Sanding the Chamber

For discussion of the drilling and shaping of the stummel.
clickklick
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Sanding the Chamber

Post by clickklick »

What is the purpose of sanding the inside of the tobacco chamber?

I was thinking that just drilling it and leaving it alone would create a uniform but rougher surface that would allow better carbon buildup to grab onto.
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Sasquatch
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Re: Sanding the Chamber

Post by Sasquatch »

I thought that for a long time too, and never paid any attention to the interior except to sand of any stain sloppage.

The argument (and it's fairly persuasive) for sanding a chamber smooth is that while there is less surface area for cake to bond too, there is also no place for a burnout to begin, no pre-weakened area.

Here's the scientific test. Try to light a pile of flour on fire. It won't go with even a propane torch. Blow a sprinkling of flour onto a torch and "boom" it explodes. Surface area to react. So the pipe is truly less likely to burn if it's smooth as a baby's ass inside the chamber.
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clickklick
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Re: Sanding the Chamber

Post by clickklick »

That makes so much sense not that you explained it!

Guess I'll have to start sanding my chambers!

Thanks!
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sandahlpipe
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Re: Sanding the Chamber

Post by sandahlpipe »

This is also the reason you shouldn't sell a pipe that has pits in the chamber.
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Re: Sanding the Chamber

Post by LatakiaLover »

sandahlpipe wrote:This is also the reason you shouldn't sell a pipe that has pits in the chamber.
And why so many pipe bowls are coated.

(Oh no! Did I just say that?!)
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Re: Sanding the Chamber

Post by clickklick »

That being said, I've seen a lot of pits in chambers of high grade pipes. I own a few myself and haven't had any issue.

I don't believe in the whole bowl coating thing, so I'll take my chances with a pit :)
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Re: Sanding the Chamber

Post by sandahlpipe »

For the record, there are good reasons to coat a chamber, and a pit in the chamber is not one of them.
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Re: Sanding the Chamber

Post by LatakiaLover »

sandahlpipe wrote:For the record, there are good reasons to coat a chamber, and a pit in the chamber is not one of them.
Good reason or not, it's why the majority of those who do coat their bowls do it.
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Re: Sanding the Chamber

Post by sandahlpipe »

LatakiaLover wrote:Good reason or not, it's why the majority of those who do coat their bowls do it.
I used to sand my chambers smooth (1000 grit or higher) and then I had a couple people tell me that the taste on my pipe was blander than they were used to. The only thing I could think of that could differentiate the one I made for myself and his is the briar itself. I started coating the chambers after that to make sure the flavor was consistent from one piece of briar to the next. If I find a flaw in the chamber, it gets tossed in my reject bin right away. I had a streak of 6 stummels in a row where I rejected it because of a pit in the chamber. Now if that's not what most people do, that's their reputation on the line, not mine. If someone asks me to leave the chamber uncoated, I'll sand it smooth as a baby's bottom.
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PremalChheda
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Re: Sanding the Chamber

Post by PremalChheda »

sandahlpipe wrote:This is also the reason you shouldn't sell a pipe that has pits in the chamber.
Pits are fine, as long as they are not deep.
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Re: Sanding the Chamber

Post by wdteipen »

I'm curious if some of the claims in this thread have actually been tested or if some folks are talking out their ass.
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Re: Sanding the Chamber

Post by LatakiaLover »

wdteipen wrote:I'm curious if some of the claims in this thread have actually been tested or if some folks are talking out their ass.
As a guy who removes the bowl coating from a lot of new pipes (several collectors have their new purchases drop shipped to me), I assure you that I partook in no ass-speaking whatsoever.
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Sasquatch
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Re: Sanding the Chamber

Post by Sasquatch »

Wayne, fuck you, you know damn well I ALWAYS talk outta my ass. :thumbsup:
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Re: Sanding the Chamber

Post by sandahlpipe »

Sasquatch wrote:Wayne, fuck you, you know damn well I ALWAYS talk outta my ass. :thumbsup:
Yeah, you should hear him fart the alphabet...
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Re: Sanding the Chamber

Post by caskwith »

wdteipen
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Re: Sanding the Chamber

Post by wdteipen »

I don't doubt your findings, George. I'm curious how many of those flaws showed signs of burnout.
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Re: Sanding the Chamber

Post by LatakiaLover »

wdteipen wrote:I don't doubt your findings, George. I'm curious how many of those flaws showed signs of burnout.
The implied question: "How many of those pits WOULD have resulted in a burnout?" is unknowable by definition, of course.

Clearly, many pipe makers take the "better safe than sorry" approach.

I just remove it when asked to by new pipe buyers who refuse to own/smoke a coated pipe (there's an astonishingly high level of emotion surrounding the subject), so get to see what's underneath.
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Re: Sanding the Chamber

Post by wdteipen »

LatakiaLover wrote:
wdteipen wrote:I don't doubt your findings, George. I'm curious how many of those flaws showed signs of burnout.
The implied question: "How many of those pits WOULD have resulted in a burnout?" is unknowable by definition, of course.

Clearly, many pipe makers take the "better safe than sorry" approach.

I just remove it when asked to by new pipe buyers who refuse to own/smoke a coated pipe (there's an astonishingly high level of emotion surrounding the subject), so get to see what's underneath.
Not just WOULD but WHETHER is unknowable too wouldn't you say?
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Re: Sanding the Chamber

Post by scotties22 »

wdteipen wrote:
LatakiaLover wrote:
wdteipen wrote:I don't doubt your findings, George. I'm curious how many of those flaws showed signs of burnout.
The implied question: "How many of those pits WOULD have resulted in a burnout?" is unknowable by definition, of course.

Clearly, many pipe makers take the "better safe than sorry" approach.

I just remove it when asked to by new pipe buyers who refuse to own/smoke a coated pipe (there's an astonishingly high level of emotion surrounding the subject), so get to see what's underneath.
Not just WOULD but WHETHER is unknowable too wouldn't you say?
A lot of that would depend on the smoker, no? There are guys out there that could burn up a pipe with inch thick walls, but in the right hands a pipe with 1/8" walls will last forever.
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Re: Sanding the Chamber

Post by wdteipen »

That's kinda my point, Scottie. I'm not convinced that the majority of burnouts aren't entirely user error. I suspect that very few are actually due to flaws in the briar. Small, superficial flaws in the tobacco chamber are perfectly harmless. But, we've built this myth that ANY flaw in the tobacco chamber is sure to cause a burnout and therefor the tobacco chamber HAS to be flawless and pristine which is a pretty unrealistic expectation wouldn't you say? Now the belief is that a pipemaker who puts coating on ANY flaw is somehow ripping off the buyer. That being said, anything beyond a superficial and small flaw should not be sold to the public.
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