First Time Reaming Any Advice.

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anotherbob

Lifer
Mar 30, 2019
15,675
29,390
45
In the semi-rural NorthEastern USA
awaiting a reamer in the mail one of those castleford pipenet imitations. I got two pipes that need reaming one is certainly more expendable then the other. Both need it as in I'd be stupid to smoke them any more at this point with out a reaming. I think I get the idea and it sounds easy enough to handle if one is careful but the tutorials seem to act like if I am not careful I'll blow up half the town I live in so any just basic first timer advice? Oh let's see if I got it first. Take the smallest bit that will fit and slowly ream it out increase the size of the bit till there is a thinner layer of even cake. Clean up and repeat in a few years?
 

milehighpiper

Can't Leave
Sep 10, 2018
418
309
Denver, CO
I may break the forum with this... On the last estate pipe I received (the almost $900 pipe) I could not fit a reaming tool in the bowl and it had a significant amount of cake in there. I used a 20ga and a 12ga nylon brush to get rid of the cake. The nylon bristles were coarse enough to beak down the cake but did not touch the briar at all. Just a thought... 35473548
 

mso489

Lifer
Feb 21, 2013
41,210
60,433
Nothing against cake or reamers, but you can smoke pipes without building cake, if you wish. Here's how. Just scoop out the ash after a smoke, then wipe out the bowl with a stiff paper towel or napkin. This will maintain a thin carbon layer but not allow cake, per se, to build. You don't need to own a reamer. Also, this maintains a pretty much original chamber size and reduces ghosting to a point. Does this work? A number of Forums members choose this approach. I've used it for decades, and my pipes approve entirely. This is NOT a campaign against cake building or reaming, just an option that you have instead. If you do ream, do it sparingly. Many a pipe has been ruined with a reamer.
 

pianopuffer

Can't Leave
Jul 3, 2017
491
140
NYC
I may break the forum with this... On the last estate pipe I received (the almost $900 pipe) I could not fit a reaming tool in the bowl and it had a significant amount of cake in there. I used a 20ga and a 12ga nylon brush to get rid of the cake. The nylon bristles were coarse enough to beak down the cake but did not touch the briar at all. Just a thought... View attachment 3547View attachment 3548
Do you use these with a drill or by hand?
 
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milehighpiper

Can't Leave
Sep 10, 2018
418
309
Denver, CO
Nothing against cake or reamers, but you can smoke pipes without building cake, if you wish. Here's how. Just scoop out the ash after a smoke, then wipe out the bowl with a stiff paper towel or napkin. This will maintain a thin carbon layer but not allow cake, per se, to build. You don't need to own a reamer. Also, this maintains a pretty much original chamber size and reduces ghosting to a point. Does this work? A number of Forums members choose this approach. I've used it for decades, and my pipes approve entirely. This is NOT a campaign against cake building or reaming, just an option that you have instead. If you do ream, do it sparingly. Many a pipe has been ruined with a reamer.
I own a reamer and I am getting a second. Exclusively used for estate pipe restoration.
 
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anotherbob

Lifer
Mar 30, 2019
15,675
29,390
45
In the semi-rural NorthEastern USA
o.k. just reamed my first pipe and it was really super easy and the castleford reamer worked like a charm. Seriously all the be so careful with reaming stuff I've read is just silly. The only piece of advice I would give is just use patience and not worry about how long it takes.
 
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