Yikes -- Did I kill my Pete?

[benjamin]

So, bit of a problem. I just purchased a Peterson 2015 St. Patrick's Day bent dublin and I was really enjoying it, but I noticed the precarb layer in the bowl was bubbling and doing weird stuff. So, did a few google searches, and found a forum that said gently and carefully Dremeling the precarb out of the bowl was cool. Some advised sandpaper -- tried that, didn't really work as well as I'd like it to.
So, I Dremeled on low and all was well -- then I realized that the precarb layer had melted from the friction into a goopy goo that was incredibly sticky and gross and impossible to remove. I attempted to loosen this with some whisky, to no avail. Not to mention the bits of goopy goo managed to find their way into the draw hole, which is a different but equally important issue that needs solving. What can I do, aside from sending it to a pipe repair service? Have I destroyed my new Peterson?

 

[tarheel1]

Post some pics please.

 

[benjamin]

Little hard to tell what's happening -- basically, the precarb has gone shiny. And it's worn down unevenly because I was unable to finish my Dremel job -- any ideas? Or should I just take some coarse grit sandpaper to it and spend an hour or two sanding it to naked briar?
End goal would be to get it to naked briar so I can smoke it again.

 

[tarheel1]

Take some wet dry sandpaper wet and gradually take out the coating.

 

[dmcmtk]

Do you by any chance have a Senior reamer, with the drill attachment? If not, I would find a bit that fits the airway and HAND TURN to clear the draft hole, working from the mortise end. I think you could use 320-400 paper on the inside of the bowl, fold a small piece and work it with your finger. Patience is a virtue, stay away from the power tools! But no, I think your pipe will be ok.

 

[warren]

The pipe appears salvageable to me. Power tools are for speed and ease. If you insist on using them, do so slowly with tiny bites, barely touching the sanding sleeve to the cake or material you're determined to remove. The bottom of the bowl I usual is attacked, gently with a bit of sand paper and the tip of a finger.
I much prefer my reamers, the Senior is a favorite, and time. Again, tiny bites.
The first question to ask before attacking any bowl is, "how does it smoke?"

 

[ssjones]

On new Petes, I always wiped out the bowl coating with a cloth in alcohol (don't get it on the bowl top/sides).

 

[grouchydog]

Cotton balls soaked in alcohol. I've stripped a new Peterson bowl to bare wood like that with 151-proof rum, worked great. Be careful, the alcohol will strip the finish on the top or sides.

 

[mso489]

I'm really sorry to hear it. I've been so lucky with Petes, but many haven't. I admired those 2015 St. Pat's pipes, and could have bought one. Let's face it, this just shouldn't happen with a new pipe, ever. Foggy' is adamant, no Petes. This makes his case.

 

[hooboy]

have you contacted Peterson??

THIS should NOT of happened , I own 11 petersons bought 5 new.

I have Never seen this.

hoo

 

[drwatson]

I doubt Peterson will do anything after you have used a Dremel tool. But if this ever happens again I will second the alcohol solution. I like to use the pre soaked pads like from the drug store. Cost a little more, but give you more control over not messing with finish.

 

[davet]

Hindsight being 20/20, I suppose you could have continued smoking it and not had a problem. I've had a couple of new Pete's that I smoked without wiping or anything, that broke in fine. I see lots of complaints about Pete's but all of mine smoke fine and I look forward to acquiring more.

 

[tennsmoker]

You might try Q tips in the shank. Again, as advised here, careful with the alcohol. It will flat strip the stain off of your pipe. I am the voice of knowledge on this issue.
Hope you can repair the Pete. I purchased Pete 999 pot, the Christmas 2015 edition. Haven't noticed any bubbling or the like with the precarb stuff.
Good luck.

 

[andrew]

I don't know what posessed you to take a dremel to a brand new pipe. I'd just leave it as is, smoke through it as a form of punishment and in time it will work itself out

 

[earthbound]

I don't think you've wrecked anything at all. You can totally make that pipe fine again if you're willing to put some time into it. First thing I would recommend is buying some steel wool, perhaps #00 grade, and inserting a firmly packed wad of it into your pipe. From there, take a flat head screw driver and gently push it into the steel wool. Try to use the screwdriver to turn the ball of steel wool like a gentle reamer. This will (mostly) give you an even abrasion to the inside of the bowl. Don't try to take off massive amounts of material, just take it slow. If you're not making any progress with the steel wool, try removing the wad and wrapping some 150 grit sandpaper around it and reinserting it into the bowl and repeat the rotating process. As for the draft hole, try using a 1/8" drill bit and nothing more than your hand to sort of push the goop out of the hole. I've managed to restore a pipe with a very similar inside. Just takes time and patience.

 

[ray47]

You've received good advice so far so next time buy Savinelli.

 

[rblood]

Or, you could just fill it with your favorite tobacco and smoke it. I suspect your bubbling bowl coating may well have just been beginnings of cake or unburned tobacco.

 

[instymp]

If it were mine I would do what SS & grouchy said & smoke it. The thing about looking for advise on the internet is that you will get plenty of it.

Don't ever look up a medical opinion on any ailment you have, only your attorney will benefit by changes to your will or trust.

I buy new Pete's with the crap on the inside, wiped some out with alcohol & most loaded & smoked, couldn't tell the difference.

 

[benjamin]

UPDATE: Sorry it's taken so long to give an update. I started sanding the bowl and accidentally bumped the rim -- then I had an idea. Sand the finish off the entire pipe, take it to bare briar. So that's exactly what I did. Looks super rad, too -- I sanded the pipe bare and treated with beeswax -- though it is slightly rough in spots, it looks quite rugged and, I think, way better. The celtic knot design around the rim of the bowl stayed dyed, so it is bare briar with a dark detailed celtic knot.
I should also mentioned that I successfully sanded the bowl to bare as well -- and it's slightly wider at the top than at the bottom and smokes a hell of a lot better now than it did before. I like this pipe, now that I have adjusted it to my preference -- but I think I'll be sticking to Savinelli's and the occasional artisan pipe from this point on. Nothing against Peterson, I just think that Savinelli has a better standard of quality control.

 

[aldecaker]

I love a bare naked pipe. I've done that to a couple Grabows that came with crappy finishes. I'd rather have no finish than a crappy finish, just like I'd rather have pits than ridiculously obvious fills.