Pipe Cleaner

That's me. I restore old pipes for money, or to sell or, sometimes to keep. During tight times that provides me with a play stash that I wouldn't otherwise have. Guess what I usually buy with play stash money? Yep. More pipes. Some tobacco. You guys collect shotguns, James Bond movies, statues of old Indians, I do pipes. But I thought I would give you a quickie glance at how this goes. It's always a relaxer for me and sometimes dirty and sometimes clean and always creative.

Here's a bunch of old pipes, not too damaged or crusted with dirt just the way I received them. The little pictures get big if you click on them.



Next step is the dirt. Carbon and ash are reamed out of the bowl. Old tars and goober and crud are cleaned out of the shank and stem (the long part that goes in your mouth). The outside surface is cleaned with mild ammonia solution or alcohol. The stem (mouthpiece) is disinfected with alcohol. Then the whole business is dried overnight.

After drying the bowls are sanded, if necessary, with very fine 1500 grit paper, then oiled with nut oil, or waxed. Sometimes a light coat of colored stain goes on before the staining or waxing. The waxed finish pipes get an additional coat of hard carnauba buffed in ('burned in' we say) on a buffing wheel.



When it's all said and done you have a set of bright, clean, refurbished pipes ready to smoke your favorite tobacco in. Like the next photo.



Now I'm tired. I'm going to go smoke some Country Doctor in my pipe. Ta!