When it comes to the regular care and feeding of one’s pipes, it seems that pipe smokers can be divided into one of two camps – those who treat their pipes well and those that do not. In the first camp you will find people who clean their briar, meer or cob before it blocks… Continue reading Rescuing a Cracked & Beaten 1960 Dunhill Shell Briar 142 Dublin
I pulled this old Kaywoodie out of the refurb box a little while ago and left it on the corner of my desk for a while before starting the restoration. The pipe is a lovely Author shape, slightly chubby, with an elegant half bend. It is stamped “KAYWOODIE” over “Flame Grain” over “Imported Briar” on… Continue reading Reviving a Kaywoodie Flame Grain 13B Author
Here is another quick Summer pipe refurbishment, this time a Jarl 733 Egg. I’ve come across a few Jarl pipes, but there’s not a lot of information out there about the brand. According to an entry on pipedia.org, Jarl pipes were made by Niels Mogens Jørgensen in a little factory in the town of Bramdrupdam,… Continue reading Freshening a Jarl 733 Egg
It’s been a while since I worked on a pipe like this. This Regis Billiard is a good example of the sort of estate pipe commonly found at antique fairs and flea markets. A little worn, a little gouged, with a bowl full of cake and a stem that doesn’t fit quite properly. Perhaps there’s… Continue reading Salvaging a Hard Used Regis Super Grain 139 Billiard
The Brigham Shape 18 Pear is quickly becoming one of my favourites; my very first pipe purchase back in university was a 2 Dot Pear, and it’s still in my rack and regular rotation. I’ve since added a 118, the restoration of which I’ve written about here, and now this 4-Dot version. The pipe arrived… Continue reading A Bevy of Brighams IV – Repairing Heat Fissures in a 1980’s Brigham 418 Pear
I picked up this Hardcastle’s Royal Windsor pipe in a small lot of estates sometime last year and it has been waiting patiently in my refurb box since then; in fact, I’d forgotten it was even there! When I rediscovered it, I brought it to the worktable for a good look. I’ve called this shape… Continue reading Reviving a Hardcastle’s Royal Windsor 36 Liverpool
This Brigham 503 Billiard is the second pipe I worked on from the lot of seven 1980’s vintage Brigham pipes I purchased before Christmas. Unlike the Brigham 562 Student pipe I wrote about previously, which featured a mix of smooth and rusticated finishes, this Billiard is fully smooth with a contrast stain that makes full… Continue reading A Bevy of Brighams – Part II: Refreshing a Brigham 503 Billiard
I actually pulled this pipe out of the box of waiting estate pipes quite some time ago, getting part way through the restoration and then leaving it on my desk for several weeks before finally coming back to it. Some pipes just seem to need time on the worktable while I putter with other projects… Continue reading Restoring a Well-Loved Stanwell Bamboo Peewit
Many pipe producers release an annual Pipe of the Year – a limited-run pipe in a distinct shape and finish representing the very best a pipemaker can produce each year. Coming from a highly regarded and skilled producer like Stanwell, these Pipes of the Year are top-notch pipes and highly collectible, so I was very… Continue reading Restoring a Very Special Six-Day Set of Stanwell Pipes of the Year
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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