OLDI Pipe Reamers

Log in

SmokingPipes.com Updates

25 Fresh BriarWorks Pipes
12 Fresh Dunhill Pipes
79 Fresh Savinelli Pipes
9 Fresh Barling Pipes
3 Fresh Scottie Piersel Pipes

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

Drucquers Banner

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PLANofMAN

Might Stick Around
Jan 13, 2024
54
104
44
Salem, Oregon
Came across these the other day. Similar in design to the old 1920's Dunhill 'carbon cutters,' or the modern Dunhill 'Professional reaming set.'
Screenshot_2024-05-28-13-39-29-41_0311c9f6806a66343c45622522faa000.jpgScreenshot_2024-05-28-13-39-59-42_0311c9f6806a66343c45622522faa000.jpgScreenshot_2024-05-28-13-40-37-39_0311c9f6806a66343c45622522faa000.jpg
The Dunhill Carbon Cutter came in 3 sizes, marked 1, 2, and 3. The modern Dunhill set also comes in 3 sizes, a 15mm, 17mm, and 19mm. The old Dunhill's can be found for about $60 each, and the size 3 tends to be a little more expensive than that, as well as rarer. The modern Dunhill set is about $800.

The Oldi came in multiple sizes as well. 13, 15, 17, 19, and 22mm. They are usually stamped "OLDI"/"reg. 1954/Denmark/"size #," though they tend to have various bits of the above inscription missing, including size #'s. Below is a set of 13, 15, 17, 19, and 22mm OLDI reamers, plus duplicates of each. (Not mine, I'm afraid).
Screenshot_2024-05-28-13-45-48-64_0311c9f6806a66343c45622522faa000.jpg
I did buy a set of 2, plus another set of two. Sizing is uncertain, so I may have wound up with duplicates of the 15mm and 19mm, ...we'll see.
Screenshot_2024-05-28-13-51-15-12_260528048de7f2f358f0056f785be619.jpg
Anyone ever used these or the Dunhill's? Are they any good? Figured the price wasn't too dear, so no great loss if they don't work as well as my current reaming setup.
 

PLANofMAN

Might Stick Around
Jan 13, 2024
54
104
44
Salem, Oregon
very nice but i prefer the old version of the British Buttners. Simple and self adjusting I understand the newer versions have sharper edges, which I hate, these were a little more rounded so you don’t dig into anything.

View attachment 313717
Have you used other types of reamers? ...and by "newer versions," are you talking about the Chinese knock-offs of the Buttner? I thought the Buttner was out of production?

I have the pip-net style reamers and an old Kleen Ream already. Haven't tried the Buttner style reamers yet.
 

AJL67

Lifer
May 26, 2022
5,495
28,132
Florida - Space Coast
No, I haven’t tried those, there’s some thing about cramming one of those of my pipe and twisting away that I just don’t appreciate. The buttner is self adjusting so as you scrape away layers built up cake it automatically expands . I also like the fact that it doesn’t have any sharp edges. You can find them on eBay for anywhere between five and eight bucks apiece the old style that is.
 

PLANofMAN

Might Stick Around
Jan 13, 2024
54
104
44
Salem, Oregon
No, I haven’t tried those, there’s some thing about cramming one of those of my pipe and twisting away that I just don’t appreciate. The buttner is self adjusting so as you scrape away layers built up cake it automatically expands . I also like the fact that it doesn’t have any sharp edges. You can find them on eBay for anywhere between five and eight bucks apiece the old style that is.
Hmm. The Kleen Ream is similar in that it has a sharp edge (clockwise) and a 'soft' edge, (counter-clockwise); unlike the 'Senior' reamer or other knock-offs.

Tried to like the Decatur (pip-net knockoff) set, but just can't warm up to them. They feel cheap and fragile, and don't leave as smooth a finish as the Kleen Ream.

Edit: I use my reamers on estate pipes, not my regular rotation pipes, which I keep pretty clean. The Buttner seems like it would struggle with a heavily caked pipe
 

AJL67

Lifer
May 26, 2022
5,495
28,132
Florida - Space Coast
Hmm. The Kleen Ream is similar in that it has a sharp edge (clockwise) and a 'soft' edge, (counter-clockwise); unlike the 'Senior' reamer or other knock-offs.

Tried to like the Decatur (pip-net knockoff) set, but just can't warm up to them. They feel cheap and fragile, and don't leave as smooth a finish as the Kleen Ream.

Edit: I use my reamers on estate pipes, not my regular rotation pipes, which I keep pretty clean. The Buttner seems like it would struggle with a heavily caked pipe
I don’t want any sharp edge on my reamer, that way as stated earlier you can easily reverse direction if it hangs. The Buttner will easily take any mess down to about wood. If i had an estate find that the bowl was completed fill I’d use my trusty Sheffield pipe tool blades to cut some out then to the Buttner.
 
  • Like
Reactions: PLANofMAN

PLANofMAN

Might Stick Around
Jan 13, 2024
54
104
44
Salem, Oregon
I don’t want any sharp edge on my reamer, that way as stated earlier you can easily reverse direction if it hangs. The Buttner will easily take any mess down to about wood. If i had an estate find that the bowl was completed fill I’d use my trusty Sheffield pipe tool blades to cut some out then to the Buttner.
'Sharp edge' is a bit of a misspeak. One edge is crisply squared off, and the other is rounded.

It's not a "briar biter."
 
Last edited:

AJL67

Lifer
May 26, 2022
5,495
28,132
Florida - Space Coast
'Sharp edge' is a bit of a misspeak. One edge is crisply squared off, and the other is rounded.

It's not a "briar biter."
I smoke almost exclusively meers now and I don’t want a squared off edge scraping my bowl lol I probably shouldn’t use a tool at all, but the British works really well and I’m careful with it but never had a problem.
 
  • Like
Reactions: PLANofMAN