I do a fair amount of pipe refurbishing. I also do a fair amount of online auction site buying. I have seen over and over again pipes go for a much lower price based on what appears to me one main problem, stem problems. I have also bought lots with few pictures only to end up with a number of chewed or broken stems on otherwise decent pipes.
Lately I have taken to buying them any way because I know I have the experiance and skill I guess to re-cut a button.
I have gained this from reading the Pipes Reborn blog, which I never shut up about. Also just hacking a few crapper stems to death. Generally I do the following:
1. Assess the damage, obviously. If it is a hole I try to patch it with black super glue as is covered elsewhere on this site. If not and it needs a stem recut.
2. I cut the stem back with a needle file behind the damage, assuming it still leave a workable amount of stem. I would say usually 1/2 inch is cut off.
3. Then with needle files, I cut lines onto both side of the stem after assessing the thickness. This is where the new part of the button that faces the stem will be. I would say bout a 1/4 of an inch form the newly cut end of the stem. I then begin removing material, a slow and careful process.
4. Once I am the rough recutting is done, out comes the sand paper. I work down from 150 or 300 grit down to a 1000 or so. I also have to keep the shape of the stem in mind. Often when I cut the end of the stem off it changes the profile enough that I need to account for it in reshaping. For an example an author shape. The flowing lines are affected and the button may look like if I were to grasp a piece of paper between my thumb and index finger. A really overly round stem that terminates in a very thin button. I usually have to go back and remove material as to make the profile similar to what it was intially.
5. It ends with micromeshing the whole shebang to a shine.
I will try to get some pictures of this done as well.
But getting back on topic a bit, Does anyone else here do this?
Lately I have taken to buying them any way because I know I have the experiance and skill I guess to re-cut a button.
I have gained this from reading the Pipes Reborn blog, which I never shut up about. Also just hacking a few crapper stems to death. Generally I do the following:
1. Assess the damage, obviously. If it is a hole I try to patch it with black super glue as is covered elsewhere on this site. If not and it needs a stem recut.
2. I cut the stem back with a needle file behind the damage, assuming it still leave a workable amount of stem. I would say usually 1/2 inch is cut off.
3. Then with needle files, I cut lines onto both side of the stem after assessing the thickness. This is where the new part of the button that faces the stem will be. I would say bout a 1/4 of an inch form the newly cut end of the stem. I then begin removing material, a slow and careful process.
4. Once I am the rough recutting is done, out comes the sand paper. I work down from 150 or 300 grit down to a 1000 or so. I also have to keep the shape of the stem in mind. Often when I cut the end of the stem off it changes the profile enough that I need to account for it in reshaping. For an example an author shape. The flowing lines are affected and the button may look like if I were to grasp a piece of paper between my thumb and index finger. A really overly round stem that terminates in a very thin button. I usually have to go back and remove material as to make the profile similar to what it was intially.
5. It ends with micromeshing the whole shebang to a shine.
I will try to get some pictures of this done as well.
But getting back on topic a bit, Does anyone else here do this?
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