Pipe Reaming Tools

[mick92]

Ahoy mateys,

what do you all consider to be the best kind of reamer for someone who is a moderate hobbyist smoker? Think several bowls a week out of two pipes. I've considered throwing a Buttner tool into my pouch yet am told these are a bit on the flimsy side. The senior style adjustable tools caught my eye, what with their stainless steel construction and drill bit (yet are a bit pricey and something I don't see myself using very often.) There's also the modular Decatur reamer yet would like something a bit more compact and efficient.

The last time I was here I read some lads forego said reamers in favour of wiping out their bowls with paper towels or even using abrasives like sandpaper in a gentle manner when cake builds up. Nonetheless any suggestions would be much appreciated.

All the best,

Mick

 

[Chasing Embers]

Sandpaper

 

[warren]

Pocket knife or, when at home, a Savinelli "fitsall."

 

[Duck]

I'm a wipe the bowl with a tissue every time guy. Occasionally I'll scrape the cake with my pipe knife if it starts to build, that's scrape not cut.

I only use a reamer when I'm cleaning up an estate, to remove the worst before using sandpaper. I just have a Butter reamer though I'm on the lookout for a Kleen Reem.

 

[jpmcwjr]

I use a Buttner and it is not flimsy.

PS A hot water flush or wiping the chamber with a paper towel does not remove cake, but greatly slows down its accumulation.

 

[craig61a]

Senior reamers work good for holding the pipe while you work on it… I wrap the blades with brown paper or thin leather to keep it from marking the inside of the bowl.

Buttner reamers work OK for removing any tobacco stuck to the sides of the bowl.

Pipe Net reamers will remove cake that is 1/2” thick…

Reaming a pipe with a tool actually requires some thought and moderate amount of skill. The tools are not self guiding, and over zealous reaming will reduce the chamber to a wavy out of round hole.

Just wiping after a smoke or occasionally wrapping some sandpaper around your finger and giving it a few turns will suffice. You just need to be careful that you don’t sand sand over the edge of the rim.

 

[mick92]

@chasingembers I read a few archived posts and saw that even oyster shucks and triangular machinist's sanders can be used as well. Pocket knives seem like the most expedient tool yet am concerned I would chip or gouge the cake and ruin the chamber with the uneven insulation.

@Duck here is a vintage Kleen Ream I found for bidding on ebay: VINTAGE KLEEN REEM PIPE REAMER TOOL SET WITH CASE - W.J. YOUNG CO. | eBay - https://www.ebay.com/itm/403158135064?hash=item5dde18f118:g:NQIAAOSwfeZhH~ct

It's virtually identical to the senior-style reamers I saw on a pipe tobacco vendor's website. I'd love to purchase one but don't think I smoke nearly enough to justify its use.

@jpmcwjr thank you for your input. I suppose the review I'd read was referring to a cheap knock-off of the Buttner design (or a particularly careless smoker, who knows.) This seems like the most logical candidate as it's adjustable and compact.

@craig61a solid advice. I've never reamed a pipe before save for the times I tried to bore out my old MMs with a pocket knife. I do know of some blokes who only keep a few millimetres of cake in their chambers as a means to keep fastidious in their pipe care routines and it made me think of what would be best for me.

 

[Duck]

@mick92 Thanks, that particular one doesn't post to the UK, but the main problem is eBay's global shipping program puts the cost through the roof. Sooner or later one will pop up this side of the pond.

 

[F4RM3R]

I think for a casual smoker such as yourself a good pocketknife with a somewhat rounded tip and some sandpaper should suffice. I smoke a few bowls a day and just use a pocketknife to regularly scrape the buildup. For a deep clean on estate pipes with tons of cake I bring out the sandpaper to even things out after I remove most of it with a knife. If you keep on top of it I don’t think there is much need for any other tools.

 

[Chasing Embers]

@chasingembers I read a few archived posts and saw that even oyster shucks and triangular machinist's sanders can be used as well. Pocket knives seem like the most expedient tool yet am concerned I would chip or gouge the cake

Really you can use any sharp tool but sandpaper will leave a level smooth surface.

 

[verporchting]

I’ve got an old Buttner that works great but I’ve also used a pocketknife (carefully!) and there’s nothing wrong with sandpaper on your finger either.

Paper towels work great for cleaning up after each smoke and greatly reduce the need for reaming but eventually you will need to ream your pipe.

Generally speaking unless you’re restoring a lot of pipes you won’t need one of the pipenet style reamers although there’s nothing wrong with a little overkill if you’re a gear head - hard to not like a well made tool!

 

[ray47]

I swab out my bowls after each smoke and hardly ever have to deal with cake buildup. If I do need to ream my pipes I use the Buttner reamer.

 

[romaso]

Mr Brog used to make a copy of the Senior reamer that was quite inexpensive. Its listed as out of stock now, but here's another copy (not familiar with the brand):
AmazonSmile: Scotte Stainless Steel Reamer Tool 6 Blade Tobacco Pipe Carbon Scraper : Health & Household

I've found the Buttners to be flimsy as you say (I've had the rivets pop), but they are convenient and portable for small jobs, so I get similar copies on ebay for about $2 and they're great for the price.

 

[jpmcwjr]

I have two British made Buttners and they are solid.

 

[bullet08]

Nothing else but the nothing. No real need to ream after cleaning the pipe completely after each smoke. No cake, no reaming.

 

[OzPiper]

I have a set of Pipnet reamers and I haven't used any others since I got these.
I also have a Kleen Reem which I've used once only on a heavily caked bowl which wouldn't fit the smallest head of the Pipnet.
Most of my pipes are estates, and my original pipes are over 30 years old, so they get used very often.
They come up from time-to-time on EBay. I bought mine new from The Danish pipe Shop.
There are cheap knock-offs - don't go for them no matter how attractive the price.
I have seen and received too many pipes where the inner rim is either nicked or out of round from someone using a penknive or other sharp tool to address the cake.

 

[mick92]

Just when I think a discussion has run its course, you all are more than happy to contribute furthermore! I love it.

@F4RM3R thank you for the perspective. I'm really tempted to get an old pipe knife and practise with it, though a good Buttner and some 320 grit sounds more apropos to my current streamlined loadout. I wish you many good bowls.

@verporchting I hear you on the gearhead sentiment - I'm now at the age where I look at tools the same way I used to obsess over toys and electronic games when I was small. I was raised to think that it's better to have a tool and not need it than need a tool and not have it, yet I think a good maintenance regime will suffice. There is also wisdom in the adage in that the more you know, the less you need.

@ray47 @bullet08 nice. I always take great care of my pipes, never disassembling or putting them away hot and cleaning them out thoroughly before each and every smoke. It's like a kind of ritual for me. Regardless I'd like to assess my options when I have to sweeten my pipes.

@OzPiper the Pipnets seem like the Swiss answer to Decatur's modular reamer. Do you happen to know which came first? I also know some pipe smokers who've turnt their reaming heads a bit too hard on some heavy cake and managed to twist the adjoining square peg right off. Would you say that Pipnet reamers have more robust materials engineering?

 

[falconsmoker]

I use a Rodgers pipe knife.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

 

[bullet08]

Just when I think a discussion has run its course, you all are more than happy to contribute furthermore! I love it.

@F4RM3R thank you for the perspective. I'm really tempted to get an old pipe knife and practise with it, though a good Buttner and some 320 grit sounds more apropos to my current streamlined loadout. I wish you many good bowls.

@verporchting I hear you on the gearhead sentiment - I'm now at the age where I look at tools the same way I used to obsess over toys and electronic games when I was small. I was raised to think that it's better to have a tool and not need it than need a tool and not have it, yet I think a good maintenance regime will suffice. There is also wisdom in the adage in that the more you know, the less you need.

@ray47 @bullet08 nice. I always take great care of my pipes, never disassembling or putting them away hot and cleaning them out thoroughly before each and every smoke. It's like a kind of ritual for me. Regardless I'd like to assess my options when I have to sweeten my pipes.

@OzPiper the Pipnets seem like the Swiss answer to Decatur's modular reamer. Do you happen to know which came first? I also know some pipe smokers who've turnt their reaming heads a bit too hard on some heavy cake and managed to twist the adjoining square peg right off. Would you say that Pipnet reamers have more robust materials engineering?

You might think about possibly disassembling them occasionally to clean out the mortise. That's where stuff accumulates.