Cut the cake...

[Vrbas]

So i bought an estate pipe that has a sever cake in it (probably thicker than a dime) and it has severely reduced the size of the bowl. How do get rid of it besides taking an ice pick to it?

[drastic_quench]

Sandpaper works. Wrap it around a dowel or just use a finger. Or you could buy a reamer.

[DubintheDam]

a very sharp small pen knife...gently scrape/peel back.

[maboman]

Just remember...

If the pipe is a briar and I assume it is, you want some cake...it will make it smoke drier and cooler...

Maboman

[Rolando]

Yeah but you probably don't want someone else's cake... at least not much of it.

I am not familiar with alternate methods I bought a couple of reamers early in my pipe smoking career.

[bpcr]

invest in a piep reamer tool ... it will greatly reduce the amount of work ... AB

[yellowgoat]

I bought this reamer set from Frenchy's a month or so ago http://www.frenchyspipes.com/index.p...on=show_detail

A very good investment.

[wharfrathoss]

if the cake's real bad i've sometimes started w/a sanding drum on a dremel, just put on goggles & a mask-cheapest would probably be sandpaper on a dowel or pencil/pen-i use the castleford set yellowgoat linked above most of the time-a buttner reamer comes in handy for tapered bowls-one type of reamer isn't designed for all types of bowl chambers

[Mad Hatter]

If you don't want to buy a reamer then I'd suggest cutting it down with a pocket knife until you feel uncomfortably close to the briar then switch to sandpaper or do a salt and alcohol treatment after which you can ream with a twisted up paper towel while the cake is still damp.

[Doc Holiday]

I have found this tool to be very useful. Its quick, and pretty safe for your pipe. Not to mention they're on sale right now too.

http://www.smokingpipes.com/accessor...roduct_id=4392

[Mister Moo]

Originally Posted by Doc Holiday

I have found this tool to be very useful. Its quick, and pretty safe for your pipe. Not to mention they're on sale right now too.

http://www.smokingpipes.com/accessor...roduct_id=4392

I love my Sr. Reamer and the price you linked to is sharp. This reamer is horrorshow-fast and very effective, but not perfectly suited for all bowl sizes and shapes. It is great for a collection of oft-used pipes, but not for a pipe, IMO.

I have had fine results pruning all bowl shapes with dull penknife or a multi-tool that carries a rounded-tip dull scraper with a serrated edge. They're around but make crappy tampers. Cake vanishes plenty fast with a dull penknife or multi-tool.

[Doc Holiday]

You're right, one size doesnt fit all, and this sure doesnt fit all, but the adjustable part probably gets this about as close that as you're going to find.

I do like using it though, its fast, yet I dont worry about getting into the briar, I can trim as much or as little at a time as I want. I had a couple estate pipes I took juuuuuuust down to the briar, but didnt worry that I would damabe the pipe.

[TOB9595]

I've been so frustrated, at times, because of MASSIVE caking. How do they get it so thick????
I made the task easier by soaking the bowl in everclear. Not salt...just everclear...It softened the cake up so I could use my reamer, hedgehogknives or drills to get the cake out quicker.
This was by no means quick
Tom

[TOB9595]

NOT the oputside of the bowl...just the inside.
I fold over a cleaner to block the hole from the bowl to the shank and settle the bowl so it sin't knocked over and fill it.

[Vrbas]

I ended up using that little needle point that comes on the Czech tool to slowly work my way down the bowl in a circular, picking motion (like i was carving something out of stone). Seemed to work just fine, just took a little time.