The Finger - a special purpose pipemaker's tool

[Mike Messer]

There's the obvious use for "The Finger" but I wasn't talking about that finger.

This is a tool for sanding inside the tobacco chamber where your real finger can't reach.
It's 5/16 in. thick, 5.5 in o.a. length, with a 2.5 in. long finger. You can tape a little piece of sandpaper on the end of it.



Close-up with sandpaper attached...



Another useful tool for working in tobacco chambers, like at the intersection with the smoke hole... a Fullerton Tool, Made in U.S.A., super-sharp, 1/4" dia. tree w/radius point bur from mcmaster.com.
It's used for slow and careful hand shaving, rigged with a soft-plastic (no scratch) Bic pen handle.
Then sand with The Finger.

[SchmidtN]

Just curious what percent of you guys sand the tobacco chamber? I've never done it. Will it make a pipe smoke better/break in quicker?

[baweaverpipes]

Hope this doesn't get deleted, but I use what is commonly referred to as a pipe dildo.
It's simply a heavy backed 80 grit sheet of sandpaper that has been rolled to fit either 3/4 or 5/16 drilled chamber. It goes all the way down to the bottom of the bowl and gives a nice smooth finish to the chamber. No need to make another tool when simple does the job extremely well.

[e Markle]

Just curious what percent of you guys sand the tobacco chamber? I've never done it. Will it make a pipe smoke better/break in quicker?

I think most of us do. I haven't established this as fact yet, but I think the unsanded chambers have more exposed fibers which burn with a much heavier woody flavor.

[baweaverpipes]

Just curious what percent of you guys sand the tobacco chamber? I've never done it. Will it make a pipe smoke better/break in quicker?

I think most of us do. I haven't established this as fact yet, but I think the unsanded chambers have more exposed fibers which burn with a much heavier woody flavor.

Mr. eRemarkable,
But..................I thought that one must taste the briar. This would enhance the smoking experience. Heaven forbid if I were to mention the heinous "bowl coating"
"How odious, that eRemarkable fellow coats his bowl, I simply can't taste the briar! Doesn't he realize I smoke heavy latakia and must taste the briar! Gosh, how I wish he kept the little fuzzies!"

[e Markle]

Don't even get me started...

[RadDavis]

I wrap 150 grit around a steel dowel which is chucked in my drill press and use this to sand the bowl. Mainly to get the stain out from around the top part.

My naked bowls taste like chocolate during break in. If you could even call it break in.

Rad

[caskwith]

I just sand off the stain drips and wax from around the edge with some 150grit so that my shock horror! bowl coating will stick properly.

[Mike Messer]

Just curious what percent of you guys sand the tobacco chamber? I've never done it. Will it make a pipe smoke better/break in quicker?

I don't usually sand the whole chamber very much, if at all. I use the tools mainly to clean up any oddities at the smoke hole intersection, or where the grain angle changes at the curve near the bottom of the chamber to smooth-out any textural and color changes, and at the top of the chamber to clean-up any stain leaks, especially if I'm not going to use a bowl coating.
Another use I have for the tools is because of my chamber drilling method, I drill the center with a 1/2" round ball, then slope the sides with a boring bar to make a conical chamber. There is always a tiny irregularity at the intersection of the sloping side wall and the half-spherical bottom that needs to be cleaned-up.

[5277a124]

I just use my finger.

[wdteipen]

I use a wooden dowel with a rounded end and 180 grit sandpaper wrapped around it.

[e Markle]

I really like the fact that in one of his last posts to us Mike gave us "The Finger". I think it summarizes his time here quite well.

[pereu]

Hallo pipemakers,
I use wooden tools which I have built for this purpose. With a very small late I sand and polish the tobacco chamber and the bevel against the shank.


I use double-sided adhesive foil to fix the sanding-paper.
Peter

[SimeonTurner]

I really like the fact that in one of his last posts to us Mike gave us "The Finger". I think it summarizes his time here quite well.