Next was prepping the stem to create a button. You must do this step if you want to insure permanent adhesion. I also used 220 grit to rough the new button area to create a rough surface...
I then applied the vulcanite dust and glue mix to start creating a new button. Note: make sure you press firmly as you apply to push the mix into the small holding holes before building up the area...
Began using various files to start shaping and smoothing the button. Note: there were 2 very small indentations ( 1st pic) that I couldn't get out without risking breaching the airhole, so I decided to minimize them as much as possible while being safe and cautious...
After being fairly satisfied, I started the sanding process on the stem, and stripped the stummel down to natural briar (excluding the deep grooves of course).
Try to keep this short. Dr. Grabow Visconti with no stem. Decent shape but charring on the rim. Decided to bring the rim down to bare briar, edge taped it and stain the rim black.
Tried heat to lift low spots on the stem. Worked on one side, but not the other. Tip: sand the area with 220 then 600 BEFORE applying heat. If heating the stem works, it still will rarely bring it up to the existing level. Slightly lowering the initial level will allow the depressed area to at least rise and match your new sanded level. Look closely and you'll see some of the depressed area actually rose higher while the surrounding area barely came back to the sanded level. The 2nd pic shows the other side where heat didn't work...
Bowl didn't have any cake to speak of, so I sanded it with 220 grit, then 600... I shaped some various sized dowel rods for different sized bowls, then wrap the sandpaper around the appropriate one and start sanding. Results in a pretty even surface and much easier on the hands and fingers.
Had to use Murphys and 2 good brushes on the pipe. It was the only way to get the stummel clean. Tip: NEVER get that in your bowl. It's nasty stuff and I'm not sure if you can ever get the taste out... I use a cork to tightly seal the bowl: Oh, notice I've done some work on the band.
Unbeknownst to me, the wife grabbed my phone behind me and shot this pic will I was working. Thought I'd share it to make SURE you guys know I'm not Brad Pitt...😏
The above pipe is a noname with issues. There we're a total of 11 pit fills in the stummel. They were shallow and nothing major but, IMHO, not worth the effort to try and work around. So I slated this one for rustication. I started by sanding it down. The stem was mediocre at best, and was going to require some step- sanding and a little reshaping. Also, the stem had a sharp 30° bend (approx.) So I elected to rebend it with a softer/fuller bend. Then it was "file time"...
30 drops light tan with 1 drop oxblood on the stummel. Allowed to dry thoroughly 220 grit and 600 grit sanded. Waxed, polished and buffed. Step sanded the stem from 600 grit through micropads. I then used white diamond finished polishing the stem. Here's the final:
I have quite a few small stummels with no stem. They aren't bad pipes, just small. I went on Vermont Freehand and found they were selling 7" churchwarden style stems... 12 for $24! I got to thinking, I hardly ever sell a small pipe with a matching length stem, so I purchased those 7 inchers to hopefully give them a different look. Here's my first experiment:
Comments
I also used 220 grit to rough the new button area to create a rough surface...
Note: make sure you press firmly as you apply to push the mix into the small holding holes before building up the area...
Note: there were 2 very small indentations ( 1st pic) that I couldn't get out without risking breaching the airhole, so I decided to minimize them as much as possible while being safe and cautious...
Damn you are good, Brother.
Tnx brother, that kind of you to say...
Dr. Grabow Visconti with no stem. Decent shape but charring on the rim.
Decided to bring the rim down to bare briar, edge taped it and stain the rim black.
I can't wait to see the Dr. Grabow Visconti when you are done. That is a pretty pipe.
Tip: sand the area with 220 then 600 BEFORE applying heat. If heating the stem works, it still will rarely bring it up to the existing level. Slightly lowering the initial level will allow the depressed area to at least rise and match your new sanded level.
Look closely and you'll see some of the depressed area actually rose higher while the surrounding area barely came back to the sanded level.
The 2nd pic shows the other side where heat didn't work...
I shaped some various sized dowel rods for different sized bowls, then wrap the sandpaper around the appropriate one and start sanding. Results in a pretty even surface and much easier on the hands and fingers.
Tip: NEVER get that in your bowl. It's nasty stuff and I'm not sure if you can ever get the taste out... I use a cork to tightly seal the bowl:
Oh, notice I've done some work on the band.
Thought I'd share it to make SURE you guys know I'm not Brad Pitt...😏
Then worked on the stem and finished them both.
Here's the final:
Kudos
I've always known you weren't Brad Pitt, but the resemblance is uncanny.
There we're a total of 11 pit fills in the stummel. They were shallow and nothing major but, IMHO, not worth the effort to try and work around. So I slated this one for rustication. I started by sanding it down.
The stem was mediocre at best, and was going to require some step- sanding and a little reshaping.
Also, the stem had a sharp 30° bend (approx.) So I elected to rebend it with a softer/fuller bend. Then it was "file time"...
Maybe more tomorrow?.?.
Engaging posts, as always. I do so enjoy looking over your shoulder as you turn straw into gold.
Waxed, polished and buffed.
Step sanded the stem from 600 grit through micropads. I then used white diamond finished polishing the stem.
Here's the final:
I went on Vermont Freehand and found they were selling 7" churchwarden style stems... 12 for $24!
I got to thinking, I hardly ever sell a small pipe with a matching length stem, so I purchased those 7 inchers to hopefully give them a different look.
Here's my first experiment:
Then the normal finishing stuff. Here's the final: