Cake Removal

[jacko]

Folks

Does anyone have an easy way to completely remove the cake from a bowl of a pipe other than reaming? I'm wondering if there is something that will dissolve it without having to physically attack it. Now before I get berated with comments about why on earth one would want to do such a thing, let me explain. I have purchased a few very old estate pipes that I'm restoring to a 'as new' state. The only challenge that I'm facing is getting the decades of cake out of the bowl. Part of the restoring is stripping the old finish (which allows me to fully clean the top of the bowl since most are scorched very badly) as such I would be open to the use of chemicals that would not normally be used.

Thanks!

 

[Muddler]

As I understand matters, reaming is the only way you'll get rid of cake - there are no chemical alternatives.

 

[Sasquatch]

I'd be surprised if acetone didn't soften it right up, but you'll still be left with a terrible sludge that now has a carrier to wick it into the wood. Yuck.

Just ream it would be my advice. It only takes about a minute.

If you are serious about restoring these pipes to "as new" then you need to be looking into retort cleaning - that really "resets" a pipe inside.

 

[outbackblackjack]

The best thing I found for dealing with heavy and hard cake is my senior reamer

and a pair of my mechanix gloves

The senior reamers are made very heavy duty and I picked up both mine from e-bad for less than $10 each shipped. The gloves are great to prevent blisters.

 

[uncleshakey]

I would not recommend putting anything stronger than alcohol on any pipe. Just use a reamer and then when you get it showing wood in spots quit or get some large bore shotgun brushes. The finish is good for alcohol and 0000 steel wool removal. On dents after you are done get it wet and take a paper towel and fold it into four thick. Wet down the paper towel. Use an iron and put the towel over the dent for about 5 seconds. Check it and keep doing this until you are satisfied. The steam penetrates the wood and decompresses the dent. Just a suggestion but I would leave about a dimes thickness of cake in the bowl.

 

[Anonymous]

DIY....... glue fine grit sand paper around a dowel stick then sand out.
Be careful of the rim in the process!!!!
good luck.
I have nothing more to add, The boys have covered most of the bases!!!

 

[LAEarl]

DIY....... glue fine grit sand paper around a dowel stick then sand out.
Be careful of the rim in the process!!!!
good luck.
I have nothing more to add, The boys have covered most of the bases!!!

Great minds think alike!

After scraping I take a metric socket that loosely fits the bore and wrap wet/dry sandpaper aound it. The bit that hangs over on the end helps get into the base of the bowl. A few dozen twists and the bowl was clean.

 

[jacko]

Thanks for all the info folks. I understand the idea that any chemical solvent would likely result in a leech into the briar which would be disastrous.

 

[Anonymous]

DIY....... glue fine grit sand paper around a dowel stick then sand out.
Be careful of the rim in the process!!!!
good luck.
I have nothing more to add, The boys have covered most of the bases!!!

Great minds think alike!

After scraping I take a metric socket that loosely fits the bore and wrap wet/dry sandpaper aound it. The bit that hangs over on the end helps get into the base of the bowl. A few dozen twists and the bowl was clean.

:cheers: :cheers: :cheers:

 

[Johnny]

I haven't bought myself a reamer yet but I've got some pipes almost down to bare wood with alcohol and lots and lots of cotton swabs! It's a lot of work though :lol!:

 

[Straight Grain]

A retort and alcolhol or vodka will soften the cake up, if it's real caked up like crazy you might have to retort then ream, then retort then ream and so forth. Good luck

 

[Jordies]

Be sure you know what you're doing with that reamer. I think using fine grit sand paper is the best way to regulate cake....

 

[Slow Puffs]

....
and a pair of my mechanix gloves

The senior reamers are made very heavy duty and I picked up both mine from e-bad for less than $10 each shipped. The gloves are great to prevent blisters.[/quote]

They left that part out in the instructions manual ... glad I'm not the only one who received blisters using that thing :roll:

 

[Falconer]

_

... glad I'm not the only one who received blisters using that thing :roll: [/quote]

next time you use that thing try some lotion. :elephant:

 

[Anonymous]

_

... glad I'm not the only one who received blisters using that thing :roll:

next time you use that thing try some lotion. :elephant: [/quote]
ig: :lol:

 

[beebiz]

A retort and alcolhol or vodka will soften the cake up, if it's real caked up like crazy you might have to retort then ream, then retort then ream and so forth. Good luck

I know you "old hands" know what this is. But, I'm new and don't know. What is "a retort?"

Thanks!!

Robert

 

[Anonymous]

A retort and alcolhol or vodka will soften the cake up, if it's real caked up like crazy you might have to retort then ream, then retort then ream and so forth. Good luck

I know you "old hands" know what this is. But, I'm new and don't know. What is "a retort?"

Thanks!!

Robert

no worries Rob, nor do I!!! :cheers: :scratch:

 

[beebiz]

A retort and alcolhol or vodka will soften the cake up, if it's real caked up like crazy you might have to retort then ream, then retort then ream and so forth. Good luck

I know you "old hands" know what this is. But, I'm new and don't know. What is "a retort?"

Thanks!!

Robert

no worries Rob, nor do I!!! :cheers: :scratch:

You don't know???? :scratch: :scratch: :scratch: :scratch: :scratch:

I'd have certainly wagered soundly to the contrary!! :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:

 

[Sasquatch]

Methods and equipment (read:safety) vary, but here's the basic idea:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WdUO442HYIg

 

[beebiz]

Thanks for the link, Sas! That's about as neat as a pocket on a shirt!!!

But, can anyone say, "Kaaaa-boom??" :bom: :bom: :bom: :affraid: :affraid: :lol: :lol: