To Ream Or Not To Ream...

[Buffalo]

On estate pipes, which have been well loved, I will ream them with either a decatur reamer or the senior reamer, then follow it with an appropriately sized dowel and sandpaper, 180 as the coursest, 320 most of the time.

On my daily workhorses, I tend to use the reamer on my pipe tool to gently scrape and smooth the cake, if it begins to get beyond a dime's thickness.

 

[captpat]

Sandpaper wrapped around a carpenters pencil.

 

[shermnatman]

I usually do it when things get to the point that I can't even get my finger tip down into the bowl to compress the tabak; then, it's time... but then again, they don't call me Sherm 'Dirty Pipes' Natman for nothing!

I use the most basic model, these $1.99 marked Dr. Grabow Pipe Reamers, which I found a bunch of in an old News Agency which looks like the only merchandise they have moved since 1980 is lottery tickets.

Works like a champ.

I wish I had taken some pics of some superior cake build-up, before I cleaned out the worst offenders in my collection, so all I can show is this not-really-so-bad one; however, it does show what 6 turns with this little tool will do.

The Tool itself MIP, Before, After, and Ready-to-Smoke, Brigham Heritage Volcano.



Thankful, it won't take long for me and Prince Albert to get this favorite pipe to get all good and dirty again, LOL!!! - Sherm Natman

 

[hyperstar]

Never ream your pipe. It would damage your pipe bowl!
Just use cotton pad, spry it with 95% alcohol.
Hold the cotton pad with round-tipped tweezers and wipe the inside of the bowl.
Does a great job of cleanning both cake and ghost.

ol

 

[didimauw]

I use the my Sheffield pipe knife for reaming. It's just handier than my actually reamer set, as it fits in the 5th pocket of my jeans. And it's very sharp but rounded.

 

[ThermionicScott]

Really though, not a piper.

Pipers attract too many followers.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Pipers attract too many followers.

Piper sounds demeaning and derogatory.

 

[fireground_piper]

I use the my Sheffield pipe knife for reaming. It's just handier than my actually reamer set, as it fits in the 5th pocket of my jeans. And it's very sharp but rounded.

The Sheffield is the only tool I use since I picked it up now.

As for over reaming - maybe eventually but then I’ll just make or buy a new one. I’m smoking a pipe, not curating a Museum. Use them how you like them.

 

[RustiePyles CPG]

I keep cake pretty thin. I use a hollow ground tri reamer for really heavy jobs, estates mostly. A Cooks compass style reamer for most medium jobs. And a Ream-O for touch ups on dailies. I’ve tried just about every reamer under the sun. These are the ones that I’ve kept using. And just like everyone else I do my final chamber clean up on estates with 320g sandpaper on a dowel.

 

[georged]

Forget ALL that stuff. ^^^^

Not joking.

The PipeWorld has lied to us for 150 years.

This is The Way. Works like magic:

The Popsicle Stick Trick :: Pipe Talk

Reaming thick cake buildup is a PITA. Messy, takes special tools, and if not done carefully can cause permanent damage to a pipe. Depending on the tobacco smoked and chamber height, it can also be EXTREMELY difficult to remove. I've seen it nearly as hard as ceramic and take a half hour...

pipesmagazine.com

 

[jpmcwjr]

Buttner reamer here.

 

[Zero]

Twisted up Bounty Napkins after every smoke. I will ream until there's barely any residue left showing on the napkin. I just don't bother with cake. I've heard of the popsicle method. I'll have to read up on that one. Ok, back to my Budweiser

 

[Mountainman Sam]

Piper sounds demeaning and derogatory.

What's the proper term then?

 

[bobpnm]

 

[craig61a]

Pipers attract too many followers.

Of Destruction…

 

[craig61a]

Funny… most “Pipers” wouldn’t be caught dead with pipe that has a stinger in it, but glom up all the retro “implements of destruction” reamers.

Can’t make that shit up…

 

[mso489]

I don't own a reamer. For forty plus years, I've scooped out the ash and wiped out the bowl with an abrasive paper towel. This maintains the necessary carbon layer but maintains the original diameter of the chamber for the life of the pipe, hence requiring no reaming ever, and avoiding the wear and tear of that. The first pipe I ever bought is still smoking strong and looking good. All my pipes appear to appreciate this routine.

 

[sjohnston0311]

I don't own a reamer. For forty plus years, I've scooped out the ash and wiped out the bowl with an abrasive paper towel. This maintains the necessary carbon layer but maintains the original diameter of the chamber for the life of the pipe, hence requiring no reaming ever, and avoiding the wear and tear of that. The first pipe I ever bought is still smoking strong and looking good. All my pipes appear to appreciate this routine.

Same here. I just wipe the chamber out with a bent pipe cleaner after every smoke. The only time I ream is if I'm cleaning up an old estate pipe, I'm which case I use a Decatur Ream-all and/or sandpaper.

 

[didimauw]

The Sheffield is the only tool I use since I picked it up now.

As for over reaming - maybe eventually but then I’ll just make or buy a new one. I’m smoking a pipe, not curating a Museum. Use them how you like them.

Yup, I admit I got a little too deep on one of my meers once. But after a couple smokes, you can't even tell. I've owned 3 of them now, absolutely fantastic tools.

 

[AJL67]

A

Forget ALL that stuff. ^^^^

Not joking.

The PipeWorld has lied to us for 150 years.

This is The Way. Works like magic:

The Popsicle Stick Trick :: Pipe Talk

Reaming thick cake buildup is a PITA. Messy, takes special tools, and if not done carefully can cause permanent damage to a pipe. Depending on the tobacco smoked and chamber height, it can also be EXTREMELY difficult to remove. I've seen it nearly as hard as ceramic and take a half hour...

pipesmagazine.com

I actually read this thread a few months ago as i had a couple estates i needed to clean and ream, I still have popsicle sticks around i used on medium cake build up. Works like a charm. I think it would work on meerschaum as well since it's a soft wood, i wouldn't do it but that's beside the point. lol