Cleaning an Estate Pipe

[uneek]

I've purchased a couple of older estate pipes and will want to clean them when they arrive. I plan to soak pipe cleaners in alcohol and run them through the smoke channel in the stem and the stummel until they come out clean. I don't know what kind of material the stems are made of so I don't know how to treat them properly. I don't want to ruin anything unnecessarily. Are any of the stem materials sensitive to alcohol? Can I boil the stems to sanitize them or will it damage the material? Any tips or cautions are welcome.
Thanks!

 

[fluffie666]

High proof alcohol like Everclear or Spiritus. Google "salt and alcohol treatment". That's a great way to start getting rid of any flavors that might be stuck in your pipe. If you want a deeper clean then try a pipe retort. A pipe retort is a cheap and very effective way to very thoroughly clean and sanitize an estate pipe. Good luck and be careful with the retort.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Boiling them will make them straighten if not already, and if they are vulcanite/ebonite, steam from the boiling water will oxidize them.

 

[danielplainview]

^^^ What Chasing said.
You can quickly damage a pipe if the proper precautions are not followed. If these are valuable pipes I would recommend sending them out to a professional or buy a few beaters to practice on before attempting to do it yourself.

 

[pagan]

You can quickly damage a pipe if the proper precautions are not followed. If these are valuable pipes I would recommend sending them out to a professional or buy a few beaters to practice on before attempting to do it yourself.

+1, I recommend Stem and Briar
http://www.stemandbriar.com/resotration

 

[pruss]

You're getting some solid advice.
The only thing I'll pile on to the top of what's been said already is that if you do end up doing the work yourself, at some point you're going to want to clean the airway with the stem removed from the shank. The mortise is a particularly nasty area to clean, and is where a gigantic amount of gunk builds up. There is frequently a gap between the end of the tenon and the end of the mortise, which is a hot spot for moisture, tars and oils to collect. Getting this area clean requires getting at the mortise without the stem inserted.
Good luck, have fun, and keep us posted.
-- Pat

 

[uneek]

One of them is an excellent candidate for my foray into reclamation. It looks like this one will need the bowl reamed as well. I'll determine what kind of reamer I want after it arrives and I can look at it. I love a beautiful pipe and it will hopefully be worthwhile.
The bottom line on my questions is not to soak the stems in anything. Not boiling or steaming water nor alcohol. Just swab the stems with alcohol and pipe cleaners until clean. Am I correct?
Thanks!

 

[torque]

Try to get your hands on a "Cook's" style reamer. I picked up one of these not long ago and haven't used any other type since. They do a fantastic job and since they are made from a type of spring metal the risk of hacking up your bowl and rim are pretty minimal. I'm not even sure that you could dig into the wood with this device. They don't appear to be made any longer, at least I don't see any at the usual online outlets, so ebay is your friend when it comes to getting one of these. Definitely worth the effort to find one in my opinion.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Cooks-Pipe-Reamer-Made-in-USA-/152236878689?hash=item2372066b61:g:ACoAAOSw9IpX1DYL
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Rogers-Cooks-Half-Half-Pipe-Tools-Reamer-Packer-Poker-Knife-Collection-/112129240005?hash=item1a1b6c6bc5:g:9zYAAOSwvzRXw1DF

 

[pagan]

You can soak the stem in Oxyclean, some use 50/50 bleach solution, either way the stem will have to be polished afterwards

 

[uneek]

Is it recommended I get a Brigham Pipe Reamer or a Senior Pipe Reamer or both? Is there a superior product on the market?

 

[uneek]

Thanks Coyote,
I just ordered it off ebay for $15.00. It looks easier to use than the others I was looking at.
What do you recommend for a polishing compound for what I believe is a vulcanite stem? I tried dry polishing it and it didn't do much. Once I get it polished, is there a proper sealant to use on the stem?
Thank you,

 

[dkaye201]

I soak my pipe stems in 151 rum. If there is nomenclature on the stem, I cover it with Vaseline. The rum kills everything, I believe. The stem then needs to be micro mesh sanded, and then I use obsidian oil for a nice shine. I also use the rum and cotton balls in the pipe bowl after reaming. I'll let that sit for about 12 hours-the bowl, that is. Empty the bowl and let it dry.I then buff the outside of the bowl. It works for me.

 

[uneek]

I see a lot of mention of using high proof ethyl alcohol but I don't want to get any cause I've been sober for 4 years - it just doesn't seem like a smart move lol. Are there any reservations to using isopropyl alcohol?

 

[tinsel]

Are there any reservations to using isopropyl alcohol?

Yes. DON'T do it! You only want to use alcohol that is potable (drinkable).
I've never tried it on a nice pipe with a nice stem, but I made the mistake of using some isopropyl on the plastic stem of a MM legend once ... did not turn out well. Dried the stem out, discolored it, and almost ruined it.
I wouldn't want to risk it. Also, it might make the pipe taste bad.

 

[dkaye201]

To uneek: Not a wise move for you to use rum or Everclear. Good for you to be sober for 4 years. My suggestion to you would be to send your pipes out to be reconditioned.its not expensive, and you know that the pipes will be sanitized and ready to smoke.

 

[uneek]

There are so many options and there seems to be several professionals ready and able to do the work. The more I handle and look at the pipe, the more I admire and appreciate it. I'd love to smoke it and truthfully, I don't have the skill as a first timer to do it justice. I've determined the rim needs to be refinished too so I have reached out to a vendor mentioned on the forum to perform a rejuvenation. Now I need the stem repaired or replaced.