I have visited with Steve several times in recent weeks, and he is continually improving. The progress is slow, but it is progress! He is taking his time and ensuring that he feels comfortable before returning to the world of pipes. I am sure he will be back before too long.
In the meantime, please continue to email me instead of Steve at kenneth@knightsofthepipe.com with your questions, comments, requests, etc. I will do my best to help you. Thank you very much and please continue to keep Steve in your prayers.
Are you intrigued by unusual and idiosyncratic pipe systems? Well, have I got a pipe for you! This is a Lindström System Model 3 bent billiard. It’s got a handsome hunk of briar with a distinguished beveled edge on the rim. I really like the vulcanite saddle stem: the saddle is crisp and blunt, and there is a wide tenon for a filter. What is of particular note, of course, is the thick brass band in the middle. This band has four, small circular holes of varying diameters in it, which allow you to control the amount of air added to the smoke. By all counts, it works well! More about that in a bit.
A quick note about the photos in this blog post. I actually started this restoration with two different Lindström pipes and intended to write their story together. However, some issues came up with the other pipe, so I excised it from this post. In some cases, I cropped out the jettisoned pipe, but in some cases not. So, you will see another pipe in some photos – just ignore it.
The markings on the pipe were quite straightforward. On the left side of the shank, we see the word Lindström. There is also a diamond logo on the stem, which also serves as a marker for where you are to align the holes in the band. Finally, on the brass band itself, there is a cursive L – indicative of the Lindström name.
Pipephil didn’t have any useful information about Lindström, other than what is displayed in this screenshot:
There was precious little written about Lindström at Pipedia. What information they did have was lifted from an old thread on alt.smokers.pipes. The following is my own merging of the two entries:
Lindström was a German company which started in the late 1950s and invented the brass ferrule patent. Lindström was a pseudonym and was probably chosen because Danish and Scandinavian pipes had this ‘special flair’ in those days. The ring had one hole, or sometimes up to four holes of different sizes, which you could turn, matching over an airhole in the stem. An arrow on the stem marked the place where they match. In this way you could regulate the amount of air to add to the smoke, resulting in a dry and cool smoking pleasure.
The thing that frustrates me about this sort of research is that all of this information may be perfectly correct – but how do we know? Where are the references? Where are the citations? I can’t find any corroborating evidence. However, what I did find was the following fantastic advertisement from 1980 in an Australian publication:
The most hilarious part of this is the money-back guarantee:
If you do not agree with us, break the pipe into pieces with a hammer and return the pieces to us within 30 days and we will refund your money.
What on earth?! Curiously, the German equivalent of this ad does not contain such a ‘savage’ refund guarantee. The same section of the ad (highlighted in red) reads as follows:
We promise you a truly exceptional smoking experience with the Lindström pipe. No cigarette, no cigar, and hardly any other pipe can offer you a purer tobacco flavour or greater smoking pleasure. However, should you not be satisfied after a 30-day trial – something we simply cannot imagine, given our customers’ experiences – simply return the pipe to us. You will receive a full refund of the purchase price immediately. How many manufacturers are that confident in their product?
Either way, it’s a decent return policy. It’s hard to know how old this pipe is, but my gut tells me that it’s probably about 50 years old.
Let’s examine the pipe. The stem has some oxidation and calcification. There is also a little tooth chatter and minor dents. The rim of the pipe is in good shape: only minor wear and the bevel is even and solid. The bowl is soiled, but it has some nice grain and a couple of minor fills. The inside of the bowl is dirty and heavily reamed, but remains thoroughly sound.
I used isopropyl alcohol on a few cotton rounds and wiped down the stem to provide an initial cleaning of filth before moving on to the next steps. The primary cleaning came next. I disinfected the inside of the stem with both pipe cleaners and cotton swabs dipped in lemon-infused 99% isopropyl alcohol. I scrubbed thoroughly to make sure the interior was very clean. It was fairly dirty, but not when I was done with it!
The goal of the next step is the removal (or minimization) of oxidation. Going to my sink, I used cream cleanser, cotton rounds, and a toothbrush, and scoured the stem to remove as much surface oxidation as possible. As the photos show, the result was a hideous, ochre-coloured mess – but better off the stem than on it.
Once the stem was reasonably clean, I soaked it overnight in some Briarville Stem Oxidation Remover. This solution works to draw oxidation in the stem to the surface of the vulcanite. This is a major aid and an important step in ensuring a clean stem. The following day, I drew out the stem from its bath and scrubbed the lingering fluid with a toothbrush. Due to the severity of the oxidation, I then repeated the scrubbing with the cream cleanser for maximum effect. There will always be a hint of oxidation remaining deep in the vulcanite.
As the stem was now clean and dry, I set about fixing the marks and dents in the vulcanite. This was done by filling those divots with black cyanoacrylate adhesive, impregnated with carbon and rubber. I left this to cure and moved on. After this, I painted the diamond logo on the stem with some enamel nail polish. I restored the logo carefully and let it fully set before proceeding.
The penultimate step for the stem is sanding. First, with my set of needle files, I reduced the bulk of the cyanoacrylate repairs. I removed the excess adhesive as near to the surface as possible, without cutting into the vulcanite. Following that, I used all nine of the micromesh sanding pads (1,500 through 12,000 grit) to sand out flaws, even out the vulcanite, and provide gentle polishing of the finished surface. I also applied pipe-stem oil while using the last five micromesh pads. There was a wonderful, deep black shine to the stem when I was done.
As the stem was (nearly) complete, I moved on to the stummel. The first step was to ream out the bowl – that is to say, remove all the cake inside the bowl. This accomplished a couple of things. First (and most obviously), it cleaned the bowl and provided a refurbished chamber for future smoking. Second, when the old cake was removed, I could inspect the interior walls of the bowl and determine if there was damage or not. I used a reamer, a pipe knife, and a piece of sandpaper taped to a wooden dowel. Collectively, these ensured that all the debris was removed.
Similar to the stem, I then cleaned the stummel with both pipe cleaners and cotton swabs dipped in lemon-infused 99% isopropyl alcohol. With a pipe this dirty, it took quite a while and much cotton to clean.
I then decided to ‘de-ghost’ the pipe – that is to say, exorcize the remaining filth from the briar. I filled the bowl and the shank with cotton balls, then saturated them with 99% isopropyl alcohol. I let the stummel sit overnight. This caused the remaining oils, tars and smells to leach out into the cotton.
To tidy up the briar, I wiped down the outside, using a solution of a pH-neutral detergent and some distilled water, with cotton rounds. I also used a toothbrush in the crevices. This did a good job of cleaning any latent dirt on the surface of the briar. The last step of the cleaning process was to scour the inside of the stummel with the same mild detergent and tube brushes. This was the culmination of a lot of hard work in getting the pipe clean.
I spent some time filling in all of the fills with clear cyanoacrylate adhesive. This made them smooth and hard. This turned out very well.
I used all nine micromesh pads (1,500 through 12,000 grit) to sand the outside of the stummel and finish it off. This sanding minimizes flaws in the briar and provides a beautiful smoothness to the wood. I rubbed some LBE Before & After Restoration Balm into the briar and let it sit for 30 minutes or so. The balm moisturizes the wood and gives a beautiful depth to the briar. I then buffed the stummel with a microfibre cloth.
For the final step, I took the pipe to my bench polisher and carefully buffed it – first with a blue diamond compound, then with some carnauba wax. This procedure makes the pipe look its best – the stummel sings and the stem glows.
All done! This Lindström System Model 3 bent billiard looks fantastic again and is ready to be enjoyed by its next owner. I am pleased to announce that this pipe is for sale! If you are interested in acquiring it for your collection, please have a look in the ‘Various Makers’ section of the store here on Steve’s website. You can also email me directly at kenneth@knightsofthepipe.com. The approximate dimensions of the pipe are as follows: length 5 in. (127 mm); height 1¾ in. (45 mm); bowl diameter 1½ in. (38 mm); chamber diameter ¾ in. (20 mm). The weight of the pipe is 1⅜ oz. (41 g). I hope you enjoyed reading the story of this pipe’s restoration as much as I enjoyed restoring it. If you are interested in more of my work, please follow me here on Steve’s website or send me an email. Thank you very much for reading and, as always, I welcome and encourage your comments.
Next up is a beautiful English pipe from BBB. I acquired it locally from the estate of an old boy who kept a lovely collection of pipes. This charming fellow is luxurious, with a handsome bowl and a beautifully long, round shank. The vulcanite taper stem is also very attractive and complements the briar very well. A gentleman recently contacted me to commission the restoration of this pipe and I was only too happy to oblige. He made a great choice: there is some wonderful grain on this pipe.
Let’s look at the marks on the pipe. They are clear and very readable. On the left side of the shank, we see the diamond-shaped logo of the company with the initials BBB inside it. Below that is the word Ultonia. On the right side of the shank, we see Made in England [over] 611 – the shape number. Finally, the stem shows the same diamond-shaped logo with the initials BBB inside it. To be clear, this logo is not in metal.
A quick examination of the background of BBB will tell you that there is much love and lore to this brand. It goes back 170 years and a great deal has been written about the company. For example, Pipedia has a good article about the company and I encourage you to read it here. As a sampling, I include the first paragraph of that article below:
The initials once stood for Blumfeld’s Best Briars after Louis Blumfeld, who took over the management of the Adolph Frankau Company in 1856. After his death, the BBB gradually became known as Britain’s Best Briars. Soon to be the oldest English trademark in current use and the first pipe ever to have a registered trademark. “Britain’s Best Briars”, often called BBB, is one of the oldest brands still in production and has always been the most popular foreign brand in Denmark. Earlier pipes included a metal rondel with a diamond shape including BBB imbedded in the stem top, and later post-Cadogan went to a stamped on logo, similar to the GBD pipes.
Pipephil also has a nice write-up on BBB, which you can read here.
The pipe is in great condition, which will make for a great restoration. On the stem, we can see some oxidation and calcification. There are also some minor tooth marks, scratches, etc. Nothing of serious concern. The bowl had some cake (but nothing terrible) and some notable lava on the rim. We’ll have to investigate that further.
I used isopropyl alcohol on a few cotton rounds and wiped down the stem to provide an initial cleaning of filth before moving on to the next steps. The primary cleaning came next. I disinfected the inside of the stem with both pipe cleaners and cotton swabs dipped in lemon-infused 99% isopropyl alcohol. I scrubbed thoroughly to make sure the interior was very clean.
The goal of the next step is the removal (or minimization) of oxidation. Going to my sink, I used cream cleanser, cotton rounds, and a toothbrush, and scoured the stem to remove as much surface oxidation as possible. As the photos show, the result was a hideous, ochre-coloured mess – but better off the stem than on it.
Once the stem was reasonably clean, I soaked it overnight in some Briarville Stem Oxidation Remover. This solution works to draw oxidation in the stem to the surface of the vulcanite. This is a major aid and an important step in ensuring a clean stem. The following day, I drew out the stem from its bath and scrubbed the lingering fluid with a toothbrush.
As the stem was now clean and dry, I painted the logo on the stem with some enamel nail polish. I restored the logo carefully and let it fully set before proceeding.
The penultimate step for the stem is sanding. First, with my set of needle files, I reduced the bulk of the cyanoacrylate repairs. I removed the excess adhesive as near to the surface as possible, without cutting into the vulcanite. Following that, I used all nine of the micromesh sanding pads (1,500 through 12,000 grit) to sand out flaws, even out the vulcanite, and provide gentle polishing of the finished surface. I also applied pipe-stem oil while using the last five micromesh pads. There was a wonderful, deep black shine to the stem when I was done.
As the stem was (nearly) complete, I moved on to the stummel. The first step was to ream out the bowl – that is to say, remove all the cake inside the bowl. This accomplished a couple of things. First (and most obviously), it cleaned the bowl and provided a refurbished chamber for future smoking. Second, when the old cake was removed, I could inspect the interior walls of the bowl and determine if there was damage or not. I used a reamer, a pipe knife, and a piece of sandpaper taped to a wooden dowel. Collectively, these ensured that all the debris was removed.
My next step was to remove the lava on the rim. For this, I took a piece of machine steel and gently scraped the lava away. The metal’s edge is sharp enough to remove what I need, but not so sharp that it damages the rim. This work revealed (thankfully) that there was no damage to the rim.
Similar to the stem, I then cleaned the stummel with both pipe cleaners and cotton swabs dipped in lemon-infused 99% isopropyl alcohol. With a pipe this dirty, it took quite a while and much cotton to clean.
I then decided to ‘de-ghost’ the pipe – that is to say, exorcize the remaining filth from the briar. I filled the bowl and the shank with cotton balls, then saturated them with 99% isopropyl alcohol. I let the stummel sit overnight. This caused the remaining oils, tars and smells to leach out into the cotton.
To tidy up the briar, I wiped down the outside, using a solution of a pH-neutral detergent and some distilled water, with cotton rounds. I also used a toothbrush in the crevices. This did a good job of cleaning any latent dirt on the surface of the briar. The last step of the cleaning process was to scour the inside of the stummel with the same mild detergent and tube brushes. This was the culmination of a lot of hard work in getting the pipe clean.
I used all nine micromesh pads (1,500 through 12,000 grit) to sand the outside of the stummel and finish it off. This sanding minimizes flaws in the briar and provides a beautiful smoothness to the wood. I rubbed some LBE Before & After Restoration Balm into the briar and let it sit for 30 minutes or so. The balm moisturizes the wood and gives a beautiful depth to the briar. I then buffed the stummel with a microfibre cloth.
For the final step, I took the pipe to my bench polisher and carefully buffed it – first with a blue diamond compound, then with some carnauba wax. This procedure makes the pipe look its best – the stummel sings and the stem glows.
All done! This BBB Ultonia 611 looks fantastic again and I am delighted with the results. I’m sure the gentleman in Indiana will be too. The approximate dimensions of the pipe are as follows: length 5⅔ in. (144 mm); height 1¾ in. (44 mm); bowl diameter 1¼ in. (33 mm); chamber diameter ¾ in. (19 mm). The weight of the pipe is ⅞ oz. (25 g). I hope you enjoyed reading the story of this pipe’s restoration as much as I enjoyed restoring it. If you are interested in more of my work, please follow me here on Steve’s website or send me an email at kenneth@knightsofthepipe.com. Thank you very much for reading and, as always, I welcome and encourage your comments.
Welcome to another instalment of my Pipe Incident Reports. The idea, in general, is to provide a brief write-up – focusing on a particular pipe-restoration-related issue – rather than an entire restoration story. Today’s story is on the resolution of a very specific pipe repair – a substantial radiating crack in an acrylic stem. I hope this blog post will be useful for those undertaking a similar repair.
A gentleman contacted me about repairing the stem on a Dr Grabow Collector 2003 that he acquired. The damage was serious and required some significant work – but that’s what I’m here for! Let’s take a look. The photos below show how the pipe presented to me. The central component – connecting the stummel to the stem – was a brass band with an aluminum (or other metal) tube. The odd thing about the first photo is that that is not how the pipe should be. The metal section was stuck into the stummel and separated from the stem. That is the exact opposite of what should be. After some work, I managed to extricate the metal piece. The different metal components are affixed to each other permanently.
A quick look shows the problem: a radiating crack at the end of the stem. Wow – what a crack! Obviously, this needs to be repaired. We also need to reconnect the metal component to the stem. Finally, we need to ensure that the spade logo of Dr Grabow is not damaged or obscured by my repair.
Before anything else, it is imperative that I ensure that the cracks do not continue to creep after I repair them. To that end, I took a micro-drill bit, inserted it in my rotary tool, and very carefully drilled a hole right through the wall of the stem. That hole will stop the crack from progressing. As you can see, the drill bit is incredibly thin and quite prone to snapping if great care is not taken. There is a crack that also radiated to the spade logo, but I did not drill there for fear of damaging that logo.
I used isopropyl alcohol on a few cotton rounds and wiped down the stem. I then disinfected the inside of the stem with both pipe cleaners and cotton swabs dipped in lemon-infused 99% isopropyl alcohol. I scrubbed thoroughly to make sure the interior was very clean – and I did the same to the metal components. Aside from cleanliness, this procedure also ensures a good bond between adhesive and components.
Repair time. I first used some black cyanoacrylate impregnated with carbon and rubber to reconnect the brass band etc. with the end of the acrylic stem. I also took care to ensure that the orientation of the band and stem were matching. Once that had cured, I applied the same adhesive to the crack itself. Using a very fine dental tool, I made sure that the cyanoacrylate penetrated the crack without dripping into the interior of the stem. While I was in the neighbourhood, I also set about fixing the tooth marks near the bit. This was done by similarly filling those divots with black cyanoacrylate adhesive and letting it cure.
At this point, I took some clear hockey tape and carefully, precisely masked the brass band and spade logo with it, as protection. Then, with my set of needle files, I reduced the bulk of the cyanoacrylate repairs. I removed the excess adhesive as near to the surface as possible, without cutting into the acrylic. Following that, I used my micromesh sanding pads to sand out flaws, even out the acrylic, and provide gentle polishing of the finished surface. I also applied pipe-stem oil while using the last five micromesh pads. There was a wonderful, deep black shine to the stem when I was done.
I am very pleased with how the repair turned out and I am sure that there are many years of smoking pleasure to be had from this pipe in the future. I should emphasize that the line you see to the right of the spade logo is not a scratch, but merely a reflection in the photo.
Thanks so much for joining me on this interesting repair. I hope you enjoyed reading this instalment of my Pipe Incident Reports – I look forward to writing more. If you are interested in my work, please follow me here on Steve’s website or email me directly at kenneth@knightsofthepipe.com. Thank you very much for reading and, as always, I welcome and encourage your comments.
Sometimes a pipe says, ‘Take me home’. Well, that’s what this GBD Original 9134 medium billiard said to me. This model displays GBD’s usual understated elegance and features a beveled rim, tight grain, and a black vulcanite taper stem – a classic look. I found this pipe in a bag of pipe junk. Real clunkers. I’m not going to name names, but you can imagine some of them. What on earth was this pipe doing along with the dross? I only have finished photos of this pipe for you because I lost all of the photos of the restoration of this pipe – but it was a bog-standard restoration anyway. The ‘Original’ line is not one that is seen too frequently. It is really handsome and it will join my own collection.
First, a quick look at the markings. On the left side of the shank, we see GBD (in an oval) [over] Original. On the right side of the shank, we see London England [over] 9134. It also has the inset brass logo on the stem. All this confirms that it’s an older (id est, pre-merger) pipe, but I wouldn’t want to hazard much of a guess on its age. Perhaps 1960s or 70s? If you know, please let me know.
This GBD Original 9134 medium billiard is a beauty and I have decided to add it to my collection. It was a pleasure to work on. The approximate dimensions of the pipe are as follows: length 5¾ in. (146 mm); height 1⅞ in. (46 mm); bowl diameter 1⅓ in. (34 mm); chamber diameter ¾ in. (19 mm). The weight of the pipe is 1 oz. (30 g). If you are interested in more of my work, please follow me here on Steve’s website or send me an email at kenneth@knightsofthepipe.com. Thank you very much for reading and, as always, I welcome and encourage your comments.
What a pipe this is! The shape is amazing. This is a French Jeantet Fait Main 4 Bent Dublin. It has a wonderfully wide bowl, with a lovely diamond-shank vulcanite stem. There is almost a freehand calabash feel to the pipe shape – not quite, but almost. I freely admit that the extra-thick walls on this pipe really captured my attention. They are so, so nice. There is also some tremendous bird’s-eye grain on the bowl. It’s a great hunk of briar and should be a great smoker. This one will clean up beautifully.
The markings are clear and obvious on this beauty. On the left side of the shank, it says Jeantet [over] Fait Main. The words Fait Main mean handmade in French. On the right side of the shank is the shape number 4, and to the left of that (at a right angle) are the words Made in France. On the stem, the Jeantet logo (simply the letter J) is found inside of a metal octagon.
Let’s talk about the venerable French pipe company of Jeantet. There is a good write-up at Pipedia. I have reproduced it here below:
The firm of the Jeantet family in Saint-Claude is first mentioned as early as 1775. By 1807 the Jeantets operated a turnery producing in particular wooden shanks for porcelain pipes and wild cherry wood pipes. The firm was named Jeantet-David in 1816, and in 1837 the enterprise was transformed into a corporation as collective name for numerous workshops scattered all over the city.
The manufacturing of briar pipes and began in 1858. 51 persons were employed by 1890. Desirous to concentrate the workers at a single site, the corporation began to construct a factory edifying integrated buildings about 1891 at Rue de Bonneville 12 – 14. This took several years. In 1898 Maurice Jeantet restructured the business. He is also presumed to enlarge Jeantet factory purchasing a workshop adjoining southerly. It belonged to the family Genoud, who were specialized in rough shaping of stummels and polishing finished pipes. (In these times it was a most common procedure to carry goods from here to there and back again often for certain steps of the production executed by dependant family based subcontractors. Manpower was cheap.)
Jeantet was transformed to a corporation with limited liability in 1938. By that time a branch workshop was operated in Montréal-la-Cluse (Ain), where mainly the less expensive pipes were finished. 107 employees – 26 of them working from their homes – were counted in Saint-Claude in 1948 and 18 in the Ain facility.
The Saint-Claude factory was considerably modernized by ca. 1950 installing (e.g.) freight elevators. In 1952 the southern workshop was elevated. 80 workers were employed in 1958. The factory covered an area of 2831 m²; 1447 m² of the surface were buildings.
The climax of the pipe production was reached around 1969, when thirty to thirty-five thousand dozens of pipes were made by 72 workers (1969). But then the production continuously dwindled to only six or seven thousand dozens in 1987 and only 22 workers were still there. Even though, around 1979 a very modern steam powered facility for drying the briar had been installed in the factory’s roofed yard.
Yves Grenard, formerly Jeantet’s chief designer and a great cousin of Pierre Comoy, had taken over the management of Chapuis-Comoy in 1971. Now, to preserve the brand, the Jeantet family went into negotiations with him, and resulting from that Jeantet was merged in the Cuty Fort Group (est. 1987 and headed by Chacom) in 1988 along with the pipe brands of John Lacroix and Emile Vuillard. Chacom closed the Jeantet plant, and the City of Saint-Claude purchased it in 1989. After alternative plans failed, the buildings were devoted to wrecking. The southerly workshop was wrecked before 1992.
Today Jeantet pipes were produced as a sub-brand by Chapuis-Comoy who’s mainstay is Chacom of course.
Here is an image of the factory in the 1920s:
Over at Pipephil, they add the following information:
The company joined the Cuty-Fort Entreprises group (Chacom, Ropp, Vuillard, Jean Lacroix…) in 1992. In 2010 it droped out and the brand isn’t part of the group any more. The label is owned by the Jeantet family (Dominique Jeantet) again. The pipe production is discontinued. Dominique Jeantet retired in 2000.
On to the pipe itself. I am pleased to report that this pipe was seldom smoked, so it remains in very good condition. The stem doesn’t have any tooth marks, but has plenty of oxidation from just sitting around. The bowl is also very nice. Very little cake and the stunning rim is free of lava or damage.
I used isopropyl alcohol on a few cotton rounds and wiped down the stem to provide an initial cleaning before moving on to the next steps. The primary cleaning came next. I disinfected the inside of the stem with both pipe cleaners and cotton swabs dipped in lemon-infused 99% isopropyl alcohol. I scrubbed thoroughly to make sure the interior was very clean.
The goal of the next step is the removal (or minimization) of oxidation. Going to my sink, I used cream cleanser, cotton rounds, and a toothbrush, and scoured the stem to remove as much surface oxidation as possible. As the photos show, the result was a hideous, ochre-coloured mess – but better off the stem than on it.
Once the stem was reasonably clean, I soaked it overnight in some Briarville Stem Oxidation Remover. This solution works to draw oxidation in the stem to the surface of the vulcanite. This is a major aid and an important step in ensuring a clean stem. The following day, I drew out the stem from its bath and scrubbed the lingering fluid with a toothbrush.
The penultimate step for the stem is sanding. First, with my set of needle files, I reduced the bulk of the cyanoacrylate repairs. I removed the excess adhesive as near to the surface as possible, without cutting into the vulcanite. Following that, I used all nine of the micromesh sanding pads (1,500 through 12,000 grit) to sand out flaws, even out the vulcanite, and provide gentle polishing of the finished surface. I also applied pipe-stem oil while using the last five micromesh pads. There was a wonderful, deep black shine to the stem when I was done.
As the stem was (nearly) complete, I moved on to the stummel. The first step was to ream out the bowl – that is to say, remove all the cake inside the bowl. This accomplished a couple of things. First (and most obviously), it cleaned the bowl and provided a refurbished chamber for future smoking. Second, when the old cake was removed, I could inspect the interior walls of the bowl and determine if there was damage or not. I used a reamer and a piece of sandpaper taped to a wooden dowel. Collectively, these ensured that all the debris was removed – there wasn’t much, as you can see.
Similar to the stem, I then cleaned the stummel with both pipe cleaners and cotton swabs dipped in lemon-infused 99% isopropyl alcohol. Didn’t take much.
I then decided to ‘de-ghost’ the pipe – that is to say, exorcize the remaining filth from the briar. I filled the bowl and the shank with cotton balls, then saturated them with 99% isopropyl alcohol. I let the stummel sit overnight. This caused the remaining oils, tars and smells to leach out into the cotton.
To tidy up the briar, I wiped down the outside, using a solution of a pH-neutral detergent and some distilled water, with cotton rounds. This did a good job of cleaning any latent dirt on the surface of the briar. The last step of the cleaning process was to scour the inside of the stummel with the same mild detergent and tube brushes.
I used all nine micromesh pads (1,500 through 12,000 grit) to sand the outside of the stummel and finish it off. This sanding minimizes flaws in the briar and provides a beautiful smoothness to the wood. I rubbed some LBE Before & After Restoration Balm into the briar and let it sit for 30 minutes or so. The balm moisturizes the wood and gives a beautiful depth to the briar. I then buffed the stummel with a microfibre cloth.
For the final step, I took the pipe to my bench polisher and carefully buffed it – first with a blue diamond compound, then with some carnauba wax. This procedure makes the pipe look its best – the stummel sings and the stem glows.
All done! This Jeantet Fait Main 4 Bent Dublin looks fantastic again and is ready to be enjoyed by its next owner. I am pleased to announce that this pipe is for sale! If you are interested in acquiring it for your collection, please have a look in the ‘French’ section of the store here on Steve’s website. You can also email me directly at kenneth@knightsofthepipe.com. The approximate dimensions of the pipe are as follows: length 5¾ in. (147 mm); height 2 in. (52 mm); bowl diameter 1⅞ in. (48 mm); chamber diameter ⅞ in. (21 mm). The weight of the pipe is 2¼ oz. (67 g). I hope you enjoyed reading the story of this pipe’s restoration as much as I enjoyed restoring it. If you are interested in more of my work, please follow me here on Steve’s website or send me an email. Thank you very much for reading and, as always, I welcome and encourage your comments.
The first time this pipe came into my possession, I said, ‘Wow’. The stunning grain, the inviting shape, and the amazing proportions drew my attention immediately. This is a lovely and large Danish-Style bent egg from the Canadian Paradis Brothers of Québec City. The hearty bowl has thick, solid walls. The shank extends beautifully to a vulcanite taper stem. The pipe is very attractive and I hope it will find a good home with one of you. As I’m sure you know, the French word paradis means ‘paradise’ or ‘heaven’. I trust that smoking it will be a heavenly experience for you.
The markings are typically strange from Paradis – strange, insofar as there is very little marked! On the left side of the shank, we see the word Paradis. The stem has a cursive P. And that is all – no shape number, no place of manufacture, nothing else.
I knew Paradis Pipes to be a Canadian pipe company, based in Québec City, but I went over to Pipedia and Pipephil to seek out more information. Sadly, the company doesn’t exist anymore. Here’s some of what I found (after correcting many spelling errors):
Paradis Pipes is the Canadian brand of the brothers Gilles and Fernand Paradis. In 1922 the Paradis family moved to the USA, when Lucien Paradis (1906-1979) was 16 years old. It was at this age that he started as an apprentice at his uncle’s pipe factory: Joseph B. Desjardins, maker of (JD) pipes, in Fall River, MA. Joseph Desjardins was issued two patents during this period, one for a new machine for making pipe stems and another for a new design of pipe reamer. The company employed 60 workers at one stage. In 1930, due to the Great Depressions, Lucien lost his job and returned to Quebec to work in the agricultural machine industry. In his spare time, be made pipes, selling them door to door. Three years later the rest of the family joined him, and Lucien founded a pipe factory with two of his brothers. The company eventually employed 18 workers and in the 1960s produced over 50,000 pipes a year, under brands like JBL, Dr. Thomas, Fernand Gignac, S.C. Pipes, New London Golfer, and Jo Thomassin. Paradis was founded in 1978, at the Salon of Quebec Artisans, and is available in tobacconists all over the country today. The brand produces 8,000 pipes a year (400 “handmade”), with Greek briar.
I’m pleased to say that the pipe is in very good condition. The stem is barely used. It has quite a bit of oxidation, but hardly any tooth chatter. The bowl has been seldom smoked. Very little cake, and no lava on the rim. There are a couple of small fills, but nothing serious.
I used isopropyl alcohol on a few cotton rounds and wiped down the stem to provide an initial cleaning of filth before moving on to the next steps. The primary cleaning came next. I disinfected the inside of the stem with both pipe cleaners and cotton swabs dipped in lemon-infused 99% isopropyl alcohol. I scrubbed thoroughly to make sure the interior was very clean. It wasn’t very dirty.
The goal of the next step is the removal (or minimization) of oxidation. Going to my sink, I used cream cleanser, cotton rounds, and a toothbrush, and scoured the stem to remove as much surface oxidation as possible. As the photos show, the result was a hideous, ochre-coloured mess – but better off the stem than on it.
Once the stem was reasonably clean, I soaked it overnight in some Briarville Stem Oxidation Remover. This solution works to draw oxidation in the stem to the surface of the vulcanite. This is a major aid and an important step in ensuring a clean stem. The following day, I drew out the stem from its bath and scrubbed the lingering fluid with a toothbrush.
After this, I painted the logo on the stem with some enamel nail polish. I restored the logo carefully and let it fully set before proceeding.
The penultimate step for the stem is sanding. First, with my set of needle files, I reduced the bulk of the cyanoacrylate repairs. I removed the excess adhesive as near to the surface as possible, without cutting into the vulcanite. Following that, I used all nine of the micromesh sanding pads (1,500 through 12,000 grit) to sand out flaws, even out the vulcanite, and provide gentle polishing of the finished surface. I also applied pipe-stem oil while using the last five micromesh pads. There was a wonderful, deep black shine to the stem when I was done.
As the stem was (nearly) complete, I moved on to the stummel. The first step was to ream out the bowl – that is to say, remove all the cake inside the bowl. This accomplished a couple of things. First (and most obviously), it cleaned the bowl and provided a refurbished chamber for future smoking. Second, when the old cake was removed, I could inspect the interior walls of the bowl and determine if there was damage or not. I used a reamer, a pipe knife, and a piece of sandpaper taped to a wooden dowel. Collectively, these ensured that all the debris was removed. There was actually very little cake in there.
Similar to the stem, I then cleaned the stummel with both pipe cleaners and cotton swabs dipped in lemon-infused 99% isopropyl alcohol. Once again, the insides were not very dirty.
I then decided to ‘de-ghost’ the pipe – that is to say, exorcize the remaining filth from the briar. I filled the bowl and the shank with cotton balls, then saturated them with 99% isopropyl alcohol. I let the stummel sit overnight. This caused the remaining oils, tars and smells to leach out into the cotton. This pipe probably didn’t need it, but it’s just what I do!
To tidy up the briar, I wiped down the outside, using a solution of a pH-neutral detergent and some distilled water, with cotton rounds. I also used a toothbrush in the crevices. This did a good job of cleaning any latent dirt on the surface of the briar. The last step of the cleaning process was to scour the inside of the stummel with the same mild detergent and tube brushes. This was the culmination of a lot of hard work in getting the pipe clean.
Having completed that, I was able to address the tiny nicks on the bowl. I dug out my iron and a damp cotton flannel cloth. By laying the cloth over the affected areas and applying the iron to it, the hot and moist steam can cause the wood to swell slightly and return to shape. There was some good improvement. Sorry – forgot to photograph this.
I used the last few micromesh pads to sand the outside of the stummel and finish it off. This sanding minimizes flaws in the briar and provides a beautiful smoothness to the wood. I rubbed some LBE Before & After Restoration Balm into the briar and let it sit for 30 minutes or so. The balm moisturizes the wood and gives a beautiful depth to the briar. I then buffed the stummel with a microfibre cloth.
For the final step, I took the pipe to my bench polisher and carefully buffed it – first with a blue diamond compound, then with some carnauba wax. This procedure makes the pipe look its best – the stummel sings and the stem glows.
All done! This Paradis Danish-style bent egg looks fantastic again and is ready to be enjoyed by its next owner. I am pleased to announce that this pipe is for sale! If you are interested in acquiring it for your collection, please have a look in the ‘Canadian’ section of the store here on Steve’s website. You can also email me directly at kenneth@knightsofthepipe.com. The approximate dimensions of the pipe are as follows: length 5½ in. (140 mm); height 2¼ in. (57 mm); bowl diameter 1¾ in. (45 mm); chamber diameter ⅞ in. (22 mm). The weight of the pipe is 2⅜ oz. (68 g). I hope you enjoyed reading the story of this pipe’s restoration as much as I enjoyed restoring it. If you are interested in more of my work, please follow me here on Steve’s website or send me an email. Thank you very much for reading and, as always, I welcome and encourage your comments.
Next up on my restoration adventures is this Savinelli Punto Oro Mister G 602 bent billiard. In my opinion, the 602 is one of Savinelli’s most attractive shapes. It’s a classic: beautiful and understated. I acquired this pipe in a local auction and I was charmed right away. The stummel has a gorgeous sandblast, with a smooth rim. The tapered, vulcanite stem is a perfect complement, with a brass and briar band at the end. This is also a 6mm filter pipe (though they smoke very well without) and the tenon is made of acrylic. It’s a wonderful pipe and it deserves to be part of someone’s collection again.
This pipe promises to be a great smoker. Let’s look at the markings. The underside of the shank reads Savinelli [over] Punto Oro [over] Mister G. Savinelli, of course, is an Italian company, and the words Punto Oro mean literally, ‘gold point’. Next to that is the lovely Savinelli crown; and next to that are the marks 602 [over] Italy. Naturally, the number refers to the shape and Italy is the country of manufacture. Finally, there is a gold-coloured dot on the stem (made of brass) – a very nice touch.
Savinelli is one of the most recognized names in pipe smoking and they have a long and storied history. You can read about them from their own website or from Pipedia’s article about them. However, I was particularly interested in learning more about the Punto Oro line. Sadly, Pipedia had nothing on this subject. I checked with Pipephil and they did have a bit of information, which I display below.
I also found a bit of information on the Punto Oro line from Savinelli’s own website. They write:
PUNTO ORO pipe was the first pipe created by Achille Savinelli after the opening of the factory in 1958; a pipe that has always distinguished the Savinelli brand, its elegance, reliability and tradition. It is a top quality pipe with a wonderful grain. It is important to know it is very difficult to find a briar piece suitable to become a PUNTO ORO: just 1,2% of the whole choice is selected for this series, therefore not all our shapes are always available for these pipes.
What about Mister G? This is quite interesting. A comment on the PipesMagazine forums mentioned that the Mister G line was developed in the 1980s by Giancarlo Savinelli (grandson of the founder). According to the comment, he added a ring to the pipe as a design element for this line. This would seem to be corroborated by an entry on MBSD Pipes, which reads:
The Mister G was a subset of Punto Oro pipes that debuted toward the end of the 20th century, and which was a little flashier than even a typical Punto Oro. In addition to their superior briar and finishing, Mister G pipes—named for Giancarlo Savinelli, a connoisseur for the finer things in life—included extra, decorative accents, lending a little more flair to the overall design. It’s been years since I saw a new one, however, which leads me to believe that it is no longer in production. Either that, or they only leave the Savinelli factory once in a blue moon.
Let’s take a closer look at the condition of this beauty. On the whole, it is very good – more drab than damaged. The stem has some oxidation (not much) and has a few small tooth marks. No big deal. It’s dirty, but easily cleaned. The stummel has some cake in the bowl, lava on the rim, and a bit of dirt in the blast. Again, no big deal.
I used isopropyl alcohol on a few cotton rounds and wiped down the stem to provide an initial cleaning of filth before moving on to the next steps. The primary cleaning came next. I disinfected the inside of the stem with both pipe cleaners and cotton swabs dipped in lemon-infused 99% isopropyl alcohol. I scrubbed thoroughly to make sure the interior was very clean.
The goal of the next step is the removal (or minimization) of oxidation. Going to my sink, I used cream cleanser, cotton rounds, and a toothbrush, and scoured the stem to remove as much surface oxidation as possible. As the photos show, the result was a hideous, ochre-coloured mess – but better off the stem than on it.
Once the stem was reasonably clean, I soaked it overnight in some Briarville Stem Oxidation Remover. This solution works to draw oxidation in the stem to the surface of the vulcanite. This is a major aid and an important step in ensuring a clean stem. The following day, I drew out the stem from its bath and scrubbed the lingering fluid with a toothbrush.
As the stem was now clean and dry, I set about fixing the marks and dents in the vulcanite. This was done by filling those divots with black cyanoacrylate adhesive, impregnated with carbon and rubber. I left this to cure and moved on.
The penultimate step for the stem is sanding. First, with my set of needle files, I reduced the bulk of the cyanoacrylate repairs. I removed the excess adhesive as near to the surface as possible, without cutting into the vulcanite. Following that, I used all nine of the micromesh sanding pads (1,500 through 12,000 grit) to sand out flaws, even out the vulcanite, and provide gentle polishing of the finished surface. I also applied pipe-stem oil while using the last five micromesh pads. There was a wonderful, deep black shine to the stem when I was done.
As the stem was (nearly) complete, I moved on to the stummel. The first step was to ream out the bowl – that is to say, remove all the cake inside the bowl. This accomplished a couple of things. First (and most obviously), it cleaned the bowl and provided a refurbished chamber for future smoking. Second, when the old cake was removed, I could inspect the interior walls of the bowl and determine if there was damage or not. I used a reamer, a pipe knife, and a piece of sandpaper taped to a wooden dowel. Collectively, these ensured that all the debris was removed.
Similar to the stem, I then cleaned the stummel with both pipe cleaners and cotton swabs dipped in lemon-infused 99% isopropyl alcohol. With a pipe this dirty, it took quite a while and much cotton to clean.
I then decided to ‘de-ghost’ the pipe – that is to say, exorcize the remaining filth from the briar. I filled the bowl and the shank with cotton balls, then saturated them with 99% isopropyl alcohol. I let the stummel sit overnight. This caused the remaining oils, tars and smells to leach out into the cotton.
My next step was to remove the lava on the rim. For this, I took a piece of machine steel and gently scraped the lava away. The metal’s edge is sharp enough to remove what I need, but not so sharp that it damages the rim. This worked perfectly!
To tidy up the briar, I wiped down the outside, using a solution of a pH-neutral detergent and some distilled water, with cotton rounds. I also used a toothbrush in the crevices of the sandblast. This did a good job of cleaning any latent dirt on the surface of the briar. The last step of the cleaning process was to scour the inside of the stummel with the same mild detergent and tube brushes. This was the culmination of a lot of hard work in getting the pipe clean.
I used some micromesh pads to sand only the smooth rim and patch on the underside. This sanding minimizes flaws in the briar and provides a beautiful smoothness to the wood. I rubbed some LBE Before & After Restoration Balm into the briar and let it sit for 30 minutes or so. The balm moisturizes the wood and gives a beautiful depth to the briar. I then buffed the stummel with a microfibre cloth.
For the final step, I took the pipe to my bench polisher and carefully buffed it – first with a blue diamond compound, then with three coats of conservator’s wax. This procedure makes the pipe look its best – the stummel sings and the stem glows.
All done! This Savinelli Punto Oro Mister G 602 bent billiard looks fantastic again and is ready to be enjoyed by its next owner. I am pleased to announce that this pipe is for sale! If you are interested in acquiring it for your collection, please have a look in the ‘Italian’ section of the store here on Steve’s website. You can also email me directly at kenneth@knightsofthepipe.com. The approximate dimensions of the pipe are as follows: length 5⅞ in. (149 mm); height 1⅞ in. (48 mm); bowl diameter 1½ in. (37 mm); chamber diameter ¾ in. (19 mm). The weight of the pipe is 1⅜ oz. (42 g). I hope you enjoyed reading the story of this pipe’s restoration as much as I enjoyed restoring it. If you are interested in more of my work, please follow me here on Steve’s website or send me an email. Thank you very much for reading and, as always, I welcome and encourage your comments.
It has been several months since I’ve had a pipe on the workbench. Its been too hot down here in Southern Louisiana, despite two fans in my garage/workshop. We had a few degree reprieve in the past few days with humidity almost bearable. So, I tackled this GBD 269 bulldog that I found on Ebay.
This is only the second Prestige finish GBD that I have worked on. My GBD literature describes the finish as having a natural matte finish with a Perspex mouthpiece. The finish is not shown in my 1969 price list and I can’t find any catalog examples. My other Prestige model had a vulcanite mouthpipes as does this pipe (which is my preference). The 269 shape is shown in a 1969 catalog as an Oversize Bulldog with flat saddle mouthpiece. This one weighs 54 grams, which is consistent for the shape.
The pipe was in excellent condition. It has some mild build-up on the beveled bowl top, a very slight cake and a lightly oxidized stem with very little chatter and an excellent button. The stem edges were very crisp with perfect bead lines. Below is the pipe as it was received.
I used a piece of worn scotch-brite pad to remove the build-up on the bowl top. I finished the bowl top with a wet piece of 2000 sandpaper. The bowl was reamed and soaked in sea salt and alcohol Following the soak, the bow shank/draft hole was scrubbed with a bristle brush dipped in alcohol until the brush wiped clean.
The stem was mounted and polished with 800, 1,500 and 2,000 grade wet paper. It was then buffed with White Diamond rouge and Meguiars Plastic Polish. The bowl was lightly buffed with White Diamond and several coats of carnuba wax. Below is the finished pipe. Other than a few handling marks, it is nearly new and will join the other shape 269 in my GBD collection.
The sandblast on this pipe really captured my imagination. I recently acquired a collection from a gentleman, now deceased, who clearly loved his pipes. They were all well used and, according to his family, he had a pipe hanging out of his mouth at all times. I’ve restored a few of them already and this is another beauty. It’s a Søren Hand-Carved Freehand Egg, with some stunning grain and some stunning sandblast, by master carver, Søren Refbjerg Rasmussen. It also has an attractive plateau on the rim and the end of the shank. This one is really worth restoring. It’s a remarkable pipe and deserves to be back in someone’s collection. It promises to be a great smoker.
On the underside of the shank, we read Søren [over] Hand-Carved [over] Made in Denmark. Those are all the markings we can see.
Pipedia has an article on Mr Rasmussen and I quote a part of it here:
Søren Refbjerg Rasmussen founded a company in 1969, which employed an average of 8 – 12 craftsmen in the 1970’s. The semi-freehands they produced were traded under his prename Søren. Rasmussen himself finished only the very best pipes. So his way of pipemaking closely resembled the ways of Preben Holm, Karl Erik Ottendahl or Erik Nørding. Altogether more than 1,000,000 pipes were sold. Today he works alone as Refbjerg and manufactures only a small number of pipes in his workshop in DK-2860 Søborg, which are considered to be tremendously precisely executed. The dimensions mostly range from small to medium sized, corresponding to his personal preferences. The shapes adhere to the classical models, but often he gives them a touch of Danish flair. Refbjerg accepts minor faults but never uses any fillings. “Straight Grain” is the only grading, used for his very best pieces. He likes stem decorations made of exotic woods or metal rings.
Meanwhile, over at Pipephil, there is the following entry:
And, finally, scandinavianpipes.com includes these details about him:
Søren Refbjerg was born 1943 in the city of Søborg where he still lives and has been a full time pipe-maker since 1969. In the 70´s Søren had his own small factory with 10 employees producing a huge number of pipes mainly for the US market. Søren has indeed been one of the most productive Danish pipe-makers and for many years he also produced pipes for W.Ø. Larsen For the last decades Søren has been making pipes by himself, always using briar from Corsica. Søren derive much relaxation from being on the coast while angling for Sea Trout with his own hand-tied flies and find this environment to be a great inspiration for making pipes. Many times Søren say to himself: “Inspired by nature, made by me”.
He died in 2021. Let’s take a closer look at the pipe. It is in very nice shape. The stem is in surprisingly good condition. Hardly any oxidation and barely any wear. The stummel is also lovely. Wonderful condition – there’s some cake in the bowl, but nothing cataclysmic. It doesn’t look like it was smoked much.
I used isopropyl alcohol on a few cotton rounds and wiped down the stem to provide an initial cleaning of filth before moving on to the next steps. The primary cleaning came next. I disinfected the inside of the stem with both pipe cleaners and cotton swabs dipped in lemon-infused 99% isopropyl alcohol. I scrubbed thoroughly to make sure the interior was very clean. Fortunately, it wasn’t too dirty.
The goal of the next step is the removal (or minimization) of oxidation. Going to my sink, I used cream cleanser, cotton rounds, and a toothbrush, and scoured the stem to remove as much surface oxidation as possible. As the photos show, the result was a hideous, ochre-coloured mess – but not too much of it. Thankfully.
The penultimate step for the stem is sanding. I used all nine of the micromesh sanding pads (1,500 through 12,000 grit) to sand out flaws, even out the vulcanite, and provide gentle polishing of the finished surface. I also applied pipe-stem oil while using the last five micromesh pads. There was a wonderful, deep black shine to the stem when I was done.
As the stem was (nearly) complete, I moved on to the stummel. The first step was to ream out the bowl – that is to say, remove all the cake inside the bowl. This accomplished a couple of things. First (and most obviously), it cleaned the bowl and provided a refurbished chamber for future smoking. Second, when the old cake was removed, I could inspect the interior walls of the bowl and determine if there was damage or not. I used a pipe knife and a piece of sandpaper taped to a wooden dowel. Collectively, these ensured that all the debris was removed.
Similar to the stem, I then cleaned the stummel with both pipe cleaners and cotton swabs dipped in lemon-infused 99% isopropyl alcohol. It was pretty darn dirty.
I then decided to ‘de-ghost’ the pipe – that is to say, exorcize the remaining filth from the briar. I filled the bowl and the shank with cotton balls, then saturated them with 99% isopropyl alcohol. I let the stummel sit overnight. This caused the remaining oils, tars and smells to leach out into the cotton.
To tidy up the briar, I wiped down the outside, using a solution of a pH-neutral detergent and some distilled water, with cotton rounds. I also used a brush in the blast and the grooves of the plateau. This did a good job of cleaning any latent dirt on the surface of the briar. The last step of the cleaning process was to scour the inside of the stummel with the same mild detergent and tube brushes. This was the culmination of a lot of hard work in getting the pipe clean.
I used all nine micromesh pads (1,500 through 12,000 grit) to sand the smooth areas of the stummel and finish it off. This sanding minimizes flaws in the briar and provides a beautiful smoothness to the wood. I rubbed some LBE Before & After Restoration Balm into the briar and let it sit for 30 minutes or so. The balm moisturizes the wood and gives a beautiful depth to the briar. I then buffed the stummel with a microfibre cloth.
For the final step, I took the pipe to my bench polisher and carefully buffed it – first with a blue diamond compound, then with three coats of conservator’s wax. This procedure makes the pipe look its best – the stummel sings and the stem glows.
This Søren Hand-Carved Sandblast Freehand Egg looks fantastic again and is ready to be enjoyed by its next owner. I am pleased to announce that this pipe is for sale! If you are interested in acquiring it for your collection, please have a look in the ‘Danish’ section of the store here on Steve’s website. You can also email me directly at kenneth@knightsofthepipe.com. The approximate dimensions of the pipe are as follows: length 6 in. (154 mm); height 2 in. (52 mm); bowl diameter 1⅞ in. (49 mm); chamber diameter 1 in. (25 mm). The weight of the pipe is 2⅜ oz. (70 g). I hope you enjoyed reading the story of this pipe’s restoration as much as I enjoyed restoring it. If you are interested in more of my work, please follow me here on Steve’s website or send me an email. Thank you very much for reading and, as always, I welcome and encourage your comments.
rebornpipes 