Anybody else ever buy pipes on Craigslist or at yard sales?

[CigarStone]

Anybody else into reconditioning pipes?

I am a tinkerer and I love to fix things. I have bought hundreds of pipes on Craigslist, cleaned and sanitized them, and sold them for a nice profit. I didn't smoke these pipes as I had my own collection but I would clean them all and sell them as lots or individually for better pipes.

I bought 20 pipes and a nice rack from a lady who was cleaning out her basement. I paid $30 for everything and amongst the pipes was a dirty but near perfect Sasieni four dot Rustic Moorgate. I sold those pipes and rack for a combined $350 or so.

I invested some money in tools and supplies to clean and recondition pipes but it was a labor of love and I ultimately made money.

 

[Nate1977]

I have read up on reconditioning them , but never attempted it.

 

[CigarStone]

I have read up on reconditioning them , but never attempted it.

If you are handy, it's really pretty simple.

 

[bfreebern]

If you are handy, it's really pretty simple.

Right or left handy?

 

[CigarStone]

Right or left handy?

Both usually. Sometimes it's hard to switch.

 

[{tpc}]

I never seem to find anything at garage sales or Craigslist. I often read the stories…like yours and wonder how it happens. Guess I’m never in the right place at the right time..

 

[ggiese]

I have a good friend who makes a very good living out of buying/selling used pipes. He always comes up with some amazing finds. Not sure how he does it (he's not really sharing many secrets), but his work is amazing (they look like new after he's done).

 

[Saxon9075]

Anybody else into reconditioning pipes?

I am a tinkerer and I love to fix things. I have bought hundreds of pipes on Craigslist, cleaned and sanitized them, and sold them for a nice profit. I didn't smoke these pipes as I had my own collection but I would clean them all and sell them as lots or individually for better pipes.

I bought 20 pipes and a nice rack from a lady who was cleaning out her basement. I paid $30 for everything and amongst the pipes was a dirty but near perfect Sasieni four dot Rustic Moorgate. I sold those pipes and rack for a combined $350 or so.

I invested some money in tools and supplies to clean and recondition pipes but it was a labor of love and I ultimately made money.

How do you clean and sanitize them ? You have me intrigued as I like to tinker that way too.

 

[CigarStone]

How do you clean and sanitize them ? You have me intrigued as I like to tinker that way too.

I have polishing pads for polishing the exterior.

You can position the pipe so that the bowl sits level, insert a Q-tip or plug into the shank, fill the bowl and Shank with salt, use an eyedropper to add alcohol until it is full without overflowing and let that sit overnight it will extract all of the ghost flavors and a lot of the built up tar. Be certain to clean out every grain of salt.
I also used a drill and Dremel tool for some pipes with a tremendous amount of buildup.

There are numerous ways to bring back a nasty black stem, you can soak it in various things, but I prefer to use the polishing pads starting with an aggressive pad until I have all of the oxidation removed and then step all the way up to the finest polishing pad and put a mirror finish on the black stem.

 

[Saxon9075]

I have polishing pads for polishing the exterior.

You can position the pipe so that the bowl sits level, insert a Q-tip or plug into the shank, fill the bowl and Shank with salt, use an eyedropper to add alcohol until it is full without overflowing and let that sit overnight it will extract all of the ghost flavors and a lot of the built up tar. Be certain to clean out every grain of salt.
I also used a drill and Dremel tool for some pipes with a tremendous amount of buildup.

There are numerous ways to bring back a nasty black stem, you can soak it in various things, but I prefer to use the polishing pads starting with an aggressive pad until I have all of the oxidation removed and then step all the way up to the finest polishing pad and put a mirror finish on the black stem.

Thanks I appreciate the info. I may try it.

 

[MilesMingusMonk]

I have polishing pads for polishing the exterior.

You can position the pipe so that the bowl sits level, insert a Q-tip or plug into the shank, fill the bowl and Shank with salt, use an eyedropper to add alcohol until it is full without overflowing and let that sit overnight it will extract all of the ghost flavors and a lot of the built up tar. Be certain to clean out every grain of salt.
I also used a drill and Dremel tool for some pipes with a tremendous amount of buildup.

There are numerous ways to bring back a nasty black stem, you can soak it in various things, but I prefer to use the polishing pads starting with an aggressive pad until I have all of the oxidation removed and then step all the way up to the finest polishing pad and put a mirror finish on the black stem.

I owe you an apology @CigarStone.

When you’ve mentioned cleaning out the pipes, I just assumed you were referencing your massage fetish!