What’s your go to process for cleaning up estates? I recently have bought my first lightly smoked estate pipes and can’t quite find a clear thread in here about how to clean them up.
Cleaning up estates
- Thread starter TheOccasionalPuffer
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Maybe a photo. Every estate is in a different state of repair. Its hard to answer this without writing an exhaustive essay. It can range from very simple to very complex. Additionally, depending on the goal you will get different answers.
What Sigmund said. Show us some pics.
Plenty threads in the "Pipe repair and maintenance" section.
Yep. All mine include a Reborn PIpes blog entry with more detail.
Yet, what has been said. Every pipe is a different animal. Look up restoring tobacco pipes on YouTube. You'll find everything from light cleaning to full rebuilds. Good luck!
…. and quick and easy ways to destroy your pipe. Viewer beware.
Reborn Pipes is a great asset to understand the process of bringing oldies back to life, and to understand the vast scope and intricacies of such a seemingly (yet deceptively) simple concept is best illustrated perusing the amazing work of @georged at his channel: High Grade Pipe Repair and Restoration
Good luck, and as I always caution folks: practice on pipes you can live without first. I, as many others, have screwed up and tried to learn on a pipe that meant something or was not replaceable.
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When I have them in my possession I’ll add some pictures.
I appreciate the advice, looks like I have some homework. Right now I’m just looking to clean them up so they’re smokable but I am also interested in maybe trying out some restoration as I enjoy tinkering and amateur woodworking.
Cleaning and reaming can usually get them sanitary and smokable, then you can jump as deep into the rabbit hole as you desire.
Enjoy!
Just remember that most of the funk is in the shank and mortise.
Most of my pipes are estates.
I spend more time cleaning out the shank, mortise and stem than I do on the inside of the chamber and the outside of the stummel
Here are some photos from the seller, another forum member.
Attachments
Nice pipes! I bet they won't need much. Look at The Southland Piper on YouTube. Watch a few of his videos to get a visual of what you're doing and look up Reborn Pipes on the net. He gives a great amount of details in cleaning and repairs.
Have fun. It's a great part of the hobby.
Have fun. It's a great part of the hobby.
Steve from Rebornpipes does a wonderful job on restoring.
I purchased some pipes from him and what struck me most is his approach.
He brings the ones under his care back to life without overdoing it.
My methods in some respects differ to his, but the ones I purchased from his pipe store were always
top notch. I signed up for his newletter from the start and it is always such a pleasure to read and learn.
Just do not overdo it and have tons of fun; these are neat pipes .
They appear to be vulcanite stems so you can use alcohol and pipe cleaners on the stems. If you want them to look really sharp research stem cleaning. Dont bother with soaking methods. It comes down to elbow grease. If you have a buffer that’s helpful at the end but there are other ways to get a high gloss jet black stem. None are much fun but yours don’t look too bad.
I’ll do my best to not get carried away lol keep it simple
Never tried it but it could. You would use it for the final polishing with compound. You still have to clean the stem and remove oxidation with abrasives first.
If its just a little off color you can clean it and wipe it down with mineral oil to darken it. It wont make a stem jet black if its discolored but it helps.
Id use the search here for removing oxidation from stems and search the net. You just need to learn to do it. Its not rocket science. It gets harder if you have to try and perserve a brand mark. Be careful sanding around the junction of the pipe and the stem. Its easy to round that off and looks not so great when reassembled.
Its not that hard but reading will give you some ideas on how to get good results and some tips on not wrecking it.
If its just a little off color you can clean it and wipe it down with mineral oil to darken it. It wont make a stem jet black if its discolored but it helps.
Id use the search here for removing oxidation from stems and search the net. You just need to learn to do it. Its not rocket science. It gets harder if you have to try and perserve a brand mark. Be careful sanding around the junction of the pipe and the stem. Its easy to round that off and looks not so great when reassembled.
Its not that hard but reading will give you some ideas on how to get good results and some tips on not wrecking it.