Question about storing your pipes for a LONG time...

[Isagar]

And I mean a long long time, like years.

Would putting an unsmoked pipe in a leather pouch then into a tight small cardbox box and finally shoved into a dark corner of a drawer be a good/bad idea?
My main concern is that if the lack of oxygen throughout the years will ruin the wood?

 

[bentbulldog]

The Grabow royal duke that I've had over 10 yrs went 3 maybe 4 without a smoke sitting in a plastic drawer. Went I came back to it 3 yrs ago, and smoked capt blk white (which is what it's been designated for) it was just as though I had smoked it yesterday.
It was cleaned when I had forgotten about it so as long as you don't leave it in a messy state, I'd imagine a pipe could go for decades in the manner which you described.

 

[williamcharles]

I don't believe that a lack of oxygen will ruin the briar but the stems will most likely change over time. All I have to base the changes in the stems on is that I put some pipes into a dark place for storage and a few years later retrieved them. As soon as I'd try to smoke one of those the bit would turn brown and bitter immediately. Had to refurb every stem on all of those pipes. The stummels were fine. It didn't matter that the pipes were stored away from sunlight, moisture and temperature changes. I hope it doesn't happen to you. It's a real hassle to find yourself with 16 oxidized stems all at once. G'luck.

 

[Puff Daddy]

I wouldn't be worried about a lack of oxygen, just the opposite, I'd be concerned about trapped moisture causing mold and corrosion. I'd take the pipes apart, separating stem from stummel, find a nice comfy container or box that protects them but still breathes a little, and tuck it into a nice dry dark spot somewhere. If you leave it in a dark, somewhat controlled and dry environment, but one that can gradually breathe with the changing conditions, the wood will live like it always does in your local atmosphere but still be protected while not trapping potentially destructive moisture or odors.

I'd clean the heck out of them first too.

 

[leftover421]

It's a real hassle to find yourself with 16 oxidized stems all at once. G'luck.

:shock: :affraid: ale: :no:

That sounds like the worst OCD nightmare ever. If I wake up tonight screaming "OXIDIZATION!" I am going to blame you. :lol!:

 

[Puff Daddy]

Acrylic stems 8)

 

[Isagar]

Thanks for the insight guys.

I'm actually surprised that the stem would oxidized in such conditions. I guess thats another reason to choose lucite stem over ebonite in the long run lol

 

[Kyle Weiss]

Hmmm...cosmoline for the vulcanite bits in long-term storage? :lol:

 

[Anonymous]

There's a GLP rap @ Pipes magazine to the effect that stems should stay in their little, cozy briar homes, even in transit. Otherwise the briar will (or, can) relax (it's a long story), creating "fit" problems when the stem's put back in.

I believe (to the extent that anybody cares) he's right.

FWIW

:face:

 

[Kyle Weiss]

Link, Yakster?

It would make sense. I've stripped wood gun stocks from receivers, breaking them down into their elemental parts, and tried putting them together six months down the road, and the fit was far from exact. As we know with wooden instruments, the material will flex, shrink, and move around quite a bit. Brair would do much the same, I reckon. Dry, even-temperature places would be best for long-term storage, too.

8)

 

[Anonymous]

I remember reading it not much longer than two days ago. Unfortinately, it's unsearchable (pease + tenon). It's -- I think -- in one of the Q&A sections after his blog posts, but some of them don't have tags. :no:

:face:

 

[Kyle Weiss]

Darn you Greg and your tagless, unsearchable stuff! :shakescane:

I got distracted by his Covering [His] Ash article. I failed in my search.

 

[williamcharles]

It's a real hassle to find yourself with 16 oxidized stems all at once. G'luck.

:shock: :affraid: ale: :no:

That sounds like the worst OCD nightmare ever. If I wake up tonight screaming "OXIDIZATION!" I am going to blame you. :lol!:

You might as well join the line. Seems like I'm catching hell for everything else from other quarters. :twisted:

 

[Briar Spirit]

Acrylic stems 8)

Whatcha talking bout Willis! :lol!:

 

[Puff Daddy]

Acrylic stems 8)

Whatcha talking bout Willis! :lol!:

I was wondering how long it would be until someone figured that one out

 

[Anonymous]

:scratch:

:face:

 

[Puff Daddy]

:scratch:

:face:

My avatar.

 

[Anonymous]

8)

:face:

 

[Briar Spirit]

:scratch:

:face:

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Qw9oX-kZ_9k" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" frameborder="0" loading="lazy" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[Anonymous]

I would think a cloth sock and a small box would be perfect. It how they are stored in inventories that don't have use by dates.

I don't think leather would be wise unless you have access to brain tanned. Commercial leather is from a bath of chemicals and hardly inert over long periods.