A filterless, or Non-System, Brigham pipe is a rare bird, indeed. The Toronto-based manufacturer sold non-system pipes alongside their patented Brigham System pipes featuring the Rock Maple Distillator from the late 1930s until the mid-1950s. By that time the vast majority of Brigham pipes sold were system pipes, so the non-filtered versions were quietly retired.… Continue reading Dent Removal and Some TLC for an Early 2000’s Non-System Brigham 530
I recently acquired two Italian made pipes marked simply "JR" and "Italy" which I have found were made as house brand pipes for JR Cigars in the USA. The first one, a nice Author shape, is already listed on the Pipe Inventory page as it really didn't need restoration. The second of the pair needed… Continue reading A Quick Refresh of a JR Italy Bent Dublin
I recently wrote about replacing a broken tenon and called it one of the most common pipe repairs. Today's post is about another - a cracked shank. For many pipes, a cracked shank can be easily and permanently repaired by installing a shank band over the damaged briar. An external band like this is essentially… Continue reading Sleeving a Cracked Shank on an Algord Krisson Standard Freehand
I acquired this Bent Prince from the same vendor that sold me the Brigham Saddle Bulldog I wrote up back in July. They share the same honey-gold stain that really shows off the grain in this old briar. As this series of pics illustrates, the pipe was in overall good shape when I brought it… Continue reading Cleaning Up a 1960’s Era Brigham Prince for the Collection
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
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 was contacted by a pipe friend a little while ago to see if I would be interested in sprucing up an estate pipe he had recently won on eBay. Of course I said yes! The buyer was quite excited about this project - not only is it his first Dunhill, but it's also a… Continue reading Refreshing a 1965 Dunhill Bruyere 660 F/T
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
Here is another pipe from my Iqaluit piper’s collection – a striking Blatter Panel Horn. It didn’t need a lot of work, but I though you might enjoy seeing the pipe for its own sake. The pipe arrived on my worktable in very nice estate condition. Even through a layer of dust and grime the… Continue reading Refreshing a 2009 Blatter Select Panel Horn
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