Restoration
- Thread starter jtull01
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Not at all. When I get an estate pipe, I use acetone to strip any kind of clear coat or wax, then rebuff with carnuba. The stain remains intact, and you have a smooth surface to polish.
I agree with both statements. The word "restore" has a specific definition, which happens to be, "To bring back to its original state". I feel that it is important to understand the definition of "restoration", especially when working on collectible pipes.
I do my best to restore. When working with stain, I have a color catalog on paper and on briar so I can quickly match the stain of an old pipe to a restained pipe in my rack. I also have the recipe for the specific colors written down so I can come very close to a perfect color match on a pipe I am working on.
Honesty is always the best policy, especially if we're selling restored estate pipes. What one eye sees as restored, another eye sees as destroyed.
I do love my cheapie estates though. I'll modify the he'll out of them. They're a great way to get some practice and to figure out what we're capable of.
That's my restoration PSA. Pipe on!
I do my best to restore. When working with stain, I have a color catalog on paper and on briar so I can quickly match the stain of an old pipe to a restained pipe in my rack. I also have the recipe for the specific colors written down so I can come very close to a perfect color match on a pipe I am working on.
Honesty is always the best policy, especially if we're selling restored estate pipes. What one eye sees as restored, another eye sees as destroyed.
I do love my cheapie estates though. I'll modify the he'll out of them. They're a great way to get some practice and to figure out what we're capable of.
That's my restoration PSA. Pipe on!
My intention, from the outset of this pipe restore/refurb was to learn on some old beaters. Funny enough, some of my first resto's have turned into some of my favorite smokers. One in particular is a beat up ol bent dublin, a Shandy. It had a crack towards the bottom of the bowl above the shank which also has a small crack, regardless I stripped it down and brought it back from the dead. Great little smoker.
Although I had every intention of pickin up some ol estates, fixin em up and flippin em on ebay. So far I have over 40 smokers and have yet to put any of em on ebay.
Back to the stripping it down without messin up the nomenclature... I've found that using Miracle erasers and Everclear works pretty good. It allows me to get much of the finish off without screwing up the stamping.
The one thing you'll need to keep an eye on is when your buffing it after you re-stain it. I have a variable speed buffer and noticed that I did over buff the shank on one or two of my first efforts. I've read where some folks tape off the stamping with masking tape. I haven't tried it yet but probably will eventually.
The largest time consumer I've experienced so far is replacing the stems. I bought several stems from Vermont Freehand. Heating em up and bending em into shape wasn't near as difficult as the sanding down the tenon and stem to match the shank was.
In the end though, it's a very satisfying endeavor.
Enjoy
Although I had every intention of pickin up some ol estates, fixin em up and flippin em on ebay. So far I have over 40 smokers and have yet to put any of em on ebay.
Back to the stripping it down without messin up the nomenclature... I've found that using Miracle erasers and Everclear works pretty good. It allows me to get much of the finish off without screwing up the stamping.
The one thing you'll need to keep an eye on is when your buffing it after you re-stain it. I have a variable speed buffer and noticed that I did over buff the shank on one or two of my first efforts. I've read where some folks tape off the stamping with masking tape. I haven't tried it yet but probably will eventually.
The largest time consumer I've experienced so far is replacing the stems. I bought several stems from Vermont Freehand. Heating em up and bending em into shape wasn't near as difficult as the sanding down the tenon and stem to match the shank was.
In the end though, it's a very satisfying endeavor.
Enjoy
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