a full "frame off" restore, just a little cleanup for my friend. It will be his first pipe and meant to make sure it smokes well and looks reasonably good.

 

admiral

Starting to Get Obsessed
Sep 15, 2017
272
6
For this a gentle rub/buff with carnauba on the exterior would suffice :)

 

cosmicfolklore

Moderator
Staff member
Aug 9, 2013
35,685
83,715
Between the Heart of Alabama and Hot Springs NC
If the carnauba is coming as a solid, it will require a buffer. It's like a brick of plastic. You can't just put some on a cloth and rub. There are some paste forms, like what is used in other forms of woodworking. Smoking pipes has a paste one that I see recommended quite often by folks in the know.

 

sablebrush52

The Bard Of Barlings
Jun 15, 2013
21,518
52,608
Southern Oregon
jrs457.wixsite.com
Ixnay on the eamerray. Can jam, break, and just not fit. If the cake is too much, gently use a boning knife. My hands shake, yet I did a better job than the reamer I bought
In the 40+ years I've been smoking and maintaining pipes, I've had this happen exactly zero times. The only issue I experienced was when I bought a Castleford reamer set and gouged the wall of a pipe because the reamer blade hadn't been finished off properly and there was a bit of excess steel burr left on it that I missed. That's why I don't use cheap crappy Chinese knockoffs of the Pipnet, which is what the Castleford is. But you have to have the correct tool for the job and you need to know how to use it. Besides the Pipnet I also have Buttner, Swedish steel reamers, and other tools. And unlike some Youtube videos I've seen, you don't just jam them in and twist. You cut your way in and you do it carefully.
I can use a knife, but as a collector of fine vintage Britwood, I've seen dozens of pipes scarred by troglodytes wielding pipe knives, gouged walls and rippling rims.
If Carnuba and a buffer is a problem, you can use either Paragon or Halcyon paste waxes to achieve a brilliant shine without the need of a buffer.

 
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