Tag Archives: Canada pipes

Cleaning Up a Fascinating Brigham Sportsman/Norseman Freehand

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by Kenneth Lieblich

Is it a Brigham Sportsman? Yes. Is it a freehand? Yes. Is it a Brigham Norseman? Sort of. Is it a Brigham NorseSportsMan? Ok, I made that one up. This is a really interesting – and possibly experimental – Brigham pipe that was commissioned by a gentleman in Ontario. The light-coloured briar is quite attractive and has that distinctive rustication, typical of the Sportsman line. The tenon (which holds the maple distillator) on this pipe is made of aluminum – so it’s an older one. It’s been sitting in one of my boxes for a while and I’ve always had an eye on it. Its time in the spotlight is finally here.

Let’s have a look at the marks on this pipe. On the underside of the shank, we read Brigham [over] Made in Canada. Of course, how those words are marked is what matters in dating Brigham pipes. I’ll get back to that. There are also three brass pins on the stem (a larger pin, flanked by two smaller pins) – typical of Brigham’s ranking system.

Thanks to Charles Lemon’s book, Brigham Pipes: A Century of Canadian Briar, dating this pipe was quite straightforward. Lemon writes,

With the expiry of the Brigham Patent in 1955, the CAN PAT stamp could no longer be used. Instead, pipes made between 1956 and roughly 1969 are marked with “MADE IN CANADA” in block letters. The Brigham logo was modernized, moving to a thinner script and losing the tail on the “m”.

Based on Lemon’s book, I can date this pipe to between 1956 and 1969. I looked thoroughly in the book’s Unofficial Brigham Shape Chart and this pipe was identical in shape to the Norseman 9W2. However, no hybrid Sportsman-Norseman was listed. I know that Brigham experimented with many shapes and styles over the years, so this might have been one of those.

A quick word about the Sportsman line. Later in Lemon’s book, we learn the following about the Sportsman:

The Sportsman pipes were essentially semi-shaped (or half finished) briar bowls with vulcanite stems, complete with the Brigham System. The smoking characteristics of Sportsman models were identical to regular Brigham pipes, and the rough exterior and simple wax finish gave the series a rugged, outdoorsy appearance that many pipe smokers found appealing.

So, what about the three pins? What do they mean in a Brigham context. Again, Lemon’s book provides the answer:

In the late 1950s or early 1960s Brigham expanded its regular pipe lineup to six quality levels introducing the “VIP” grade, pinned with yet another three-Dot pattern consisting of three pins in a horizontal line with the centre Dot larger than the two outside Dots – essentially the Brigham Executive grade pinning turned ninety degrees.

This pipe clearly has a Norseman shape, so here is a word about the Norseman line of pipes:

Norseman pipes were fully rusticated and pinned with the Brigham VIP 3 Dot horizontally aligned pattern, with the middle Dot larger than the other two. They were stamped with “9Wx”, where “x” indicated the shape number.

So, what does all this tell us? I think this pipe was some sort of experiment. It dates from 1956 to 1969. It has a Sportsman finish to be sure. It has the brass pins and shape of a Norseman, but does not have the rusticated finish of the Norseman. It is some sort of Sportsman-Norseman hybrid, or, as I joked earlier: a Brigham NorseSportsMan.

Let’s get on with the pipe. The first thing I noticed is that the pipe was obviously seldom smoked. That’s a bonus for me and a bonus for my customer. The stem has gathered some oxidation over the years and a couple of minor tooth marks, but nothing to worry about. The stummel is also in good shape. There is very little filth either inside or outside the bowl. All good news.

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.

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. 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. I’m pleased to report that there wasn’t much.

Similar to the stem, I then cleaned the stummel with both pipe cleaners and cotton swabs dipped in lemon-infused 99% isopropyl alcohol.

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 only the smooth parts 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. This procedure makes the pipe look its best – the stummel sings and the stem glows.

All done! This Cleaning Up a Fascinating Brigham Sportsman/Norseman freehand looks fantastic again and I am delighted with the results. I’m sure the gentleman in Ontario will be too. The approximate dimensions of the pipe are as follows: length 6 in. (154 mm); height 2¼ in. (58 mm); bowl diameter 1⅔ in. (41 mm); chamber diameter ⅞ in. (22 mm). The weight of the pipe is 2⅛ oz. (60 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.

A Quite Remarkable Danish-Style Bent Egg from the Paradis Brothers

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by Kenneth Lieblich

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.