Just a quick fyi. I have several pipe polishing compounds, buffing wheel, etc., but I just ordered a little bottle of Briar Pipe Polish from Savinelli. It really shines up a smooth pipe, and it is easy to apply as well. I have only tried it on a couple of pipes, but it seems fairly durable so far.
Update on the Comoy tradition I’ve bought to refinish. Finally finished reaming it and then sanded the inside of the bowl. It could use some pipe mud but have no way to make it and may not worry about it. Pictured here is the rim pre sanding and post. Decided I wanted to clean up the dings and dents and hand sanded and chamfered the inside of the bowl. No fancy tools here just by hand. I have one question which is what if a thing should I put in the exposed new briar to protect it?
@Whoispra Looking good so far🙂. For pipe mud, just smoke a bowl of non-aromatic and comparatively dry pipe tobacco, something that will smoke to gray ash and use it, or just buy a couple of ok cigars and make a day of it…or two…depending on how much you smoke…unless you absolutely hate cigars. Save the ash, even one robusto would probably create enough ash for a single fix. Mix the ash with a drop of water to make a paste and voilà.
On the bare rim of that pipe, you can get one of the MinWax stain pens for furniture touch-up. I occasionally use them with one caveat, use it only on the rim, and not the rest of the pipe, it is a petroleum based stain. Also, DO NOT, get any stain inside the bowl, not even a little. You can wipe off the stain so it’s not as dark, this Red Mahogany works pretty well for most darker pipes. If you can, get some Feibings leather dye, a color to match, it’s alcohol based and would be preferred. If you like the look of the light rim, that would be ok too. All you need to protect the exterior is some Paragon Wax for a smooth pipe, or Halcyon II for rustic/sandblast’s. The Savinelli Pipe Polish would probably work as well? I have not tried it as a base seal, but I think it would work. Another product that I have used and works ok in a pinch would be Butcher Block Conditioner, one that contains beeswax, carnauba and mineral oil. I would use this sparingly also, don’t let it get inside the bowl, although, it is food grade.
One suggestion, take it or leave it. I would slightly, very slightly, round over the outside edge of the rim. It will help keep the rim from chipping out if the pipe has an “unfortunate incident”. Just a light sand with very fine ~600 grit. If dropped, it would dent, but most likely not chip.
Stem didn't fit correctly, and I found over 11 pit repairs on the pipe. Also, there was next to no grain showing. It was really a plain Jane to the point of being downright ugly!
Next, I rusticated leaving a "dripping" pattern on the stummel along with a different pattern around the end of the shank. Then stained the rusticated area black...
Then came oxblood stain, waxing, polishing... you know the drill... The stem still needs some micro-padding, but I'll show you the semi-final... And yes, I was thinking of Halloween/the macabre... I'm open for suggestions concerning a name for this pipe.?.? 🤔
@KA9FFJ Great remake! With the oxblood drip pattern and stripe down the stem you could call it the "bleeding heart" or as a Halloween pipe the "butcher's arm."
Tnx guys for the feedback. All those names were spot on. After a tough decision, I'm going with @RockyMountainBriar "Blood Line". A perfect name considering the solid red line running down the stem... Tnx again. You guys are great.
Had a buddy stop by on his way home to Utah with something he picked up at a flea market. It was a very small meer pipe (about half the size of a "normal" pipe), with no stem...
It wasn't easy to make him a stem because I was limited to fitting it to the case that came with the pipe, and I had never made such a small stem. My first attempt ended in failure when it developed a hairline crack while trying to get the bend needed. Anyway, second time was the charm...
I've contacted him to see if he wants the case interior cleaned and the silver band to look like new again. Since it's his pipe, it's his decision. If he does, I'll show you the final once completed...
Brief update on the Comoy refinish. Got the silver band polished up and the stem cleaned out and refinished through my micro mesh pads. Since these picture were taken I did clean the stummel and have since dyed the rim black. It looks rough to me but the rim was sanded at 220 and has no finishing beyond that. I’m thinking it needs some more work in that regard. I’ll post some more pictures soon. I also acquired a Dr. Grabow bent bulldog as my next project. It’s in way better shape than the comoy was in. Pics of it to come as well.
@Whoispra I find that sanding to 600 grit works pretty good for an everyday pipe, as long as I follow it up on the buffing wheel. I have some green buffing compound that is pretty coarse for buffing compound. I can use it to remove the “extra” black stain on a contrast stain bowl, it leaves the bowl pretty smooth. After the second color, I go through the brown, red, white compound then carnauba wax and polish. The pipes end up nice and shiny for everyday use.
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I used it on pipes that were already buffed with Carnauba on a wheel. Used just as “spiff up” after a smoke.
Looking good so far🙂. For pipe mud, just smoke a bowl of non-aromatic and comparatively dry pipe tobacco, something that will smoke to gray ash and use it, or just buy a couple of ok cigars and make a day of it…or two…depending on how much you smoke…unless you absolutely hate cigars. Save the ash, even one robusto would probably create enough ash for a single fix. Mix the ash with a drop of water to make a paste and voilà.
On the bare rim of that pipe, you can get one of the MinWax stain pens for furniture touch-up. I occasionally use them with one caveat, use it only on the rim, and not the rest of the pipe, it is a petroleum based stain. Also, DO NOT, get any stain inside the bowl, not even a little. You can wipe off the stain so it’s not as dark, this Red Mahogany works pretty well for most darker pipes. If you can, get some Feibings leather dye, a color to match, it’s alcohol based and would be preferred. If you like the look of the light rim, that would be ok too. All you need to protect the exterior is some Paragon Wax for a smooth pipe, or Halcyon II for rustic/sandblast’s. The Savinelli Pipe Polish would probably work as well? I have not tried it as a base seal, but I think it would work. Another product that I have used and works ok in a pinch would be Butcher Block Conditioner, one that contains beeswax, carnauba and mineral oil. I would use this sparingly also, don’t let it get inside the bowl, although, it is food grade.
One suggestion, take it or leave it. I would slightly, very slightly, round over the outside edge of the rim. It will help keep the rim from chipping out if the pipe has an “unfortunate incident”. Just a light sand with very fine ~600 grit. If dropped, it would dent, but most likely not chip.
Yep, @RockyMountainBriar and @Montecristo are "right on"...
Got this pipe at the LV Pipe Show for 5 bucks...
Also, there was next to no grain showing. It was really a plain Jane to the point of being downright ugly!
I had to use a wire to break through all the crud in the shank before I could start to clean it...
The stem still needs some micro-padding, but I'll show you the semi-final...
And yes, I was thinking of Halloween/the macabre...
I'm open for suggestions concerning a name for this pipe.?.? 🤔
Damn you're good. I had a friend years ago that would say "Ugly girls need lov'in too." I guess the same could be said of pipes?
Great remake! With the oxblood drip pattern and stripe down the stem you could call it the "bleeding heart" or as a Halloween pipe the "butcher's arm."
Or, just “Bloodline”🙂
Or, go Marine and call it
“Blood Stripes”.
All those names were spot on. After a tough decision, I'm going with @RockyMountainBriar "Blood Line". A perfect name considering the solid red line running down the stem...
Tnx again. You guys are great.
My first attempt ended in failure when it developed a hairline crack while trying to get the bend needed.
Anyway, second time was the charm...
That meer has a beautiful patina.
Since it's his pipe, it's his decision.
If he does, I'll show you the final once completed...
That's a pretty little bugger, but it would seem by the time you get it lit all the tobac would be gone.
Nice.
I find that sanding to 600 grit works pretty good for an everyday pipe, as long as I follow it up on the buffing wheel. I have some green buffing compound that is pretty coarse for buffing compound. I can use it to remove the “extra” black stain on a contrast stain bowl, it leaves the bowl pretty smooth. After the second color, I go through the brown, red, white compound then carnauba wax and polish. The pipes end up nice and shiny for everyday use.