As one might imagine, the majority of the pipes sent in to me for repair or restoration are fairly new, at least in pipe terms, dating from the Post-WWII years through to the present day. Every now and then, however, I get the chance to work with a genuinely old pipe like this 1902 Loewe… Continue reading Crafting a New Orific Stem for a 1902 Loewe & Co Army Mount Meerschaum
Hot on the heels of the launch of Brigham Pipes - A Century of Canadian Briar, it seems appropriate that today's pipe is a Brigham Klondike Bent Billiard sent in as part of a group lot by the Edmonton Pipe Club. For those unfamiliar with the current Brigham lineup, the Klondike is the successor to… Continue reading Replacing a Composite Tenon on a Brigham Klondike
I'm always impressed by the vast array of pipe shapes and styles available on both the new and estate pipe markets. While many pipe lovers enjoy the classic Billiard, Bulldog and Pot shapes, others take great pleasure in the more unusual or esoteric examples of the pipe carver's skill. The French-made pipe on the worktable… Continue reading A New Diamond Taper Stem for an Interesting Grapevine-Carved Bruyere Extra
I have often said that any pipe is restorable if the will to do so exists. This project put that statement to the test as I faced down some significant challenges on this Patent Dunhill Lovat's road to redemption. Sent to me by a Canadian college professor teaching in Massachusetts, the pipe had belonged to… Continue reading Restoration or Necromancy? Reviving a Well Loved Dunhill Patent Lovat
Filtered pipes have been around in one form or another for decades. According to this article on Pipedia.org, the Dr Grabow paper filter was first patented in 1932. This was not the first such paper filter on the market, however; the German firm Vauen introduced the Dr Perl paper filter more than a decade earlier… Continue reading Repairing a 9mm Tenon on a Stefano Exclusive Tomato
One of the things I enjoy most about operating a web-based business is that I never know where my next job will come from. Nearly a decade after first hanging my shingle out, about half of the repair and restoration projects that arrive on the bench are from domestic clients across Canada; the other half… Continue reading Rebuilding a Scorched & Shattered Dunhill Cumberland Dublin
The pipe on the workbench today came in to the DadsPipes shop as part of a larger lot of estate pipes sent to me for restoration from a gent in California. The pipe caught my eye immediately - a larger Oom Paul shape tends to do that, but Peterson is known for its stoutly-carved stummels.… Continue reading Resuscitating a Well Used Peterson XL18 Oom Paul Silver Spigot
A long-standing DadsPipes client contacted me one day with an interesting project. As part of a large and ever-growing collection of pipes, he had acquired a very well used vintage meerschaum pipe carved in the shape of a hand holding a bunch of grapes. The laundry list of needed repairs was extensive - a good… Continue reading Sour Grapes – Rescuing a Vintage Meerschaum
It's always fun to come across an old pipe brand I've not heard of before, and even better if I get to work on a representative pipe. This RBC branded cased Bulldog came into the shop for a cleanup and a new stem and, unlike many pipes of this vintage, it was destined to be… Continue reading Cutting a New Acrylic Stem for a Vintage RBC French Briar Bulldog
Meerschaum pipes have long been known for their capacity to be carved into an extraordinary range of shapes and styles, from sleek classic shapes like a Billiard or Bulldog to fanciful smokable sculptures. The pipe on the worktable today provides a rather geometric take on the venerable Egg & Claw shape. As this initial series… Continue reading Cleanup and a New Stem for a Unique Egg & Claw Meerschaum
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