Category Archives: Answers to Questions Blogs

ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS: Aren’t all pipe reamers basically the same?

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Blog by Steve Laug

This is another blog written in the Answers to Questions series. I have often been asked via email, messenger or phone call for a recommendation for a pipe reaming tool. I have answered that question so many times it is almost a script now. I basically use two different reamers on the pipes I work on. The first is a Kleen Reem Pipe Tool and the second is the PipNet Pipe Reaming set. I thought it was time to post this as a blog on rebornpipes and use it as a comparison between the original tools and others that I call “pretenders”.

Over the years of my refurbishing experience I have used and worn out many pipe reamers. I have tried older and newer pipe reamers that have all promised to be the best and last one that I will have to purchase. Needless to say, I have a collection of various reamers other than I like looking at the creativity that sent out such a variety into a limited world of pipe smokers who actually ream their pipes. I rarely use many of them but they are fun to look at. One thing I have learned that even with the reamers I use, that not all pipe reamers are the same even if they look the same. I want to take this opportunity to compare two different reamers – the Kleen Reem Pipe Tool and the PipNet Pipe Reamers what I call the originals with the ones I call lesser copies. I will also be looking at the PipNet pipe reaming set in the two iterations that I am familiar with – the clear amber version and the opaque tan version. Understand that I have used all of these reamers so I am not coming from a place of prejudice but rather from an assessment of durability and functionality.

1. Kleen Reem and Senior Pipe Reamers.

I remember that when I first saw these two reamers for sale on eBay I thought they were the same. I had never seen either of them up close so I had no way of truly knowing. Since then I have had both of them in my refurbishing arsenal. I have used them both and I have no problem saying that the Kleen Reem tool is by far a superior product. The first photo below shows the Kleen Reem Pipe Tool and the second photo shows the Senior Pipe Reamer. Looking at the two pictures above I want to do a bit of comparison. The adjustable cutting head on the Kleen Reem tool is made of thicker hardened steel and no matter how often I have pushed the blades against hardened carbon on the inside of a bowl they have not grown dull. The blades in the closed position are very close together allowing you to ream the bottom of a bowl. The profile of the blades is different – the senior reamers blades look more flat and angled, while the Kleen Reem blades have a flowing curved shape. The cylinder between the blades that expands and contracts them differs in shape. The Kleen Reem cylinder is more bullet shaped with a pointed end and the Senior is flatter and more cylindrical. I think this explains why the Senior reamer cannot be closed as tightly for use in a smaller bowl. The drill bit/ that is in the handle of the reamer looks the same but it is not. It is more substantial and solid in the Kleen Reem tool than the one in the Senior reamer. The drill bit has a hole in the end of it that you can wrap up the grooves of the bit, dip in Alcohol or liquor and scrub out the inside of the shank. Kleen Reem’s come with a bunch of the short pipe cleaners inside a little ring that holds them. The weight of the Kleen Reem tool is substantially heavier than the Senior reamer.

I have learned from using the tool that the Kleen Reem mechanics never seems to stick no matter how dirty the tool I have used. I have three or four of these in different cases and all of them seem impervious to dirt and carbon. I have bought all of them on eBay in a variety of conditions and with cleaning all work well. They keep on going no matter what they are put through. Their durability can also be seen in that they have lasted through the years and the originals are still sold on eBay.

You can see my preference in the above is for the Kleen Reem tool. It seems that they were first made by the B.A.C. Needham Company and later by the W.J. Young Co. in Peabody, Massachusetts. Each Kleen Reem pipe reamer came in a variety of packaging styles. The original BAC Needham’s came in a cardboard case (this is the first one that I purchased over 20 years ago). The earliest versions sat in a soft green bedding and still had “Pat. Pend.” stamped on the cap for the drill bit. I have other ones that have a red bedding.

2. Pipnet and Castleford Reamers.

Pat Russell did a great comparison review of these two reamers in an earlier blog on rebornpipes. I am including the link if you want to read it fully. https://rebornpipes.com/2014/07/20/castleford-pipnet-reamer-side-by-side-comparison-pat-russell/. I will summarize some of the major differences that I have found between two very similar looking reamers.I first bought a PipNet Pipe Reamer on eBay almost 20 years ago. It came in a plastic box imprinted with the PipNet stamp and information. It had an instruction sheet on the inside of the cover. It was made of an opaque tan coloured high density plastic that is very strong. I have used it heavily over the past years, reaming literally hundreds of pipes and it is still in great condition. The thick carbon steel blades have held their edge and work as well as they did when I received it. The hard plastic T-handle and four detachable cutting heads have not cracked or broken. The heads still fit well in the handle, snug and tight with no rattle or looseness.

Not long after that I was gifted a Castleford Reamer. It came in a cardboard box with a clear plastic insert in the lid. The T-handle and cutting heads were black plastic and on first glance, they appeared to be the same as the PipNet set. However, it did not take long to learn firsthand the difference in the two sets. I used the Castleford on a thickly caked bowl that the PipNet easily handled and the blades had a hard time cutting into the cake. The handle felt flimsy in comparison to the PipNet and as I turned it, using the smallest cutting head the square end of the cutting head snapped off. I figured it was a fluke. I put the next head in the handle and turned it. This time the T-handle itself snapped, rendering the set useless. To have both the handle and a cutting head snap was no accident. I compared the two T-handles and could see that the Castleford was significantly thinner than the PipNet handle. The square slot that held the heads had thin walls. The plastic itself seemed lighter weight and more brittle than the PipNet. Looking at the material it seemed be less dense on the Castleford.

I went on to compare the square end of the bits on both. The Castleford was cast different from the PipNet. It seemed to be thinner even at the joint of the square with the blades. I compared the cutting blades and found that the steel on the blades of the Castleford were not as thick, beveled or hard as the ones on the PipNet. I knew that the PipeNet blades were carbon steel but the blades on the Castleford did not seem to be made of the same steel.

3. Pipnet clear amber and PipNet opaque tan Reamers.

For comparison sake I thought I would end this blog on my favourite reamers with a comparison of the PipNet reamer that is opaque tan with the clear amber one made by the same company. This may seem unnecessary but I have found that even these two sets are different.

The carbon steel blades are the same and cut the carbon cake very well. They both hold the sharp edge very well and do not wear. The difference lies in the durability of the plastic T-handle and cutting head. The opaque plastic seems to be harder than the clear amber plastic. I used the amber plastic (which is a newer reamer) reamer for several weeks. I began to feel it flex as I turned it in the bowl. After a few uses it started to show cracks in the plastic T-handle around the connection with the cutting head. The heads began to fit more loosely in the handle than when I started. I continued to use it for the entire two weeks.

The last time I used it, the connector on the handle cracked and a chunk of the plastic fell off. I switched to the opaque T-handle and kept working and in short time the cutting head also broke off. It was very clear that it was not as durable even when using it in the same manner as the opaque one. The remaining cutting heads fit in the opaque T-handle so they remain usable but I am quite disappointed in the quality of the newer amber plastic version. I will always continue to hunt for and use the opaque (older reamer) one. I have bought several and given them away to others as gifts. I need to find a backup set for myself as well.With that, I conclude my answer to the question regarding the pipe reamers I use and the comparison of the real and the pretenders in my opinion. Over the years, I always reach for these two reamers without giving the choice much thought. I just unthinkingly choose these two. However, it seems that I reach for the PipNet reamer first. It is my go to reamer. I start with the smallest cutting head and work my way up to the largest one that will fit in the bowl. The Kleen Reem is always the second choice for most pipes. Sometimes for a deeper, tapered and narrow bowl, I will start with the Kleen Reem. Both occupy a drawer right next to my worktable.

With the last comparison, I end this Answers to Questions blog. I hope that it has given you some insight into why I chose the tools that I use. You should know, if you are a frequent reader of rebornpipes, that there is always a rationale to my choices. They generally come from much experimenting with a variety of reamers with many discards that go either into my collection of reamers or into the dustbin. I hope that it has been helpful for you in selecting the reamer that you will purchase. Thank you for taking time to read this blog. Cheers.

 

ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS: Do junk pipes have any redeeming value?

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Blog by Steve Laug

I don’t know how many time I have been asked about the value of junk/no name or worn out pipes for the refurbisher. The question has been posed in a variety of ways but the gist of it is always the same. I thought it would be good to take a bit of time to address that question and give my rationale for my answer. I will start with the rationale and then proceed to explain the value of each old pipe.For me every pipe has a purpose for my work. From the most expensive artisan or factory made pipe to the most lowly basket pipe all were made for the purpose of smoking – that part is obvious and needs no argument. But to me a not as obvious answer is that every pipe that comes across my worktable is part of my education as a repairer/refurbisher. Each one brings a different challenge to the table that needs to be thought out and addressed with care because it is or was someone’s cherished pipe. That is always the first thing in my mind and it is important to keep that in place when I address the hard chores that the pipes bring to me.

For example, I have a Big Ben that I am working on now. It is an absolute mess – the bowl is almost closed off with thick, stinky cake. The stem was made for a 9mm filter that never was used and is almost completely closed off with sticky, smelly tars and oils from the button to the airway in the bowl. The stem has been chewed and the button is missing on the top side. You might shake your head at what many call pipe abuse but that is not the whole story. When the pipesmoker dropped this pipe off at my house for work he said he only had two pipes. Both needed work but he could only part with one at a time. He talked about it not smoking as well as it used to and he was unclear why that was so. He looked sadly at it as I told him what I was going to do. He was a bit happier when I told him it would not take too long. You see, he cherished the pipe. He had no idea that he was abusing it and reducing its usefulness. He just smoked and enjoyed this pipe. It was by far the favoured pipe of his pair.

With that fresh in your mind always remember that what appears to be a worn out and tired looking pipe was or is someone’s favourite one. Treat it accordingly.

But apart from those opening comments what is the value of a worn out old pipe. I purposely used to buy as many old no name or drugstore brand pipes as I could from thrift shops, yard sales and online because I was going to learn from them what I needed to know to be a pipe refurbisher. Practicing on tired old low priced pipes would allow me to make mistakes that did not ruin someone’s beauty. All the mistakes could one day be repaired anyway so they were really an investment in my education in the hobby.

I bought and went through a lot of old beat up bowls that had been knocked about on walls, floors, car doors, ash trays and even a boot. From these I learned how to top a bowl to bring it back to flat. I learned how to round the outer and inner edges of the bowl. I learned how to pick out and replace or repair damaged putty fills. I learned how to strip off finishes that were hidden under a wide variety of top coats – varnish, lacquer, shellac and even plasticized finishes like urethane. I learned how to restain a bowl and blend stains for colours. Learned how to hide or mask fills in the bowl with contrast stains. I learned how to rusticate a bowl that had too many fills and too much damage. I created and designed various tools to help with the rustication. Each one provided opportunities to fine tune my rustication skills and create a variety of patterns. I learned to match sandblast finishes on rims using a series of bits on my Dremel tool. I learned how to drill out a burned out area and replace it with a fresh briar plug. I learned how to make bowl coatings and pipe mud to protect a newly reamed bowl. I learned what reamers I liked best and what to use in each type of bowl. I learned how to pressure fit bands and repair cracked shanks. I learned to open airways in shanks. There were probably many more lessons learned on these worn pipes but you get the idea. I could practice until I learned the skill then move on to make it my own.

I went through a lot chewed up and missing stems to learn how to do stem repairs and replacements. I fit tenons with files and a Dremel and sanding drum to get close to a fit and finished the fit with sandpaper. I graduated and bought a PIMO tenon turning tool and learned to use it on preformed stems or older stems that I could repurpose. I learned how to rework stems – first cutting them off and reshaping a button and slot and later learning to rebuild them with super glue and charcoal. I experimented a lot with needle files to learn to shape and cut button ends on these old stems. I learned to shape stems to fit the shank of the pipe and how to make round stems square! I learned to bend them with boiling water in the microwave, on a cookie sheet in the oven and later over a heat gun. Each step I learned was added to the refurbishing skill set for later applications.

I bought old cracked shank and broken shank pipes to learn how to repair them. I went through learning how to band a shank, make a stainless or Delrin insert in the cracked shank and even cutting the cracked part of and reshaping the shank. I learned how to rejoin broken shanks to the bowl with pins and then with a Delrin or stainless tube. I even learned how to cob together diverse parts to create a totally different pipe. I learned how to join shank extensions to the existing broken shank. Eventually I learned to use a microdrill bit to stop a crack in the shank or bowl from spreading.

I went through a period where I bought some cracked bowls to recreate or repair the pipe. I shortened billiards to make pots and cut off the broken parts and rejoined a different bowl part to the top of the cut of bowl. I used pins and pegs to bind the two parts together. I learned to drill and stitch cracks in the bowls along with Charles Lemon of Dadspipes. I learned to repair interior cracks in the bowl with a variety of methods.

You could say that every pipe I purchased is part of my education. I can also tell you that very few pipes are ever thrown away in my shop. Even the old cast offs provide briar for repairing burnouts or cracks. I currently have a box of parts that go for that. I have two large coffee cans of stems that one day need to be separated by size but  I purchase lots of stems on eBay or from flea markets or shops around town. I have scavenged bands from all kinds of broken pipes and will often buy a broken pipe just to keep the band or stem. I currently have a box of pipes to restem that I have picked up around the globe. One day I will get to them but as it is now I slowly chip away at them.

So the short answer to the question I began with is simply that every pipe, no matter how bad was once someone’s cherished possession and should be treated well. Second, each pipe is a contributor to your education and skill set as a refurbisher and repair person. Never pass up the opportunity to learn from these often despised pipes. They have much to teach if you are willing to listen to them.

 

 

ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS: What alcohol do you use to clean pipes and why

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Blog by Steve Laug

I decided to write a few blogs to answer questions that different people have written or called me about. None of them will be long blogs; rather they will be short and to the point answers to the questions and some general rationale for why I do the things I do. The first of them addresses the question of what alcohol I use to clean the pipes that I work on. Some of the questions were direct and others were questioning my choice of alcohol. I chose to address both kinds of questions in this first blog. I will explain my choice and the reasons for that choice. My idea is not so much to justify my choices as to state them and explain the reasons for my choices. I don’t expect others to necessarily agree with me but I answer from my own best practices and preferences.

I have received so many private messages, emails or phone calls asking me about what kind of alcohol to use in cleaning pipes that I thought this would be a good place to start. The choice I have made is not based on ignorance. I have tried a lot of different alcohol products before settling in on the one that I now use all the time. I have read a lot of answers on the forums and different websites answering that same question. The answers are generally quite adamant in their claims to their preference of product. These answers have ranged from those who use Everclear to those who use Rum. The writers have argued their case for the alcohol of choice based on experience and preference. While some fit the gamut above there have been others who answered that they used their favorite Whiskeys, Bourbons and Scotches. I have even read of folks using moonshine and others using flavoured liqueurs to give their pipe a sweet taste. I have read those responses now for a long time and never bothered to answer or give my own opinion.

For me the answer is quite simple. I have chosen not to use an alcohol I would drink to clean out my pipe because I would rather drink it than waste it as a cleaning product. To me it has always seemed like a waste of a good drink to use it to clean my pipe. I am a bit of cheap skate so I hate to waste even a dram of something I enjoy on something it was not intended for. But beyond being cheap, I also don’t like cleaning my pipes with a product that has a high percentage of water in it. I want to use something that cleans and then evaporates without leaving behind moisture or a residual taste in either the stem or the shank of the pipe. When I smoke my pipe I do not want to taste some flavouring but I want to be able to taste various tobaccos that make up the blend that I am enjoying having to deal with the tastes of the product I cleaned the pipe with.

My decision was not made in a vacuum. I have tried each of the different alcohols I have mentioned above as well as various Pipe Sweeteners that have been sold over the years. After reading all of the much touted claims for Everclear I went to the US and purchased some to give it a try. It worked well and did leave a clean pipe, but it was not available here in Canada and I was not convinced that it was worth the effort to cross the border to purchase it. I tried a variety of high octane Rum and Whiskey (or Whisky) to clean out my pipes. It was okay but left the insides of the pipe wet for longer than I liked. It also did not do as good a job in my opinion as the Everclear did. I even tried some Maker’s Mark Bourbon because I had it here and happened to have been sipping it while working on pipes. I dipped a pipe cleaner in my glass even though it seemed like a real waste of good Bourbon and it did not work as well as the Everclear. It also left the internals wetter than I liked. I tried some Dewar’s Scotch and some other Scotch that I have enjoyed over the years and found the same issues. With each of the alcohols that I used above I had to follow up with a dry pipe cleaner to remove the moisture in the shank and airway. I was unsatisfied with the results and it seemed to make my work harder. I am not a big fan of flavoured liqueurs so I chose not to use them. They just seemed too sweet and sugary to my liking and I would have to clean out their taste to get a good smoke.  

There had to be something that would work as well as the Everclear, had a high percentage of alcohol versus water and was easy to obtain in Canada. I did some research online and talked with my pharmacist with regard to what I was looking for and the purposes I needed it. I have known her for quite a few years so I trust her recommendations. She suggested that I try using 99% isopropyl alcohol for thoroughly cleaning the pipes I was working on. It had a high percentage of alcohol so that it evaporated quickly and left behind no residue. It had a very low percentage of water, which meant it would not soak into the briar and leave behind moisture. It was flavourless, odorless and colourless so it would not leave behind a taste that would affect the tobacco. It sounded like the ticket. She said to make sure I purchased the 99% isopropyl, which was always stored behind the pharmacist’s counter, and not the one on the shelves which was 91%. With that recommendation, I figured it was worth a try. I picked up my first bottle of isopropyl and I have been using it ever since.

I have found that it works extremely well. I cleans deeply and evaporates quickly leaving behind no residue. I have used on pipes with extremely dirty mortises, shanks and airways and have been satisfied with its cleaning ability. I also use it in my retort and it boils quickly through the pipe and bowl without leaving behind any residue. It is a great universal cleaning agent and one I continually use for all the work that I do. That is what I use and what I recommend. Thanks for reading this.