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 handle
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.
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.
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.
Here is a poorly executed drawing to illustrate what’s happened.
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.
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 handle
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.
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.
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.
Here is a poorly executed drawing to illustrate what’s happened.
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.
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