GB2176742A

GB2176742A - A method of finishing a wooden pipe bowl

Info

Publication number: GB2176742A
Application number: GB08515730A
Authority: GB
Inventors: William John Taylor
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1985-06-21
Filing date: 1985-06-21
Publication date: 1987-01-07
Also published as: GB8515730D0; GB2176742B

Abstract

A wooden pipe bowl is subjected to a jet of hot gas. e.g. steam at 115 DEG C, so as to open the soft-grain pores of the wood. The soft grain is then removed, e.g. by hand-carving or rustication. The pipe bowl may then be seasoned by soaking in vegetable oil and subsequently heated, preferably on a copper heat plug at about 140 DEG C. Dried oil and more soft-grain wood may be removed by said sand blasting. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A method of finishing a wooden pipe bowl This invention relates to a method of finishing a wooden pipe bowl.

In the manufacture of tobacco pipes from briar or other woods it is often advisable to subject the wood to the action of a sand-jet in order to accentuate the natural grain pattern and also to make the pipe lighter in weight for the comfort of the smoker. However, many times the wood is too dense for the sand-jet to have the desired effect.

The invention provides a method of finishing a wooden pipe bowl comprising subjecting the wooden pipe bowl to a jet of hot gas so as to open the soft-grain pores of the wood and thereafter removing the soft grain.

Preferably, the hot gas is steam, e.g. at a temperature of between 110 to 110"C, and at a pressure of 90 to 1 lobs. per square inch (620-760 kN/m2).

Preferably, the pipe bowl is soaked in vegetable oil after the soft grain wood has been removed.

Preferably, the pipe bowl is subsequently seasoned, e.g. by heat treatment from 100 1800C and then sand-blasted.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described in the following example.

EXAMPLE A wooden pipe bowl is formed in a normal way. The outer surface of the bowl is then subjected to a jet of steam in order to open up the pores of the soft grain, so that this soft grain may be cut away easily by the action of hand-carving or rustication.

The steam is in the form of an approximately 1/4 inch (0.5 cm) jet emanating from a steam boiler. The temperature of the steam is about 115"C and operates at about 100 Ibs.

per square inch (70 kN/m2). The pipe bowl is first plugged by rubber stoppers at both the tobacco bore and the stem bore so that only the outer surface is subjected to the steam.

The bowl is held under the steam jet and slowly rotated by the hands of the operator encased by protective gloves for a period of about 20 seconds. The slow rotation of the bowl ensures that all parts of the pipe bowl surface receive equal amounts of steam, so that the pores of all the soft grain are opened up by the action of the steam.

At the end of 20 seconds the pores of the soft grain are open but the pores of the hard grain remain closed. This then becomes the optimum time for hand-rustication as the natural grain pattern can be followed, and only the soft wood is cut away.

Rustication directly after subjecting the bowl to a jet of steam for the desired portion of time has the two-fold effect of cutting away only the soft grain thus allowing the grain pattern to be followed as is desirable for the sake of appearance and also makes the pipe much lighter in weight for the comfort of the smoker.

After rustication the pipe bowl is then steeped for a suitable time in a beneficial vegetable oil (such as olive or linseed oil) which helps to season the pipe.

The bowl is then removed from the oil and subjected to the action of heat, e.g. at about 140"C by placing it on a copper heat plug, which causes the oil to exude over a period of several days. In this way the seasoning is completed without having to store the article for a considerable period of time in order to permit the natural evaporation of the oil.

As a result of the heat treatment the oil coming to the surface forms an impervious coating which does not permit the wood to breathe through its pores, which it must do in order to serve as a useful tobacco pipe.

In order to remove the dried-out oil uniformly from the surface of the bowl, it is subjected to the action of a sandjet, which removes the hardened coating of oil and also cuts away a good deal more of the soft wood between the hard grain thus leaving the hard portion in high relief.

The resulting tobacco pipe is both light and hard, and has an elegant appearance unlike that of any tobacco pipe previously produced.

When fitted with a stem the bowl provides an admirable tobacco pipe for a smoker. The finishing treatment described above does not affect the durability or smoking qualities of the pipe.

1. A method of finishing a wooden pipe bowl comprising subjecting the wooden pipe bowl to a jet of hot gas so as to open the soft-grain pores of the wood and thereafter removing the soft grain.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the gas is steam.

3. A method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the steam is at a temperature of between 110 to 1 20 C.

4. A method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the steam is at a temperature of substantially 1 1 5 C.

5. A method as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 4 wherein the steam is at a pressure of from 90 to 110 Ibs. per square inch (620-7 60kN/m2).

6. A method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the steam is at a pressure of substantially 100 Ibs. per square inch (70 kN/m2).

7. A method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the hot gas treatment is for substantially 20 seconds.

8. A method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the pipe bowl is soaked in vegetable oil after the soft grain wood has been removed.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION A method of finishing a wooden pipe bowl This invention relates to a method of finishing a wooden pipe bowl. In the manufacture of tobacco pipes from briar or other woods it is often advisable to subject the wood to the action of a sand-jet in order to accentuate the natural grain pattern and also to make the pipe lighter in weight for the comfort of the smoker. However, many times the wood is too dense for the sand-jet to have the desired effect. The invention provides a method of finishing a wooden pipe bowl comprising subjecting the wooden pipe bowl to a jet of hot gas so as to open the soft-grain pores of the wood and thereafter removing the soft grain. Preferably, the hot gas is steam, e.g. at a temperature of between 110 to 110"C, and at a pressure of 90 to 1 lobs. per square inch (620-760 kN/m2). Preferably, the pipe bowl is soaked in vegetable oil after the soft grain wood has been removed. Preferably, the pipe bowl is subsequently seasoned, e.g. by heat treatment from 100 1800C and then sand-blasted. An embodiment of the invention will now be described in the following example. EXAMPLE A wooden pipe bowl is formed in a normal way. The outer surface of the bowl is then subjected to a jet of steam in order to open up the pores of the soft grain, so that this soft grain may be cut away easily by the action of hand-carving or rustication. The steam is in the form of an approximately 1/4 inch (0.5 cm) jet emanating from a steam boiler. The temperature of the steam is about 115"C and operates at about 100 Ibs. per square inch (70 kN/m2). The pipe bowl is first plugged by rubber stoppers at both the tobacco bore and the stem bore so that only the outer surface is subjected to the steam. The bowl is held under the steam jet and slowly rotated by the hands of the operator encased by protective gloves for a period of about 20 seconds. The slow rotation of the bowl ensures that all parts of the pipe bowl surface receive equal amounts of steam, so that the pores of all the soft grain are opened up by the action of the steam. At the end of 20 seconds the pores of the soft grain are open but the pores of the hard grain remain closed. This then becomes the optimum time for hand-rustication as the natural grain pattern can be followed, and only the soft wood is cut away. Rustication directly after subjecting the bowl to a jet of steam for the desired portion of time has the two-fold effect of cutting away only the soft grain thus allowing the grain pattern to be followed as is desirable for the sake of appearance and also makes the pipe much lighter in weight for the comfort of the smoker. After rustication the pipe bowl is then steeped for a suitable time in a beneficial vegetable oil (such as olive or linseed oil) which helps to season the pipe. The bowl is then removed from the oil and subjected to the action of heat, e.g. at about 140"C by placing it on a copper heat plug, which causes the oil to exude over a period of several days. In this way the seasoning is completed without having to store the article for a considerable period of time in order to permit the natural evaporation of the oil. As a result of the heat treatment the oil coming to the surface forms an impervious coating which does not permit the wood to breathe through its pores, which it must do in order to serve as a useful tobacco pipe. In order to remove the dried-out oil uniformly from the surface of the bowl, it is subjected to the action of a sandjet, which removes the hardened coating of oil and also cuts away a good deal more of the soft wood between the hard grain thus leaving the hard portion in high relief. The resulting tobacco pipe is both light and hard, and has an elegant appearance unlike that of any tobacco pipe previously produced. When fitted with a stem the bowl provides an admirable tobacco pipe for a smoker. The finishing treatment described above does not affect the durability or smoking qualities of the pipe. CLAIMS

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the gas is steam.

9. A method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the oiled pipe bowl is subjected to heat treatment.

10. A method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the heat treatment is at a temperature of from 100C to 1800C.

11. A method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the heat treatment is at a temperature of substantially 140"C.

12. A method as claimed in any one of claims 9 to 11, wherein the heat treatment is carried out on a copper heat plug.

13. A method as claimed in any one of claims 8 to 12, wherein the bowl is subsequently subjected to sand blasting.

14. A method of finishing a wooden pipe bowl substantially as herein described with reference to the example given.

15. A pipe bowl finished by the method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims.

16. A pipe comprising a pipe bowl as claimed in claim 15.