Cleaning/Restoring a 1962 Dunhill Shell Briar Billiard

[@robertmuncaster3510]

I was once told in the Dunhill shop to use the oil, ie sebum, from one’s nose and a chamois cloth to polish the bowl.

[@rlholo]

9:26 Try Abralon. I use it for gentle restoration on vintage instruments; it's superb dry or wet. Use it with a felt block for smoothing and be careful of edges. You will round-over if you sand past the edge. Thank you very much - I'm restoring Dad's pipes and appreciated this video.

[@rushfan3]

Hey Bradley, nice to see you showing us how you clean your pipes. Always good to refresh this so that newbees see how to properly clean a pipe

[@TheGreatest1974]

I was recently very kindly given 4 pipes from an elderly gentleman who had given up the pipe 15 years ago. 3 lovely briars and a knobbly meerschaum. I cleaned the briars with soapy water and they dried very dull. I then treated them with teak oil and they came up beautifully.

[@elbarto9458]

I like the tutorial. Instead of rubbing alcohol I use a nice scotch or favorite whiskey that works with my tobacco and then I don’t regret that first light after an alcohol cleaning.

[@Bannockburn111]

I use Everclear since it is 95% alcohol (the other 5% being water) and prefer no other flavorings. I think grain alcohol (ethanol) is better than isopropyl alcohol because the grain alcohol won't attack the finish of the pipe as readily if you accidentally get it on the outside of your pipe. Also, some rubbing alcohols have additives in other than just the alcohol and water, which I definitely don't want inside my pipe! 😉

[@richardchaitt774]

Second the use of whiskey. But instead of Scotch, I use Bourbon!

[@BlackAdder665]

@@richardchaitt774 Oh, no no no! Only small batch Scotch. 40 years.

[@planexshifter]

Single malt only for me. :)

[@williamberry4597]

Rum. Enough said.

[@siredith8846]

18:54 I love those rubber sheaths. I’m a biter,I love the shock absorbing qualities. A30c each for clear ones, cheap as chips.

[@thecountrygentleman6670]

Ive used beeswax to tighten up my shanks. Works well! Ill use a hard high friction . Wax and a buffing wheel on my pipes, gives them a nice glass like shine. Good video Bradley good tips on pipe care.

[@franksmith1687]

I have quite a few of my Father's and Grandpa's Petersons, they weren't cheap. I've always wondered how to clean them "pretty nasty". Awesome, and thank you for the video!

[@mpfeldma]

One of your best videos! Pipe bits are awesome. The naysayers have too much time on their hands.

[@erickneip7382]

Thank you for sharing your know how my good man! I’m a fairly new pipe smoker, started in September 2017. It won’t be long before I need to do this for the first time. Enjoy your videos! God bless

[@charlesbenoitthomad]

Liked the video. Liked everything you said. I restored many and seem to think I'm more exgressive with drill bit. A "pull" small amounts with bit. Each few turns. But same results. And I have never sanded. A few moments on a buffing with standard white compound and you can make them look new in few passes. Then I puff the pipe and wax in too.

[@dennycarr6498]

Thanks Bradley. I just found a 249 F/T Dunhill Shell Briar Made in England 9 1 S. I'm going to clean her up and sell her because I only smoke now when I'm drunk ;-)

[@Coconutscott]

Gun cleaning tools work well too, bore brush, etc. Obviously ones that have never been near a gun.

[@franksmith1687]

Hmm, good tip. 👍

[@zonker1984]

I agree with you about the pipe bits. My new Peterson just didn’t feel right until I got one on there.

[@williamberry4597]

Pipe bits help a lot. I drive and smoke and while not impossible to do this with out a bit, you get a better experience with a bit. Also I've observed that the smaller the stem (and pipe), the less need for a bit. But your mileage may very.

[@markfilippone3845]

Brother, you have done an excellent presentation. I have found it to be very useful. A thousand thanks.

[@stuffandthingsyoutube]

Thanks for watching!

[@joshuasmith6231]

I saw a video from Bare Piper recently where he de-oxidized some vulcanite stems with an Oxy-Clean bath followed by a gentle Magic Eraser rubdown. Idea being it removed the least material possible. Just FYI!

[@stuffandthingsyoutube]

I've heard about oxy-clean too. I'll have to give it a try sometime!

[@earlebird4262]

I tried to use rubber bits on a couple of my pipes. They make my jaw sore, and make me salivate more. Now I just put teeth marks in my pipes until they don't move side to side if I turn my head. Dipping the bit in boiling water seems to help to get a good impression with some materials. This probably ruins the resale value or something, but I bought them to enjoy them, not to resell them.

[@CyrilViXP]

Wow! Great idea about beeswax! Thank you, I have two pipes that need this kind of treatment

[@briandawkins984]

I use beeswax polish for the briar and the stem. It works vey well. I use a beeswax block for loose tenons.

[@thwwoodcraft1449]

Nice video. As others have mentioned here, the oxiclean method really is superior to pure abrasion. Vulcanite is a porous material and abrasion alone doesn't get at the oxidation below surface level. Plus, as seen here under bright light, under-abraded spots near the lip and at strummel end are evident here that will quickly show oxidation again. Oxiclean followed by 500-600 then higher produce professional results. Or, if you have a buffer and some white compound (and a deft yet firm touch) you can go straight from the 600 grit to a high polish. I'm a big fan of your content!

[@clarityofthought]

so how do you do the oxiclean method?

[@wisconsinwoodsman1987]

I’ve found using a heat gun, on low, gently heating up the end of the stem that goes in the shank, and then letting it cool down, restores a tight fit.

[@rubbergum]

Oh no, that sound. I got Gänsehaut.

[@AndrewCirigliano]

Excellent video Bradley. Thanks for taking the time to share this process. I used to be a big softy bit user but as a clencher while they certainly help prevent tooth marks, I just don't enjoy the connection I feel to the pipe and the rubber just causes me even more saliva than w/o. Also, it is important to note you need to take the time to remove them and clean often enough or you will still get oxidation and possible bacteria build up underneath. Still I do understand the convenience they offer and with some harder bits they help clench. Thanks again. Take care.

[@cawalker1143]

Have you considered the possibility that the "oxidation" on the end of the pipe stem could instead be a buildup of minerals (esp. calcium and phosphates) from saliva, which contains a high concentration?

[@brianbush5484]

I like how you did almost all of the work off camera. Left a lot to the imagination.

[@mcekim2]

Great video - and done without a buffing wheel. Very informative, thanks!

[@stuffandthingsyoutube]

Glad it was helpful!

[@drdavey9646]

Standard procedure calls for about the thickness of a dime I have found that works very well for me nice video man

[@fretman6]

Thickness of a dime for what aspect of the procedure? Is that how much carbon to leave undscraped inside the bowl wall?

[@elpapirrin1090]

Great 62 Pipe!!! Thanks for this video.

[@PanicAttackRecovery]

Very interesting. Thank you for putting this video together sharing the various steps of restoration.

[@stuffandthingsyoutube]

My pleasure!

[@KevinTwiner]

Enjoyed the restoration Bradley! Have a great weekend Brother 😁

[@stuffandthingsyoutube]

Thanks, you too!

[@philipdeppen3189]

I always use a rubber bit for the exact same reason and it most definitely doesn’t ruin the looks of a pipe at all imo. It’s just the tip of the stem it’s not like the entire stem is covered with it lol.

[@stuffandthingsyoutube]

Very true!

[@paulgilson2011]

Excellent video... just curious why you didn't use an oxiclean bath on the stem to remove most of the oxidation. I soak my estate pipe stems for 24 hours in that and it works great.

[@Draknareth]

I decided to give Elizabethan mixture a try after watching your reviews..... I really don't understand the love for it! Hopefully with some age on it it will improve, resealed and dated. Maybe i'll come back to it in a few years

[@planexshifter]

It's been my experience that once opened, a tin/bag of tobacco will rapidly mature in flavor. I'd try another bowl in a week and see what you think. :)

[@williamberry4597]

@@planexshifter Yes, second this. I've had cans of tobacco that I just didn't like. But put the lid back on and come back to them later and it's a much better experience.

[@bamagtrdude]

nice; have to admit i did shriek “yikes” when that drill bit entered the frame of the vid! for the internals, a bristled pipe cleaner works well, esp to clear up the shank, and personally i like using Everclear as it seems to dissipate quickly w/out a taste/odor ... your end result is quite nice 👍🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[@RackwitzG]

I was wondering what the teeth protector is called and will get one. Thanks.

[@johnBrett-w6v]

Great job thank you! Keep up the great work

[@abushafi55]

hi I have aquired recently stanwell with bamboo stem from 90s this smokes excellent however not sure why i have at the end of the bowl really weird bitter taste that is really ugly i did run alcohol with pipe cleaner across bamboo shank to the bowl multiple times. the taste still exists with lower effect not sure if I should keep smoking it or there's more cleaning can be done

[@aquamaneatsseafood15]

This also looks like a pretty good tutorial for anyone who doesn't know how to deep clean their pipe.

[@Stahlgewitter]

I used to have that same rimmer, but I wound up finding a Royal Merrschaum senior pipe reamer at an estate sale, and BOY am I glad I bought it. Effortless.

[@RelaxedpiperYoutube]

Amazing pipe, such great condition, wish I could find a similar Dunhill. I've never tried this age briar so many talk about.

[@earlebird4262]

Where do you get the wax from. I saw an old pipe at an antique shop for $2. It had about 1/4" of cake and the stem was totally oxidized. I think I'll go see if it's still there.

[@georgehazard1986]

How do you feel about Obsidian Pipe Stem Oil? Only recently got ahold of some, but it certainly adds a deep shine to stems. Can't compare to wax, but Obsidian is seemingly pretty good stuff.

[@604Sonnelion]

Bradley, you need to get a Senior Reamer, sometimes you need to use that one other times you need to use these that you got. Also, most Senior Reamers have a drill bit that can get the cake out of the smoke hole/air way from the shank.

[@funkyprepper]

Interesting video. Thanks for making it

[@stuffandthingsyoutube]

My pleasure!

[@planexshifter]

Hey hey! Would love to see a review for Mac Baren Vanilla Roll Cake. Oh and is it just me or does tobacco flavor change rapidly after first opening a tin/bag? Example: the roll cake I previously mentioned. On opening, I found the smell to be an odd vanilla smell with undertones of Virginia tobacco grassy notes. It really wasn’t too pleasant. After breaking 3 rolls up n allowing to dry for 15 min, I gave a smoke and was underwhelmed. Grassy tobacco with an odd vanilla finish. 3 days later, I opened the tin again and WOW! The smell was like vanilla cupcakes! Nice sweet vanilla scent accompanied by a slightly white bread scent with hints of grass n hay. I repeated the breaking n drying process and YUM! Flavor was much smoother, vanilla n grassy Virginia all married together. I thought it was a wonderful this time! Anything like this ever happen to you!?

[@earlebird4262]

Yes. MacBaren 7 Seas Royal seems to need a little drying time to smoke its best. I find putting it in my day pouch in the morning dries it enough by evening, but too much by about the third day.

[@joejarrell2578]

Great video... but, you may want to consider using a drinking alcohol as opposed to rubbing alcohol. I use everclear or on occasion, Wild Turkey

[@pipesshavingandotherthings4613]

Excellent job and beautiful pipe my friend! Have a nice day!

[@stuffandthingsyoutube]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@donwilbanks2226]

Very nice. I own it's older sibling, 1958.

[@stuffandthingsyoutube]

Very cool!

[@douglasdreger3852]

Excellent video. Thank you very much.

[@randymicallef3545]

Very helpful to this newb. Thanks.

[@stuffandthingsyoutube]

Glad it was helpful!

[@reallivebluescat]

9:17 for the stem-buffing

[@nicolebradford9154]

I have two of my grandfathers pipes. Are they worth holding on to? Is there a way to see what kind they are? They seem rough but I’m not sure if that’s how a used pip should look

[@stuffandthingsyoutube]

Hard to say! There should be maker/brand marks somewhere. If you can make them out, that can get you started.

[@geoffryfeinberg830]

Very good vid, thx B-man.

[@bikkies]

Quite a few of my briars have that grot on the stem. I hadn't considered using micromesh pads on them so that's a great tip, thank you. One thing I'm curious about is whether you ever season the inside of the bowl periodically with brandy or something similar. I've done that a few times on estate pipes and it doesn't seem to degrade the smoking experience provided I've left it to dry for a few days afterwards.

[@LB7DJ]

Nice work. Can you do the same video with the Corallo?

[@pissedoffdude1]

Are Dunhill pipes worth the price tag? The most I've spent on one was for a Savinelli, which smokes great and I'm curious if a Dunhill would actually be worth it considering some can go for about 4x more

[@stuffandthingsyoutube]

The only Dunhills I have are vintage. They've all been great! I don't know how the more modern examples are though.

[@stephenstrader1577]

To be honest, I sand the “buttons” off of most of my everyday pipes 🤷🏻‍♂️ Of course I wouldn’t do this for specialty pipes, but for the most part I prefer the feel of a completely smooth stem. Of course, it’s harder to grip with the mouth, but if I’m clenching a pipe the smoke is getting in my face anyways lol! It’s more comfortable for me, but it DOES make you stop and focus on smoking the pipe, which obviously makes the experience that much more relaxing :) 💨

[@stuffandthingsyoutube]

Interesting!

[@gregmurdoch3264]

Who doesn't like a pipe bit? I've been using them for years and it's the only way you can enjoy the feeling of the stem in your mouth.

[@davetuttle9701]

Thanks man!

[@thesmoovepiper4356]

AWESOME Job Bradley it looks amazingly beautiful again. Excellent job. I love the pipe bits too. I keep them on hand for m y pipe stems 😃😃😃😃😃👋👋👋👋👋🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥💨💨💨💨💨 best regards. Peter. The Smoooooove piper.

[@stuffandthingsyoutube]

Thanks, Peter!

[@mmatzick]

Beautiful job 👏

[@sinzis-23]

I've just bought a Peterson pipe and besides the bad smell, in contact with water/saliva the black changed to almost totally white.. I believe it's the vulcanite's reaction. Are there any solutions for this or should I just return it?

[@stuffandthingsyoutube]

Vulcanite is very prone to this, which is why some pipe makers use acrylic for their stems. Trying to keep the stems out of direct light helps.

[@TheLukelebkisher]

Good video. Did you clean the wood before waxing it?

[@ParaBellum1776]

Could you use rubbing alcohol on the inside of the bowl? Or how do you deodorize a pipe?

[@cirovallone889]

Non c'è il rischio con questo metodo di togliere la patina dal fornello?

[@nebojsalozo2933]

Haven't seen!

[@em8407]

Ty

[@viviencharrier1984]

Hey Bradley ! Nice work . It is funny my 61 shell LB's chamber seems quite narrower, sort of thick wallish compared to yours . Did you rim it often ? Great video as usual 👌

[@stuffandthingsyoutube]

I don't ream it all that often. Just when it gets to the point of having over an 8th of an inch of cake.

[@thesmoovepiper4356]

Excellent job Bradley I had to get a new reamer set it looks great wear did you get ur drill bit from thanks for sharing happy smokes my friend 😃😃😃😃😃👍👍👍👍👍👍🔥🔥🔥🔥💨💨💨💨💨☕☕☕☕☕ Best regards peter the Smooooooove piper.

[@stuffandthingsyoutube]

Thanks for watching, Peter! I can't remember. Probably just a local hardware store.

[@KevinPare]

Just letting you know as your camera is new and all: the selective/shallow focus is rather distracting in the close-up shots when you're working on the pipe. One hand is focused while the other, just inches away, is blurry, plus the focus keeps changing. That setting works well for the talking head shots, but I think you'll want to find a new setting if you're doing close-up shots like these again.

[@stuffandthingsyoutube]

I know! I should have stopped down to a narrower aperture to get a wider depth of field. Next time!

[@shakuhachipete]

Why not sand the stem apart from the shank & pipe and no need to use the masking tape?

[@stuffandthingsyoutube]

I wanted to make sure that I didn't sand too much off. Sanding it with the stem attached makes sure that you have a surface to sand to. Cheers!

[@mhysambiya]

can I use Hennessy?

[@earlebird4262]

Of course you can. You can use anything you like the taste of.

[@stephenharrington4621]

I use whiskey on the pipe cleaner. Has all the solvent power of alcohol and isn't toxic.

[@farshidfarshidi5827]

I have a billiard shape pipe dr grabow made on 1937 with good appearance i would like change with a new dunhill pipe if you are agree send me a request

[@canadiancoyote410]

Buffing wheels are the devil.

[@vintagepipesnightmares]

Covering the mouth piece of a great pipe with that horrible rubber it makes you only enjoying half of that pipe. They work so hard to make it perfect. I rudder not clench it. Plus it looks disgusting !

[@wallyskeet]

Pipe bits are good.

[@vintagepipesnightmares]

@@wallyskeet Pipe bits for neophytes

[@wallyskeet]

@@vintagepipesnightmares I just don’t want to destroy my pipe stem and it was used anyway I don’t want the soul of grandpa Joe to be on my teeth.

[@vintagepipesnightmares]

@@wallyskeet 🤣🤣🤣 just like your friend here you don’t know how to clench a pipe. You don’t have to eat the stem. If you are like your friend here clenching between your molars you definitely learn to smoke from watching these stupid videos. The pipe should hang downward. You never ever actually clench.

[@vintagepipesnightmares]

@@wallyskeet I had over 300 pipes. I still have over 200. A great collection actually. I also used bits 25 years ago. Than I just learned how to clench. Since then I can really enjoy the great hand cut stems of my pipes. I have nothing against you man. Maybe you really are a new pipe smoker. I don’t know. I wish you all the best ! Silviu👍

[@Cheeseybacun]

Clean your 55 while you're at it. That thing was gross last I saw it. Also, that reamer sounds like a cage full of parakeets.

[@stuffandthingsyoutube]

My 55 has an acrylic stem, so at least that's still looking shiny. I know! My fiancé thought I was strangling a cat!

[@umbertosmith7014]

@@stuffandthingsyoutube If you stop calling her your fiance she might marry you :)

[@briandawkins984]

Despite the noise Castleford reamers work just great 👍

[@poutsa1974]

Second 😞

[@jonmiller1919]

First

[@jungleno.]

Loser

[@coltwest0149]

Sounds like you need to go to the dentis. Plus you shouldnt be biting your pipe at all but if you have to like me, (i like smokin my pipe while im playin ps5) you shouldnt bite it that hard. Lmfao to the pun

[@CharlesReece-nr2wr]

No one says you have to smoke tobacco in a pipe.

[@subsadventure]

Great job! Thanks again, Bradley!!

[@stuffandthingsyoutube]

My pleasure!