Sanding the Inside of an Estate Pipe?

[uzzi101]

I’ve recently purchased a Castello estate pipe that’s been refurbished with the black coating on the inside of the bowl.

The pipe beautiful, but has the taste of a bitter charcoal, and I’m thinking it’s the coating on the bowl which made it look nice, but taste bad.


I’m considering sanding out the inside of the bowl to bring the pipe to its natural briar, as a new Castello would be.

Has anyone sanded out the inside of a bowl?
What did you use to ensure smooth, consistent finish?

I’m worried about ruining this beautiful pipe with the sanding so not sure what to do.

Maybe the bitter charcoal taste will subside after a few more bowls?

I’m on bowl number 3 and not much improvement.

I appreciate and advice or insight on this one.

Thank you kindly

 

[verporchting]

A piece of fine sandpaper wrapped around your finger and carefully used will do the trick, just don’t go all Kung Fu Fighting on it. Gently, gently, is your friend.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Can probably get it out with a damp paper towel.

 

[OzPiper]

I sanded out (well, most of it) the coating of a new Tom Eltang recently.
The 1st smoke out of it (pre-sanding) was putrid

The second smoke was a lot better, with an intermittent off taste.
Hopefully it will keep improving with subsequent smokes.

I really did not want to dedicate that pipe to Latakia blends. ?

 

[verporchting]

Alternatively smoke a few bowls of Five Brothers burley shag out of it. That might just scare the remaining coating out of the pipe and you’ll have a decent cake layer already forming.

 

[bullet08]

Try wet towel wrung out first like ember said. Sandpaper could remove wood. If it's coating, it should come off. You could always smoke few bowls and that taste might go away.

 

[FurCoat]

200 grit is what I use if it won't wipe out with warm water

 

[jpmcwjr]

Very hot water down the chamber and out the bit. Paper towel dry. Most should be removed by this. Load and smoke.

 

[Searock Fan]

If it's painted with an alcohol based stain, some alcohol and a paper towel might do the trick. Afterwards let it dry completely and give it a couple of smokes before you decide if it worked.

 

[kschatey]

A piece of fine sandpaper wrapped around your finger and carefully used will do the trick, just don’t go all Kung Fu Fighting on it. Gently, gently, is your friend.

Yep, just lightly sanded out the bowls of three estate pipes like this on Sunday. Works like a charm.

 

[Strandsbeachlocal]

I would say it’s going to take 20+ smokes for that coating to not alter flavor. But not worth sanding if you take the chamber out of round.

 

[orlandofurioso]

Probably a chamber coating; wet towel and an alcohol wipe.
Bob's your uncle

 

[reloader]

I've used emery cloth to lightly sand out some bowl coatings on new pipes. I've also used a damp paper towel and both have worked well to remove most of the coating. I haven't gone all the way to briar with either method. That seemed to get rid of the taste.

 

[jpmcwjr]

Yep, just lightly sanded out the bowls of three estate pipes like this on Sunday. Works like a charm.

Estate pipes are unlikely to have any trace of bowl coating, so reaming and sanding are pretty much the main options for trimming that down.

Most bowl coatings will yield to water; if no joy, then alcohol, and last resort, sanding.

 

[kola]

This is why I prefer estate pipes.

 

[kschatey]

Estate pipes are unlikely to have any trace of bowl coating, so reaming and sanding are pretty much the main options for trimming that down.

Most bowl coatings will yield to water; if no joy, then alcohol, and last resort, sanding.

Yeah, I don't have a reamer. Actually, a magic eraser and some alcohol worked great for me. Not actually sanding.

 

[kola]

I think dissolving the fecal -based secret recipe is a much better option than sanding away on it.

 

[Bobby Bailey]

Wipe it out with a paper towel wet with water or one wet with Bourbon, or just sand it out. A pipe isn't as magical as some think, it's just a piece of wood intended to build a fire within.

If you think sanding will remove too much wood, wrap a piece of 220 grit around your finger and sand lengthwise on a popsicle stick. Time how long it takes to sand the popsicle stick into.

 

[anotherbob]

refurbished you say. I can't help but wonder if the coating is just what they do or if there is something that isn't right underneath the coating. I'd personally just smoke through it. But I never get too much nasty from coatings anyways so....

 

[daveinlax]

A pipe is only new once. I wouldn’t look to hard at what’s under the coating. I’d break it inand build a fresh cake with what you enjoy.