A fellow pipe lover here in Ontario sent me a couple of old friends for a bit of TLC. One of those pipes is this 1980's vintage Brigham 384 Squire. This round-bottomed bent brandy shape was introduced to the Brigham lineup in the 1970s and quickly became a fan favourite. This particular example was certainly… Continue reading Reviving and Re-Stemming a Vintage Brigham 384 Squire
I came across this Chacom 296 Canadian pipe at a local antique market, and though it was in rough shape, it had a few things going for it in my mind. First was the unique leather pipe case it came in that featured a snap closure just like Grandma’s change purse. The case is unmarked,… Continue reading Restoring a Cracked Chacom 296 Canadian
When I first pulled this pipe from my refurb box, I thought I was looking at another Danish design. It was only after taking a closer look that I realized it was, in fact, an Italian pipe, a Savinelli Nonpareil 9904, which Savinelli describes as a Bent Dublin. The pipe is stamped “Savinelli” over “Nonpareil”… Continue reading Cleanup of a Savinelli Nonpareil Smooth 9904 Bent Dublin
The aroma of a pipe is one of those olfactory experiences that can thrill the senses and trigger a flood of memories and emotions - chats with Grampa on the front porch, the texture of the bench seat in an aluminum fishing boat, the scent of a campfire or the warm hazy aftermath of Christmas… Continue reading Deghosting a Stinky Champagne by Savinelli 606KS
This pipe was another one sent to me by a DadsPipes reader for a bit of “spit and polish”, this one coming to me from El Paso, Texas via a VERY circuitous route – when the parcel arrived, it was marked “MISSENT TO JAMAICA”. That explains the late arrival! The pipe is a Republic-era Peterson,… Continue reading Refreshing a Republic-Era Peterson Kapet X105
Just about the worst thing that can happen to a pipe smoker is damage to a favourite pipe. We wince at the smallest handling marks, dread rim dents and try our darnedest to keep our Vulcanite stems from oxidizing. So I can understand a panic reaction when something really dreadful happens to a favourite pipe.… Continue reading Splicing a Broken Shank on a 1960’s Era Brigham 384 Bent Brandy
Having served in the Canadian Forces Reserve during my university days, I'm a big fan of all things Army, including military mount pipes, so when this Nino Rossi Sterling 167 hit my worktable, I was quite excited to see what lay under the layers of tar and tarnish. This pipe was obviously a favourite of… Continue reading Rehabilitating a Well-Used Nino Rossi Sterling Spigot 167
OK, it's not THAT kind of brass band, but this Stanwell Brass Band 25 Freehand is almost as much fun. This is the second pipe I've cleaned up from what I've taken to calling The Stanwell Lot, a collection of mostly-Danish pipes from an estate outside of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. This Brass Band arrived on… Continue reading Where’s the Cornet Section? – Restoring a Stanwell Brass Band #25
I picked up this Dr Plumb billiard off eBay for very little money; the pics below of its original condition will tell you why. It was in rough shape to say the least. The rim had been absolutely destroyed by repeated hard dottle-knocking against stone or brick. The scarred remains were layered with lava and… Continue reading New Life for a Beaten Dr Plumb Standard 9132 Billiard
This is another pipe sent to me by a fellow member of the Canadian Cigar Forum. As with the Sabra Apple, the pipe belonged to his grandfather and was in need of a bit of work before the owner could use it. I took this series of pics when the pipe arrived. Overall it appeared… Continue reading Patching a Pinhole Burnout on a Chateau Bruyere Sitter
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