Moldy Pipes

[smokingstatue]

Quick hello first time poster and short time smoker.
I was spending time with my grandfather at a huge flee market in IN and I found someone selling pipes. He had 6, on a rack, and I couldn't help but jump when he told me it would only be $15 for all of them. Not really looking at them I had him bag them and off I went. Now I'm back home and I pull them out only to find mold inside and outside of them! I start looking around on the net and find nothing so here I am.
If needed I can post photos but from what I'm seeing it isn't to bad. Just white build up on spots of the pipe. Really hoping to save at lest the oom paul as it is my first.
Thanks!

 

[olewaylon]

pictures always help, and welcome to the forums.

 

[smokingstatue]

I think I'm doing this right but If I'm not I'm very sorry

 

[tuold]

You've got some work ahead of you there, but it should be fun work. You can search this forum for posts on estate pipe restoration and there are many helpful videos on Youtube to watch. If you decide you are not going to get into restoration you can send the pipes out and have a professional do it for you.

 

[smokingstatue]

Thanks guys good to know it can be done!
I'm worried that the wood might hold the mold no matter how much alcohol and deep cleaning I do, is that true or will it come out?

 

[antbauers]

Rock Salt(some prefer cotton balls) and alcohol treatment should work. If your really worried you should use a retort. Check out this link for more details about it. It's also a great source for pipe restoration info.

Whatever you decide, post some before and after pics. They could be hiding some nice grain under there. Looks like a possibly rewarding restoration.

 

[dread]

Take Sam up on his offer if you don't want to do it yourself. I've gotten a couple of estate pipes from him and they are cleaned up well.

 

[brudnod]

The bowl, as mentioned above, can be cleaned with the rock salt - alcohol treatment (lots of YouTube videos), alcohol in the stem and shank, and I would use vinegar on the outside NOT Clorox. The acid is best for eradicating the mold. Then once you have done all that you many have to stain the briar and possibly buff the stem with polish. A good coat of cannauba wax will seal the deal and you should have some starter pipes. You will probably have to smoke them with one brand of tobacco for 3-4 bowls to stabilize the ghosts from smokes past. You may find them satisfactory; then again you might find that you just did a learning experience both in buying and restoring pipes.

 

[jfox520]

+1 dread - I also purchased a estate from samcoffeeman and it was cleaned up great.

 

[sailorjeremy]

Man... I'm with Junkyarddawg on this one. I'm all for restoring pipes, but I don't play around with mold. Not really worth the risk to your health/tastebuds when you could get a pipe in much better shape than that for close to the same price and even cheaper if you know where to look.

 

[smokingstatue]

Sam I may have to take you up on the offer! I'm going to take a shot at it myself first tho just to get my feet wet.
I've done deep cleaning with salt so I've got the going for me, the other info is great thanks brudnod!
I'll keep everyone up to date on how things are going.

 

[claypipesarchaeologist]

Have to agree with junkyard. Mold spores are resilient little bastards and most can't help but inhale a little smoke on occasion, more than occasionally if you're new.

 

[mso489]

In your place, I'd take Sam up on his offer in a nanosecond. I'd peel rubber getting the well bundled pipes

to the post office. Sure, save one or two less promising examples and work on them yourself. Good to

learn about it. Be sure and save some "before" pictures, and post some "after" pictures. Mold can chew

into a finish, sometimes pretty deeply. But I think after reaming and buffing, the mold will be gone, and

you'll have some handsome pipes at a still incomparable low price.

 

[wilson]

The two best pieces of advice are to toss them or send them to samcoffeeman. I've also purchased and estate or two from sam and been well pleased.

 

[ejames]

They'll clean up.

 

[brudnod]

Do you all actually think that your pipes are all mold-free? Really???

 

[skapunk1]

It can be done. Everything has to be stripped down to the bare and started from scratch.
This won't be a restoration... but a refinishing. I'm sure they'll still be good smokers. No sense in throwing away good wood if it can be saved and enjoyed.

 

[olewaylon]

wow, that reminds me of uncovering King Tuts tomb. those pipes are rougher than I'd pictured.

 

[andrew]

They'll clean up.

Trust me if Ejames says they'll clean up, they'll clean up.