The dark side of estate pipes...

[Harlock999]

I managed to not spend any money on ebay today, and relaxed while watching the bidders play the game. I thought it would be a good time to do some cleaning since I bought a bottle of Everclear yesterday, and started on a seriously dirty estate pipe. This was the third round of cleaning! I'm a little scared...

 

[MisterE]

Geez, that ain't that bad. I´ve had a couple that I´ve used half a pack of bristlys with alcohol and all are still coming out completely black.... :roll:

 

[Harlock999]

Geez, that ain't that bad. I´ve had a couple that I´ve used half a pack of bristlys with alcohol and all are still coming out completely black.... :roll:

:affraid:

 

[MisterE]

This was the culprit....



I just snapped this a few seconds ago. This photo doesn´t really do it justice but it was a meeeesss. Now it´s my favorite Vaper pipe! 8)

 

[babysinister]

I had the same experience with a Royal Stuart canadian (old Sasieni seconds line). A ton of pipecleaners dipped in cleaning liquid kept coming out bleck from inside the shank. Even the stem was a problem. The liquid finally managed to soften the crud inside the stem (yes - the stem!) for tobacco flakes to finally be dislodged! They looked like seaweed. Seaweed Jeffrey?? Yes, seaweed. I just sent my other estate pipes to Walker Briars for regular cleaning and polishing. I don't want to work that hard again. Life is too short.

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[SPUD 15]

I managed to not spend any money on ebay today, and relaxed while watching the bidders play the game. I thought it would be a good time to do some cleaning since I bought a bottle of Everclear yesterday, and started on a seriously dirty estate pipe. This was the third round of cleaning! I'm a little scared...

Where do you get everclear, I live in Florida and I think it's outlawed here. I have always used Jameson, what I dont use I drink. MIKE

SLOW THINKERS MAKE JUMP THROUGH THE ASS PROJECTS

 

[Boulder]

As I'm new to pipes, my question to all is it worth it?

What is considered a good percentage of savings over new? (50-60-70%)

And what is considered a good percentage for reconditioned estate? (????)

As I don't collect Antiques, I do understand value and luv looking at pre-owned and estate prospects in good condition at substantial savings.

Thanks, John.

 

[Zeno Marx]

As I'm new to pipes, my question to all is it worth it?

Yes. It isn't just a monetary savings. A lot of that old briar is unbeatable and does not exist anymore. Craftsmanship of another time.

 

[Boulder]

I was wondering about easy cleaning of estate pipes and found this link and others on youtube.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tnXaJw5uf2w&feature=related


Hope the info is a help to others, John.

 

[Boulder]

Yes. It isn't just a monetary savings. A lot of that old briar is unbeatable and does not exist anymore. Craftsmanship of another time.

Got ya (Vintage Pipes), good point, but is there a rule of thumb for the rest of this?

 

[Harlock999]

Where do you get everclear, I live in Florida and I think it's outlawed here.

I didn't think everclear was available in California either. I went to a local liquor store to buy a small bottle of Bacardi 151, which I thought would work better cleaning this pipe. When I told the salesman what I needed it for, he said "why don't you try everclear?". To which I replied "you sell everclear?" Sure enough, they did.

 

[alfredo_buscatti]

What is considered a good percentage of savings over new? (50-60-70%)

And what is considered a good percentage for reconditioned estate? (????)

___________

You'll pay 50-70% of the value of the pipe when new when you buy estate, but it depends on the marketability of the maker, especially that of the Danes, and super stars like Former or S. Bang, with good to excellent straight grain, are that much more.

But you'll only recoup ~40% of the amount for which the dealer expects to sell the pipe.

 

[SPUD 15]

Where do you get everclear, I live in Florida and I think it's outlawed here.

I didn't think everclear was available in California either. I went to a local liquor store to buy a small bottle of Bacardi 151, which I thought would work better cleaning this pipe. When I told the salesman what I needed it for, he said "why don't you try everclear?". To which I replied "you sell everclear?" Sure enough, they did.

Thanks I'll have to try another liquor store. I spent a little time in Upper Sussex at hr Martin Baker Factory in "73" . MIKE

 

[PipeLeisure]

WOW if those pipe cleaners are from the third round I could only imagine what the first round looked like. Just look at it like this....what else would you be doing if you didnt have a pipe to clean. :lol!:

 

[user 1862]

I count my blessings that there is an ozone generator in the family. You still have to put the effort into cleaning the pipe, but it sure helps to neutralize some of those estates that continue to stink after you give it your best try.

 

[docwatson]

Just think of how great you feel after rejuvenating that estate pipe. Bringing it back to a usable pipe again instead of having it tossed in someone's trash. Nice job.

 

[Josjor]

I count my blessings that there is an ozone generator in the family. You still have to put the effort into cleaning the pipe, but it sure helps to neutralize some of those estates that continue to stink after you give it your best try.

I wonder what the effect is on vulcanized stems? Ozone generators can be fatal to rubber. How do I know?

We got an ozone generator/purifier a few years ago. About the same time the CD drive on my computer failed. I took it to my local tech and he replaced the rubber belt on the drive. A month later, it failed again. Took it to the tech. Same problem, only this time the tech asked "Do you have an air purifier?"

He then suggested that we change the location of our ozone/purifier to a different room, further from the computer. We did that and haven't had a problem since. He also related that he discovered the problem while at Cabela's, buying replacement wrist-rocket straps for the fourth time in a couple of months. He asked the salesman at Cabela's for something heavier because the ones he was buying kept deteriorating at a fast rate. The salesman asked about an ozone/purifier in the home. My comp. tech. stopped storing the kids' wristrocket in the same room as the purifier and that's the last set of straps he ever had to buy.

 

[user 1862]

I'm glad you mentioned that little detail. I clean vulcanite strictly by hand after the first stem I oxidized or something like it. It survived, but took some work to fix. The wood needs a good buffing afterwards, but the end result is worthwhile. I've had them left in for a whole day and it makes a huge difference in altering the demeanor of a stinkpot. Just be sure to get it as clean as you can prior to the treatment. Residue is residue no matter what you do to it.

 

[Harlock999]

Just think of how great you feel after rejuvenating that estate pipe. Bringing it back to a usable pipe again instead of having it tossed in someone's trash. Nice job.

That's it Doc!
If it weren't for the beauty of this particular pipe, I might not care too much, but this one really needs it.
And I'm guessing from all the gunk that came out of it, that someone had a lot of fun putting all that gunk in it!

 

[Zeno Marx]

Be wary of over-aggressive, sloppy "refurbishing".

an example:
There is a long-established pipe and fountain pen collector from Illinois who sells on eBay, and an uncanny percentage of his pipes have the square corners of the bits rounded off (he goes crazy on Charatan DC stems), stem logos buffed off, the tops of the pipes buffed so hard that freehand broken top knurls are significantly taken down or the square corners of smooth tops are rounded off, or even half the nomenclature also buffed out of the wood if it sets anywhere near the stem. REALLY aggressive buffing happening with this person (or his shop if he still operates one). They look rushed and haven been carelessly prepared. It's very sad to see. He has a consistent flow of very nice pipes run through his hands.