Hello all,
I am sorry if I am going over already covered ground.....I am sure that I am as this is an important topic, but if you could address this it is much appreciated. I have inherited my Dad's pipe collection, these are mostly W.O. Larsens, Caminettos, Ascortis, and a few random pipes like a Briar Workshop freehand. Some of the pipes smoke nice, and some smoke bitter or sour, and some are clearly grunged-out. All of them have sentimental value to me and I do not want to risk damage to them, but I do want to get them to a state of good smoking pipes. I have read The Professor's Pipe-Sweetening Treatment with salt and alcohol and it sounds like a good way to do it, but I am worried about the disclaimer that it can damage a pipe's bowl. So, has anyone ever had a pipe damaged by the salt and alcohol treatment? I see some people do a cotton ball in place of the salt....any risk with this method, is it really safer than salt and alcohol? If doing the cotton balls, how much alcohol? Is it the same as the salt and alcohol method, like 8-10 drops, or do you saturate the cotton ball? Also, I have a bottle of Bacardi 151 rum handy......will this do, or should I really be using Ever Clear.....I have found denatured isopropyl alcohol hard to find, but could probably get Ever Clear...but why not 151?
Also, for restoring a vulcanized stem (some are nasty) with bleach, is it straight bleach, or do you dilute the bleach with water?
I want to get these pipes back in service,but do not want to risk any damage at all...if these were from Ebay, etc., I wouldn't care so much. but these are family.
Any advice is appreciated...this is my first time doing this and don't want to screw up.
Thank you,
Cliff
I am sorry if I am going over already covered ground.....I am sure that I am as this is an important topic, but if you could address this it is much appreciated. I have inherited my Dad's pipe collection, these are mostly W.O. Larsens, Caminettos, Ascortis, and a few random pipes like a Briar Workshop freehand. Some of the pipes smoke nice, and some smoke bitter or sour, and some are clearly grunged-out. All of them have sentimental value to me and I do not want to risk damage to them, but I do want to get them to a state of good smoking pipes. I have read The Professor's Pipe-Sweetening Treatment with salt and alcohol and it sounds like a good way to do it, but I am worried about the disclaimer that it can damage a pipe's bowl. So, has anyone ever had a pipe damaged by the salt and alcohol treatment? I see some people do a cotton ball in place of the salt....any risk with this method, is it really safer than salt and alcohol? If doing the cotton balls, how much alcohol? Is it the same as the salt and alcohol method, like 8-10 drops, or do you saturate the cotton ball? Also, I have a bottle of Bacardi 151 rum handy......will this do, or should I really be using Ever Clear.....I have found denatured isopropyl alcohol hard to find, but could probably get Ever Clear...but why not 151?
Also, for restoring a vulcanized stem (some are nasty) with bleach, is it straight bleach, or do you dilute the bleach with water?
I want to get these pipes back in service,but do not want to risk any damage at all...if these were from Ebay, etc., I wouldn't care so much. but these are family.
Any advice is appreciated...this is my first time doing this and don't want to screw up.
Thank you,
Cliff