Today I got in three used pipes for $27.
There’s a Three Star grade 7 point star Lee Bulldog, a scarce Marxman Royal bent apple, and a cheap Bentley that was all varnished and the stem way over right.
I used Everclear, 4/0 steel wool, pipe cleaners, a chunk of beeswax, grapeseed oil, a sharp pocket knife, and paper towels to within 30 minutes I own three nice pipes anybody should be proud to own and smoke.
First I scrape (not ream) all and I mean all, of the old cake out, down to the briar. Then I twist steel wool in the bowl to clean up any residue.
Soak a paper towel in Everclear and twist it in the bowl, and use soaked pipe cleaners until they come out white.
Rub Everclear all over the pipe and buff with 4/0 steel wool, careful with the letters. If there’s varnish get that crap off, it’s an abomination and only used to hide flaws and speed production.
Wipe again with an Everclear soaked paper towel.
Then take just one dab, just a little, grapeseed oil on a paper towel and rub it in all over stummel and stem.
Let dry and do it again, do it until the pipe glows.
Smoke the pipe and while it’s warm rub beeswax all over,,,,as much as you can get on.
Then buff off.
I don’t do this to collector grade pipes. These were dirty and caked and maybe the Royal is someday going to be a collector grade pipe, but not the way it was.
Beeswax and grapeseed oil are temporary. They never hurt any pipe.
Steel wool can take off lettering, so don’t rub the lettering.
Good pipes are cheap, and not hard to clean up and enjoy.
There’s a Three Star grade 7 point star Lee Bulldog, a scarce Marxman Royal bent apple, and a cheap Bentley that was all varnished and the stem way over right.
I used Everclear, 4/0 steel wool, pipe cleaners, a chunk of beeswax, grapeseed oil, a sharp pocket knife, and paper towels to within 30 minutes I own three nice pipes anybody should be proud to own and smoke.
First I scrape (not ream) all and I mean all, of the old cake out, down to the briar. Then I twist steel wool in the bowl to clean up any residue.
Soak a paper towel in Everclear and twist it in the bowl, and use soaked pipe cleaners until they come out white.
Rub Everclear all over the pipe and buff with 4/0 steel wool, careful with the letters. If there’s varnish get that crap off, it’s an abomination and only used to hide flaws and speed production.
Wipe again with an Everclear soaked paper towel.
Then take just one dab, just a little, grapeseed oil on a paper towel and rub it in all over stummel and stem.
Let dry and do it again, do it until the pipe glows.
Smoke the pipe and while it’s warm rub beeswax all over,,,,as much as you can get on.
Then buff off.
I don’t do this to collector grade pipes. These were dirty and caked and maybe the Royal is someday going to be a collector grade pipe, but not the way it was.
Beeswax and grapeseed oil are temporary. They never hurt any pipe.
Steel wool can take off lettering, so don’t rub the lettering.
Good pipes are cheap, and not hard to clean up and enjoy.
