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Safe to smoke from vintage tobacco pipe?

post #1 of 10
7/28/11 at 10:59pm
Thread Starter 
I bought a chunk today with several items in it, including an old Dunhill pipe. Can the tip (contact with mouth) be changed? Is it safe to just wash the head part with water?
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post #2 of 10
7/28/11 at 11:21pm
you're probably fine, use a pipe cleaner to ream the entire pipe and mouthpiece out though.
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post #3 of 10
7/29/11 at 7:07am
Yes. If you want to be really careful two things... DO NOT use plain water to wash the bowl. You can get a cleaning solution for pipes for about $4 at your pipe store. Before you go, make sure it is an authorized Dunhill retailer. They can send off your pipe and have a new stem made. I had an Edwards pipe that needed a new stem. It was $30, Dunhill probably a bit more.

If you don't want to do that, there is one company (whose name I forget) that all they do is clean and restore estate pipes as they are known. Send it to them

Or, you could just go ahead, you are likely fine. I would at the minimum get the cleaner.
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post #4 of 10
7/29/11 at 7:09am
ed, have you never smoked weed before? you're telling me a mail order cleaning is necessary for a pipe?
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post #5 of 10
7/29/11 at 7:14am
^^^ While most Dunhill pipes are $400-$700 some can cost thousands. Probably best to be careful with it.
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post #6 of 10
7/29/11 at 7:28am
I often smoke pipes from the 50s and 60s. They smoke better than what is made today.
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post #7 of 10
7/29/11 at 7:30am
Quote:
Originally Posted by impolyt_one View Post

ed, have you never smoked weed before? you're telling me a mail order cleaning is necessary for a pipe?

Nope. Never done any drugs actually.
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post #8 of 10
7/30/11 at 8:19am
Thread Starter 
wait...so the mouth piece is unique to the pipe? Damn, I thought I can buy a new one to replace the chewed one already on the pipe.
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post #9 of 10
7/30/11 at 8:52am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Pantisocrat View Post

wait...so the mouth piece is unique to the pipe? Damn, I thought I can buy a new one to replace the chewed one already on the pipe.

Not to the pipe but the model. Other stems might work.
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post #10 of 10
7/31/11 at 9:48am
On a high-end pipe, even a factory one like a Dunhill, the mouthpiece will have been turned and finished together with the briar shank so that the two parts fit together smoothly and seamlessly. You can fit a replacement, but it won't be as nice unless it has been fit and finished by hand on to your pipe. A good pipe restorer will do that, and it will cost $40-50, especially if you want the Dunhill white dot logo on it. If the current bit hasn't collapsed and is is usable, I would keep it even if it has some tooth marks. Clean it (inside and out) with Everclear, high proof vodka or rubbing alcohol (I use the latter, but only because I don't have either of the other two). In fact, you should spend some time running some alcohol dipped pipe cleaners through the pipe to clean it as well and do the same with the inside of the bowl. If the pipe wasn't cleaned before being sold to you, you will be amazed at how much gunk is in there. Note that the bit is probably made of hard, vulcanized rubber and it is normal for it to discolor with an ugly, brownish, greenish haze over time. That is no big deal and can be fixed yourself or by a pipe shop. It won't affect the smoking, so why don't you see if you like smoking the pipe at all. If you do, then you might want to spend more effort on the cosmetic cleanup.
Edited by dopey - 8/1/11 at 7:54am
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