Monthly Archives: April 2014

Getting back in the saddle – AJ Verstraten

It is a pleasure to post another article by AJ Verstraten aka Bananabox-Ninja. It has been a while since he has been able to do any refurbs do to some health issues he had to deal with. It is great to know he is back and feeling much better. Glad to hear from you AJ and glad to hear you are healing. Thank you for taking the time to record your work for us to read and enjoy.

Greetings, it’s been a while since I was able to get behind my workstation and get some work done on the huge lot of pipes that are patiently waiting for a fix.
Some of you might remember my earlier piece in which I explained that I was home bound due to a motorcycle accident. Turns out I needed an operation to fix my cruciate ligament in my knee, this left me with a long recovery time but last week I was able to sit down and do four pipes that only needed some minor work to ‘flex my muscles’ so to speak.

A note about the pictures, as I did it outside in the nice spring weather there were still a lot of clouds and this makes some of the pictures quite dark.

These are the pipes I chose for cleaning:

Winsløw Grade E bought on ‘Marktplaats’ the Dutch version of Ebay

Chacom Silhouette a gift from a family friend who quit smoking years ago.

Vibro Woodart acquired from a fellow forum-goer at the PRF.

Georg Jensen straight grain from the same friend as the Chacom.

The procedure for all was the same.
Firstly I used hard bristled pipe cleaners dipped in 96%-proof alcohol. Afterwards the kettle would be inspected and cleared if necessary. After this I would set them aside and buff them one after the other.

The Winsløw is remarkable as it has only one dot on its mouthpiece instead of the two, I reached out to the Winsløw company about this but they didn’t reply. The pipe rather dull to clean as it was very well kept. I only cleaned the inside with the alcohol and that was it, the rest was nice and clean so I set it aside.

The Chacom Silhouette was heavily used as was evident from the mouthpiece. It is made from swirling acrylic and you can see through it as they used clear acrylic in it. The black tar buildup took a lot of cleaners and the use of a new tool I acquired at a flea market.

The brown of the tar build up sits in the small cracks on the inside of the acrylic. These were formed by the precious owner who bit rather hard on his mouthpieces. I tried the ultrasonic cleaner but it wouldn’t budge. So I decided to keep it as is. (If anyone has a tip for me on that one I would be much obliged.)

Then it was time for the bowl, it had seen better days but there was no damage on the wood itself. So with the help of spit, a sock and the tool as shown earlier the coal layer was removed and the bowl was reamed with the reamer tool.

The Vibro Woodart pipe was the first one with an ebonite mouthpiece, so I set up the motor and abrasive wheel and let loose. It came out nice and black in the end.

I noticed the mark in the mouthpiece was still visible so I used a correction fluid pen to fill it up and used the abrasive pads (8000 grit) to remove it gently.

(The end result will follow)

I don’t have any pictures of the Jensen pipe as the pictures were all too dark. But I did the same as the Vibro pipe. Using the abrasive wheel and the correction fluid pen to get the logo back out again.

Then it was time for the buffing. Buffing with brown (1), white (2) and then with carnauba wax (3).

Here are the final results, you can see the W on the Vibro pipe quite clearly and on the group shot the result on the Jensen.

In the end it was good to sit in the sun and once again get my hands into cleaning a nice pipe.
I always feel quite happy when a dull pipe with a heavily caked bowl turns into a nice shiny one that can be once again hopefully be used for many years to come.

A Pair of Barling Canadians – The Trust Continues

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Quite a few years ago I received a pair of Barlings Canadian bowls from the late Mike Leverette. We had exchanged quite a few pipes and tobaccos over the years and one day I received an email from him saying that he had sent me a pair of Canadians that needed stems but were otherwise in great shape. They were clean and ready except for a lack of stems. When they arrived they were beautiful the top on had a stunning sandblast – deep and rugged. The other had a good sandblast but not nearly as rugged. The two were oval shank pipes but one was slightly smaller and shorter than the other. The stamping on them was also different. The top pipe (below) is stamped in a line across the underside of the shank, Barling in script over London England, EXEL 5574 T.V.F. The bottom pipe is stamped slightly different. It begins with Barling in script over London England. That is followed by EXEL over 5579 and then it is followed by T.V.F.

I cleaned them and gave them a polish and sent them to Dave Wolf at Walker Briar Works for restemming. I wanted replacement stems that had the Barling cross stamp on them and new that Dave had the stamps to do that. Once I sent them to him the wait was not very long and they came back polished and stemmed. The photo below shows the pipes as they looked when they arrived and I took them out of the package.

I took them out of the pipe cupboard the other evening to polish them and remind myself of the story behind them. For me, part of the joy of being a pipe man is to remember/know the stories attached to my pipes. Some of them the stories begin with me as I can find no information on them. Others come to me with a long history that makes them very interesting. This pair comes with that history. Mike bought them in a lot on EBay and figured I would enjoy them. He took the time to ream and clean them before he sent them my way. My story with the pipes is at least 12 years old if not more. Add to that Mike’s history with them and I can trace their story back 15 or more years. I enjoy that kind of thing. The only thing that would make it even better is to be able to know a bit more of the back story. Ah well, as I smoke them I raise a bowl in memory of Mike. I took the next three photos this evening to show the pair as they look now. Both have a few more years and smokes on them but they remain in great shape and have many more years left in them.

I also decided to take a few pictures of each of the pipes separately to give you a better picture of their individual characteristics. The next series of four photos show the 5579, the bottom pipe in the photos above. It has a lighter blast and the stain took to the briar in a different way than it did on the deeper blasted 5574. Interestingly it is the same colour stain on both pipes – the variation is caused by the briar.

There is gracefulness to this Canadian shape. Barling makes the shape like no one else does and I think it epitomizes the English version of the shape. The blast is well done showing both the ring grain and the vertical lines on both the shank and the bowl. The taper from bowl to button on the stems is very graceful as well. Dave was able to capture the look of the original stem very well.

The blast carries on to the rim as well and ends as the inner edge of the rim bevels inward toward the bowl. The bevel is smooth as is the strip on the bottom of the shank where the stamping is located. There is also a smooth band at the stem shank union.

The stamping is clear but faint on the Barling portion. The T.V.F. stamp is tight against the end of the shank.

The second pipe, the 5574 is a different pipe. The look of the shape is not nearly as refined as the first pipe. The craggy blast and the shape of the bowl make the look more rugged and not nearly as elegant looking. The tactile nature of the blast though is amazing as bowl heats up during a smoke. The stain is also variegated on the pipe. It gives the pipe a mottled look that is even clearer in person. I like the look of the mottled appearance as combined with the texture it makes a very interesting pipe to look at and observe while I am smoking it. There are times when I am holding this pipe that I find myself drawn to just sit and examine it, turning it from side to side to look at the texture and finish.

The craggy texture of the blast is carried through on both sides of the bowl while the shank is much more reserved and smoother. I am not sure whether it came this way originally or is that way from wear. I tend to think it was originally not as blasted as the bowl as the stamping in quite sharp on the bottom of the shank. I have found that a blast does not take as well on hard portions of the briar.

The blast carries through to the top of the bowl and to the inner bevel on the rim. The bevel is smooth like the previous pipe as is the bottom of the shank and a small band at the stem shank union. I find that the taper on the shank to the stem is more dramatic than the previous pipe. If the blast was not unharmed I would attribute that to the restemming. It appears to have been like this when it left the Barling factory unless somewhere in its history it was previously restemmed and then repaired to look original.

The stamping on this is very sharp from mid shank back toward the stem. The Barling script and London England stamping is not as sharp, though still very readable.

I am pleased to have these two old pipes in my collection. Perhaps one of you who read this article can explain the difference in the shape numbers – 5574 and 5579 as I am unable to find any information online. It would be great to add that to the story. I will maintain the trust with them until the day comes that they pass into the hands of the next pipeman. They will then pass from my companioning to another’s and my story will be added to that of Mike’s. That is the thing I love about this hobby – the adding to the story of a pipe that occurs with each successive pipeman’s receipt of the trust. Until that day I will continue to fire them up and enjoy the great smoke that they deliver.

A Bouquet of Pipes

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On a trip to England for my 25th Wedding Anniversary almost 12 years ago now I picked up a snack at a local pub. It was a bread pudding in a pottery jar. I kept the jar all these years and I have used it as a vase for a bouquet of corn cobs. This bouquet is kept in my pipe cupboard most of the year but on warm Spring and Summer days I take it out to my table when I am set up on my front porch for an afternoon of pipe smoking and reading. I have learned over time that as soon as I settle into a book and a pipe company drops by and settles in with me. Typically there is not much talking beyond the initial greetings before they note the tobacco and pipes and ask if they can give a pipe a try.

This is where my bouquet comes into play. In the bunch pipes in the jar are some unsmoked and some well broken in cobs. All are cleaned and ready for smoking. All have the filters removed to make the smoking much less wet and the draught wide open. On the table next to the bouquet I keep several jars of the tobaccos that I am currently smoking. Usually these include a Virginia and an English blend. Once in a while I put out an aromatic blend. Next to the jars are a pouch or pipe cleaners, several pipe nails and a bic lighter. With little ado they load up a pipe and fire it up. Then we settle into the quiet of the moment and puff, the rhythm of the puffing provides a cadence only interrupted by the bees and butterflies flitting by or a hummingbird stopping for lunch. It is a great moment.

On a rare occasion one of the “flowers” go home with the pipe smoker but as often as not they want to leave them in the vase for the next time they visit the front porch. I keep them clean and ready. I also have a few MM hard maple pipes and some smaller briars in the vase as well for those who want to try those out. I have found that this keeps my own pipes out of the hands and mouths of those who want to try pipes. I know that may sound harsh but I like to keep my pipes undented by teeth and free of tooth chatter from the unwary new smoker who seems bent on chewing the stem. In fact if I notice them chewing on the stem then the pipe automatically goes home with them. The last thing I want is more pipes to refurbish. At least not cobs and inexpensive briars that I put in the vase.

The bouquet has served me well over the years. If you have friends and neighbours stopping by for a visit and wishing to try out a pipe the bouquet is a great way to facilitate them doing so at a low cost to you. Somehow I find that the cob delivers a great smoke for these new pipesters and at the same time provides for the seasoned pipe man who for some reason known only to them has forgotten to bring along a pipe to smoke.

Spring is in the air here in Vancouver so I cleaned up the pipes in the vase this morning. I am getting ready for some good days on the front porch once the weather warms a bit. I know that my visitors will come with the sun so I am ready for them. Here is a photo of what I look forward to. The furniture is out, the table ready and waiting for the bouquet and tobaccos to be brought out and even my dog Bailey is waiting for me. The book, the computer and a brew are ready for me when I settle down for a pipe and some reading. Why not come by for a visit.

A Review – A Benner Rusticated Oval Shank Pot

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Blog by Steve Laug

I was drawn to this little rusticated estate pot when I saw in on Keith/Exile’s estate pipe site, http://exilesplace.dk/. I had not heard of Benner before so it was not the name that drew me but rather the look of the pipe that called out to me. Keith sells Benner’s pipe new as well, but in looking at them I still wanted this one. I emailed Keith and soon the pipe was on its way to me from Denmark.

While I was waiting for it to arrive I did some research on who Benner was in terms of the realm of Danish pipe carvers. Keith had this information:

“His real name is Bent Nielsen but the world knows him as Benner. Benner has been making pipes for a long time. He once worked with the late and great Karl Erik Ottendahl and did some design work for Stanwell at one time. He has exported to the US, Germany and, lately, to Russia. These days Benner runs his workshop as the mood takes him and he says he is looking forward to retirement. If I know Benner, that retirement won’t be a permanent thing.” http://thepipesmoker.wordpress.com/2011/04/10/benner/

I found this picture of Benner on the web and also found information on Pipedia http://www.pipedia.org/wiki/Benner

“Considering his reputation among some connoisseurs Bent Nielsen, nicknamed Benner, didn’t leave too much usable traces. He is sometimes mentioned as a nephew of Viggo Nielsen, but in fact he’s no relative of Viggo’s clan.

Starting around 1970 he worked for Karl Erik some years and later for Stanwell, where he sketched a number of new models. Around the climax of enthusiasm for Danish freehands he started to release pipes under his own name. Not too many at all, which stuck more closely to classical models.
He later worked under the synonym Benner. His German distributor however advised him against using his nickname for sales in Germany, because Benner didn’t sound really Danish. Benner, as a Danish pipester recently told, “dared” to carve some more fancy styled pipes than Bent Nielsen did before and every now and then he made some pipes of olive wood, too.

Still he’s supposed to make a few pipes every once in a while selling them to a few local shops in Denmark and a limited number of enthusiasts all over the world.”

I don’t remember the exact date when I purchased my Benner pot from Keith but I have been a frequent visitor to his website and his blog for a long time now. I frequently scan through his listings to see if anything in particular catches my eye. The particular day I found the Benner listed I am not sure what captured me – the shape, the gentle taper of the sides of the oval shank, the rugged rustication, the walnut band. I am just not sure. I am typically not attracted to pot shaped pipes. I have a few in my collection but they are minimal and I am rarely drawn to them when I reach for a pipe. But I remember seeing this one and being captured by it. I left the site, went to work and later that evening I bought the pipe.

The pipe is small, almost a nosewarmer at 4 3/4 inches long and 1 ½ inches tall. The tobacco chamber is 1 1/8 inches deep and 3/4 inches in diameter. The band is smooth, naturally finished hardwood (walnut or oak?) and adds a contrast to the dark stained rustication. It is integrated into the stem. The stem is handmade from vulcanite and has a gentle taper.
When the pipe arrived it was far more impressive than Keith’s pictures had led me to expect. The workmanship of the pipe and colour and feel of it in my hand just captured me. I remember opening the package and sliding the pipe out of the sleeve and enjoying the look and feel of this pipe. It was and is beautiful. It had the faint aromas of the Virginias that its previous owner had smoked, yet it was clean and ready for me. The rustication is tactile yet is not sharp or jarring. It is a tight pattern that almost looks like it was sandblasted after rusticating. Examining it up close it is obvious that it is not blasted but that a master-hand rusticated it very well. The bowl is rusticated up and over the rim and ends at the inner rim edge. There is a smooth band of briar at the shank end that is narrow on the top and sides of the oval shank and slightly wider on the bottom of the shank to provide a spot for the stamping. The overall flow of the bowl and shank is brilliant and the colours are beautifully matched from rim to the end of the shank with a contrast of black stain and the underlying colour of the briar. Combined with the black of the vulcanite it gives the pipe a dressy look. The natural wood band that is part of the stem that not only separates the texture of the bowl and stem but gives focal point that draws the eye to take in the taper of the stem and the texture of the bowl.

The inner mechanics of the pipe are perfect. The drilling is perfectly executed from the shank and into the bowl – coming out exactly centre in the bottom of the bowl. The airway from the bowl into the mortise is centred. It is smooth in its entrance to the mortise and the mortise itself is also smooth with no rough spot left by drill bit. The bowl itself is U-shaped and smooth from sides to bottom. The air way enters the bowl and is smooth and clean. As the pipe was an estate when it came to me it was impossible to tell if it originally had a bowl coating but my guess would be that it would have been smoothly sanded briar.

The stem itself is hand cut out of a vulcanite. It is well tapered with good even angles top and bottom progressing from the shank to the button. The portion of the stem that is put in the mouth is thin and comfortable. Benner did a great job shaping the stem and capturing a shape that really works with this pipe. The hardwood band is integral to the stem and is seamless in its flow with the vulcanite. The tenon is Delrin that has been inserted into the vulcanite stem for durability and ease of use. The airway is funnelled slightly for a smooth transition from the mortise when it is in place. There is a very minimal gap between the end of the tenon and the base of the mortise. The transition where the Delrin meets the vulcanite of the stem is seamless. There is no lip or rough spot at that junction. The draught is unrestricted and open from the bowl to the tip of the stem. Draught is effortless. The fit of the stem to the tenon is very well done. The button is cut to my liking with a good sharp inner edge and tapered to the tip. The slot is opened and funneled to deliver a uniform airway from bowl to button.

The overall construction of this pipe is very well done. It is light in the hand and in the mouth. It is well balanced and has a great tactile feel when it is cool and as it warms up during the smoking of a bowl. I have smoked the pipe since I got it and enjoyed the fact that it was previously smoked and well broken in. The shape of the bowl has kept this a good Virginia smoking pipe in my rotation. It delivered a good smoke from the first smoke and continues to do so. It draws well; the lighting has never been a problem and continues to be an effortless smoke. Thanks Keith for introducing me to this maker and to Benner for delivering a well-made pipe that remains a very good smoking pipe to this day. If you can acquire a pipe made by Benner (they are hard to come by as he makes just a few) it will not disappoint you and soon become a favourite in your rack.

A Book Review – Tobacco, Pipes and the Pleasures of Pipe Smoking

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This beautifully illustrated little book was produced in Canada to be given as a gift to pipe smokers by the – Turmac Tabakmaatschappij Canada Ltd. In their introductory preface they declare their intent to give it as a gift to be enjoyed as much as they enjoyed collecting all the stories and anecdotes about pipes and pipe smoking. They end their paragraph with the words; “We hope that it will add new pleasure and meaning to your pipe smoking”.

On the inside fly page there are these words: “I keep a friend in my pocket… my pipe. When I sit out on the porch at the cottage and the evening is quiet, I like to take my friend out of my pocket, tamp in bright, golden shreds of tobacco, and light up.

Then, when the bowl glows red in the dusk, when the bit tastes warm, and fragrant wisps of smoke trail in the still air, peace comes to me and my friendly pipe.”

The book is a short 35 page overview of the field of pipes, tobaccos and pipe smoking itself. It is not divided into chapters but rather into sections. Virtually every page is filled with beautiful photos, engravings and pen drawings of pipe history. A wide variety of photos of pipes grace the pages – from ancient clay to modern clay, from briar to meerschaum.

The book begins with a brief history of tobacco and the art of smoking it. It development is traced across the continents on both sides of the Atlantic, or Pacific as the case may be! There is a quick walk through Columbus and the discovery of tobacco and its use among the indigenous population of the Americas. The name tobacco comes from what these people called their smoking tubes – Tobaga. It later morphed into our now well known term tobacco. The text quickly moves to Sir Walter Raleigh’s impact on the use of tobacco in the British Isles. The entire history is brief and well written. It moves through 8 pages and covers a broad scope of history in a way that is a pleasure to read – interspersed with quotations from early journals and drawings and photos from the time periods discussed.

From there the book turns to the history of the pipe itself. In a section entitled “From Coconut to Seafoam”, the authors give a brief introduction of the materials that have been used in making pipes. The section moves through the materials in quick order in a compact and entertainingly written piece. It begins with the coconut used in Nargilehs in the orient to clay, porcelain, iron, steel, bone, stone, silver, copper and bamboo and finally to the meerschaum and then the briar. The section then develops longer treatments on each of the major materials – clay, porcelain, meerschaum and finally briar.

I found it particularly interesting to read the well written discovery of the meerschaum pipe. A Budapest Shoemaker named Carl Kovac was the first man to carve a meer pipe. This section reads like a well written short story.

There is a short section on Pipe Smoking and Fine Art in which the writers quickly summarize the presence of the pipe in fine art. Again it is not the breadth that gives the subject its interest but the choice of what to cover. In a short paragraph the Dutch masters, Rembrandt and Honore Daumier are all mentioned.

The section on the pipe ends with a description of the briar pipe and its development from burl to pipe. In a succinct section the process of pipe making is delineated with enough information to be entertaining and informative.

From the discussion of the pipe the book turns to discussing what we smoke in our pipes. IN very short and descriptive sentences tobacco growth and processing is covered with a brief glimpse of Virginia, Burley and Oriental tobaccos and how they are processed to the leaf we smoke.
The next section is pictured below and is entitled “A Guide to Tobacco Blending”. The descriptions are well written and concise. I don’t think I have ever read this kind of compact and clear writing that is also entertaining and direct.

Once the details on various blends are explored the text turns to the art of choosing a tobacco. I had to laugh when I first opened the book and found the tobacco placard below inserted at this point in the story. It was almost like a bookmark and of course is one of the blends that gifter of the book manufactures.

The section on choosing a pipe was fascinating reading. Again in the style of English that is clear and pointed the authors give the major things to keep in mind when choosing a pipe of a particular shape and finish. They provided the following diagram as a part of the book that is helpful.

The last sections of the book can be summarized as tips for pipe smokers and includes all the information necessary to load and light a pipe as well as what is necessary to take care of it as you use it in the course of your life. There are tips on how to have and maintain a dry smoke, how to care for the cake in your pipe – proper reaming procedures etc are diagrammed to help the pipe smoker visualize how to keep their pipe functional and delivering the best possible smoke that it is able to deliver. It also includes a section on accessories that are necessary for having a great smoke. These include pipe cleaners, liquid pipe cleaner, humidors, tobacco pouches, ash trays, pipe tools, pipe racks and of course the pipe collection!

The closing paragraphs of the book bear quoting. They give both a great conclusion to the book and a clear picture of the writing style of the book. It is that which captured me the first time I read it and that which keeps me coming back. I quote:

“ A day can never be completely without brightness as long as there is a glowing pipe in hand, nor can a man be alone, for in a good pipe there is companionship, its warmth is like a glowing hearth where in there is deep understanding and peace.

You like the friendliness of a man with a pipe and what better compliment to a friendship than for a man to offer you some of his own special tobacco. Just this one simple act will tell you he is gracious, reliable, unselfish and, above all, considerate.

A good pipe and a good tobacco say good things of a man. And the good things that it does are many: it gives heart to the man at work, it accompanies his leisure hours and brightens his fireside at night.

His cares, his worries drift away in the air, weariness floats away and disappears, it brings hope for the days ahead and the contentment of well-being. It is a brightener of conversation, the maker of friendship.

In its aroma there is comradeship, and in the goodness of its taste there is unending pleasure.
Indeed a simple pleasure with deep satisfaction, and priced so that a man may enjoy the contentment of hours, if he has but two silver quarters.”

I think that well summarizes the beauty and pleasure of this small book. If you can find a copy you will not do wrong to buy it whatever the cost. It is a treat to read and has the ability to lift you from the mundane of your days. The following drawing in on the end piece of the book.

Crafting a Bamboo Shank Briar Mini Churchwarden

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Blog by Steve Laug

I had all the parts to do a bit of an experiment. I had a broken shank briar pipe, a long piece of black bamboo and an assortment of stems to choose from to see if I could connect all the pieces and make a workable smoking pipe. Putting together the pieces is reminds me of playing with my old Erector Set when I was a kid. The only limit to what can be put together is your imagination. The bowl came to me with two large gashes in the shank. They were both quite deep and both had been repaired by fills. There was a metal threaded mortise in the shank for a threaded tenon. While I was cleaning up the bowl the shank fell off in my hands. I put it in the cupboard as I expected I could scavenge some briar for repairing burn outs in the future. It sat there for more than a week before I began to wonder if I couldn’t do something with it. I went through my parts drawer and found the piece of black bamboo that had been sitting for quite a few years waiting for the right moment. I brought the bowl out and put the two pieces side by side and kind of liked what I saw. The end product would be a four knuckle bamboo mini Churchwarden pipe. It would be extremely lightweight and might actually end up looking quite nice. Now it was time to start working.

I drilled out the inside of the bamboo with an 11/64 inch drill bit. I then drilled out the end that would meet the bowl with a ¼ inch and then a 3/8 inch bit so that I could use a metal tenon I had saved from a previous pipe. Once the drilling was done the tenon fit the newly drilled bamboo mortise very well. I faced the end of the broken shank so that the bamboo would fit against it smoothly.

The metal tenon also fit in the shank of the bowl well. The length was perfect as it fit against the airway in the end of the shank next to the bowl bottom. There was no gap between the two so the smoked would flow smoothly down the shank of the pipe. I cleaned out the bamboo airway with pipe cleaners and isopropyl alcohol and then put the pipe together and checked the draw. It was open and was an effortless draw.

I repaired the fill on the side of the shank as it was not even with the surface of the shank. I used a superglue and briar dust patch on it. Some might wonder why I did not cut back the shank and eliminate the damaged area. I chose not to do that as I wanted the shank to have some length to it in contrast to the long bamboo section. I also planned on rusticating the entire bowl so the damage would be covered. The insert of the metal tenon would stabilize the area as well and the shank repair would be solid.

I took the bamboo shank off the bowl and sanded the bowl with 220 grit sandpaper to smooth out the finish. I repaired several of the gouges on the bowl surface with superglue and briar dust. I wanted a smooth canvas to work on when I rusticated the bowl. I then sanded the bowl with a medium grit sanding sponge. The top of the bowl had a slight buildup of tars so I cleaned that with the medium and fine grit sanding sponge. I wiped down the bowl with acetone on cotton pads. I sanded the knuckles on the bamboo to remove the fibers that were still attached and to smooth out the nodules. More work would need to be done on the shank but at least at this point it would be smooth in my hand while I worked on the bowl.

I set the bowl aside and went through my can of stems to find a nice saddle bit that would look good proportionally with the pipe. I drilled out the stem end of the bamboo with a ¼ inch bit to serve as a mortise for the stem. I turned the tenon on a PIMO tenon turning tool and then hand sanded it. I pushed the stem in place and starting sanding the saddle portion of the stem to get the diameter of the stem and shank to match. I mixed some two part epoxy and glued the metal tenon in place in the bamboo. When it was dry I put the pipe together. I did not epoxy the bowl to the shank at this point as I wanted to be able to remove it work on the rustication. The next three photos show the pipe with all parts in place.

I used a Dremel with a cone shape cutting head to pre-rusticate the shank and then followed that up with the modified Philips screwdriver. I rusticated the briar shank with it attached to the bamboo so that I could rusticate it up to the joint of the two shank materials. Once I had the shank finished I removed the bowl and worked on it with the Philips screwdriver. I find it easier to manipulate the bowl when it is not attached to the shank. When the bowl was completely rusticated I used a brass bristle wire brush to knock of the rough edges and give the bowl the texture that I wanted. I left the rim smooth to contrast with the finish on the bowl.

I put the pipe back together to have a look at the finished rustication and the contrast with the finish on the bamboo. I liked the overall look of the pipe at this stage. I did a bit more rustication on the bowl and shank and wire brushed them until I was happy with the end result.

At this point I was ready to attach the shank to the bowl permanently. I scored the metal shank to give the surface something to bond with in the briar shank. I mixed the two part epoxy and applied it to the metal shank with a dental pick. I pressed the two parts together and used the dental pick to trim off the excess glue and wiped it down with a soft cloth. I clamped the parts together while the epoxy set.

While the glue was drying I worked on the stem to taper it to fit the diameter of the bamboo shank. I sanded it with a Dremel to take off the majority of the excess vulcanite and then hand sanded it with 220 grit sandpaper. Once the epoxy had set, late last evening I inserted the stem and took the photos below.

This morning I got up early and stained the bowl with a black aniline stain. My plan is to use the black stain as an undercoat on the bowl. Once the pipe is dry I will buff it with red Tripoli to remove the black from the high spots on the rustication and then stain the bowl with a brown topcoat to give it depth and contrast.

I buffed the bowl with the Tripoli and then used isopropyl alcohol on cotton pads to dab off the stain on the high spots. The finish is rough so to scrub it with the pads leaves behind a lot of cotton bits. I sanded the surface of the bowl with a fine grit sanding sponge to remove more of the black stain from the high spots and to soften the rustication. I stained the bowl and shank with a coat of walnut stain to give some depth and highlights to the bowl. I had asked online how to finish bamboo and received a step by step response from James of JSEC pipes. He said to stabilize the cracks in the bamboo with superglue and then to sand the bamboo with 600 grit wet dry sandpaper and follow that with 1500 grit sandpaper. I followed that process to the letter. The change in the surface of the bamboo was noticeable. It was smooth and had a developing patina on the surface. I then took the next steps in the process and rubbed the shank down with Danish Oil. James said the he generally gave multiple coats of Danish Oil over several days. The photo below was taken after the bowl had been stained with the walnut and the shank sanded as described above. It also shows the first coat of Danish Oil on the stem. After about one hour the oil had dried to a matte finish on the bamboo.

While the Danish Oil was drying on the bamboo I worked on the stem. I sanded it with 220 grit sandpaper to reduce the diameter of the saddle to match the shank diameter. I then used a medium grit sanding sponge and 600 grit sandpaper. I then sanded the stem with my usual array of micromesh sanding pads. I wet sanded with 1500-2400 grit pads and dry sanded with 3200-12,000 grit pads. I rubbed the stem down with Obsidian Oil and let it soak into the vulcanite.

When the bamboo had dried I buffed it with White Diamond on the buffing wheel. I buffed bowl and stem as well. I took the next series of four photos before I gave the bamboo a second coat of the Danish Oil. The pipe is beginning to look finished. I like the look of the black bamboo with this treatment – there is a rich patina beginning to show up on the shank now.

I gave it a second and third coat of Danish Oil and then buffed the bamboo with White Diamond. I gave the stem and the bowl a light buff as well. The bamboo is looking really nice. I like the developing patina that is coming from the finishing. I gave the shank and stem multiple coats of carnauba wax and then buffed to a shine with a clean flannel buff. The finished pipe is picture below. This weekend I hope to take it on its inaugural smoke!

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rebornpipes

reclaiming old and worn estate pipes

Monthly Archives: April 2014

Getting back in the saddle – AJ Verstraten

A Review – A Benner Rusticated Oval Shank Pot

Crafting a Bamboo Shank Briar Mini Churchwarden

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