Tuning up a gurgler.

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Jun 9, 2015
3,770
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Mission, Ks
Disclaimer: I am not advocating “opening up” your pipes, if you don’t have a basic understanding of hand tools and precision measuring please do not try and modify your Ivarsons and Dunhills. This is not a cure all for poor smoking habits, glycol soaked aros, high humidity, and improperly broke in pipes. This will not make your $14 basket pipe made of woods unknown smoke like an S Bang. This cannot be done to overly bent stems, or pipes with the daft hole drilled close to the shank face, it will cause burn out.

Having said all that… This is how I rectify poor airflow in a pipe.

I picked up this Kaywoodie SuperGrain from @crashthegrey at the Chicago Pipe show a few years back. It’s a well made pipe and I love the shape, but I always felt the airflow was a bit restricted and it smoked a little on the moist side. So I thought I’d use this pipe to show my process. I’m not picking on Kaywoodie, I’ve done this to hundreds of pipes. This just happens to be one of the only ones I had left right now that needed it.

Starting off with the necessary tools.

1. 5/32 Straight chucking reamer
2. 2/0 pin reamer
3. 60 degree countersink
4. Tap handle9836D01F-0118-48FB-971E-4639BB1158AF.jpeg
Remove stem and ream with 2/0 pin reamer, be careful with bent stems as to not ream with the point in the bend. Only the bottom 2-3rd or the reamer should be doing any cutting. Go slow removing your reamer often to clear swarf. Only turn the reamer clockwise. Do not ream past the shoulder of the reamer it will create a counterbore. 5C52A048-D5DD-4BB4-A3BC-652B15AF8169.jpeg
Cutting the tenon funnel, I do this with 3/8 60degree countersink bit held between my thumb and forefinger and twisted slowly in the end of the tenon. Do not countersink so deeply that you create a sharp edge on the end of your tenon, you should retain a small square shoulder around the funnel. If you have sharp bit this should not take more than a few twists with moderate pressure. 4D647380-53AA-417A-8484-B15847BA10E9.jpeg
3FECE53C-62B2-465B-B410-B8F9B9271B1D.jpeg
Reaming the stummel is similar to reaming the stem. For this I use a 5/32 straight chucking reamer held in a tap handle. Only turn the reamer clockwise removing often to clear swarf. Do not ream into the bottom of the bowl. Stop once the reamer tip breaches the draft hole. BF8C7403-A66A-4B86-95F7-57527F1ACB51.jpeg
A9DCBCF0-C164-4812-8C61-547045F5D261.jpeg
Here is a poorly executed drawing to illustrate what’s happened.

A5D2960D-3F15-4840-B537-EA6D59923A1A.jpeg
Once I’m done I’ll do final swarf clearing on both stem and stummel with a bristled pipe cleaner, polish the bit with flitz, polish the stummel with a jewelry cloth or pipe wipe. Then I’ll go smoke it. This can help bent pipes better pass cleaners, it can reduce gurgling, increase air flow, help with pipes that are hard to keep lit. This can make an ok pipe a great pipe, it will not make a junk pipe an ok pipe. I hope you found this helpful. 67FEC8B9-848D-4420-817D-B632BC4570D9.jpeg
 

didimauw

Moderator
Staff member
Jul 28, 2013
9,895
31,635
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Burlington WI
Honest question, since i know nothing.

Since you only "drilled" halfway up the stem, won't that just move the gurgle up higher? Or possibly make it worse due to the change in angles?
 
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Jun 9, 2015
3,770
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Mission, Ks
Honest question, since i know nothing.

Since you only "drilled" halfway up the stem, won't that just move the gurgle up higher? Or possibly make it worse due to the change in angles?
No, gurgling typically only happens in the shank at the tenon face. What this does is reduce velocity at the tenon face and creates a Venturi in the stem. It smooths the transition from the mortise to the stem. FYI, it does not work on nylon tenon meerschaums.
 
Jun 9, 2015
3,770
23,560
42
Mission, Ks
Bill drills Kaywoodie pipes more open than most factory pipes, but the treatment that you gave this takes it into the handmade realm of drilling. Definitely a cool way to personalize the experience from your pipes.
Agreed, the amount of material I removed from the shank was below average and the amount of funneling I did in the bit was negligible. Of the four "Bill Made" KW's I Have this was the only one I felt the need to do anything to. Having said that, it was not a bad smoker to begin with just a bit gurgly at times. It smokes like a super star now though.

This also brings up an interesting point. When I first started doing this to pipes it was an effort to rectify manufacturing issues with cheap pipes which were all I could afford. Over time I just started doing it to the vast majority of my pipes. So does it really help or have I just become accustomed to smoking pipes with the internal geometry I have imposed on them? I suspect the truth is somewhere between the two.
 

rmbittner

Lifer
Dec 12, 2012
2,759
1,994
I have an older Ascorti that has always smoked as if it has restricted airflow. This may be the solution I’ve needed. And I figure that if I can successfully manage a Pipnet reamer, I should be able to handle this kind of work if I’m careful.

Amazon order just placed. (I didn’t have any of these tools on hand.)
 

crashthegrey

Lifer
Dec 18, 2015
3,812
3,586
41
Cobleskill, NY
www.greywoodie.com
This also brings up an interesting point. When I first started doing this to pipes it was an effort to rectify manufacturing issues with cheap pipes which were all I could afford. Over time I just started doing it to the vast majority of my pipes. So does it really help or have I just become accustomed to smoking pipes with the internal geometry I have imposed on them? I suspect the truth is somewhere between the two.
Likely a bit of both.
 
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chefmike

Might Stick Around
Feb 2, 2021
84
852
Colorado Springs, CO
I have done this to several pipes as well. I have also widened the bit the way I have seen on Briarworks and hand mades. I may or may not have used the drill. I may or may not have sacrificed a pipe along the way (education costs...) I may or may not have used super glue to repair said pipe and still be smoking it. I may or may not be cheap. Frugal?

Regardless, I feel a little drill work can drastically help a pipe that is struggling. For a while I was buying lots of pipes to win a particular pipe. I did this on a bunch of pipes I wasnt worried about.
 
Jun 9, 2015
3,770
23,560
42
Mission, Ks
I have done this to several pipes as well. I have also widened the bit the way I have seen on Briarworks and hand mades. I may or may not have used the drill. I may or may not have sacrificed a pipe along the way (education costs...) I may or may not have used super glue to repair said pipe and still be smoking it. I may or may not be cheap. Frugal?

Regardless, I feel a little drill work can drastically help a pipe that is struggling. For a while I was buying lots of pipes to win a particular pipe. I did this on a bunch of pipes I wasnt worried about.
I work the button and funnel on a lot of pipes as well, but that takes a bit more skill and artistry. Especially to do with a side cutting bit in a roto tool. It’s way easier to destroy a stem doing that if you don’t know what you’re doing so I’m not going to encourage people here to do it. But it certainly does help with some pipes if you do. I’ve had pipes with button slots so tight I couldn’t get a skinny pipe cleaner in em🤨.
 
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