For You Older Gents

[sawbill]

This is for you guys who know or remember the days of knob and tube wiring . I'm trying to recall the name of a compound that was used to patch or seal joints in cast iron pipes. It was a fiber-like material that was jammed into a joint then sometimes sealed over with tar to seal the joint. It has a somewhat unique smell to it as well. Any ideas?

[TroutSlayer]

At one time lead was used, but I believe epoxy is used now.

[Ontdon]

Felt calking was used at one time.

[jaycee]

This is for you guys who know or remember the days of knob and tube wiring . I'm trying to recall the name of a compound that was used to patch or seal joints in cast iron pipes. It was a fiber-like material that was jammed into a joint then sometimes sealed over with tar to seal the joint. It has a somewhat unique smell to it as well. Any ideas?

I think what you are talking about is called " Oakum "

Oakum is a preparation of tarred fibre used to seal gaps. Its main traditional applications were in shipbuilding, for caulking or packing the joints of timbers in wooden vessels and the deck planking of iron and steel ships; in plumbing, for sealing joints in cast iron pipe; and in log cabins for chinking. Wikipedia

[rick_iles]

Well, I remember the stuff, but I’ve forgotten what it was called !!! I think Jaycee hit the nail on the head !!

[Sharon]

What about old ladies?

If you have cast iron drain (waste) pipes they are likely joined with a lead & Oakum seal. Oakum is a hemp material coated in tar, it is placed into the joint to seal it (Oakum expands when it gets wet to seal the joint).

source: https://www.google.com/search?q=the+...hrome&ie=UTF-8

[dean.f]

Oakum still used today to seal gaps in offshore cofferdams. It swells when submerged in water. I've never seen it used with any type of compound just dry. It looks almost like woven hair rope.

[sawbill]

Yelp! Oakum is what I was trying to remember. And sorry Sharon, I guess I should have taken a page from Don Cherry's play book and said, "You people" instead of "You guys".

[Snowwalker]

Oakum still used today to seal gaps in offshore cofferdams. It swells when submerged in water. I've never seen it used with any type of compound just dry. It looks almost like woven hair rope.

It's the "String" fiber they hammer into the space between the planks. If the boat/ship was out of the water, it would dry and things would leak till the fiber swelled with water again.

[G Skinner]

sure glad it wasn't asbestos !
Glen