Who Has Sanded Out a Bowl on a Smoked Pipe?

[Sloopjohnbee]

Title edited for caps and clarity.

I know there may not be too many reasons for this - but is this possible - does anyone ever sand out an entire chamber of tar/coating - is this a disaster waiting to happen?

 

[ofafeather]

It’s fine to do, especially if you have a reason.

 

[FurCoat]

I do with all estates. I use 200 grit to get it back to briar or close to it and clean with Everclear. Good way to get rid of ghosts.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Yep

 

[sablebrush52]

Yep, glass paper wrapped around a bit of shaped doweling for the final removal.

 

[captpat]

Yep, glass paper wrapped around a bit of shaped doweling for the final removal.

Same thing though I use a carpenters pencil-the kind with an eraser on the end

 

[mso489]

Then it's a whole new pipe.

 

[sablebrush52]

Then it's a whole new pipe.

Or a frighteningly revealed old one.

 

[karam]

Yep, on my brand new Peterson 120 army, smoked far better ever since I removed the black factory bowl gunk.

 

[orlandofurioso]

I hate cake. Cake is filth, it is a myth and I loath the idea of smoking someones burned, old leaf and DNA,
if you take my meaning . So I like to smoke my pipes clean and careful, never to hot to protect my
dear, precious briars from burning.
When I refurbish my estates I most carefully remove the yucky cake and then sand with glass paper
wrapped around a shaped dowel. 220 followed by 350 , or even even up to 500 .
Possible repairs will be done with my own recipe organic pipe cement , followed by my own organic bowl coating. All this apart from an optional cottonballs/alcohol cleaning.
Voilà , the future is ours.

 

[JimPM]

Title edited for caps and clarity.

I know there may not be too many reasons for this - but is this possible - does anyone ever sand out an entire chamber of tar/coating - is this a disaster waiting to happen?

Yep I do that on all the estate pipes I restore. Ream first and then finish with sanding/alcohol wash. In doing this it really allows you to see any hidden issues that may have been lying under the cake that might need tending to. No problems to date. To finish I always bowl coat them as well especially the older estates.

 

[mikethompson]

I've never sanded down a bowl on an estate, but I have used sandpaper to remove bowl coating before.

No problems with sandpaper if it is done properly.

 

[bullet08]

Wonder how media blast will work on cake.. And briar.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Wonder how media blast will work on cake.. And briar.

Are you referring to sand blasting?

 

[bullet08]

Are you referring to sand blasting?

Not sand. Something little softer. Sand might eat away the briar. I know they have softer media now days. Just not sure what they are. Maybe plastic?

 

[ofafeather]

Just not sure what they are. Maybe plastic?

All sorts of stuff. They even do corn blasting.

 

[fightnhampster]

Interesting thread. Any tips other than what have been listed? Mistakes to avoid?

I have a couple of newish pipes that I have just not been able to get a good flavor out of and I am considering sanding down to the briar and starting over. Both had bowl coatings from the factory in them and now have a little bit of cake (not much).

 

[macaroni]

Sanding works for me--cleaned out some estate pipes. I've used a hand held dremel, a drill press, sand paper wrapped around a pencil and my finger--it's all good.
kindly,
mike

 

[Jaylotw]

I've used a tiny sanding drum on a Dremel to remove some really stubborn cake. Took it down close to bare wood, and then used my finger to get the rest sanded out. It was transformative.

 

[fightnhampster]

I've used a tiny sanding drum on a Dremel to remove some really stubborn cake. Took it down close to bare wood, and then used my finger to get the rest sanded out. It was transformative.

That's what I'm hopeful for