Non smoker who just likes things outside my wheelhouse
Phil's pipe restoration trial or "Look, another rabbit hole!"
- Thread starter luvmysuper
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- #22
Thank you. I'm a retired guy so I have lots of free time!
Those are machine buffed, but just with some mild rubbing compound. I don't have any wax.
I have some tripoli buffing compound, but I didn't want to use anything on the stummels I was unsure of.
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- #23
I'm not a pipe guy, cigars mostly, but this seems to be a lot more fun!Non smoker who just likes things outside my wheelhouse
And, having nice pipes begs that they be used, so if it's as enjoyable as cigars, I could easily take it up.
JCinPA
The Lather Maestro
Ah, good. If you do cigars, you'll slip right into this. You already know not to inhale, you're after the taste and scent and the retrohale. The nice thing about this is you may be able to do it indoors throughout the colder months, like I've been able to do. If I lit up a cigar in the living room, that would be the end my 32 year marriage, that's for certain!
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- #25
My shop is out in the garage and I spend a lot of time there. I keep it at 60 in the winter, so it's a little haven from the house, but honestly, being able to have a nice smoke while sitting at the desktop would be nice.
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- #26
I took a chance and brought the Stanwell to the buffer with some Tripoli.
It really lightened it up and reduced surface scratching, I'm happy with how it came out.
I have some carnauba paste for fine wood trim, so I used that in a thin coat.
Waiting for it to dry and I'll hand buff it out.
Great work.
Now I have to have that stanwell. Thanks. I already have enough pipes that I smoke not nearly as often as I want to.
Now I have to have that stanwell. Thanks. I already have enough pipes that I smoke not nearly as often as I want to.
Impressive work, Phil. I should have saved my old pipes when I quit smoking years ago.
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- #29
I saw an incredibly beautiful Stanwell Diplomat today, and I was tempted - but I managed to resist. I don't know if that will last.
Thanks, the idea of bringing something back from the edge is somehow thrilling and quite enjoyable.
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- #30
I tried the Molto Doce. Very nice room smell.
It's very apparent however that I am a complete and clueless noob at this.
Several problems presented themselves this morning.
1. I didn't know how to properly fill a pipe.
2. A Bic lighter, and even a standard Zippo lighter suck at lighting a pipe.
3. I had no idea what the cadence should be, and didn't even know there was such a thing as cadence.
As a result, I wound up with a poorly packed pipe containing scorched, over heated tobacco which wound up being a brutal, nasty tasting gurgly mess.
A few youtube videos by the mutton chop guy later, I see where I went wrong.
A fresh pipe, and a careful mimicking of his suggestions and I had a much more pleasurable experience.
His instructions on packing the pipe, kissing the flame to the tobacco, the need to have more than one light up, and the breath method all worked to enable an enjoyable smoke.
The lighter thing is still an issue.
I am absolutely going to have to get a pipe lighter. There are a couple of Old Boy models I'm looking at and trying to decide which one I want.
I feel better prepared for my next endeavor, and I can honestly say that the entire process is NOT intuitive or self evident.
If I had not taken the time to determine what I was doing wrong, I would have been ready to give it up before even really getting started.
It's very apparent however that I am a complete and clueless noob at this.
Several problems presented themselves this morning.
1. I didn't know how to properly fill a pipe.
2. A Bic lighter, and even a standard Zippo lighter suck at lighting a pipe.
3. I had no idea what the cadence should be, and didn't even know there was such a thing as cadence.
As a result, I wound up with a poorly packed pipe containing scorched, over heated tobacco which wound up being a brutal, nasty tasting gurgly mess.
A few youtube videos by the mutton chop guy later, I see where I went wrong.
A fresh pipe, and a careful mimicking of his suggestions and I had a much more pleasurable experience.
His instructions on packing the pipe, kissing the flame to the tobacco, the need to have more than one light up, and the breath method all worked to enable an enjoyable smoke.
The lighter thing is still an issue.
I am absolutely going to have to get a pipe lighter. There are a couple of Old Boy models I'm looking at and trying to decide which one I want.
I feel better prepared for my next endeavor, and I can honestly say that the entire process is NOT intuitive or self evident.
If I had not taken the time to determine what I was doing wrong, I would have been ready to give it up before even really getting started.
That pretty much sums up my first foray into pipes as well.
For me the difficulty in learning was a major draw into the pipe smoking hobby. Just like shaving with a DE was harder than a cart, and when I mastered the DE the next endeavor was learning to use and maintain straights. I guess I like suffering lol.
Sounds like you are on the right track. One thing to keep in mind is unlike a cigar where you have several inches of tobacco filtering and cooling the smoke, a pipe has little to no filtering so you have to really take it easy on the puffing as the ember can turn into nuclear superheated coal and burn the mouth badly. Even if you don’t feel pain the roof of the mouth can roughen up from the burning.
Also when packing the dryer the tobacco the firmer you can pack and conversely the wetter it is the looser as it needs to allow ample oxygen flow to burn.
Molto has a lot of topping and propylene glycol so it burns a little differently than a non aromatic, so if you can sucessfull smoke a bowl if it other blends will be much easier IMO.
For me the difficulty in learning was a major draw into the pipe smoking hobby. Just like shaving with a DE was harder than a cart, and when I mastered the DE the next endeavor was learning to use and maintain straights. I guess I like suffering lol.
Sounds like you are on the right track. One thing to keep in mind is unlike a cigar where you have several inches of tobacco filtering and cooling the smoke, a pipe has little to no filtering so you have to really take it easy on the puffing as the ember can turn into nuclear superheated coal and burn the mouth badly. Even if you don’t feel pain the roof of the mouth can roughen up from the burning.
Also when packing the dryer the tobacco the firmer you can pack and conversely the wetter it is the looser as it needs to allow ample oxygen flow to burn.
Molto has a lot of topping and propylene glycol so it burns a little differently than a non aromatic, so if you can sucessfull smoke a bowl if it other blends will be much easier IMO.
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- #32
I think I have the basics down now and that things will improve, at least to the point that I don't have to focus on every step to make sure I'm not doing something stupid!
I did note that the Molto Dolce is a little "damp". John @JCinPA suggested I set a bowl full out on a paper plate for 20 minutes or so before loading up.
I did that, but sorely misjudged the quantity in a "bowl full" so I had to add to what I had set out.
That dampness I'm sure caused part of my gurgling problem, along with the high heat I subjected it to and pulling cool air in with faulty cadence.
The good thing about starting off poorly, is that there is no where to go but up!
The second go at it was much better and I nearly had a full bowls worth. I was periodically lightly tamping the ash down, but I got a little over exuberant and wound up toward the end tamping too much and affecting draw, so I didn't get that last 1/8 of a bowl or so.
That's ok, I'm not sure that smoking the bowl down to briar is a good thing anyway.
Maybe I'll look into those clay bowl spacers and read up to see if they might or might not be a good idea.
Yep like everything else as long as you enjoy it there is really no “wrong” way to smoke a pipe.
JCinPA
The Lather Maestro
I get these by the half dozen. Cheap and work well. I think @OkieStubble suggested them. They won't scorch.
Do not use the cigar torches. Those will definitely scorch. And normal first experience. for sure.
Glad you like the room note! You'll like the blend I put together for you, I think. And I bet my English samples will do what your cigars do to your meter. lol
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Do not use the cigar torches. Those will definitely scorch. And normal first experience. for sure.
Glad you like the room note! You'll like the blend I put together for you, I think. And I bet my English samples will do what your cigars do to your meter. lol
My first pipe experience mimics yours exactly. I don’t know if someone is ever an ”expert” pipe smoker. Or has a perfect light and perfect bowl every time. Tobacco is different, your smoking area is different, environmental factors, lighters, even your mood. Everything affects everything. I been smoking cigars off and on for going on 20 years and I’m still learning, I still have days where I just can’t get a good light or draw, or taste, or whatever.
IMO pipe smoking and cigar smoking is meant to be relaxing and enjoyable. I also think if you have the perfect smoke every single time that it becomes less relaxing and enjoyable. Almost boring. A not so good smoke every once in a while makes me reflect on the reasons why and enjoy that rare perfect smoke even more when it happens.
IMO pipe smoking and cigar smoking is meant to be relaxing and enjoyable. I also think if you have the perfect smoke every single time that it becomes less relaxing and enjoyable. Almost boring. A not so good smoke every once in a while makes me reflect on the reasons why and enjoy that rare perfect smoke even more when it happens.
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- #36
That's a great perspective. Well, for sure I won't be having a run of perfect smokes for a while anyway!
Just tossed a pack into the Cart. They look perfect. Stupid simple like a Bic and angled for bowls.
If anyone is thinking of crossing over into the Wooden Side, the cost of entry is low. A pack of thin cleaners, an ounce of two of your pick from the pile of suggestions you'll get if you think loudly browsing Brown Leaf, a nail from your workshop, and you already have a box of matches somewhere. I didn't say pipes, because that's a cob and cobs don't count. You owe it to yourself to try.
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- #38
Picked up two 6 panel pipes today, a smooth Yello-Bole, and a huge GBD sandblasted 9596 Prehistoric.
A new project!
A new project!
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- #39
That Yello-Bole pipe stem is plastic. Not acrylic, - plastic.
It's in pretty bad shape and cracked near the very end of the mouthpiece, but I managed to salvage it so it is useable.
Now I need to find another pipe so I can salvage a pipe stem.
The GBD had some MASSIVE bite marks. I managed to heat up and decrease the size and number, but there are still two that are pretty deep.
Time to test the powdered carbon and superglue filling method!
I'm looking into the possibility of 3D printing pipe stems in ABS plastic.
ABS would allow for an Acetone vapor bath to smooth out print lines.
Not the best solution, but if there's a worthy pipe that has a bad stem, at least it would allow for continued use.
It's in pretty bad shape and cracked near the very end of the mouthpiece, but I managed to salvage it so it is useable.
Now I need to find another pipe so I can salvage a pipe stem.
The GBD had some MASSIVE bite marks. I managed to heat up and decrease the size and number, but there are still two that are pretty deep.
Time to test the powdered carbon and superglue filling method!
I'm looking into the possibility of 3D printing pipe stems in ABS plastic.
ABS would allow for an Acetone vapor bath to smooth out print lines.
Not the best solution, but if there's a worthy pipe that has a bad stem, at least it would allow for continued use.
Instead of carbon, get a coarse sanding drum for your Dremel. Grind the material from a sacrificial stem with a piece of paper to catch the grinding dust. Mix this with your slow cure CA glue and you will get perfect results when sanded. Get yourself a small clamp on vise to hold your stems while sanding with very narrow strips of wet/dry paper like buffing your shoes. 320 to get rid of deep scratches and bite marks. 400 to 1000 to 1500 to get a light gloss and finish with jewelers rouge on the buffer to get a glass like finish. Hope this helps.
