The Filthiest Pipes I’ve Ever Restored.

[RustiePyles CPG]

A recent gift from our resident Sin City member (more on that later) prompted me to get out a couple of pipes I’d bought recently and start cleaning them up. These two early republic 307 system standards have got to be the most filthy pipes I have ever cleaned up. So far I’ve had ream the stem bores with drill bits remove the impacted gunk. I’m starting to think the stem might actually be a wash and I’ll need to make new ones. Even after reaming with twist drills I haven’t even put a dent in the gunk in the stems. The previous owner was clearly unaware of the existence of pipe cleaners…

 

[Kobold]

Damn! That looks like a crime scene!

 

[RustiePyles CPG]

Damn! That looks like a crime scene!

It ought to be…

 

[RustiePyles CPG]

Well I finally got the bores of these clean, had to break out a set of carburetor brushes to do it. I think that’s enough for tonight. I have more pressing pipes to work on tomorrow.

 

[georged]

True:

I know several artisan carvers who refuse to do repair work because of the occasional CPTWLNC. (Codger Pipe That Was Literally Never Cleaned).

One experience put them off forever.

 

[PaulRVA]

That’s unreal.

 

[RustiePyles CPG]

Was walking back in the house from the garage and glanced at the stummels marinating in their alcoholic brine and noticed they had gone nearly black in only a few hours. I hadn’t intended to dump them until morning but just went ahead and did it. Refilled em with salt and everclear.

 

[RustiePyles CPG]

True:

I know several artisan carvers who refuse to do repair work because of the occasional CPTWLNC. (Codger Pipe That Was Literally Never Cleaned).

One experience put them off forever.

These are definitely CPTWLNCs…

A small price to pay for two big lovely 307’s that aside from being dirty are in pretty good shape for less than $50 for the pair.

 

[ashdigger]

Yes, the crazy codger dance. I did the alcohol and salt treatment to a pipe 9 times. It never lightened. I’ll never know what could’ve been, I sent it away to somewhere I’ve forgot about.

 

[PaulRVA]

That’s unreal!
Can’t wait to see the after photos.

 

[davidy97]

Some of the best smoking pipes I own were ragged out estate disasters. I'm of the opinion they must have been good smokers to be ravaged like they were. Little elbow grease and they turn out fabulous. A hot burning gurgler would not have been smoked that hard.

 

[ssjones]

I was going to suggest some brushes like the carb brushes you used, they are great with cleaning a shank/draft hole as well. (I dunk in alcohol, scrub, wipe on a paper towel, till they come out clean) British car/bike owners always have some little brushes!
I'll look forward to the final result!

 

[RustiePyles CPG]

Some of the best smoking pipes I own were ragged out estate disasters. I'm of the opinion they must have been good smokers to be ravaged like they were. Little elbow grease and they turn out fabulous. A hot burning gurgler would not have been smoked that hard.

Yep, agreed 100%.

 

[RustiePyles CPG]

I was going to suggest some brushes like the carb brushes you used, they are great with cleaning a shank/draft hole as well. (I dunk in alcohol, scrub, wipe on a paper towel, till they come out clean) British car/bike owners always have some little brushes!
I'll look forward to the final result!

The last time those brushes were used was probably on a set of Amal MK1s .

 

[sablebrush52]

Reminds me of the Hitchcock pipe I bought from Gus' years and years ago. The man may have been a careful and fastidious film maker but he was a pig when it came to maintaining his pipes. There was barely room in the chamber to insert my pinkie and the surrounding cake had turned to cement. The stem was no better. But after a few days of patient scraping I finally got the chamber back to wood. Georged made me a stem for it a few years ago and it's a reasonably good little smoker.

 

[midcentry]

Definitely interested to see the finished work here

 

[captainsousie]

So many Pete systems I've tried to clean have enough gunk in the shank I've almost given up on them. Nice work and I hope you can save them.

 

[yanoJL]

I predict there will be a post here in just a few days with 2 fully restored, brand new(ish) looking pipes.

 

[OzPiper]

A (? forensic) job for @ashdigger

At least the bowls look to be in pretty good shape

Worst come to worst, at least you have the skills to make new stems for those.

 

[scloyd]

Looking forward to the final results.