Reaming Tips and Tools

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Stefanos

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How do you ream out your pipes and do you have a favorite tool?
I confess I'm not the greatest at it: no patience. :confused:
 
On thing I find works very well for reaming a bowl is a mesh "sanding screen". These things are made for drywalling - they attach to a vacuum sanding rig. They are available at hardware stores.

It's a piece of screen, really, with some abrasives glued to it. I just roll it up and twist it into the bowl. They don't gunk up because the carbon can just fall through the screen, and they don't really seem to have hard or sharp enough abrasive to damage the briar inside the bowl. Takes about 1 minute to do a pipe.
 
Sandpaper - cut to size and rolled up on your finger or, for a small chamber, on a short length of wooden dowel. Very easy to control and manage, nearly impossible to damage the chamber or rim if done with a modicum of care, and leaves the chamber fresh and silky smooth - like black velvet.

Normally I use 400 grit so as to not chip the cake or take too much off in any one place, but that might take some time if you have a lot of thickness to remove. In such cases, I would recommend 220 and then 400 for a smooth finish. I tend to only keep a very thin layer of cake in the majority of my briars (the standard thickness of a dime is way, way too much for most of my pipes) although I allow my cobs to develop much more (the thicker the better I have found). Meers, of course, should never need to be reamed because one should not allow cake to build up in the chamber in the first place.

Enjoy!
 
Most of the time I use a Kleen Reem Pipe Tool and occasionally use a very fine sandpaper as suggested to fine tune the cake, so to speak.

Kleen Reems come up for auction on eBay from time to time and I think you can still get one for $20-$30. I have also seen reproductions of them called Senior Tools. They look like the same design to me.
 
I've got the Senior reamer and I'm not really happy with it. Even when I extend the blades to their maximum width it isn't wide enough to ream most of my pipes. I'm looking to get something else.

Natch
 
On my outdoor pipes I use a sharp pocket knife and occasionally one of the inexpensive Italian reamers. For my indoor pipes (the expensive ones) I use a folded bristle pipe cleaner to clean the bowl after each smoke to prevent cake build up.

Jim
 
Justpipes":0b0rel5n said:
There are a few of the old W. J. Young Co. Kleen Reem Pipe Tools on eBay right now.

Kleen Reem 1
Kleen Reem 2
Kleen Reem 3
Kleen Reem 4
Those are identical to my Senior Pipe Reamer mentioned above. Was that company (or their patents) bought out by another company? As I indicated before, it reams well, but mine doesn't expand enough to do my larger bowls (or about half of my pipes for that matter, and I don't think they're all that big?).

Natch
 
Natch, I have the same problem with my Senior, but I looks nice on my shelf :shock:
 
Natch":ny25xqvg said:
[
Those are identical to my Senior Pipe Reamer mentioned above. As I indicated before, it reams well, but mine doesn't expand enough to do my larger bowls (or about half of my pipes for that matter, and I don't think they're all that big?).

Natch
yes, the problem is that the expander button should be tapered (instead of straight the entire length) to force the blades out further as you advance it forward,,,,a friend and I are working on a brass cone to fit over the expander button,,,you can just slip it over the existing button and as you forward the adjuster it will widen the blade cutting diameter thereby enabling the reamer to do larger bowls,,, remove it and you're back where you started,,,
 
On the much larger pipes that the Kleen Reem won't open up enough for I still use it and evenly and carefully run the reemer around the bowl like a knife blade. then I use a fine sand paper to fine tune it.
 
I gave up on reamers years ago and just use a pipe knife w/ a blunt blade tip. No problems.

Buddy
 
Have used a Kleen Reem tool for years without any problem. My is old--from the 70s--so maybe it was better made that current production.
 
CPT/VSG":tffhnihn said:
Have used a Kleen Reem tool for years without any problem. My is old--from the 70s--so maybe it was better made that current production.
Same here. The one that I use is pretty old.
 
I have found that using a combination of these works best for me. Based upon the size of the bowl, I choose one of the following to start with but usually wind up using all to get the job done.
I use:
British Butner
Castleford Reamer
Senior Reamer or Klean Ream
Savinelli Reamer

I also use a rolled up piece of sandpaper. It all depends on how much work is required.

Lou, NY
 
I've got an old Medico REAMZALL that I'll use from time to time. I also use the paper towel method after I smoke and that works very well.
 
I just cleaned up a pipe that was gifted to me a while back. I noticed I could barely get my finger inside the bowl, and the draw was stifled. I took my pocket knife and carefully reamed it.

To "ream" the shank airhole that was obviously narrowing, I decided to try a trick using a drill and a bristle pipe cleaner. I cut the pipe cleaner in half, dipped the end in rubbing alcohol, and tightened it in the drill bit holding end. Then I carefully found the air hole, and checked to see if I could see the end of the pipe cleaner in the bowl, then pulled it back just a bit so I wouldn't be "reaming" anywhere but the shank hole. Turned the drill on and pulled it back and forth a bit. Did it a second time using another clean bristle cleaner, and then finished it up by hand using another pipe cleaner dipped in alcohol. Wow, it came out much cleaner. What would have taken quite a bit of hand jiggle work and several pipe cleaners was finished in no time! It took less than a minute each time I used the drill. I just checked the draw on the pipe and it is much improved. Now I look forward to smoking it!

Lisa Marie
 
Gentle reaming is fine with something like a British Butner. I use one on my big money pipes and my Stans with no problems. For more aggresive reaming of high grades I SERIOUSLY RECOMMEND THAT YOU SEND IT TO A SKILLED PIPE REPAIRMAN! If George aka LL chimes in on this I'm 100% sure he'll agree with me and not just cause he's a skilled repairman! :cheers:

I've seen far too many great pipes "f'd up by inexperienced hands using sharp tools on gentle wood! When in doubt, send it out!
 
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