Well, I have this old Demuth pipe for quite a while and decided to go to work on it. The reason I say old is that, to the best of my understanding, this pipe was made sometime in the 30s or 40s. If you can shed more light on the time frame concerning the manufacturing of this pipe please do so. Anyway, here's the before pics: And please note the gash on the rim...
First things first - ALL the internals had to be cleaned. Almost 15 bristle cleaners (using both ends) and the shank finally came out clean using a regular pipe cleaner. The stem I used about 10 bristled cleaners getting chunks of tobacco out along the way until finally clean as well. Then came stage 1 of stripping the shellac from the stummel.
The gash on the rim was so severe I decided to bevel it and try to get some, if not most of it out. Here's my initial attempt. As you can see, the gash was pretty extensive...
Making a long story longer, I continued sanding until I was afraid to go any farther down that rabbit hole. Spent about an hour to 1 1/2 hrs on the stem, did a very light stain on the stummel, waxed, buffed and polished. Here's the final:
If you get a chance, I think Demuth has some interesting history, New York based I think. If my assumptions are correct, this pipe is at least 80 years old! But I could be wrong. Again, please shed some light on Demuth if you happen to run across anything...
@KA9FFJ It kinda sucks that the band is missing on that old WDC🙁. It looks great after your refurb.
I have an old WDC (well, actually about 50) but one in particular that I have been looking for a replacement shank cap ferrule for a few years now. The original is basically disintegrated, it was not silver, it partially corroded to where it is not useable. I have been trying to find a junker pipe with a good one to repurpose. I use to see them on EBay, but not any more.
@RockyMountainBriar Yes, I spotted the hint of where the banding was present on the shank. Couldn't get rid of that line without going too deep into the shank. It was like that when I got it, but I liked the eagle and shield so I purchased it anyway. Tnx for the compliment on the finished product buddy...
Had an old Dr. Grabow Viscount in need of some TLC, so I decided to tackle it as my next project. As you can see, the rim was so crusted and grooves filled in with build up, not to mention it had a lot of dirt and grime on the bowl:
Once that preliminary step was completed, I used Murphy's Wood Soap and brass and nylon brushes to thoroughly clean the stummel. Note: ALWAYS Cork the bowl before doing this step. You don't want that nasty stuff getting into the bowl. Don't go by the instructions on the bottle. You need to use it full strength:
Once satisfied with the outcome, I proceeded to ream and clean the internals thoroughly. It was FILTHY! Not sure if it was ever cleaned! 13 bristled pipe cleaners and 2 regular cleaners, I was getting nothing but clean, so I was happy with that... Next, I stained the entire stummel black:
After allowing it to set up overnight, I gave it an extensive alcohol wipe with a paper towel(s). Note: If you don't want black coming off on your buffing wheels, I highly recommend this step...
I was going to leave it black and start the waxing/buffing process, but I starting wrestling with the idea of a gentle sanding of the stummel and highlighting the ridges with a different color stain. After about 30 minutes of tossing that idea back and forth in my head, I decided to do it. I did decide to leave the rim black:
I then applied a coat of Oxblood stain to the stummel, waxed and buffed and here's the final. NOTE: The oxblood shows up more under this bright work light...
TL:DR I bought a used pipe, want to refinish it. What is a good reamer (or method to ream)? Best ways (ideally budget frinedly) to take off oxidation and polish a stem?
So I bought a used estate pipe on ebay. Supposedly a comoy with a sterling band. It was cheap (so maybe fake) but i bought it cause I like the shape, it needs some love to be nice (regardless of whether it is legit or not), and as someone who likes to carve decoys and work with wood i thought it would be fun to refinish it. That being said, I don't have any tools of the trade. It will need to be reamed and the stem needs polished. My wife silversmiths so I can polish the band. I'd like to polish the briar and the rim seems in okay shape but i would consider sanding it down to square it off if need be. I don't really intend to take the finish off the outside of the pipe but might need to refinish the top if it requires sanding. I know nothing about working on pipes but some about wood working and carving in general. I'll need your guidance and i've seen the work of some of you TPL member and know you can provide some guidance.
@Whoispra If you have to stain/re-stain, Fiebings Leather Dye works great, it is alcohol based. Everclear works well to clean internals, be careful with acrylic, nylon, Bakelite, Redmanol, stems and accoutrements though, high alcohol % will damge/haze/melt them, it’s no worries with Vulcanite/Ebonite. Murphy’s oil soap works well to remove grime on externals at full strength and a damp cloth without pulling the original stain as much. I use NAPA brand Martin-Signore “Professional Glass Cleaner” on pipe externals, stem externals, and stem internals. I do not use it on pipe internals. It’s not “food safe” or recommend for such things, but I take my chances. If it kills me a few weeks earlier than when I would have died normally….so be it….the time it saves peeling nastiness off a grungy pipe and stem is worth it to me. It almost wipes off in one pass, even darkened rims only take a few light twists. I soak a folded paper towel lay it on a flat surface and twist the top of the rim of the pipe a few times…and violá off comes the “lava”.
For reaming bowls (Hint: Do this as your first step…it’s messy). I use several reamers, one is a PIPENET type reamer (I have a knock-off that works well). I also use a Senior 3-Finger adjustable type, and I really love my vintage “Rocket Reamers”. The Rocket Reamers don’t cut as harshly and work in most cases.
Cleaning really tarred up and nasty Latakia pipes I use a simple test tube, stopper, connector pipe and latex hose alcohol (Everclear) retort after I ream the bowl and clean the internals with Everclear, paper towels, q-tips, bristly and soft pipe cleaners. If you have to resort to the retort, be prepared for the shank to get so clean that the stem gets loose, sometimes really loose😖, then you will need to do the candle/lamp/heatgun/lighter trick to tighten the tenon. I can explain that process if needed. Heck lots of this information is probably already in this thread in previous posts.
@RockyMountainBriar Thanks for the tips! I've got to stop and pick up some everclear today. I have another pipe to just do a minor cleaning on that was unsmoked but just needs to be "sanitized". Just a few questions: Do you "de-ghost" after reaming? I would assume so. What are some alternatives for cleaning inside the stem and shank? what about something like dawn or other detergents? Do you use carnuba wax or diamond polish for external polishing?
@Whoispra @RockyMountainBriar is right on (as usual). Also, many different paths to take to get to the same destination. Suggest you peruse this thread. You'll probably find a few good tips to help your restoration... Ream 1st, then deghost. No dawn or detergents! Generally, carnuba wax, but nothing wrong with diamond polishes as long as your careful. Some diamonds are more abrasive than others...
@Whoispra With my first few forays into refurbs, I did polish with white compound before I got carnauba and it shines pretty good. Hard Carnauba really makes them shine after a good carnauba wax and buff. PARAGON (for smooth bowls) and HALCYON II (for rustic, carved, blasted) work well for hand buffing/waxing I would suggest that you try to keep any moisture or detergents out of the briar…bowl or mortise. People go to great lengths to dry out briar blocks to prepare them for pipes. High proof potable alcohol is the way to go on the internals of briar. If you need to de-ghost, the salt treatment works pretty good to leach out the nastiness after reaming. Just load the bowl with NON-IODIZED pure salt (canning/pickling salt) then set the stummel somewhere it won’t tip over with the shank opening at about the same level as the bowl rim and carefully fill it with high proof potable alcohol with a dropper. I say “high proof” because you don’t want to introduce any more water than you have to into the briar. Alcohol will evaporate fairly rapidly. You can add more alcohol with a dropper over several hours/days, when the salt gets dark, dump it and repeat with fresh salt…after running a few alcohol soaked pipe cleaners through it. You may need a small drill bit/rod/poker to clear the salt from the airway. The alcohol (high proof) will not dissolve the salt, so it can somewhat plug the airway between bowl and mortise sometimes. The Senior 3-Finger reamer has a 9/64”? removable hand/finger drill in the handle…quite handy for most pipe airways, although there are some that are smaller.
Micromesh sanding pads will polish a stem, just remember to put masking tape between the shank and stem and mask the shank before you sand. If you try to sand the stem without it in place, you will round over the crisp shank-to-stem joint. Unless, of course, you need to fit the stem to the shank, if that is the case, a new sand & stain job will be required. It’s tough to match a stain perfectly, especially if it has an aged patina.
Comments
I'd report him to the ASPCP (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Pipes).
@opipeman
If it was the 50s, I could just patch it with asbestos...😏
The reason I say old is that, to the best of my understanding, this pipe was made sometime in the 30s or 40s. If you can shed more light on the time frame concerning the manufacturing of this pipe please do so.
Anyway, here's the before pics:
The stem I used about 10 bristled cleaners getting chunks of tobacco out along the way until finally clean as well.
Then came stage 1 of stripping the shellac from the stummel.
Spent about an hour to 1 1/2 hrs on the stem, did a very light stain on the stummel, waxed, buffed and polished.
Here's the final:
If my assumptions are correct, this pipe is at least 80 years old! But I could be wrong. Again, please shed some light on Demuth if you happen to run across anything...
Great job, as usual!
It kinda sucks that the band is missing on that old WDC🙁. It looks great after your refurb.
You've probably already seen this, but...
https://pipedia.org/wiki/William_Demuth_Company
Yes, I spotted the hint of where the banding was present on the shank. Couldn't get rid of that line without going too deep into the shank.
It was like that when I got it, but I liked the eagle and shield so I purchased it anyway.
Tnx for the compliment on the finished product buddy...
As you can see, the rim was so crusted and grooves filled in with build up, not to mention it had a lot of dirt and grime on the bowl:
Note: ALWAYS Cork the bowl before doing this step. You don't want that nasty stuff getting into the bowl. Don't go by the instructions on the bottle. You need to use it full strength:
Next, I stained the entire stummel black:
Note: If you don't want black coming off on your buffing wheels, I highly recommend this step...
After about 30 minutes of tossing that idea back and forth in my head, I decided to do it. I did decide to leave the rim black:
NOTE: The oxblood shows up more under this bright work light...
So I bought a used estate pipe on ebay. Supposedly a comoy with a sterling band. It was cheap (so maybe fake) but i bought it cause I like the shape, it needs some love to be nice (regardless of whether it is legit or not), and as someone who likes to carve decoys and work with wood i thought it would be fun to refinish it. That being said, I don't have any tools of the trade. It will need to be reamed and the stem needs polished. My wife silversmiths so I can polish the band. I'd like to polish the briar and the rim seems in okay shape but i would consider sanding it down to square it off if need be. I don't really intend to take the finish off the outside of the pipe but might need to refinish the top if it requires sanding. I know nothing about working on pipes but some about wood working and carving in general. I'll need your guidance and i've seen the work of some of you TPL member and know you can provide some guidance.
If you have to stain/re-stain, Fiebings Leather Dye works great, it is alcohol based. Everclear works well to clean internals, be careful with acrylic, nylon, Bakelite, Redmanol, stems and accoutrements though, high alcohol % will damge/haze/melt them, it’s no worries with Vulcanite/Ebonite. Murphy’s oil soap works well to remove grime on externals at full strength and a damp cloth without pulling the original stain as much. I use NAPA brand Martin-Signore “Professional Glass Cleaner” on pipe externals, stem externals, and stem internals. I do not use it on pipe internals. It’s not “food safe” or recommend for such things, but I take my chances. If it kills me a few weeks earlier than when I would have died normally….so be it….the time it saves peeling nastiness off a grungy pipe and stem is worth it to me. It almost wipes off in one pass, even darkened rims only take a few light twists. I soak a folded paper towel lay it on a flat surface and twist the top of the rim of the pipe a few times…and violá off comes the “lava”.
@RockyMountainBriar is right on (as usual).
Also, many different paths to take to get to the same destination.
Suggest you peruse this thread. You'll probably find a few good tips to help your restoration...
Ream 1st, then deghost.
No dawn or detergents!
Generally, carnuba wax, but nothing wrong with diamond polishes as long as your careful. Some diamonds are more abrasive than others...
With my first few forays into refurbs, I did polish with white compound before I got carnauba and it shines pretty good. Hard Carnauba really makes them shine after a good carnauba wax and buff. PARAGON (for smooth bowls) and HALCYON II (for rustic, carved, blasted) work well for hand buffing/waxing
I would suggest that you try to keep any moisture or detergents out of the briar…bowl or mortise. People go to great lengths to dry out briar blocks to prepare them for pipes. High proof potable alcohol is the way to go on the internals of briar. If you need to de-ghost, the salt treatment works pretty good to leach out the nastiness after reaming. Just load the bowl with NON-IODIZED pure salt (canning/pickling salt) then set the stummel somewhere it won’t tip over with the shank opening at about the same level as the bowl rim and carefully fill it with high proof potable alcohol with a dropper. I say “high proof” because you don’t want to introduce any more water than you have to into the briar. Alcohol will evaporate fairly rapidly. You can add more alcohol with a dropper over several hours/days, when the salt gets dark, dump it and repeat with fresh salt…after running a few alcohol soaked pipe cleaners through it. You may need a small drill bit/rod/poker to clear the salt from the airway. The alcohol (high proof) will not dissolve the salt, so it can somewhat plug the airway between bowl and mortise sometimes. The Senior 3-Finger reamer has a 9/64”? removable hand/finger drill in the handle…quite handy for most pipe airways, although there are some that are smaller.