Learning

[OwlTellYa]

I would love to sit with an experienced pipe restorer and learn from them. The online write-ups are useful, but there’s nothing like the hands-on experience. I don’t know of a pipe club near me or I would ask. And it seems to be rude to ask a B&M to teach me, since it’s their business. (“Please teach me so I don’t have to pay you.”) Are there any groups or lists of amateur restorers? BTW: I’m in upstate NY.

 

[dublinpiper90]

It’s not to hard find you a cheap estate pipe and practice I remember the first pipe I restored makes it hard to get rid of

 

[RustiePyles CPG]

The best way is to buy some el-cheapo estates and go at em. If you destroy em, you learn something. If not, you’ve got a shop pipe and you learned something.

 

[OzPiper]

The best way is to buy some el-cheapo estates and go at em. If you destroy em, you learn something. If not, you’ve got a shop pipe and you learned something.

^^^^^ This

A diminutive 1916 bent billiard with amber stem which I bought for very little to practise on.
It was heavily caked and arrived in a dirty state with clogged airways. The stem had large a chunk of its orific button missing.

I learned a lot from working on this pipe

 

[OwlTellYa]

Thank you for the suggestion and the nice pictures. I have actually been trying it myself on some cheap eBay pipes with okay (not stellar) results. But when I work on the pipes I often wonder if there are better ways to accomplish what I am doing. No need to reinvent the wheel if I could sit with someone for a pipe or two.

 

[OzPiper]

I’m a klutz, so power tools are out.

Just patience and elbow grease

And referencing Rebornpipes

 

[Chasing Embers]

so power tools are out

I've never found a need for power tools with cleanups.

 

[kcghost]

As others have suggested buy some cheap pipes off eBay and show the results on this forum. I am sure the restorers who hang here will make the appropriate comments that will guide you.

 

[didimauw]

It’s not to hard find you a cheap estate pipe and practice I remember the first pipe I restored makes it hard to get rid of

I used to buy lots of multiple gross cracked pipes to practice on. Learn as you go! Plus then if you screw up, who cares it was already garbage.