Tag Archives: pipe related topics

Reflections of an amateur refurbisher

This week after seeing George Dibos’(of Precision Pipe Repair) three part post on cutting a stem from rod stock that he shared on Smokers Forums I have to say that I am left to confess that I am truly an amateur refurbisher. I am not downplaying the work I do or the pleasure I get out of my craft but only wish to acknowledge that there are true masters of the craft. George is truly a master at what he does. His careful attention to minute details of repairing pipes makes his refurbishments some of the best in the business. He is able to replicate stems that are incredibly matched to the originals. I am in no way negating the value of doing the work ourselves but it is acknowledging those who are leading the craft and creating beautiful work. I stand in awe of him and others like him who make this work look so easy. I must say that in comparison to them I feel a lot like a bush mechanic in the company of truly gifted mechanics.

I have no trouble acknowledging the fundamental difference between the work I do and what these gifted individuals in the pipe restoration/repair community do. It is truly no different than recognizing the difference between artisans who carve pipes as a livelihood and those who do it as a spare time hobby. Both are artists in their own right. To a varying degree there is a difference in the skill level, if not by natural gifting, certainly by sheer volume of practice. The same is true with pipe refurbishment. Those who have well developed shops, days focused on the process of pipe refurbishment, and skill and gifts in using the tools that they have will certainly have more carefully honed skills than the armchair or weekend hobbyist. This in no way makes light of either one. Both are integral parts of the hobby we enjoy.

I don’t have the tools, the space nor the skill set to do the kind of work that George and others like him do. I will probably never be the kind of individual who does what they do because, bottom line, to me it is a hobby and something I do for relaxation and not a vocation. I use what I have to do what I can and invent what I need as I go along. Part of the joy of the hobby for me is not just doing the work in the best way I can, but always learning new and better ways of doing things. I am a committed lifelong learner who has a hungry mind that is never satisfied with what I know and is always looking for new ways and new information. I love the creative process of refurbishment in that I can continually be challenged to work “magic” on new pieces that come across my desk. But another important part of the joy for me is the task that I have taken on willingly and freely to pass on what I learn to others in our hobby. It is a joy to see others take what I have learned and surpass me in their skill and expertise. To learn tricks from those who have learned from me is part of why I started the reborn pipes blog. I don’t just want to share what I have learned, I also want others to pass on what they have learned and their own refinements on the processes they experiment with. That is why I invite others like Al, Chuck, Fred, Rob, Ed, Bryan and more who share the love of reclaiming old briar and giving it new life.

For me the blog is a way we all can continue to learn from one another, share common ideas and issues and seek to understand how to address them as we work on the pipes on our desks. We can write about what we do and have others try it, refine it and pass on their knowledge. Thus, we create a living “school” in which to continue to develop our craft. It is a place for those of us who are amateur refurbishers, who love to tinker, love the process and the pipe, to continue to learn from each other. Lately I have been using Skype, an online web communication tool, to meet with individuals and work on pipes together. It is quite amazing to talk and work real time with another person on a pipe that they have on their work bench. It works with video and audio so that you can literally look at the pipes you are talking about. Worst case scenario Skype has an instant messaging component that you can type communications between several who are working on pipes. In my work I have used it with groups to have virtual meetings and can see that working really well to have a shop time gathering. I have written an article on one such experience and Part 1 of it was printed in the August issue of Pipe Smoker Unleashed Magazine – http://www.pipesmokerunleashed.com/magazine/august2012.html and is on the blog as a post. The second half of the article will be in the September issue and will soon follow on the blog. Skype provides a real time tool that we can also use to consult with each other on pipe repairs before and as we do them. This is a venue for us to use that is rich with possibilities. I am aware that others use “You Tube” and make videos of their work, but I am reticent to venture into that arena. I don’t know why, as I am sure it is helpful, but it just is not something I am interested in doing. Others may want to do videos and I can easily add them to the blog or they can start their own blogs.

As I close these reflections I have to say that when I look ahead at the future of pipe restoration and refurbishment I am excited to think of all the possibilities and all that there is yet to learn from one another. I also remain in awe of the calibre of work and craftsmanship of those like George. I delight to see the product of their skills and observe so that I can learn as much as I can in the process from them. I will always have to personalize their methods to work on my smaller scale of refurbishing but that too is part of the process I enjoy. I tip my hat to the masters and know that I will probably not live long enough to even come close to that kind of workmanship. However, I take my place proudly in the company of those who tinker at refurbishing and share their love of all things pipes with one another. My plan for the near future is quite simple, I will continue in my tinkering until I am no longer able. Why? Because it gives me pleasure!

Sir Walter Raleigh Pipe Care Booklet 1959

2 Replies

Blog by Steve Laug

I was given a copy of this little booklet that used to be given out by Sir Walter Raleigh with their tobacco or with coupon pipes I believe. It is a great little piece of history so I scanned it and have posted it here for you to read and enjoy. All the pages are scanned so they are pictures instead of text.

History of BBB Pipes

15 Replies

Blog post by Fiona Adler, translation Steve Laug

I have been doing some research into BBB pipes for sometime now because of my own interest in the brand and I found an online article in French. (The original article was produced with the assistance of Fiona Adler. I want to thank Guillaume Laffly for giving me this new information on the origin of the material in French.) I have adapted the article below from a google translation that I did of the article on http://www.fumeursdepipe.net/artbbb.htm (I alone am responsible for the English translation and any errors probably are the result of my poor translation!)

Origin and history of Adolph Frankau and Co. Ltd.

Adolph Frankau arrived in London in 1847 and quickly grasped the opportunities which the enlarging tobacco market introduced. He started “Adolph Frankau and Co.” and began importing meerschaum pipes and tobacco supplies. The Company took a young 14 year-old boy, Louis Blumfeld under its wing. The Company quickly thrived and did so until the untimely death of Adolph Frankau in 1856. His widow decided to sell the company.

Thomas Carlyle (1795-1881), author of “Hero and worship of the heroes” came on the scene at this point. He recommended that the widow Frankau not sell, but rather that she should entrust the future of the company into the hands of young Louis Blumfeld, then 18 years old. Carlyle had to have had a very high opinion of the young Louis to make this recommendation, and his trust proved to be justified as Blumfield took care of the company with enthusiasm and bottomless energy. Louis quickly realized, as others had before him, the potential of the newly acknowledged pipes made of briar.

Louis Blumfeld developed important international trade relations from the beginning, and had particular success in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, India, Europe, as well as Switzerland and Denmark. The USA had never been an extraordinary market for the company, but nonetheless a subsidiary was opened in New York. His commercial strategy focused on the countries of British Empire. Just prior to 1914, Frankau & Co. was the sole agent for Ropp Cherry Wood pipes in the United Kingdom and its colonies.

While BBB is the most widely known of Frankau & Co. pipes the company also produced several other brands of pipes: Capt. Kidd, Fairway (” F ” in white; FAIRWAY / LONDON MADE / ENGLAND), Frankau’ s (London Made in England), Glokar, Major Daff, and Snap-Fit. It also seems that Ultonia and Nec Plus Ultra must be considered to be brands in full measure, in spite of the fact that they were introduced as being product lines under the label BBB. It would explain their absence in many of the BBB catalogues.

The necessity of making briar pipes in London became more urgent, that’s why, at the turn of the century, Frankau & Co. opened a warehouse and offices at 121 Queen Victoria Street, an export service at Upper Thames Street and a plant in 1898 at Homerton, High Street 112 (then 154). The Homerton plant lasted into nineteen-eighties when Cadogan regrouped its manufacturing activities to Southend-on Sea.

In those days, Frankau & Co. also produced calabash pipes. They used calabashes that came originally from Southern Africa. Supply of the calabashes became more difficult to maintain due to the growing demand for them. BBB set up a special department to make calabash pipes. They used meerschaum to make the bowl while some of their rivals used asbestos or plaster of Paris. The manufacture of calabash pipes survived until the war in1914/1918. The war destroyed the supply of calabashes from South Africa.

The 1920s were not an easy decade for pipe producers. Frankau & Co was purchased by “Oppenheimer and Co. Ltd¹”. Also during this decade Comoy’ s of London, Dr. Plumb and Loewe & Co. came under the control of Oppenheimer. The purchase of all of these various brands pushed the company to create “Cadogan Investments Ltd.²” at Cadogan Square, London, in the 1930s, to manufacture and sell its pipes. The plant at Homerton passed under the control of “Marechal Ruchon & Co.” (In 1970s, the plant took the name of “Fairfax Traders”), and continued producing BBB pipes in a traditional way. They finished pipes with a silver ring and stampings. However, BBB continued, as an independent company within the Cadogan Group. BBB concentrated on making a certain number of system pipes and on new finishing processes.

Richard Esserman thinks that Dunhill subcontracted the manufacture of stummels to BBB for the Bent Magnums until 1923. In fact, when the companies within the Cadogan group argued with one another, a new plant was established in Stratford, Carpenters Road. They also bought machines from Zuckerman as they were more efficient. The finishing workshops were closed, and pipes were finished in Aldershot and sometimes also in Shoeburyness.

In this era, it was a current practice in trade to give surplus stummels to other companies at agreed upon prices. Cadogan sold Rank I stummels to Dunhill, and bought Rank II, III and IV stummels from Dunhill. But they did not finish pipes for other companies: to sell Rank I stummels to Dunhill was more beneficial than making them into pipes!

The BBB Logo

The initials BBB in a rhombus were quickly used as a symbol for the company, and that trademark was the first to be recorded when “Trade and Marks Act” took effect in 1876. Rather strangely, BBB registered under two numbers, numbers 39 and 40. In number 39, the acronym BBB in the rhombus (dates from deposit: January 1st, 1876; published on May 3rd, 1876 in page 21 of the Trade Mark Journal) for the class 341 (Tobacco, raw or fabricated and cigarettes), in number 40, a simple B for which no picture is available (the same references of store and publication) for the class 50 (fabricated Property from ivory, in bone, wooden, substantially plant or animal, pipes with tobacco, cigars and cigarettes (cigar and cigarette tubes). Note that Oppenheimer registered BBB again (number 39) for a new logo under the number 2288663 (December 20th, 2001; published on February 13th, 2002 in page 2634 of the Trade Mark Journal) for classes 14 (cases with cigar and cigarettes, soft packages of cigars and cigarettes, doors-cigars and cigarettes, all in precious metals) and 34 (Tobacco and products of tobacco, articles for smokers, pipes, tobacco pouches, door – pipes, lighters, equipment of cleaning for pipes, doors-cigars and cigarettes, cases with cigars and cigarettes, humidors). At the European level, Oppenheimer registered BBB under the number 002100907 (February 22nd, 2001, date of recording: October 7th, 2002), for classes 14 and 34 and under the number 0863111 for the class 34 (October 20th, 2005).

BBB Production

Some think that the first BBB pipes were imported, and that initials were intended to stand for Blumfeld’s Best Briars. Later these initials came to be understood as standing for Britain’s Best Briars.

At first, BBB produced two qualities of pipes. The one, BBB Own Make, became BBB Best Make, other pipes simply being stamped BBB. There are reasons to think that the Own Make was produced in fact in London (Reject pipes were stamped R). While simple BBBs were imported until the beginning of the 20th century. It is probable that the regular line of BBB pipes were imported from Saint-Claude, France.

The BBB collection followed along similar lines as other pipe producing companies during the second half of the 19th century. Shapes were similar to the popular models in vogue during that time with a predominance of bent pipes. Some of them had a silver ring. At the same time, BBB continued to deliver meerschaum pipes.

BBB was probably the first to offer pipes made to accommodate a paper filter. The Mackenzie, which was available in two qualities (Mackenzie, second brand of BBB, could have been produced in Republic of Ireland. Pipe stems were made of vulcanite). This technique dates from around 1900 as is stated in a letter dated from August 27th, 1891 from Mr. Morrel Mackenzie (1837-1892) in which he suggest that they make models with a longer stem. The Mackenzie brand survived into the 1960s.

It is thought that BBB was one of the first to call the pipes they had conceived with a long shank for a cooler smoke a “Lovat”. However, “Friedlands” could have adopted this name at the same time. Lovats appeared long before 1914 and were offered for sale by BBB in four different sizes, of which a series were stamped Highland. Colonel Henry Francis Fraser (1872-1949), Lord of Lovat, must have enjoyed the advertising of this shape made in his honour. It is still a popular shape at present. While BBB briar pipe shapes were similar to those of other brands, their models developed a very sought-after distinct character by the collectors. BBB earned the gold medal at the French-British Exposition in London in 1908 (Frank Bowcher, on 1864-1938) and at the World Fair and International in Brussels in 1910, the Medal of Godefroid Devreese (1861-1941). You can find pictures of these medals, notably on the advertising brochures of the 1950s and 1960s.

In this era the common practice was to set a pipe’s value by the material the stem was made of: ebonite, horn, amber, ambrolith etc. Also, price varied according to the size of the pipe. For instance, in 1914, the wholesale price of a simple billiard varied between 15 shillings and 22 shillings and 6 pence because of the size of the pipe and flock (no screw or tenon). Though this generally was true it seems that there were exceptions; for instance a Liverpool of five inches long with a stem in genuine amber had a wholesale cost of 12 shillings in larger quantities; the same pipe with a stem of ambrolith cost 19 shillings. BBB made different special series of pipes such as Chubby, Golfer, Dreadnought (probably named after different warships), Bellerophon (sic) and Cutty (small models). BBB offered some 20 lines of pipes that had different clever combinations of stems, finishing and decoration. Some of them had a silver ring. Around 1910, BBB Own Make pipes sold for 2£ 10 shillings while pipes only stamped BBB were sold for 5-6 shillings.

In the 1930s, the top pipe of the line was “BBB Best Make” with variants such as “Great Dam” and “Ultonia Thule”. The BBB Carlton, sold retail in 1938, was endowed with a complicated stinger system; the same system was also used on the BBB London Dry. The Blue Peter was not stamped BBB but BBB Ultonia, and BBB Two Star (**) was the stamping on lesser quality pipes. The calabash pipe was removed from the catalogues at this time, but some pipes with cases and some meerschaum pipes were still produced. Shapes of BBB pipe were typical of other companies pipes made in this era: half were billiards, some princes and bullcaps, bulldogs and some bents. It is also in this period that the inlaid metal BBB was put on more upscale pipes, while series of lesser quality had only the stamped BBB on the stem.

During the middle of 1950s and 1960s, BBB lines were comparatively stable. The top pipes of the line were stamped Own Make “Rare Grain”, followed by Own Make “Virgin”, Own Make “Walnut” and finally Own Make “Thorneycroft”.

Today, Cadogan uses Spanish briar for most of its pipes, and reserves the Moroccan briar for the production of high quality pipes. Before being sent to them for manufacture into pipes, the briar has been dried and cured for a time period of between 6 and 12 months.

To avoid any confusion about the ranking systems of their pipes in the Cadogan Group brands the company adopted a system of eight common ranks for all of its brands. Rank A is briar with nice grain, without any visible imperfections. Rank B has nice grain, but with some small black points and maximum of three sand pits which will be filled. Rank “Best Make” also has nice grain, with maximum of five small sand pits. The stummels with grain of variable quality and maximum six sand pits are ranked MB. The second rank pipes are of briar of mediocre grain but without defects or of nice grain but with up to eight fills or two big sand pits. The third, fourth and fifth ranks are given to pipes whose quality decreases proportionately.

¹Adolph Oppenheimer started an import/export company in 1860, and his brother, Charles, joined the company later that year. Adolph retired in 1870 and moved to Germany, where he became British Consul then Consul general, letting Charles take the control of business. Louis Adler, who was the brother-in-law of Oppenheimer, became a colleague when Adolph left the company. Both brothers did not have heirs, so the ownership of the company passed to the family Adler. By 1870, the company imported GBD pipes into Great Britain from Paris. The association of Oppenheimer with GBD was such a success that in 1897, Oppenheimer became the sole agent of the French company. Five years later, the French owners of GBD, Marechal Ruchon and Co., merged with A. Oppenheimer.

²Cadogan’s slogan, “Pipemakers Since 1825” refers back to the first clay pipe which Francois Comoy fabricated in 1825. Cadogan’s pipes were fabricated in numerous places disseminated around London and to Saint-Claude, but with the purchase of Orlik Pipe Co. In 1980, Cadogan regrouped the entirety of its manufacture in the new plant of Southend-on-Sea, plant especially constructed for pipe making industry. Cadogan continues to fabricate GBD, Comoy’s of London, BBB, Dr. Plumb, Loewe and Orlik pipes (since 1980). They also make Kaywoodie pipes for the British market and have recently agreed to make Sasieni pipes for James B. Russell.
I have attached a few pictures of some of my BBB’s. I love these old pipes and have quite a few.

Another Gift from my Binner Friend

2 Replies

I was going through older files tonight cleaning out some old materials and came across this note regarding another gift of tobacco from my friend Don, the homeless binner that I wrote of earlier in A Surprise Gift Awaited Me at the Door (https://rebornpipes.wordpress.com/2012/05/30/a-surprise-gift-awaited-me-at-the-door/). In Vancouver, where I live, there is a subculture of folks that makes a living out of the refuse of others who discard things, instead of repairing them. You can see them working their routes across the city diving into dumpsters/waste cans or picking through them with sticks to reclaim “valuable” throwaways. They are called dumpster divers or binners and work daily from sunrise till after dark. Over the years I have known Don, he has come by to visit often after a successful day, having found recyclables of glass, metal, wire, etc. He has shown me art work, stereo systems and televisions that still work with a bit of fiddling, which he repairs and sells in shops around the city. In the last piece I wrote about Don I told the story of a box of tobacco he brought me from his finds. He swore he got these from a pipe smoking friend but I don’t know whether to believe him or not. Actually it does not matter. The last time he left me a gift of many of GL Pease’s tobacco and others that I had not smoked before. This note describes the next gift tobacco he brought me.

Here is the piece I wrote on May 16, 2008… Man I miss Don and his mystery gifts.

I had not seen my homeless friend Don for about a month and today he came by for a visit. He walked up pushing a shopping card piled high with treasure he had found on his binning route. I could see clothes, shoes, electrical items, flashlights, coats, and other cast off items that looked to be almost new. Around and on top of these were his bags of recyclables. Tied to the push bar of the cart was his little terrier Spaz. Spaz was his partner and everyday companion. I don’t think in the years that I have known Don I ever saw him without Spaz. When Don came to eat Spaz came with him. When he came to Christmas and other holidays Spaz came with him. When I was pastoring a church here in Vancouver, he and Spaz came to church. Spaz would guard the shopping cart of treasures while Don relaxed and visited. He would always ask for some water for Spaz and would give him some treats from his pocket before taking care of himself.

Today he came by to tell me that he is heading home to Ontario and spending the summer with his Dad. He was going to hitchhike across Canada to get there. He brought me another surprise gift of tobacco to use as fuel for negotiating a ride to the edge of town on Monday morning. He had a bit of twinkle in his eye as he spoke of the swap. You have to imagine what Don looked like. He was a midsized skinny man in his late 40’s. He had lived on the street and in the bush for the past ten years so he had a weathered face and features. He had crow’s feet at the corners of his eyes that crinkled when he grinned. He had a toothless smile as most of his teeth had been pulled and he hated wearing his dentures. He had his day pack on the ground as he talked to me. He took out his trade to hand to me and watched as I took it from him. I figure he wanted to see if my reaction would be the same as it was the last time he handed me a gift.

Imagine the surprise when I opened the bag he handed me and looked inside of it. I must have registered that surprise all over my face from big eyes to an opened mouth ooooohhh. I reached into the bag and pulled out six 50 gram tins of Erinmore Mixture – the old Murray and Sons tins from Ireland – five of them in a sealed carton and one extra tin for good measure. All of them but one was unopened. That one in the sealed carton had popped open and was spilled inside the box. The smell of the tobacco was amazing. I probably started salivating like Pavlov’s dogs about that time. Don started laughing as he watched me. He winked and said, “I guess that means you can take Spaz and me on Monday?”

I just shook my head, too amazed to speak. Don told me to dig deeper in the bag as there was some more there that he was sure I would like. I moved the Erinmore carton and under that to sealed plastic bags of tobacco – a pound and 1/2 of Dunhill 965 and a pound and ½ of Dunhill 3 Year Matured Virginia. These were double sealed in two freezer bags and labelled with the name and the year. These tobaccos were dated 1995. Needless to say I would have given Don and Spaz a ride to the edge of town anyway but this more than sealed the deal. I have no idea where Don came by this tobacco any more than I knew where he had found the last lot he brought me. He never would tell me, just laugh and say, “I have my sources!”

What a gift. I just shake my head at my friend’s thoughtfulness. I will miss his visits this Summer.”

The note ended there and today as I read it over again, I still shake my head at my friend’s thoughtfulness. I miss his visits. It has been four years since I have seen Don and Spaz. I have looked for them in their favourite spots without result. I don’t know what happened to him. I know that about two years ago he called to tell me he had found an apartment and give me the address and phone number. I called and went there but he was not to be found. I don’t know if he is still around or even still alive. But I know that he has made an indelible mark on my life and memory.

Those who have so little seem so much more giving and generous than those of us who have much. I lift a pipe of MM965 to you my friend where ever you may be. I will always remember your kindness to me and my family. Thank you!

You Just Found a Pair of Dad’s Old Pipes?

1 Reply

Blog by Steve Laug

They are both in very rough shape and need help but you want to keep them anyway. There is dried out old tobacco in both and the finish is about shot. The rims and sides of the bowls are both covered with dark grime and the mouth piece, or stem, is covered with bite marks and hard white lime like crust. The rest of the family tells you they are not worth saving and should just be thrown out but something inside you rebels against that. You still have memories of your father smoking those pipes and the associated feelings and smells still linger for you. It is hard to let go of these pieces of history. Something inside you wants to restore them but you just don’t know where to start. If this sounds like your situation, then you have come to the right place.

You have already begun the first step in the process of refurbishing and that is to respect what you hold in your hands. These pipes are a piece of family history that can be passed down through future generations and when cleaned up and maintained, will last longer than any one of you. If they could speak to future generations can you imagine the stories they would tell? But if you listen to the wood, the old tobacco in the bowl, the dents and dings and the smells that still linger in it you will hear it speak. It will tell you what your Dad smoked. It will tell you how much he loved that old pipe and it still held the half smoked bowl of the last tobacco he smoked in it. It will tell you in the decimated finish where his fingers curved around the bowl. As you remember, you will know the stories that give meaning to dents – one from the fishing trip you took, one from the dash on the car when he laid it down and it hit the gear shift before bouncing off to the floor. All those bits and pieces add to the myth that surrounds story of a family. Be sure to take some photos of the old timers before you go to work on it. You will be amazed at the transformation that still respects the history of your Dad’s pipes.

The first step in the process is to do what I call field dressing of the pipe. It starts by laying out some newspaper on a table top where you can work on the pipe. Sit down with the pipe and begin to clean it. Use a small screw driver, ice pick or a dental pick, if you have one, to clean out the remnants of tobacco in the bowl. Put it to the side on the paper. You can purchase a pipe reamer on eBay for reaming the bowl or you can carefully use a knife with a rounded end to scrape out the old carbon. If you use a knife be sure to proceed slowly and carefully to ensure that bowl stays round. Scrape slowly, bit by bit, until you have a thin even cake all around the bowl. Once that is done you can wrap a piece of dowel with some sandpaper and use it to sand the bowl back to smooth. Use a paper towel or a soft cloth and some Isopropyl alcohol to wipe down the surface of the bowl and remove the dirt and oils of the past. This should also help to soften the remaining finish on the bowl. This cleaning will go deeper as we progress through the process but start with a cleaning of the outer surfaces of the bowl and the stem of each pipe. I have learned that it is always more pleasant to work with a clean pipe than one that is oily and tarred.

The stem needs to be separated from the shank. This may sound like an easy thing to do, but sometimes with the amount of tars and use the pipe has seen, the stem will be stuck in the shank. Put the pipe in the freezer. You don’t need to bag it or tag it, just sneak it in when the family is not paying attention and leave it there for an hour or so, long enough to sip a coffee and relax a bit. The different materials in the stem and bowl of the pipe make them contract at different rates and I have found that when I remove it from the freezer the stem is easily removed. If it is still stuck then put it back for another cup of coffee.

Once the stem is removed I fill a jar with Isopropyl alcohol and place the pipe bowls in it and let them soak for awhile. The length of time depends on the depth of the grime. I put the lid on the jar and give it a bit of a shake to churn the alcohol through the pipe. I leave it and turn my attention to the stem.

The stem will take a bit of work and will take the better part of a couple of hours to get back into shape. I clean the inside of the stem with pipe cleaners and cotton swabs until they come out clean. I dip them in the Isopropyl and run them through to remove all the grimes from inside the stem. Once I have it clean then fill a bowl with some water and put it in the microwave and set it to boil. I dip the end of the stem with the bite marks in the boiling water repeatedly to lift the bite marks a bit. Vulcanite, which is the material the stem is made of is said to have memory and will return to its original state. This method does wonders in lifting the bite marks. When they have raised as much as they are going to dump the water and take the stem back to your table. Using 240 grit sandpaper, remove the brown oxidation and calcified white stuff that are on the stem. Be careful as you sand to not round the sharp edges on the stem at the mouth end (button) or the pipe end (tenon). You want to leave a good tight fit with sharp clean edges when you are finished. You will find that the sandpaper scratches the surface but do not worry about it as the goal at the moment is to return it to a dull black. Once it is clean of the browns use 400 grit and then 600 grit wet dry sandpaper to smooth out the scratches and remove any remaining oxidation.

The stem should be a dull or flat black once you have finished with this step in the process. Now you have a choice to make. There are several steps that can be taken next depending on what choices you make. You can either use repeatedly higher and finer grades of wet dry sandpaper or you can use micromesh sanding pads – I use 1500, 1800, 2400, 3200, 4000 and 6000 grit pads to finish the stem to a gloss. These pads are readily available at woodworking shops or online – just Google Micro-mesh pads. If you use the sandpaper it works well but is a bit more labour intensive. After you have the stem restored to a gloss you can use a bit of olive oil to polish it – wiping it on and then off or you can use some softened beeswax or carnauba wax. I have even used Kiwi Neutral shoe polish which is a carnauba based wax.

I then set the stem aside and retrieve the bowls from the alcohol bath. Before I take them out I use the alcohol in the bath to scrub the bowls using an old tooth brush as it just gets into the cracks and crevices and gets the dirt out of the surface. Once that is done I dry off the pipe with a soft cloth and get to work on the finish. For the rough surfaced ones like the smaller pipe in the picture I will often use the tooth brush repeatedly to remove all the grime on the pipe. With the smooth pipes like the second pipe in the picture I wipe it down with alcohol dampened cloths until it is clean. I then sand the smooth one with either the 400 and 600 grit sand paper or the Micro-mesh pads to smooth out the finish. If the top is rough you will need to decide what to do with it. I have posted on the blog how I repair those issues so have a look on there for the article on topping a pipe bowl.

When both bowls are clean and free of dirt and tars I wash them down with a fresh alcohol cloth and then they are ready to stain. I use Feibings Shoe Dye for the stain and have found that the Medium Brown dye works well and matches most of the stains on these old pipes. Both pipes in the pictures were stained with the same Dye. I use the dauber that comes with the Dye (the dye is available at most shoe repair shops for about $4-$5). I coat the bowl while holding the stem. As the stain will turn your hands brown, wear rubber gloves for the staining. Once it is stained light the stain on fire with a match to set it. You will think I am nuts in suggesting this and think you will catch things on fire but like the alcohol in Baked Alaska it only burns blue for a short while and really sets the stain into the grain of the wood.

Set the pipe aside over night to let it thoroughly dry. The next day use the 600 or higher grit wet dry sandpaper to remove the excess stain on the exterior of the smooth bowl. Wipe it down regularly with a damp cloth to see what it is looking like. With the rough surfaced pipe I use a piece of flannel fabric and buff the surface until it glows. Once both pipes are finished and look acceptable to you give them a good coat of wax or polish. Some folks use Pledge on the bowls and have done so for years without ill effect. This gives them a rich glow. The only thing left to do is join the family heritage by smoking a bowl of your own tobacco in the pipe. When you are done with that smoke, wipe the pipe down with a soft cloth and clean it inside with a pipe cleaner. With a little care the finish that you have done will last until you own grandchildren need to refinish it once again. But take delight in smoking a piece of the family history and adding another generation’s story to the life of this old pipe. Enjoy.

If you have any questions on the process feel free to post a response or question here.

Here are the same pipes after finishing the process I laid out above.

A day in Atlanta

A Few Brief Tobacco Reviews

Leave a reply

I am posting a few tobacco reviews that I have put together. I am fully aware that tobacco tastes are as varied as those of us who smoke pipes. However, I thought I would post these anyway as most of them are either mixtures that I have come to like or are some Irish Tobaccos that I can no longer find.

McClellands Dominican Glory + something to rescue it

The tin label says – a satisfying blend of Dominican cigar leaf and Virginias. For me this does not say it at all. It is anything but satisfying. It is a very bland blend indeed. Not enough cigar leaf to do anything for me – no taste of the cigar coming through at all. And not enough Virginia flavour to make it sweet and tangy. I just about pitched this tin awhile back. But on a whim I had an old Romeo Y Julieta Cuban Cigar here that was just a bit dry – to dry to my liking. So I crumbled it up in the tin of McClellands Dominican Glory and viola – Cuban Glory! It is a good smoke. It has been aging for almost a year now. I had forgotten about it. I took it out this afternoon and cracked the sealed Mason Jar. The sweet tang of the Virginias came through with the earthy smell of Cuban cigar just over the top of the other smells. It was the perfect moisture. I packed a bowl and lit it – no charring light necessary at all.

The first smokes in the little Argyle Bulldog were full of flavours. The Virginias came through loud and clear and the cigar leaf was very spicy and earthy throughout the smoke. The flavour seemed to careen from a nice Cuban taste to a good Virginia and back again. Then as the bowl progressed they blended together for a really nice cigary taste. This is really good. I am going to have to get some more and do it again!

Midbowl and to the end the flavours danced back and forth. The residual taste on the lips is a cigar like flavour with just a bit of Virginia Tang coming through. The smoke was good and I was ready to hit the first relight when the bowl seemed light and empty! Smoke over. The ash was a powdery white and gray. Very tasty smoke.

Garry Owen Plug

Just finished a bowl of Garry Owen Plug from PJ Carroll of Ireland. Wow what a strong tobacco. It packs a nicotine punch that is pretty strong. Certainly one to be smoked on a full stomach after a meal. The tobacco upon opening the pouch is a cube of tightly packed nature. It is a hard block of tobacco. I scraped a bit off with my pick and filled the bowl of my pipe. The smell of the cube and the scrapings was very nice – a kind of raisiny molasses like smell. I gradually slivered enough tobacco to fill the bowl of my pipe. I was going for a walk in the rain so I fill the bowl about 3/4 full with the mixture. I fired it with a lighter and began my walk. It took two other lights to get a good burn going. The 3/4 bowl was about an hour smoke. The flavour was multidimensional and strong and dark. The vas came through with force and clarity but no bite. The tang and the sweetness of va was dominant. The nicotine sang from the get go. The burn was even and smooth. The ash was greyish white as it worked down the bowl. The taste did not change as it progressed until the bottom 1/4 of the bowl where it had a richness and smoothness that was really nice. For me this was a good smoke. I was glad I had just finished my meal though as I could feel it. No sweats or dizziness (like there could have been) just a pleasant rush. If you can find this one and you like a heavy smoke with a punch give Garry Owen a go. Thanks to Joyce at Tobacco Supermarket for the sample of yet another Irish Tobacco.

McClellands 5100 + Royal Cajun Special

A friend in the Vancouver Pipe Club gave me a small tin of a blend he put together that has as its elements two of my favourite tobaccos. The first is Mc 5100 bulk Red Virginia (very sweet and tangy and a favourite on its own) and the secone Royal Cajun Special. They are mixed 2:1 ratio. The result has been aging for awhile. Upon opening the tin, the aroma is a tangy dark smelling mix of reds and black ribbons of tobacco. The tang and sweetness of both parts is a bit like the smell in a tin of St. James Flake – tang with a bit of spice. It packs nicely in the bowl with no problems. Upon igniting the first bowl, the taste was mild, sweet and tangy. The combination of flavours assaults the tongue and mouth with full taste. I really like the fullness of taste in this one. At the back of the tongue one feels the bite of a perique like taste. That kind of peppery flavour that teases the back of the mouth. The combination of flavours and rich smoke are very good. As the smoke continues to mid bowl the taste does not lessen or reduce in its pungency and flavour. The smoke is clean and dry. The end of the bowl ends the same for me. The fine white/grey ash at the bottom of the bowl is very light and feathery. Good smoke all the way to the bottom of the bowl.

Old Virginia Flake

Got a sample of Old Virginia Flake from a friend and fired up my first bowl this afternoon. It is a very good tobacco. Kind of reminds me of McClellands Classic Va. or Stokebye’s VA Flake that I got from Old Morris. The tobacco is a broken flake VA. Tin aroma is sweet and tangy with a hint of some kind of topping on it. Not sure what that is – may be just an added sugar topping but it is definitely present in the tin. I did not bother rubbing out the broken flakes – I tend to just stuff and light this kind of baccy. So I filled an old BBB billiard that I have and put the fire to it. I decided to catch some fleeting sunshine here in Vancouver so I sat outside the local coffee shop and smoked the bowl. From the first match the smoke was tasty. Took a few lights to get it going as it seems a bit damp. Once the fire took the smoke was very nice. After the first bit the topping disappeared from the taste and what was there was a tangy and sweet Va. The aroma from the smoke got a few positive comments from passersby. I could even smell it a bit myself and liked the aroma. The flavor was full, sweet and rich. As the smoke progress down the bowl, I was left with the richness of a good Va, no topping taste at all. The bottom half of the bowl was just as flavorful and when it was over I was sad to see it end. The remnant was a fine white ash and no real dottle to speak of.

PJ Carroll’s Maltan Rich Dark Flake

One of the tobaccos that I got in Atlanta from Joyce at the tobacco supermarket was a 25gram pouch of Maltan. It is an Irish Tobacco. The pouch aroma is a bit floral – kind of a Lakeland type scent, oddly like perfume of some sort. Generally I find this off putting, but in this case persevered. The cut is a fine ribbon cut that the package identifies as Ready Rubbed. To me it is just finally cut very similar in cut to G&H Dark Birds Eye. Tobacco Reviews notes the following: A traditional finer cut Irish Virginia ready rubbed flake. A mixture of mahogany leaf selected for richness of flavour and taste. Slowly pressed to harmonise the natural flavours of matured tobacco grades. Cut, steamed and dried to give a long-stranded, soft and warm coloured appearance. Full aroma with a medium burning rate ideal for small bowled pipes.

The description is what made me press on. It packs very easily into the bowl and lights without problems. It burns evenly and cleanly with no clinging goopiness of wetness. The ash left is soft grey and light. Burned to the bottom of the bowl with no problem. For me the test would be to see if that floral lakeland flavour clung to the tobacco all the way through. Thankfully it did not. Within the first few moments of the smoke that was gone and a rich flavourful Virginia taste was in its place. As the tobacco burned down the bowl the taste intensified in its richness and fulness. Steaming process used in this one does what I have found always happens with Vas and that is that the flavorful is deeper and fuller. It is also a bit muddier and melded. The usual multidimensional flavours of Vas. was not as distinguishable. If you can get ahold of some of this go for it. Ignore the floral scent and fire a bowl up. It is quickly gone and you will get a rich tasting virgina!

MacBaren’s HH Vintage Syrian

MacBarens says this about it on the package write up: A little under half of the volume is a smooth, and yet powerful Latakia from Syria. This tobacco gives the blend the overall “smoky” taste. To add a spicy note to the blend, Turkish Oriental has been added. Different Virginia tobaccos from three continents add a sweet natural taste. To complete the taste with depth and body we added some Dark Fired Kentucky from the USA.

The pouch aroma is complex – I can smell the Latakias, the pungent Oriental, and the sweet Virginia. I cannot smell any of the “usual MacBarens topping”. That is good! The blend is the right moisture content and packs very easily. It lights with one burn- no charring light necessary. The flavour from the beginning is a nice mouthful of flavours that all come out through out the taste. The smoke in the room note is not too bad (maybe a Latakia that I can smoke in the house with the women in my life). The flavour is complex and enjoyable. It shifts and changes as the bowl progresses. One minute the Latakia is dominant, then I feel the dry tang of the Oriental come through at the edges of the tongue. The sweet Virginia tang is underneath and the Kentucky burley adds a nuttiness and body to the taste. This is a good smoke.

The last half of the bowl is equally good. The flavours shift back and forth just as they did in the first half of the bowl. I like this one. I think it is one I will go back to again and again. I am primarily a Virginia and Va/Per smoker so this is a great transition blend to me. Pungent yet sweet! I like this far better than the HH Vintage Virgina which I found monochromatic in flavour.

C&D After Hours Flake

Just finished a full bowl of this flake. It is a blend of Red and Bright Virginias pressed with spiced rum and sliced into flakes. The smell is that of sweet Red Virginias and the taste is full and hearty. I smoked it in the new Howell Handmade Acorn which has a great bowl for flakes. It gives a sweet and flavourful smoke to the bottom of the bowl with no dottle. Clean light grey ash. On first light the Va flavour is there and the sweetness hits the lips and tongue. Even after the bowl that sweetness carries on in the mouth. The room note is pleasant and sweet. The flake is not one dimensional but quite varied throughout the bowl. I for one cannot taste the spiced rum (it is different in taste say than a Navy Flake). I usually find C&D tobacs a bit green to my liking but this one is a keeper. It is just enough different from my other usual Vas that it is to my liking.

Bell’s Three Nuns

I picked up an old tin of this on one of my roamings through antique shops. It was in nice shape and unopened… or so I thought when I bought it for $10 or so. Well earlier I opened the tin and it was the original coins or tobacco with the perique in the middle. The tobacco was absolutely bone dry. It smelled dry and dusty. In comparison to the sample of this old timer I got to try from a friend, this one looked anemic. I removed it from the tin and slowly rehydrated it over two weeks with distilled water. Today it was absolutely perfect for smoking. The moisture level was perfect and the tobacco had a nice tin aroma once more. Whew — I thought this one was going to be toast.

I stuffed a stack of coins in the bowl of the old BBB Own Make 1919 pipe I just finished up. The smell of the tobacco in the tin was good aged Virginia with a bit of perique tang in the nose as I smelled it. It fired quickly and easily and the first tastes of this old tobacco was wonderful. From my guess it is about a 60’s vintage tin. The virginias were mellow and sweet with the characteristic Va tang in the taste. There was absolutely no bite in this one. The peppery overtones of perique hit the back of my mouth with its spice. Very smooth and mellow as the bowl progressed to mid bowl. Very even smoke – tastes the same through the bowl. The flavour deepens and the perique spice becomes a bit more prominent as it moves toward the bottom of the bowl. The room note was also a nice soft Va smell. Though even there you smell a bit of perique. The bowl was smooth to the end. No bite no problems – bowl just came to and end to soon. The ash was light grey and dry. Great smoke.

GLP Key Largo

Key Largo is a blend of Red Virginia, Izmir, Cyprus, Latakia, and Cigar leaf. It is a smokey and spicy smelling tobacco in the bag. It is a flake that by the time the airport security was finished with it at Ohare is now broken flake. I put it to flame and it burned very easily. The smoke was thick and cloudy but tasted good from first light. I can definitely taste the sweetness of the Red Virginia coming out through out the smoke. The Izmir gives an oriental dryness in the mouth (I don’t know how to describe it other than that. Kind of like a bit of tartar on the tongue). The latakia is there and predominant throughout the smoke but tasty and smokey. I am assuming that the latakia is Cyprian. It is a nice smoke. I will have to get some more of this one. The bowl burned clean and dry to the bottom. The ash was a light grey and left no dottle. Very tasty. I smoked in a Jack Howell Acorn.

A magic first smoke

1 Reply

Blog by Steve Laug

The evening was exactly right for the christening smoke in my new Dunhill 3108. I was sitting on the front porch of the cabin in Pt. Roberts Washington. Pt. Roberts is only accessible by going through Canada and then re-entering the US. The sky was overcast a bit with the moon peeking through the clouds. The evening air was crisp and clean, with just a faint tang of the ocean in the breeze. I sat back in the Adirondack chair with my feet up, a bottle of Negra Modelo – a Mexican Amber Ale and the new Dunhill in hand. I held it and looked at it carefully enjoying the feel of the shape in my hand. On the arm of the chair I had a couple of tins of tobacco as I was still deciding on the first smoke. I cracked the tin of Anniversary and took a deep breath taking in the tang of the Virginia in it, the spiciness of Perique. I closed the lid. I opened the tin of Dunhill’s Elizabethan Mixture and did the same…. decisions. Finally I clumped together the first bit of EM and stuffed it into the bowl, the second bit went in, the final bit tucked in and tamped just so with my forefinger.

I held the bowl in my hand and sniffed the smell of the new briar and the tobacco melding together. I struck the first match and charred the load, then tamped and gave it a good light. The taste of that smoke coming into my mouth, the cloud of it that hung in the night air all lent a special nose to the evening. I just sat back and enjoyed the moment, lost in the first smoke. The tobacco burned well, effortlessly really as the bowl warmed to the touch. The blast on the briar radiated the warmth to the hand in the chill air. It was one of those moments when all the senses combine for a great experience. The tobacco taste and smell, the warmth of the briar in the hand, the smoke in the air curling around the pillars of the porch, the sound of the fire crackling away at the tobacco in the bowl all combined for a moment in which I just disappeared for a time.

The bowl lasted 30 minutes maybe more, I lost track of time really. The magic of the smoke was such that I really mentally left the confines of the porch all together. Lost in thought, living in the sensory moment, was a joy. The tobacco burned slowly and evenly to the bottom of the bowl as I enjoyed the mellow taste of good Virginias and the slight spice of Perique melding in the smoke. The briar was warm but not hot all the way through the smoke, it felt good in the hand and against the cheek occasionally…. as the smoke thinned and the fire reached the end of the tobacco in the bowl, the smoke came to an end… I just sat for a bit thinking and tasting the flavor on my lips and gums… this is pipe smoking at its best….

Probably should go in now… getting cold… seeing my breath…

My Dog and My Pipe Tobacco

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this: