Putting Together A Pipe Restoration Kit. What Are Some Recommended Tools I’ll Need?

[diamondback]

Hello all,

So as the title says, I’m getting some tools together to start down the road on my new pipe restoration hobby. Please add or take away / give advice on some tools I’ll likely need if you have a minute and don’t mind throwing me a bone

• Variable speed hand drill, fitted into a stationary ‘jig’, with a buffing wheel / wheels / sanding discs, etc. I’ll need to craft a jig for this unless y’all have better advice on this.
• Reaming kit
• A few dentist ‘pick tools’
• Mesh sanding pads, regular sanding pads, many grades
• Everclear/PGA, kosher salt, pipe cleaners
• A few toothbrushes and some toothpaste
• Oxyclean
• Leather dyes
• Silver Polish, Flitz, Shellac, Paragon Wax, Olive oil, Mineral oil, Vasoline
• Black superglue for stem chatter repair (?)
• Blowtorch & small metal knife for raising the more superficial dents & dings in briar
• Some kind of fill for deeper dents & dings in briar (?)
• Dremel tool for misc. purposes (?)

Anything I need or don’t need as far as tools? Does anyone use a ‘stripper’ to remove existing pipe stain, or just sand paper?

Many thanks for any help.

 

[donjgiles]

The approach I try to take on refreshing older estate pipes is to remove only the dirt, grime, and oxidation.
I recommend a light hand with any sandpaper, blowtorches or dremels.

 

[trubka2]

It's hard to say what you do or don't need until you see what people have done to the pipes you're cleaning up. People do some strange things to pipes, so the list could be nearly endless. I just buy stuff as needed for particular problems/tasks. Having seen a bunch of pipes really messed up by inexpert buffing, I'm staying away from buffing wheels until I learn how to do it right.

 

[donjgiles]

I'm staying away from buffing wheels until I learn how to do it right.

Great idea, learn to use just your hands before using any tools.

 

[diamondback]

Good idea! I’ll leave the drill and Dremel out unless some weird hypothetical comes along.

Oh, what kind of fill should I be looking for to build up deep gouges? Is there some kind of recipe for briar dust, ingredient x, and glue, etc?

Also, the first ‘heavy’ restore, I’m thinking I’ll post pics here and get some advice so I’m off on the right foot

I’ve got around 17 briars that I’ve pulled aside and assigned what I feel is a ‘difficulty grade’ — in so far as my current skill set (which is of course low). From pipes with only oxidized stems to pipes with gouges, gunk and other nasty oddities.

I’ll also be referring to “Reborn Pipes” and YouTube videos — if YouTube doesn’t eradicate those channels this December that is.

It would be impossible to give you all enough thanks. Any and all tips are much appreciated!!

 

[mikethompson]

Before anything, I would highly suggest reading the Reborn Pipes Blog and specifically anything posted by Al (ssjones on here), as well as what Don uses and suggests. Both we invaluable to me when I first started cleaning up pipes.

Learn to use your hands first before using tools and you will be off to a great start.

 

[mikethompson]

Great idea, learn to use just your hands before using any tools.

ha! I see Don has already given you that advice!

 

[diamondback]

Before anything, I would highly suggest reading the Reborn Pipes Blog and specifically anything posted by Al (ssjones on here), as well as what Don uses and suggests. Both we invaluable to me when I first started cleaning up pipes.

Learn to use your hands first before using tools and you will be off to a great start.

Absolutely! Fantastic advice. I’ve been pouring over “Reborn Pipes” obsessively. Plus cramming in YT videos (who knows what YT is going to do to a lot of their channels after 12/10/19. They can’t leave well-enough alone, but I digress).

Anyway, much thanks!

I need a hobby besides shooting pool, reading, and pipe smoking. Something I can sit down and get my hands busy and dirty with. This is perfect. I knew it was done by members of the pipe community, but never really thought about diving in myself until I got ahold of gobs of estate pipes.

 

[weezell]

I would highly suggest reading the Reborn Pipes Blog

and save yourself a WHOLE lot of grief...

 

[lawdogspipes]

Reborn pipes is an excellent way to start. Most of the restorations on the blog are hand done... very little machine work. My advice is to go slow and see what works for you. There is certainly a large learning curve associated with pipe restoration. Learn with each pipe and find what works and what does not work. I am still learning after more years than I want to count. Good luck in your new adventure.

 

[Chasing Embers]

All I use are:
Pipe Cleaners
Q-tips
Cotton Balls
Isopropyl Alcohol
Jeweler's Cloth
Pocket Knife
Lighter
Wet Paper Towel
Toothpaste

 

[diamondback]

Weezell, lawdogspipes and Captain Embers of the Black Frigate (and everyone really): can’t thank y’all enough for the well wishes and solid advice!

I’m a minimalist at heart so I love the ‘KISS’ theory. I’ll be sure to have everything set aside that’s on Captain Embers’ list, as well as devoting hours to reading “Reborn Pipes” and watching YouTube videos.

Might go ahead and pick up a little retort kit off eBay but that’s probably about it. It’s not like I’m trying to ‘flip’ high dollar artisan pipes or anything, but the more I think about really getting started the more excited I get! If nothing else I’ll have fun with the pipes I’ve got set aside as projects. I think it will be somewhat meditational, and if I ruin a few no big deal — they’d otherwise be bound for the garbage.

Oh and I’m fairly certain I’ll occasionally be bugging the lot of you with questions!

 

[Chasing Embers]

retort kit

Be careful with that, they can explode. Magic Erasers are great for beginner stem restorations too.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Black superglue for stem chatter repair

If you're working with vulcanite, you can usually fix that with a heat gun or hair dryer.

 

[hauntedmyst]

I learned recently that oxyclean will strip the finish right off a pipe. Just set it in some for a few hours.

 

[ssjones]

Skip the torch. Get a cheap electric clothes iron, they are far better for steaming dents out of briar.

Sandpaper:
400
800
1500
2000

Micromesh (I like sheets)
8,000
12,000

Skip the dremel or handrill. If you want to buff, find an electric motor and get a $20 pad arbor (some electrical wiring skills required)

This might help:

List of supplies for refurbishing

Blog by Steve Laug I have had quite a number of emails over the past years asking for a list of tools and supplies that I use for pipe refurbishing. I have made a list and broken it down into 4 par…

rebornpipes.com

My personal, ever-evolving setup:

My Buffing Motor & Work Station Setup – Updated June 2017

Blog by Al Jones See the June 2017 Updates at the bottom of this page I get a lot of requests about my buffing station, so I thought an entry here on the blog would be handy to use as a point of re…

rebornpipes.com

 

[mothernaturewilleatusallforbreakfast]

Spit
Paper Towels
Grain Alcohol
Shank Brush
Pipe Cleaners
Magic Eraser
Oxy Clean
Micro Mesh
Needle Files
Buffing Wheel
White Diamond
Wax

 

[diamondback]

Thank you all VERY much! This extremely helpful and I can’t wait to get going. I’ve got several pipes that are so bad they should just be tossed. I figure these are perfect to fool around on as starters. From ridiculously thick cake to charring, gouges, dents and dings, cracks in the chamber, horribly oxidized stems — you name it. Worst case they go to the dump anyway

On the other end are light repairs; some oxidation, chatter, a little ding or two.

Any valuable pipes that need work I’ll send out to one of you actual pros.

I most certainly appreciate the links to Reborn Pipes, everyones’ suggestions, your lists, toss this, add that - a most heartfelt thank you. No telling how many hours you all have saved me, which will provide much more encouraging results in my progress.

As always, I’m open for advice!

 

[AlabamaDan]

...
I’ll also be referring to “Reborn Pipes” and YouTube videos — if YouTube doesn’t eradicate those channels this December that is.

It would be impossible to give you all enough thanks. Any and all tips are much appreciated!!

Why would YouTube eradicate those channels?

 

[Chasing Embers]

Why would YouTube eradicate those channels?

They're discontinuing channels that can't be monetized.