by Kenneth Lieblich
My next pipe restoration is a ‘Peterson Product’ Shamrock X105 billiard, with a straight, tapered vulcanite stem – and a fishtail mouthpiece. It is certainly a good-looking pipe and emanates a solid, comfortable feel. Naturally, the Shamrock is made by the famous Peterson of Dublin, Ireland – one of the most storied of pipe companies. I acquired this pipe in an auction a couple of years ago and it has been sitting in my boxes ever since. It was in rough shape before it ever came into my possession, and it took me quite a bit of work to clean it up. But after a long, hard life, it’s ready for a new pipeman who will appreciate it.
Markings and Logo of the Pipe
Let’s take a look at the identifying marks on this pipe. First, on the left side of the shank, we see the word Shamrock. On the right side of the shank, we see the words ‘A Peterson Product’ [over] Made in the Rep. [over] of Ireland. To the immediate right of that is the shape number: X105. Finally, on the left side of the stem, is engraved the letter S, obviously indicating Shamrock.
Background on this Peterson
Of course, Peterson is well known to most pipe smokers. For more information on the brand and its history, be sure to read the Pipedia article. Of course, I wanted to know more about the shape (X105) and the series (Shamrock). Peterson’s own webpage provided the following description of the X105:
Striking an agile balance between the traditional archetype and our signature House Style, this medium-sized, straight Billiard shape houses a respectable fire hole with some fairly muscular proportions throughout while still cutting a lean silhouette.
Meanwhile, Mark Irwin and Gary Malmberg’s book, The Peterson Pipe provided some decent background information on the Shamrock line. As you’ll see below, the nomenclature for dating doesn’t correspond perfectly to the marks I listed above but still leads me to think that this pipe’s date is between 1948 and 1998. That’s a pretty wide range, but it will have to do. Based on wear and gut instinct, I would guess that this pipe is from the 1970s or 1980s. From The Peterson Pipe:
Shamrock (c. 1941–2009) Originally stamped SHAMROCK with no brand name, an inexpensive line first described in George Yale (New York) mail order booklet in 1941, imported by Rogers Import. The line was actively promoted beginning in ’45, aggressively promoted in US by Rogers from early ‘50s when they registered the Shamrock logo with US Patent Office, claiming propriety since ’38. Over the years offered with P-lip or fishtail mouthpiece, with or without nickel band, with or without shamrock logo on the band, with or without S stamped in white or later in gold on mouthpiece. Appearing in 2008 as unstained smooth and rustic, fishtail mouthpiece with gold impressed P on the stem. COMS of MADE IN over IRELAND (c. 1945–1965), MADE IN IRELAND forming a circle (c. 1945–1965), “A PETERSON’S PRODUCT” over MADE IN IRELAND (c. 1945–1965), MADE IN THE over REPUBLIC over OF IRELAND (c. 1948–1998). Model is always difficult or impossible to date.
Examining the Pipe’s Condition
This is a very handsome pipe, but it definitely has some issues to be resolved. The stem has some conspicuous oxidation and calcification, but – most significantly – a bite through. That will require some attention! The stummel is nice to behold. It has some lava on the rim and cake in the bowl, but the exterior walls are in good condition with some attractive grain. There is also a surprise waiting for me inside the bowl.
Cleaning the Stem
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 sanitized 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. I used quite a few pipe cleaners and cotton swabs.
Removing Oxidation from the Stem
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 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 well-restored stem. The following day, I drew out the stem from its bath and scrubbed the lingering fluid with a toothbrush.
Repairing Bite Marks on the Stem
My next task was repairing the large hole on the underside of the stem. There are several methods of doing this and individual circumstances will dictate how to proceed. Due to the size of the hole, I opted not to use my regular cyanoacrylate but, instead, used an epoxy adhesive that is extremely hard, resistant to high temperatures, and completely inert when cured. With such a large gap in the vulcanite, any applied adhesive would simply run through the aperture and fill the air hole. To prevent this, I coated the end of a pipe cleaner with petroleum jelly and lodged it in the airway. This provides a platform for the adhesive to sit on while curing and prevents it from entering the airway. The petroleum jelly prohibits the adhesive from sticking to the pipe cleaner.
Restoring the Faint Logo
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.
Sanding and Polishing the Stem
The penultimate step for the stem is sanding. First, with my set of needle files, I reduced the bulk of the epoxy repair. 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. The repair on the underside was still visible, but subtle.
Reaming the Cake Inside the Bowl
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.
Cleaning the Stummel
The inside of the stummel needed to be cleaned thoroughly. However, this pipe was so clogged, that I first needed to open the horribly occluded airway. So, I took a long drill bit, held in a drill chuck, and hand-cranked it to dislodge the dreadful detritus inside. Hand cranking is essential because it provides a precision and caution that a power drill cannot provide.
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 – which means to 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. This was the culmination of a lot of hard work in getting the pipe clean.
Once clean, I noticed that the interior walls of the bowl had a few fine hairlines from heat damage. In order to repair this, I used the same epoxy I mentioned earlier. It worked superbly. I lined the affected area with the epoxy and let it cure for a full 24 hours. The next day, I roughened up the epoxy’s surface with 220-grit sandpaper for the next step. I thinly coated the inside of the bowl with a mixture of my wife’s homemade yogurt and activated charcoal. Once hardened, this provided a good, faintly rough surface for a new cake to build.
Sanding and Polishing the Stummel
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 an hour 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. With the buffing done, the stummel looks warm and satisfying, and the stem has a rich, deep black lustre.
The Finished Pipe
All done! This Peterson Shamrock X105 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 Irish section of the store here on Steve’s website. You can also email me directly at kenneth@knightsofthepipe.com. The dimensions of this pipe are
Length: 5⅓ in. (136 mm)
Height: 1¾ in. (45 mm)
Bowl diameter: 1⅜ in. (36 mm)
Chamber diameter: ⅞ in. (22 mm)
Weight (Mass): 1⅛ oz. (33 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.
