Great find! I’m glad you found a solution, but just to add my $.02, I know with cutting boards you don’t want to sand them but rather plane them, the reason being that sanding creates microscopic flaps that cover the pours of the wood, while planing the wood leaves the cell structure open which is preferable…. I would venture a guess that sanding the inside would diminish some of the moisture wicking and cooling effects of the pipe and would recommend reaming over sanding for that reason…
I don't know about moisture wicking, but it definitely removes wood. If you need to remove wood, then get out your sandpaper. What I don't get is people getting so defensive over its use - if you own stock in a sandpaper company, then fine. But this is just a discussion.
I got into a similar 'to sand or not to sand' discussion the other night in a Zoom call, discussing removing oxidation from stems. My point is simple (and obviously, you can ignore it if you choose) - sandpaper is intrusive, so I avoid it if possible. When I need to use it, I do - I have TONS of sandpaper in my shop. I sanded a stem yesterday - I had to in my opinion. But when possible, I use other methods to loosen oxidation, then scrub it off. Why remove good vulcanite, (or briar), when you can avoid doing so? But you'd be surprised at how many people see brown on a stem, and immediately reach for the sandpaper. Okay, why try anything new. Perhaps the world is actually flat.
Personally, I'm burnt out ( <=== need sandpaper) on this topic, and I have no other thoughts to add. Carry on, sand away, (or don't), and I'll see you in another thread.
