Medico CREST Estate - Funky Patina

[kgill]

I just found this one for $6. That seems to be the most I have had to pay lately for estate buys. The other three pipes I got must have come from the same smoker because they are all just as funky. Should make for dramatic before and after shots.

 

[captainsousie]

I'm a sucker for beat up estates too. A lot of work but really rewarding.

 

[ejames]

It will shine up nicely!

 

[wildcat]

I'm a sucker for beat up estates too. A lot of work but really rewarding.

+1

It will shine up nicely!

+1 again!

 

[kgill]

I started working on this one last night at 3am! Couldn't sleep.
Can anyone tell me what this stem is made of before I get into it?
Thanks

 

[uberam3rica]

Some TLC and elbow grease, and it should look great. I have a pipe that looked worse. I sent it out to be cleaned up, and it looks great now.

 

[petes03]

It looks to be oxidized like Vulcanite, but being a Medico, it could possibly be ABS.

 

[flyguy]

I own a Medico Varsity. It is a good smoker and is in my active rotation. It has a vulcanite stem.

 

[kgill]

I've been working on this one lately. Stem getting some repairs with superglue and the stummel is now soaking in grain alcohol.

 

[kgill]

 

[lifeon2]

good call on the soak I hope you reamed the bejeesus out of it first

 

[kgill]

I didn't ream it first. My approach was to use the alcohol soak to soften everything then ream it.
I hope my strategy works, ill find out.
But I checked the outer surface last night after about 6 hours in the soak and most of the finish is sloughing off. Cake is still hard. Ill try reaming it this afternoon to see how it goes.

 

[kashmir]

Your gonna have to roll up your sleeves on that one.

 

[mso489]

It's a toss up whether it's a diamond in the rough under there, or whether the whole thing will dissolve.

Not really, but that's how it looks. The before-and-after photos should be spectacular.

 

[05venturer]

Would you call it "Funky Old Patina"?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0OP5EnaaYjQ

 

[lifeon2]

I think its gonna shine like a new dime

 

[kgill]

So I pulled the stummel out after 12 hrs soaking in Grain Alcohol.
It was still muddy from tars and grime, but the finish was no longer on it and the grain started to appear.

Here it is in Daylight





I tried to get a good pic of the cake

 

[lifeon2]

Once you get the cake out that thing should be about 1/2 a pound lighter

 

[kgill]

Here it is after rinsing, scrubbing with a magic pad, then wet sanding with 1000 grit

 

[kgill]

This marking became visible. Looks like 79, probably a shape number?