Reamers

Houtenziel · Mon Oct 22, 2018 10:13 pm

I am in the market for a reamer, given all the estates that I have coming my way. I've watched all the videos, read the reviews.. but I am curious what you folks use to maintain your flock.

Mr Beardsley · Mon Oct 22, 2018 10:30 pm

I have one of those t-handle sets and also one of the senior adjustable reamer that I use for new to me pipes. For maintenance I actually just kind of give the walls a light scrape with the foot of the tamper I use most often

Thelonious monkfish · Mon Oct 22, 2018 10:51 pm

I manicure my established cake with a blade but if you plan on cleaning estates and want to remove the cake on a bunch check out a Castleford set or something like it. Generic versions pop up for pretty cheap.

Houtenziel · Mon Oct 22, 2018 11:38 pm

Thelonious monkfish wrote: ↑Mon Oct 22, 2018 10:51 pm I manicure my established cake with a blade but if you plan on cleaning estates and want to remove the cake on a bunch check out a Castleford set or something like it. Generic versions pop up for pretty cheap.

I tend to maintain with a blade as well, which has thus far prevented me from needing to really worry about a reamer. I was already leaning towards the Castleford set, but I wanted to make sure I wasn't missing out on anything.

Tue Oct 23, 2018 5:46 am

I have the Castleford and the Senior. I use the Castleford the most.

simplepipes · Tue Oct 23, 2018 5:49 am

I use a rolled tube of sandpaper of various grits . . . have maintained my pipes for years in this manner.

I do have a modified oyster knife with rounded tip but have only used on rare occasions for estates.

-sp

Ray Mackessy · Tue Oct 23, 2018 7:53 am

Most of the time I use this reamer after every 3 smokes
.

Houtenziel · Tue Oct 23, 2018 8:49 am

Ray Mackessy wrote: ↑Tue Oct 23, 2018 7:53 am Most of the time I use this reamer after every 3 smokes
.

Do you find that it works reasonably well for chambers that are more cylindrical? I've only had a cheapo version of that Buttner style reamer, and it seemed to not touch the sides of the bowl in the bottom third of the pipe, and stayed more in a V shape.

Ray Mackessy · Tue Oct 23, 2018 10:04 am

houtenziel wrote: ↑Tue Oct 23, 2018 8:49 am
Ray Mackessy wrote: ↑Tue Oct 23, 2018 7:53 am Most of the time I use this reamer after every 3 smokes
.
Do you find that it works reasonably well for chambers that are more cylindrical? I've only had a cheapo version of that Buttner style reamer, and it seemed to not touch the sides of the bowl in the bottom third of the pipe, and stayed more in a V shape.

For the shaped bowls you've mentioned, I use a dulled rounded off blade knife to scrape out the bottom where the reamer didn't go.

Whalehead King · Tue Oct 23, 2018 5:22 pm

I have a T-shaped reamer like Ray Mackessy, but I can't remember the last time I used it. I use the blade on my pipe knife, which is what it is designed for, I suppose. A few lightly scraping twirls in the bowl manage the cake in the bowl's bottom and on its sides. I'll say that I do this after every smoke but, more honestly, it's probably less often. Memory tends to make us feel more virtuous than we really are in practice.

I wouldn't try to fend off a mugging or even sharpen a pencil with my pipe knife, but, for all things bowl-related it is good for the job and maneuverable in tight situations.