Restoration Advice

[stosho]

I just received this French Bulldog today. I love the style and the price was right. It is a French pipe (P Viou) made in St. Claude. It is in pretty nice condition. Minimal bite marks, one tiny chip on the end of the bite but nothing that will affect the smoke. I have three primary questions.
1. How are folks removing the tar from the rim without removing stain? I struggle to match the stain when in the end and I don't want to go to bare briar.
2. There seems to be a clearcoat on the pipe. Along the bottom where the name is marked it is chipped away. What product is likely used to get that finish. I have not seen a clear coat on other pipes. It seem odd.
3. If I decide to go to bare briar on a rusticated pipe how do you go about stripping it down without damaging the briar itself

 

[newbroom]

I've seen these restorers use saliva and their fingers to remove rim char. I don't seem to have enough grit in MY spit.

 

[tuold]

The tar comes off with generous amounts of spit on a cotton pad.
I use acetone and cotton pads to remove varnish, if that's what that clear coat is. You may need to also use a toothbrush if that rustication is deep. After that it's just a matter of buffing and waxing.
But don't do anything until you get more opinions!

 

[pruss]

I do exactly what Sam recommends.
Props to BriarBlues for pointing m in this direction. I find that this method leaches less stain than saliva.
-- Pat

 

[plateauguy]

+1 for Sam and Pat - microfibre towel works great!

 

[stosho]

For better or worse I used acetone. I have now removed all the clear coat and the tar but enough original stain remains that I should be able to preserve the original character. The stem came out nicely. I did not remove the chip. It is on a corner and will not impact the bite. It seems there may be an important story preserved in that blemish. I am on my third salt/alcohol soak. I will follow that with a good wax and buff. I could be smoking soon. If the acetone does not clear out as planned I could be in flames soon.

 

[ssjones]

Mike G @ Briar Blues described a rim cleaning technique I use for really tough cases:

- Add a mm or 2 of distilled water in a flat lid

- Place the bowl rim into the thin film of distilled water and soak for 30 minutes or so.

- Rub off with a cotton cloth

 

[stosho]

I finished the pipe. I did a mild restoration. Removed the clear coat and tar, alcohol and salt cleaning on the bowl, and an oxy clean on the stem. A little buffing and wax on the stem and bowl and it is ready to smoke after a bit of drying. I'm not putting any professionals out of work but I like the pipe. All for a pound plus shipping to the States.


Thanks for the advice in this thread.