My wife took me out for a birthday lunch a week before Christmas. We had a lovely meal and spent the rest of the afternoon wandering a local antique mall looking for pipes. I came home with a few briar goodies to add to the refurb box, one of which I could not wait to… Continue reading Stem Repairs and a General Freshening for a “Made by Millville” Full Bent
I received this extra large Billiard stummel in a box of pipes sent to me for repair by a pipe friend. I've called it a War Club in the post title as it is almost ridiculously oversized. The stemless stummel measures nearly 4 inches long from bowl to shank face, the shank is a whopping… Continue reading Resurrecting a Giant Kilimanjaro “War Club” Billiard
I've had the parts of this pipe in a ziplock bag in my refurb box for some time, and decided to pull it out for a look a few days ago. Despite a layer of dust and a crust of lava on the rim, this Peter Stokkebye Volcano had the undeniable appeal of a most… Continue reading Stem Repairs and a New Tenon for a Peter Stokkebye 911 Volcano
Welcome to 2019, everyone! I hope it is a peaceful and prosperous year for all. I’ve been putting off and putting off this particular job, but finally pulled myself together and sat down to get it done! On the worktable today is a Peterson K&P Irish Made X105 Army mount Billiard. It came from a… Continue reading New Year, New Challenge! Fitting a New Army Mount Stem to a Peterson K&P Irish Made X105
I had a bit of work done in the garage (aka my workshop) recently, including the installation of a most effective heater to prevent my pipes, tools and supplies from freezing in these cold winter months. While I was tidying up afterwards, I decided to sift through my boxes of pipes waiting to be restored.… Continue reading Resurrecting a Forlorn 1990’s Brigham 241
Christmas is here! Weeks of preparation, anticipation and trepidation culminate in a frenzy of gifts, guests and gluttony. Family and friends gather, delightful and exhausting. Glasses are raised and plates piled high, love given and received. Joyful chaos reigns, intense but too soon over. Stillness descends, peace after the storm. Pipe, chair and fire beckon. Time… Continue reading Merry Christmas to All, and to All a Good Pipe!
Hi folks. I've got another Brigham restoration for you today, this time a 1960's 5-Dot Shape 76 Tulip. I was lucky enough to acquire this briar in a box of assorted pipes a while back but it's been stuck at the bottom of my refurb box for a while. In comparison to the 1990's Brigham… Continue reading Reviving a Slightly Downtrodden Post-Patent Era Brigham 576 Tulip
For many Billiard lovers, there is no pipe quite as billiard-y as an English Billiard, and this Comoy's Guildhall 28 is a prime example of English pipemakers' mastery of this classic pipe shape. The Comoy's Shape Chart published on Pipedia.org identifies the Shape 28 as a "Billiard, Straight, Medium". In practice, this translates to a… Continue reading Freshening a Pre-Cadogan Comoy’s Guildhall 28 Billiard
After working on a few pipes for friends, I decided to pull one of my own out of the refurb box! This 5-Dot Brigham bent brandy is an unusual piece for several reasons. It's the first example of a Shape 36 I have come across, which is always exciting for me, and the shape itself… Continue reading Restoring an Unusual 1990’s Era Chunky 5-Dot Brigham Bent Brandy 36
This pipe was sent to me by a friend in Calgary, Alberta for a bit of attention. The owner pointed out that the chamber floor was over-reamed, leaving the draft hole above the bottom of the bowl. I was also asked to look at the stem and give my opinion on what was going on… Continue reading Reviving a Chunky Carved Roxborough Genuine Briar Billiard
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