PLEASE NOTE: The latest, most complete version (v3.0) of the Brigham Shape Chart can be found in my book, Brigham Pipes - A Century of Canadian Briar , and includes more pipe shapes and images than ever before. ***** It's been almost a year since my last update to the Brigham Shape Chart, and I'm… Continue reading The Official Unofficial Brigham Shape Chart v2.0 is Live!
Although some pipe retailers out there carry estate pipes, many of us find our vintage briars at antique shops, garage sales or similar places. Sometime, however, a new pipe smoker will inherit a cherished pipe from a family member. Such is the case with this Chacom Auteuil Bent Billiard, which belonged to the current owner's… Continue reading Saving a Burned Out Heirloom Chacom Auteuil 115 Oval Shank Bent Billiard
Today's restoration is really more of a very good cleaning. This Brigham 321 (which Brigham called a Woodstock shape but other may label a Zulu) was well cared for by its previous owner as evidenced by the lack of dents, dings and scratches in the briar and vulcanite. The pipe had certainly been previously enjoyed… Continue reading Quick Refresh of a 1990’s Era Brigham 321 Woodstock
I dug this old Bewlay Reject out of my refurb box recently, and puzzled over it a bit as I couldn't quite recall where or how I acquired it. I think it must have come to me in an eBay lot, but the details have completely escaped me. According to Pipedia's page on Bewlay, the… Continue reading Revitalizing a Bewlay Reject 23 Billiard
Brigham made a lot of pipes in their Toronto factory over nearly a century of production in Canada, so estate Brigham pipes are fairly common, especially in Ontario. Available in a wide range of quality and price points, there was a Brigham pipe to suit every style and budget and those pipers that loved them… Continue reading New Stem & Dot for a 1960’s Brigham 104 Billiard
This Peterson pipe has been sitting in my refurb box for a while now. Every now and then I'd pull it out, have a look at it, and for one reason or another, I'd put it back in the box and work on a different pipe. Today I thought it was time this pipe got… Continue reading Refurbishing an Underwhelming Peterson System Standard 309
I received an email from Peterson pipe aficionado Mark Irwin of Peterson Pipe Notes recently, with a request for some help restoring the stem on an intricately carved bulldog shaped pipe. The brand is a new one for me. As Mark explained in his note, the fellow who owned the tiny BPL (Briar Pipe Line)… Continue reading Restoring an Irish Made BPL Carved Bent Bulldog
Reality is that which, when you stop believing in it, doesn’t go away. – Philip K. Dick Today's post is a bit of a head-scratcher, not for the intricacies of the refurbishment, which went rather smoothly, but for the mystery surrounding the pipe's provenance. If one handles enough estate pipes, inevitably one comes across a… Continue reading Refurbishing a Peterson Bullcap that Doesn’t Exist
I found this Brigham Bulldog on eBay quite some time ago and decided it was high time I cleaned it up for the collection. The pipe was in rather good estate condition when I brought it to the worktable. The main issues were a deeply oxidized stem, some rim tar and associated darkening and patches… Continue reading Quick Cleanup and Stem Patch for a 1960’s Brigham 316 Straight Saddle Bulldog
I found this Peterson pipe at a local antique mall a few months ago and finally had the chance to pull it from the refurb box and clean it up. As you can see from the attached pics, it had some cosmetic issues to contend with, mainly a heavily oxidized and mineral crusted stem. Made… Continue reading An Easy Yet Remarkable Transformation for a Peterson System Standard 312
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