I should add that I never use reamers for my own pipes, only estates. I do the bowl wipe with a paper towel after each smoke.
Which Reamer is the Best?
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Through a number of decades, early on I had a "British Buttner", which is a flat, adjustable width and angle reamer, and, with a little very careful experimenting, other than extremely wide, and/or deep combustion chambers, with some care, and practice, it did a fine job of keeping my cake to the thickness the pipe needed. Unfortunately, it was lost, and at the time, finding another "Buttner", or even a fair quality 'knock-off', was beyond difficult. My heart would leap upon hearing of one, only to sink upon seeing the words "Sold", "Back-ordered" or simply "Out of Stock".
It was during one of these fruitless 'Buttner searches', that I saw my first "Pip Net", (Pipe Clean), set, and paying probably a little too much to buy the set of four multi-bladed plastic bowl inserts with the "T" handle. Although there were a few of my pipes into which the "Pip Net" inserts were too large, or, more often, too small for the bowl, reaming these with a flat, Dunhill pocket tool knife, carefully, took care of the problem.
Then I saw a picture of a sturdy looking, well machined tool, without a description, or any other information other than the image, the price, which seemed reasonable, and the name, "Senior Pipe-Reamer". I ordered it, believing at the price, it was worth a flutter. When the order arrived, amongst the tobaccos was a simple black box with a cello window, and the name, "Senior Pipe-Reamer" on either side of the top, otherwise, it was a simple, bare, black box. I took the tool out of the box, and began exploring it. It was a very well designed, engineered and constructed tool. So well designed that it needed no instructions. I took it to a badly misused 'no-name', London Made 'estate' which was amongst a half dozen pipes that had been heavily smoked, with some deeply topped and cased tobacco, and had never had any care beyond, possibly, bi-annual cleaners, thrown in rather than thrown out with a rack I purchased, (how I obtained a good number of fine, high grade, and favourite pipes during my close and deep surveys of 'objet d'art', curio, second-hand, thrift shoppes, shops, classified ads, and street vendors, whilst searching for books and all manner of hidden and overlooked treasures, something with which I seemed to be very lucky). It worked a treat. It took a short time to learn how to use it to its fullest advantage, and I use it regularly to this day. It took me over a month to find the shank opener screwed into the handle, which is one of its more terrific features.
It's still in its plain black slide box, as my "Pip Net" set is still on its display card, and, with the "British Buttner" 'type' reamer I keep in my vest or jeans' pocket with the flat Dunhill tool I've since found, I still use them all, as they are needed, although, for reaming, and keeping my rotation pipes in good smoking condition, the "Senior" is the tool most often called into service.
Perhaps a wee bit more information than wanted, these are amongst the tools I use for keeping my pipes...rare, expensive, artisan, mid-range, or fine smoking finds of in-determinant or drugstore card origin, in their best condition for use.
BTW, I also give every briar-bowl, shank and stem, (taking care over nomenclature), a "J-Cloth" buff before returning them to racks for a rest.
It was during one of these fruitless 'Buttner searches', that I saw my first "Pip Net", (Pipe Clean), set, and paying probably a little too much to buy the set of four multi-bladed plastic bowl inserts with the "T" handle. Although there were a few of my pipes into which the "Pip Net" inserts were too large, or, more often, too small for the bowl, reaming these with a flat, Dunhill pocket tool knife, carefully, took care of the problem.
Then I saw a picture of a sturdy looking, well machined tool, without a description, or any other information other than the image, the price, which seemed reasonable, and the name, "Senior Pipe-Reamer". I ordered it, believing at the price, it was worth a flutter. When the order arrived, amongst the tobaccos was a simple black box with a cello window, and the name, "Senior Pipe-Reamer" on either side of the top, otherwise, it was a simple, bare, black box. I took the tool out of the box, and began exploring it. It was a very well designed, engineered and constructed tool. So well designed that it needed no instructions. I took it to a badly misused 'no-name', London Made 'estate' which was amongst a half dozen pipes that had been heavily smoked, with some deeply topped and cased tobacco, and had never had any care beyond, possibly, bi-annual cleaners, thrown in rather than thrown out with a rack I purchased, (how I obtained a good number of fine, high grade, and favourite pipes during my close and deep surveys of 'objet d'art', curio, second-hand, thrift shoppes, shops, classified ads, and street vendors, whilst searching for books and all manner of hidden and overlooked treasures, something with which I seemed to be very lucky). It worked a treat. It took a short time to learn how to use it to its fullest advantage, and I use it regularly to this day. It took me over a month to find the shank opener screwed into the handle, which is one of its more terrific features.
It's still in its plain black slide box, as my "Pip Net" set is still on its display card, and, with the "British Buttner" 'type' reamer I keep in my vest or jeans' pocket with the flat Dunhill tool I've since found, I still use them all, as they are needed, although, for reaming, and keeping my rotation pipes in good smoking condition, the "Senior" is the tool most often called into service.
Perhaps a wee bit more information than wanted, these are amongst the tools I use for keeping my pipes...rare, expensive, artisan, mid-range, or fine smoking finds of in-determinant or drugstore card origin, in their best condition for use.
BTW, I also give every briar-bowl, shank and stem, (taking care over nomenclature), a "J-Cloth" buff before returning them to racks for a rest.
That is an elegant solution!
I'm in the camp of damp paper towel twisted around the chamber and occasional scraping with a very sharp knife in a very few cases. I just don't bother to get the reamer out.
I'm in the camp of damp paper towel twisted around the chamber and occasional scraping with a very sharp knife in a very few cases. I just don't bother to get the reamer out.
The dry humor slash inside joke here is that Dan (kcghost) and I have been friends for years and see each other regularly at a local shop + monthly GKC club meetings, and whenever the discussion takes a workshop turn and I launch into technical recommendations, he shuts me down with a laugh and says, "Why do I need to know all that when I can just give my pipes to you?"
It's hard to argue the point.
Anyway, I'm mentioning it because I didn't want you guys thinking he was actually suggesting you should send me your stuff for reaming. :lol:
I have all the different reaming tools & toys, but once I got my hands on a Cook's I've never used anything else. And they are pretty inexpensive to pickup on ebay.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Cooks-Pipe-Reamer-Metal-Adjustable-Blades-/332184673249?hash=item4d57bfdbe1:g:yrIAAOSwRUhY8s2Q
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Cooks-Pipe-Reamer-Metal-Adjustable-Blades-/332184673249?hash=item4d57bfdbe1:g:yrIAAOSwRUhY8s2Q
$900 for a set of reamers because they're "White Spot" reamers? That's an expensive reaming.
Reminds me of a story my father, who was an engineer, told me about Rolls Royce. In the '40's they were doing research into adding an automatic transmission to their cars and had decided that the GM Hydramatic was the way to go. But they were shocked at the finish of the gears, finding them too rough. So the boys at Rolls Royce polished all of the internal parts so that they looked pretty, and the transmissions worked horribly.
Reminds me of a story my father, who was an engineer, told me about Rolls Royce. In the '40's they were doing research into adding an automatic transmission to their cars and had decided that the GM Hydramatic was the way to go. But they were shocked at the finish of the gears, finding them too rough. So the boys at Rolls Royce polished all of the internal parts so that they looked pretty, and the transmissions worked horribly.
A British Buttner for conical chambers, a pip-Net for cylindrical chambers. I also have several Swedish made reamers for odd sized chambers. Careful work is a shaped piece of doweling or a pilot pen, and glass/sand papers.
To clarify, I was identifying oldmansmoking's photo above my post as a 'British Buttner' clone, or copy. I wasn't suggesting it was for everyone, although I think it's a great bit of kit for pipe smokers to carry.
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Yep, the Buttner's a little different, and I prefer it as it seems to cut the cake more easily, but they both work well.
Yup, the photo above is not a British Buttner reamer, it's a cheapo Chinese knock off. I'm not 100% sure but I believe the original company folded years ago...hence all the Chinese knock offs.
I was very lucky as I got a genuine one (with small leatherette case) bundled in with a bulk estate pipe purchase. Very well built and sturdy enough for my feeble hands :
:
Regards,
Jay.
I was very lucky as I got a genuine one (with small leatherette case) bundled in with a bulk estate pipe purchase. Very well built and sturdy enough for my feeble hands :
:Regards,
Jay.
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