Project Log - Dunhill Root Briar & Savinelli De Luxe Milano - Pics

[pruss]

And so it begins...
My buffing system should be complete by the end of February with the arrival of my 4" wheels, tripoli and carnauba from Beall.
The first two projects on my list are the Dunhill Root Briar and Savinelli De Luxe Milano in the pictures below. Both stems are a write off. The Dunhill stem has been chewed through at the bit and it looks like someone tried to take the stem out of the Sav on a hot day (it's snapped in two places). So I will do the clean-up work on the bowls and shanks, and send both off to have stems made (hoping to have marks transferred or replicated).
The top of the Dunhill looks like the previous owner used to knock out his bowl on concrete (or a cheese grater) and there is a significant chip out of the top of the bowl. So I think I'll have to top it slightly.
Here is my plan for these pipes:

1) Salt and Alcohol treatment (my retort is still in the mail)

2) Top the Dunhill

3) Remove old wax & clean with a light acetone & cotton-ball wipe

4) White Diamond & Carnauba buff & polish

5) Send out for new stems

6) Retort on both once the pipes are back with new stems
Would appreciate any thoughts on process. I'm just a newbie restorer so all feedback is welcome. I'm also interested in refinishing the stand. Any suggestions on a stripping agent to get rid of the old stain/finish?

I'll update with new photos as I complete work on these pipes.
Thanks in advance for comments/advice/feedback.
-- Pat

 

[lifeon2]

That pennant is awesome. You shouldnt need to retort once you have reamed and treated the bowl with salt and alcohol.

 

[pruss]

That pennant is awesome.

Unfortunately the pennant in question is no longer with us. I binned it when I opened the box and discovered how badly the shank was cracked, how little of the felt/texturized coating was left on the pipe, and the nasty burn-out that was going on in the bottom of the bowl where it connected with the shank.
In hindsight, I probably should have stripped the remnants of the finish off of the pipe to take a look at the wood, but like I said, I'm a newbie and I guess prone to mistakes.
Pat

 

[pruss]

Dave Wolff has done stems for me

Roth, thanks for the tip! I've actually already had emails back and forth with Dave from WBW. Our initial e-chat went down the same week he announced he was closing up shop on repairs. At that point he suggested I touch base with Howard Rasmussen out at Starfire Pipeworks. But with the announcement that Mike Meyers is carrying on the repair side of the business from Dave I may go that route. All three gents named above seem to be friendly, straight-shooting people. It's a real treat to be in a hobby where folks are just down-right nice.
Cheers,
-- Pat

 

[pruss]

Evening friends.
Well I've made it through steps 1 - 3, and have...

1) Salt and Alcohol treatment

2) Top the Dunhill

3) Remove old wax & clean with a light acetone & cotton-ball wipe
The folks at Beall have shipped my 4" buffing kit (yay!) and I've ensconced myself at a new-to-me workbench in the basement. I hope to have the buffing station set up by Easter.
Note that the top of the Root Briar was horribly chewed up, and there is a nasty chip out of the outside of the top of the bowl.
Here are some pics of the bowls/shanks as of today:

Apologies for picture quality... I'm shooting on a phone.
-- Pat

 

[ghost]

Your phone pics destroy my phone pics. Looks great to me, can't wait to see the finished product.

 

[ghost]

Your phone pics destroy my phone pics. Looks great to me, can't wait to see the finished product.
Edit- either a double post, or a dimensional time rip has released my evil doppelgänger...

 

[shaintiques]

Don't wax until you have done the retort because chances are you will inadvertently strip the finish. Lots of steam is created and will strip the wax and or stain off in a heartbeat.

 

[pruss]

Thanks for the compliments gents!
@shaintiques - I've hit 'em w salt and alcohol already. So not waiting on a retort.
@roth - I am going to send 'em off to Mike Meyers for stem replacement therapy. :P

 

[ssjones]

I like to buff on a coat of carnuba but don't wipe it off, then I do the retort. I think that gives the briar an extra layer of protection in case the alcohol boils over or gets an errant drip,etc. After the retort, I'll wipe the carnuba off by hand and give it another coat on the wheel. Good luck with your projects!

 

[pruss]

Thanks for the tip Al. Much appreciated.
I should also mention that I am refinishing the pipe stand pictured in the top photos of this thread. It's just such an ugly brown. I'm taking off as much of the stain as possible through LOTS of hand sanding. I was thinking about finishing it with tung oil... should I be concerned about tung oil interacting with pipes? Won't carnauba create a barrier?
Cheers,
-- Pat

 

[gwtwdbss]

Looks great pruss. I love the Birdseye on that Dunhill. Those are gonna be some very nice pipes when finished!

 

[kf4bsb]

Love the pics. Looks like you are doing a great job.

 

[pruss]

Update from the Pipe Cave:
- My buffing system arrived from Beall! Now to transport the bench grinder from the garage to the basement. Now you're probably thinking, "But Pat, that's easy!" Except that my bench grinder is mounted onto a 1/4" steel plate which is welded to a 34" long piece of 3" steel tube which is welded to another piece of steel plate. The guy I bought this from didn't want his grinder moving... it's a two-person job for sure.
- With the install of a new-to-me bench I now have all of my cleaning and refinishing gear in one place.
- I've cleaned up my first stems. With practice on the stems pictured above, and further practice on the stems of some other estates, I've cleaned up 6 stems using a combo of the oxy-clean, 0000 steel wool and magic eraser process I've read so much about. Pretty amazing to watch the colour and sheen come back to a stem. Can't wait to get the wheels going.
Pics later.
-- Pat

 

[guhrillastile]

You sell yourself short, sir.

Grab a couple drugstore cheapies in a estate lot. Beat them up on the buffer. Try various speeds and compounds. You will amazement yourself with how different combinations of waxes and polishes can bring life right back to even the most abused and neglected briar.
Your doing great. Welcome to yet another facet of the addiction on pipes.

 

[guhrillastile]

Slow speed and cutting, then polishing, then waxing. Stems are overestimated for burning and melting or fighting a restoration usually from wrong machines being used. Attack, make lots of mistakes. Learn as you go. Again I say your underestimating your work. I'm confident you will have then in condition you can be proud of in no time. Keep the pics comin. Kudos on the stones for ambition and congrats on jumping in the endevour.

 

[yazamitaz]

Pat,
You are doing some excellent work and I want to start refurbing pipes as well. Not sure of your money situation but it sounds like moving that grinder will be more work than its worth. This is the model I have and if you use it just for buffing then you will have two machines; one for true grinding and one for buffing. I am lazy and just hate removing wheels and things like that. I also own two routers; one that is on my router table and another that I use for smaller applications.
http://www.homedepot.com/p/t/202516525?productId=202516525&storeId=10051&langId=-1&catalogId=10053&ci_sku=202516525&ci_kw=%7bkeyword%7d&kwd=%7bkeyword%7d&cm_mmc=shopping-_-googleads-_-pla-_-202516525&ci_gpa=pla#.UVw79JOsiSo

 

[pruss]

Thanks yazamitaz and guhrillastile for your comments.
I'm actually feeling pretty good about how things are going so far. I'm finding that the application of processes I'm reading about (here and elsewhere) is actually easier than I expected. It's also helpful that refurbing/restoration can be done in pieces allowing me to work for a bit, accomplish something, and then walk away for a little while. That's refreshing.
Yaz, it's funny... that grinder looks a lot like the new version of the old grinder that I have. I'll likely end up with a second buffing station, as I too hate switching up wheels and would like to be set up for cloth, tripoli, white diamond and carnauba. But baby steps.
I'll flip up some more photos shortly.
In the meantime, thanks for the encouragement and perspective.
-- Pat

 

[jonesee75]

I have used the 0000 steel wool, but have been getting a nice finish using 1000/1500/2000 wet grit sandpaper on highly oxidized stems. Restoration bug has bitten me also.

 

[pruss]

Yeah Jonesee, I need to get some micromesh sanding pads. They're hard to find up here. We don't have Hobby Lobby, Michael's doesn't carry wood-working stuff that isn't useful on balsa, and Home Depot is hit or miss. The only place I can find them is Lee Valley and they're precious. I think I'll have to just eat-it and stop off to buy some on the way home from work.
-- Pat