How to get several extra minutes from every bowl!

[quantumboy]

The Senior Pipe Reamer has been mentioned a lot here, but here's something to think about: the buildup inside the pipe happens so gradually that I often don't pay much attention to the diminishing volume of tobacco a pipe will hold. It's dark in there, hard to see. Being a total engineering geek, I calculated the difference in pipe volume for a pipe with a .75" diameter, one inch deep bowl. A mere tenth of an inch buildup (.05" all around) decreases chamber volume by 25%. Do the math!

 

[Chasing Embers]

Over the past 10 years or so, the trend has been little to no cake at all. Many regularly remove buildup aggressively after each smoke with paper towels, sandpaper, or knife blades.

 

[The Benedictine]

@didimauw love cake almost as much as a fat kid.

 

[didimauw]

@didimauw love cake almost as much as a fat kid.

These days I know better though. Hahaha

 

[Dshift]

The Senior Pipe Reamer has been mentioned a lot here, but here's something to think about: the buildup inside the pipe happens so gradually that I often don't pay much attention to the diminishing volume of tobacco a pipe will hold. It's dark in there, hard to see. Being a total engineering geek, I calculated the difference in pipe volume for a pipe with a .75" diameter, one inch deep bowl. A mere tenth of an inch buildup (.05" all around) decreases chamber volume by 25%. Do the math!

View attachment 396837

This reminds me to post a PSA about the senior reamers- just in the last month I’ve had 2 good pipes crack because of it. Both of mine went in the garbage bin!

 

[warren]

Used Seniors for years, still do. What I don't do is ever ream aggressively, no matter what reamer I find in my hand. Never injured a pipe reaming. Of course, there is the possibility of a pipe having an unnoticed, internal weakness/flaw.

 

[Dshift]

Used Seniors for years, still do. What I don't do is ever ream aggressively, no matter what reamer I find in my hand. Never injured a pipe reaming. Of course, there is the possibility of a pipe having an unnoticed, internal weakness/flaw.

The problem for me is mainly when I get a pipe with a ton of cake, that’s not crumbly kind the stronger than steel one. Also something looks suspicious I need to ream until I get to briar in order to see if there is any damage. A good pipe knife and a steady hand is infinitely better than the senior in my opinion.

 

[sablebrush52]

My choice is a Pipnet, though I also have a number of Swedish made reamers, a Buttner, and a shaped piece of dowel which I wrap with glass paper for stuff that needs to be done very carefully.

 

[Briar Lee]

I have too many reamer gadgets to count in my stash of pipe stuff, but this one is the best I’ve found.



I use it as a scraper, not a reamer.

Another thing I have against cake is I like my ancient, oil cured, aged, unstained, unvarnished and unpainted Algerian briar pipes to color to oxblood.

Cake slows that down if it doesn’t stop it.



Three smokes with beeswax on the exterior and all the cake scraped out and cleaned to bare briar.

 

[warren]

A good pipe knife

My go to, lately, is a pocket knife. Small bites, a good eye and feel, it works fine.

 

[LeafErikson]

The math behind how much the chamber size is affected as a percentage is very interesting. Thank you for that.

I've only ever used the scooper on a czech tool as a reamer and I've never found the need to use anything else.

 

[Dshift]

The math behind how much the chamber size is affected as a percentage is very interesting. Thank you for that.

I've only ever used the scooper on a czech tool as a reamer and I've never found the need to use anything else.

This is exactly what I do on my personal pipes - I can just go for it without paying any attention and there is no risk of anything bad happening.

 

[quantumboy]

Yes, please be careful with the reamer. It can damage a pipe if used carelessly but it need not. A big mistake for noobs might be to go all the way down to the wood. Be gentle, open the crank slowly, and leave some black on the inside of the bowl. A thin layer of cake is beneficial and will protect the pipe.