Pipes Left Outside All Winter (Before + After)

[pitchfork]

Last fall I left two pipes outside on a window sill. The window sill is fairly wide (it has a built-in flower box) and there's an eave over it, so the pipes didn't soaking wet from rain and snow unless the wind was really blowing. Anyhow, we live in New England, so it gets cold. And it's pretty damp all the way through April.
The pipes are a Stanwell #70 and a Sommer (Paris) paneled Rhodesian. Even though these pipes were left outside all winter, cleanup was relatively easy and I don't see any permanent damage. All I had to do was wipe the mold and dust off with a paper towel, polish the stems a bit and run a couple of pipe cleaners through the airways. Here's the before and after photos.

 

[pipebaum81]

Crazy story and situation. They look beautiful now. Was this leaving outside an accident? An experiment? Do tell

 

[didimauw]

Was leaving them like that intentional? Or a science experiment?
Interesting either way!

 

[aquadoc]

If you feel the need to experiment with these again, I will gladly trade you a beater substitute for that panel. Beautiful pipe.

 

[pitchfork]

Crazy story and situation. They look beautiful now. Was this leaving outside an accident? An experiment? Do tell

Was leaving them like that intentional? Or a science experiment?

That flower box/window sill where I left them is right next to the grill and so... a lot of pipes ended up getting set down there over the summer. At some point, I started bringing them inside and cleaning them up, but with a new job, a new house and enough kids to man an infield some things just don't get done. By November those two pipes still hadn't been cleaned up and brought in, so I figured to hell with it -- I'll leave them until I have the time and energy to clean them up. I guess that turned out to be May. :D

 

[pitchfork]

If you feel the need to experiment with these again, I will gladly trade you a beater substitute for that panel. Beautiful pipe.

Deal. :lol:

 

[jpmcwjr]

Well done! Your risking two fine pipes for science will be noted in the annals of courageous pipe smokers!

 

[redglow]

Looks great!

 

[seanv]

Thanks for posting that. you're a braver man than I

 

[donjgiles]

I would slow down on smoking those two for a little while.

You mentioned mold, if mold got inside the pipe I would recommend a much more thorough cleaning with alcohol, heat if needed to really dry them out after the cleaning.

I would not take a chance on a possibly moldy pipe until I really felt it was c l e a n .
Don

 

[pitchfork]

Sound advice, Don.

 

[derhammer]

Incredible save!

 

[ssjones]

Who would have thought briar was so tough? The stems were a surprise!

 

[mso489]

I was prepared to compliment the interesting patina gained by the weathered pipes. Instead, they look new.