I like the Salt method but some of them pipes need the EXTREME Cleaning, that means not just a lite reaming and alcohol cleaning, it means dremmel tool and complete redoing the bowl.
If you've got a really bad mold problem at the start, skip the salt treatment, go right for the extreme reaming. Then, when you're down to bare wood, see if the ghost lingers. If it does, then use the salt treatment, as the mold has probably gone into the briar itself. A good salt/alcohol course of treatment should then put a stop to it.
@motie2, after 10 hours of salt treatment ( I know some people recommend 12 to 24 hours), I dumped the salt and smelled the pipe. There was still a slight moldy smell, although less than originally, so I took out the Dremel and sanding wheel, and, at a slow speed, worked the inside of the bowl. You would not believe how much crap came out of it. I was surprised. At the end of that it smelled only very faintly of mold, so I repacked it with salt and will leave it overnight. Will check it tomorrow afternoon. If all turns out well I'll refinish the outside and light it up. If it does not, in the bin it goes. Will keep you appraised.
@motie2, the second salt treatment (from last night) did a lot to diminish the moldy smell in the pipe. I got impatient and took out the Dremel and sanded the interior of the bowl until bare wood was exposed. Even got into the stummel with a very small drill bit. I'd say 95% of the smell is gone, but I'm going to hit it one more time with salt and Everclear tonight. This is my final attempt. By the way, tried a bowl of Dunhil MyMixture 965 in it and it was tolerable, but not really pleasant like a normal bowl would be. Three salt treatments may be a charm.
@motie2, sorry to say, the third time was not the charm. That cute little pipe has hit the trash. the first half of the bowl was OK, but as I got toward the bottom (a bowl of Bag End from Country Squire) the mold taste/smell started to get stronger, and I decided it wasn't worth it. So, arrivederci, little pipe. Lesson learned by me about estate pipes. I'd rather make one of my own design than try to refurbish a moldy pipe.
@mfresa -- I share your disappointment; I was rooting for a good outcome. I've bought/won several "estate" pipes on eBay and so far they've all worked out swell after an initial ream 'n' clean.
@motie2, yeah, in this case I think the mold permeated the whole briar, stummel and all. I wasn't going to spend more effort than it was worth, as it smoked hot anyway. Oh well. Glad you had better results.
@Corey562, agreed. I have a wild one on the drawing board. Wait till you see it. @PappyJoe, sorry, didn't research the coffee method. I guess I could dig the poor little thing out of the trash, but.....probably won't.
@mfresa Sorry to hear about your estate. Personally, I wouldn't throw the pipe out, but use it as decoration somewhere, unless the mold smell was too potent.
One of the reasons I hesitate to buy pipes from antique stores is that some of them have a strong mold odor permeating through the building. When that happens, it's usually a sign for me to turn around and just leave, but the treasure hunter inside me urges to keep searching.
Just picked up another Estate pipe from my journey to Amish country yesterday from an antique shop. The pipe was a Medico Sterling (which I'll be posting a picture of later), and of all the used pipes I've encountered, this was in the worse shape in terms of ghosting. As a matter of fact the pipe still had half a bowl of caked in tobacco still in the bowl. It had been in there so long I nearly had to use a drill to chip-out the hardened tobacco. Finally got it cleaned out, and did a proper reaming of it. Strangely it appears to be made of briar and not Byrlon (or what-ever the substance is that Medico pipes are made of). It has all the properties of a wooden pipe, but because of the sterling scrollwork on the exterior of the pipe it's hard to tell for sure.
I gave the pipe a jolly good cleaning and went through an entire bag of pipe cleaners and just as many QTIPS before the interior of the stem was finally clean. The bowl on the other hand required a salt treatment. And even at that there is a distinct Latakia stench in the bowl that doesn't appear to want to leave. I'm still using Decatur stem and bowl sweetener to tone down the ghost. But I did finally give the pipe a smoke with one of my most aromatic blends - East Indiana Trading Company "Officer's Club" and with the exception of the minor ghosting that lingered a bit - the smoke was very good.
I may give it one more salt treatment to tone down the smell a bit ... but think if I continue smoking it that might eventually counteract the aroma enough that I can add it to my pipe rack without making that corner of the book shelf smell. The pipe only cost me $12.00 and came with a nice hand made copper pipe stand. I think the pipe stand was probably worth the $12.00 I paid for it. So I'm pretty happy with the deal and look forward to displaying it on The Daily Briar Photoshoot very soon.
I read in another post that some of you don't like cleaning your pipes or doing much maintenance on them but you do it because it has to be done to keep your pipe working. Personally I love cleaning and working on pipes, I enjoy the time almost as much as smoking them. lol I like making pipes, cleaning pipes and repairing pipes, just something about doing it, makes it more personal and you care more about them. Maybe I am nuts or maybe I have to much time on my hands but I have to do something to keep busy since I can't work a normal job. Still fighting for disability but have been looking for places to work, places that would allow me to sit or stand when I need to do so and a place that allows bathroom breaks when I need to go not just during a scheduled break. (medicine causes you to go at the most opportune times) lol Anyway I love working on stuff but can't do it all the time because my hands and arms cramp up and my back starts to hurt when I sit in one place to long but when I do feel good and have time I make, clean and repair pipes!
@Wolf41035 I too love pipe restorations. I have over 60 pipes. 6 were purchased new. The rest I have restored and/or modified back to a new or near-new status. I love bringing those old forgotten pipes back to life. There is something about taking a pipe that most people would not give a second glance, and turn it into a desirable pipe. I do not make pipes since I haven't the equipment to do so, but small repairs and restorations are my niche. Sometimes I have to take breaks for various reasons myself. I used to be frustrated having to quit while in the middle of a pipe project. But now I have discovered, if I allow it to, it actually builds my anticipation of the final outcome. Sometimes these forced breaks have resulted in producing a different idea(s)/direction(s) concerning the final design or technique(s) to use. Anyway, the hobby is there to enjoy. I'm with you in trying to make the most of it...
I just got a nice Oom Paul from eBay that I've scrubbed and sanitized. The stem's in pretty good shape, but I will still sand & polish it some & then coat with olive oil. But the briar is now kind of dull. I'd like to put some kind of wax or polish or something on it to make it shine. I don't have a buffing wheel with carnauba wax, which I know would be ideal. However, I'm sure there have to be some good DIY options out there for shining up your briar. What do you suggest to make the wood shine again?
@jfreedy try some Bee's Wax, it seems to do a good job, I am working on melting, filtering and cutting up a bunch of Bee's wax this Winter, Should have it done in the next couple of Months if all goes well. Also for the inside of the bowl I have used many things but one of the newer things I have done is after it is reamed, sanded or what ever I have used either Maple syrup or Honey and coated it with Charcoal. You can buy Charcoal capsules at drugs stores or health stores.
Before you wax, use micro-mesh pads working your way up the grit scale. You'd be surprised how far that will go to create a good shine. THEN wax and polish/buff. Works for me...
@KA9FFJ -- Good to know. I already have the micro-mesh pads that I use on stems. I'll use the finest for the briar. It's rusticated but not sandblasted. So I assume this would work.
@jfreedy Yes, that's what I basically use the mesh for (the stems). But when I want to get a little better/deeper shine on the briar, I'll mesh the briar with the 2nd highest then highest mesh before waxing etc. It's about as easy as you can get without variable speed buffers and different grade polishes... which obviously will produce better results...
Comments
By the way, tried a bowl of Dunhil MyMixture 965 in it and it was tolerable, but not really pleasant like a normal bowl would be. Three salt treatments may be a charm.
@PappyJoe, sorry, didn't research the coffee method. I guess I could dig the poor little thing out of the trash, but.....probably won't.
One of the reasons I hesitate to buy pipes from antique stores is that some of them have a strong mold odor permeating through the building. When that happens, it's usually a sign for me to turn around and just leave, but the treasure hunter inside me urges to keep searching.
Just picked up another Estate pipe from my journey to Amish country yesterday from an antique shop. The pipe was a Medico Sterling (which I'll be posting a picture of later), and of all the used pipes I've encountered, this was in the worse shape in terms of ghosting. As a matter of fact the pipe still had half a bowl of caked in tobacco still in the bowl. It had been in there so long I nearly had to use a drill to chip-out the hardened tobacco. Finally got it cleaned out, and did a proper reaming of it. Strangely it appears to be made of briar and not Byrlon (or what-ever the substance is that Medico pipes are made of). It has all the properties of a wooden pipe, but because of the sterling scrollwork on the exterior of the pipe it's hard to tell for sure.
I gave the pipe a jolly good cleaning and went through an entire bag of pipe cleaners and just as many QTIPS before the interior of the stem was finally clean. The bowl on the other hand required a salt treatment. And even at that there is a distinct Latakia stench in the bowl that doesn't appear to want to leave. I'm still using Decatur stem and bowl sweetener to tone down the ghost. But I did finally give the pipe a smoke with one of my most aromatic blends - East Indiana Trading Company "Officer's Club" and with the exception of the minor ghosting that lingered a bit - the smoke was very good.
I may give it one more salt treatment to tone down the smell a bit ... but think if I continue smoking it that might eventually counteract the aroma enough that I can add it to my pipe rack without making that corner of the book shelf smell. The pipe only cost me $12.00 and came with a nice hand made copper pipe stand. I think the pipe stand was probably worth the $12.00 I paid for it. So I'm pretty happy with the deal and look forward to displaying it on The Daily Briar Photoshoot very soon.
Anyway I love working on stuff but can't do it all the time because my hands and arms cramp up and my back starts to hurt when I sit in one place to long but when I do feel good and have time I make, clean and repair pipes!
Also for the inside of the bowl I have used many things but one of the newer things I have done is after it is reamed, sanded or what ever I have used either Maple syrup or Honey and coated it with Charcoal. You can buy Charcoal capsules at drugs stores or health stores.