"Pipe mud"

[fishingandpipes]

How many of you have used this combo of ash and water to make a "mud" for repairing the inside of a pipe? I remember doing it many moons ago on a cheap pipe and seem to recall feeling that it killed the flavor, didn't want to cake, and the pipe smoked wet... but I don't know if that's just because it was a junky pipe.

 

[tbradsim1]

Pipe mud may have been the way to go way back when, nowadays space age stuff is avialable, Fireplace mortar repair is the go to, have used it in countless repairs. Try it you'll like it.

 

[martiniman]

+1 on fireplace mortar.

 

[ahpui]

Hmm.. Need to look for this "fireplace mortar". Might help me salvage some of my old but great burnout.

 

[jawwarmer]

Hello all & greetings from County Clare in Ireland.
I've come across this web site while looking for some information on "burnout". I've been smoking a pipe since I was an illegal age to do so :puffpipe: 1963.
The pipe to suffer such a fate was my old Church Warden. I have a habit of smoking my pipe at my bench while in my workshop and my pipe is usually hanging down as I potter about. So the inevitable happened, a dreaded burnout. Interestingly, I had never heard of a burnout before, I have been smoking a pipe for neigh on 45 to 50+ years.
Anyway, my Church Warden got hot and a large area needed cleaning out and filling. Not having cigar ash I used a clay filler which I had laying around for the odd house diy jobs. I used the clay, left it dry overnight and then reamed out my pipe with my Artamis Pipe Reamer. :P Brilliant job, if I may say so, it saved my pipe which I had planned to throw out and on top of that it was a valuable lesson in repair. It will be interesting to see how long the clay filler lasts :roll:
Great site with lots of information - thanks.
Ger

 

[leacha]

Thanks for the information Ger! And welcome to the site.

 

[dottiewarden]

Welcome aboard jawwarmer!
Happy sipping!

 

[oldreddog]

Howaya Ger and welcome,I'm an auld Dub meself.

 

[cbates55]

Here is a fix I did with cigarette ash since I couldn't get some cigar ash (emptied the bosses ash trays). I mixed it up just like you would do with cigar ash. Adding drops of water and then mixing until it was a slightly wet looking gray paste. Scooped it in with a pipe tool and formed it up. What I did next may not be the right way to set it up and dry it, but it worked. Because it's winter now it didn't look like the water was evaporating out so I place the pipe on my floor heat vent and let the pipe get warmed up. Since my pipe can stand on its own that is how I set it up. This didn't get the pipe burning hot, only warm to the touch. After leaving it there for about 4 furnace cycles I let it cool and dry at room temperature until the next night.
What a world of difference in how well it smokes. Mind ya it smoked good before, but now it doesn't seem to waste any tobacco at all.

 

[toobfreak]

Just so you know, both fireplace mortar and water glass are mainly silica, a class 4 lung toxin if inhaled as a dust. Applied properly, dried and caked over, it should be pretty inert.

 

[addamsruspipe]

Never tried fireplace mortar, but have used pipe mud on 3 pipes and worked great. The only issue tends to be the consistency of the pipe mud. Need to start with as little water as poss. and slowly add. more till it just thick enough that it does not run. Then let it dry for at least a day.

 

[mawnansmiff]

I've used fireplace cement many a time with great success. The thing to remember is that the area where you intend to place said cement must be wetted first else it is a devil of a job to get it to stick and stay in place whilst you smooth it over.
Also, if there are several areas to be worked on it is best to be patient and do them one at a time.
Regards,
Jay.

 

[akfilm]

Just made pipe mud for the first time to take care of a softspot in a morta that appeared and starting burning out. I started saving my pipe ash in a glass, then added WAY to much water, so I had to keep adding pipe ash and waiting for it to evaporate to come to a pasty consistency. I applied to the pipe, it's been a couple days now so will give it a go today and see if it worked.

 

[jpmcwjr]

As a variation on a theme, I saved the carbon from a light reaming of several pipes. Don't need any pipe mud right now, but will someday most likely. Anyone else used cake as pipe mud?

 

[aimlesswanderer]

I've never used pipe mud, and don't expect to. I first came across the concept when reading up about cobs, and heard some folks used it to build up the base. I chose to just smoke the damn thing and let it build it's own base. It's worked well thus far.
As to repairs, I just buy cheap pipes and intend to smoke them till they can't be smoked anymore. After that, I'll buy another cheap pipe. I can see the merits of pipe mud, but when a £25 Parker will see me right for a few thousand smokes, I do wonder if it's really worth the effort. I will remember it in case of dire emergencies though.