Too Far Gone To Be Saved?

[lukasstrifeson]

What do we think boys? Any path to victory on this monstrosity? I like a challenge, but if the bowl is donzo I'm not into wasting my time.

Thanks in advance for your time.



The shape of the pipe is still fairly spot on and I tried to get the worst angle here on the damage.

 

[kwg116]

Looks like a beautiful pipe. Gorgeous grain and a beautiful shape. Have you considered using pipe mud to build up the inner wall?

 

[sablebrush52]

Holy cats! Did the previous own light it with an acetylene torch?

 

[bent1]

Is it a purchase? If so, greatly reduce the price. Any pics of the chamber? If it’s not cracked, you could smoke it like it is, or file iit down to a banker shape (assuming it has enough depth.

 

[alaskanpiper]

Nothing a good sanding and restaining couldn’t “fix”

Not sure how much that would alter the shape though, depends on how deep you’d have to sand.

How a pipe gets like that I have no idea. Unless the previous owner used it to smoke an exploding cigar.

If I got for the right price I’d take a stab at it. Sure does have nice grain.

 

[verporchting]

That’ll buff out. ?

 

[jpmcwjr]

You can continue to smoke it of course, but you want to get rid of the charring on the outside of the chamber, yes?

 

[tkcolo]

I'm no expert at all, but you won't hurt it worse. I'd start it an everclear bath, a good scrubbing, and then get to sanding. I wouldn't go so deep to get through the burnt wood, but use a dark contrast stain and it will turn out fine. It will lighten up and be a battle scarred soldier.

 

[dmcmtk]

The question is, is that external charring, or burning out from an issue on the bowl's interior? Unfortunately, it looks like the latter.

 

[georged]

Cigar torch lighter + ignorance and/or foolish overconfidence = that

The discoloration goes deeper than you'd think. Enough that "sanding it gone" would change the shape an unacceptable amount.

The best compromise is to re-shape the bowl just enough to reach smooth "finishable" wood, and re-stain the entire pipe in a dark color.

PS -- if it is the exterior manifestation of an internal problem (a soft spot that has torched), you're SOL

 

[dmcmtk]

...you're SOL

One of those pipe restoration technical terms!

 

[Old School 3319]

I would smoke it just the way it is but that's just me

 

[condorlover1]

Can you not cut the burnt top section off and turn it into a Group 2 bowl?

 

[gamzultovah]

That’ll buff out. ?

Oh, you must have been a body man once? ?

 

[mikethompson]

I saw the title and thought this thread was about @bnichols23

 

[mso489]

You can see the problem clearly, so I would start to work on it, with the understanding that it will reveal its secrets, the underlying soundness, or the deeper structural damage. It could go either way, so the charring is superficial and reparable, or the pipe would be messed up looking or unsmokeable. It think it may clean up pretty well, if it gets slightly misshapen getting rid of the fire damage. Don't be afraid to walk away from it, or consign it to a shop pipe.

 

[SpookedPiper]

Looks like a great pipe to smoke while driving a convertible!

 

[B.Fee]

I see a squat pot pipe in your future.

 

[troutface]

Looks like a case for Shiny Pipes. They'll fix it right up.

 

[craig61a]

I’d just smoke it till goes up in flames ??? ...

It was a nice pipe till somebody blazed the front with a triple jet.

Bottle of Fiebings USMC black