Tag Archives: Savinelli Punto Oro

Fixing Up a Handsome Savinelli Punto Oro 122 Pot

Leave a reply

by Kenneth Lieblich

Next up on my restoration adventures is this sandblasted Savinelli Punto Oro 122. It belongs to a gentleman in Oregon. He bought this estate pipe recently and it needed a thorough tune-up. This is a good-looking pipe, to be sure. Savinelli calls it a pot, and I am quite fond of this shape. In addition to the sandblast, the saddle stem has a very subtle bend in it. It’s a wonderful pipe and it deserves to be enjoyed by its new owner.

This pipe promises to be a great smoker. Let’s look at the markings. The underside of the bowl reads Savinelli [over] Punto Oro. Savinelli, of course, is an Italian company, and the words Punto Oro mean literally, “gold point”. Next to that is the lovely Savinelli crown; and next to that are the marks 122 [over] Italy. Naturally, the number refers to the shape. Finally, there is a gold-coloured dot on the stem (made of brass) – a very nice touch.

Savinelli is one of the most recognized names in pipe smoking, and they have a long and storied history. You can read about them from their own website or from Pipedia’s article about them. However, I was particularly interested in learning more about the Punto Oro line. Sadly, Pipedia had nothing on this subject. I checked with Pipephil and they did have a bit of information, which I display below.

I also found a bit of information on the Punto Oro line from Savinelli’s own website. They write:

PUNTO ORO pipe was the first pipe created by Achille Savinelli after the opening of the factory in 1958; a pipe that has always distinguished the Savinelli brand, its elegance, reliability and tradition. It is a top quality pipe with a wonderful grain. It is important to know it is very difficult to find a briar piece suitable to become a PUNTO ORO: just 1,2% of the whole choice is selected for this series, therefore not all our shapes are always available for these pipes.

This was a well-loved pipe – and it shows in the best way. The stem on this pipe definitely displays signs of use. There were a few scratches in the vulcanite. There was also some calcification and oxidation. The stummel looked handsome, but tired. There were indications of lava on the rim but only a bit of cake in the bowl. Overall, I noticed that this pipe had likely been ‘restored’ before, but it had been done poorly. So, I must repair the ‘restoration’.

The usual cleaning procedures were in order for this pipe. I used isopropyl alcohol on a few cotton rounds and wiped down the stem to provide an initial cleaning of filth before moving on to the next steps. The primary cleaning came next. I disinfected the inside of the stem with both pipe cleaners and cotton swabs dipped in lemon-infused 99% isopropyl alcohol. I scrubbed thoroughly to make sure the interior was very clean.

The goal of the next step is the removal (or minimization) of oxidation. Going to my sink, I used cream cleanser, cotton rounds, and a toothbrush, and scoured the stem to remove as much surface oxidation as possible.

Once the stem was reasonably clean, I soaked it overnight in some Briarville Stem Oxidation Remover. This solution works to draw oxidation in the stem to the surface of the vulcanite. This is a major aid and an important step in ensuring a clean stem. The following day, I drew out the stem from its bath and scrubbed the lingering fluid with a toothbrush.

As the stem was now clean and dry, I set about fixing the marks and dents in the vulcanite. This was done by filling those divots with black cyanoacrylate adhesive, impregnated with carbon and rubber. I left this to cure and moved on.

The penultimate step for the stem is sanding. First, with my set of needle files, I reduced the bulk of the cyanoacrylate repairs. I removed the excess adhesive as near to the surface as possible, without cutting into the vulcanite. Following that, I used all nine of the micromesh sanding pads (1,500 through 12,000 grit) to sand out flaws, even out the vulcanite, and provide gentle polishing of the finished surface. I also applied pipe-stem oil while using the last five micromesh pads. There was a wonderful, deep black shine to the stem when I was done.

As the stem was (nearly) complete, I moved on to the stummel. The first step was to ream out the bowl – that is to say, remove all the cake inside the bowl. This accomplished a couple of things. First (and most obviously), it cleaned the bowl and provided a refurbished chamber for future smoking. Second, when the old cake was removed, I could inspect the interior walls of the bowl and determine if there was damage or not. I used a reamer, a pipe knife, and a piece of sandpaper taped to a wooden dowel. Collectively, these ensured that all the debris was removed.

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 – 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. Some darkening did remain on the rim, but that’s fine – it is part of this pipe’s history.

As this pipe is sandblasted, I only sanded the smooth patch on the underside of the bowl. I used the three finest of my micromesh pads and gave the spot a good rub.

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 the stem with a blue diamond compound, then the stummel with some conservator’s wax. This procedure makes the pipe look its best: the stummel is smart and dapper and the stem is lithe and lustrous.

All done! This Savinelli Punto Oro 122 pot looks fantastic again and I am delighted with the results. I’m sure the gentleman in Oregon will be too. 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.

Restoring a Beautiful Savinelli Punto Oro

Leave a reply

by Kenneth Lieblich

Next up on my restoration adventures is this Savinelli Punto Oro 915 KS. I acquired it from an older gentleman in Vancouver. He said he bought this (and the other pipes I got from him) more than “fifty years ago” – his words. That would date it to the early seventies, which fits with the style of the pipe. This is an unusual shape, to be sure. Savinelli calls it a Dublin – and so it is – but it has a luxurious, hourglass look to it as well. It has an elegant, elliptical shank and tapered, vulcanite stem. Perhaps I’ll call it a clessidra di Dublino. It’s a wonderful pipe and it deserves to be part of someone’s collection again. This pipe promises to be a great smoker. Let’s look at the markings. The top side of the shank reads Savinelli [over] Punto Oro. Savinelli, of course, is an Italian company, and the words Punto Oro mean literally, “gold point”. On the underside of the shank is the lovely Savinelli crown, next to which are the marks 915 KS [over] Italy. Naturally, the number refers to the shape and KS means “King Size”. Finally, there is a gold-coloured dot on the stem (made of brass) – a very nice touch.Savinelli is one of the most recognized names in pipe smoking and they have a long and storied history. You can read about them from their own website or from Pipedia’s article about them. However, I was particularly interested in learning more about the Punto Oro line. Sadly, Pipedia had nothing on this subject. I checked with Pipephil and they did have a bit of information, which I display below.I also found a bit of information on the Punto Oro line from Savinelli’s own website. They write:

PUNTO ORO pipe was the first pipe created by Achille Savinelli after the opening of the factory in 1958; a pipe that has always distinguished the Savinelli brand, its elegance, reliability and tradition. It is a top quality pipe with a wonderful grain. It is important to know it is very difficult to find a briar piece suitable to become a PUNTO ORO: just 1,2% of the whole choice is selected for this series, therefore not all our shapes are always available for these pipes.This was a well-loved pipe – and it shows in the best way. The stem on this pipe definitely shows signs of use. There were quite a few scratches in the vulcanite. There was also some calcification and oxidation. The stummel looked elegant, but tired. There were indications of lava on the rim and plenty of cake in the bowl. Also, the briar had a few little nicks along the rim from the years of love of its previous owner. Most concerning though, was a field of nicks on one side of the briar. Eek! More on that later. Well, the usual cleaning procedures were in order for this pipe. I started on the stem by wiping it down with some Murphy’s on a cotton round. Then, I cleaned out the insides of the stem with pipe cleaners and lemon-infused isopropyl alcohol. It wasn’t too dirty.Once that was done, the stem went for an overnight soak in the Before & After Hard Rubber Deoxidizer. After soaking, I cleaned off the de-oxidizing fluid with alcohol, pipe cleaners, et cetera. The oxidation had migrated to the surface and I used SoftScrub to work it off.Before I moved on to the Micromesh pads, I built up the tooth damage on the stem with black cyanoacrylate adhesive and let it fully cure. I used my miniature files to take down the majority of the dried glue. I then sanded it down with 400-grit sandpaper to meld seamlessly into the stem. I then used all nine Micromesh pads (1,500 through 12,000 grit) to bring out the lovely black lustre on the stem. I also used Obsidian Pipe Stem Oil in between each pad scrubbing. This also really made the brass dot pop! Putting the stem aside, I moved on to the stummel. I used both the PipNet Reamer, the KleenReem, and some sandpaper taped to a wooden dowel to take the bowl down to bare briar, as I wanted to ensure there were no hidden flaws in the walls of the bowl. Fortunately, there were none.I then proceeded to clean out the insides of the shank with Q-tips, pipe cleaners, and isopropyl alcohol. There was an enormous amount of nastiness inside this stummel and – boy-oh-boy – it took a lot of cotton to get this thing clean! A de-ghosting session seemed like a good idea. This de-ghosting consisted of thrusting cotton balls in the bowl and the shank, and saturating them with 99% isopropyl alcohol. I let the stummel sit overnight. This caused the oils, tars and smells to leech out into the cotton. Finally, a relatively clean and fresh-smelling bowl emerged. I then moved on to cleaning the outside of the stummel with Murphy’s Oil Soap and some cotton pads. What a difference that made! I also cleaned the insides with some soap and tube brushes. I examined the vast range of bumps in the briar. I dug out my iron and a damp cloth to try to raise them. The hot and moist steam can often cause the wood to swell slightly and return to shape. This worked incredibly well – I was absolutely delighted with the results. I took a close look at the rim. In order to save as much of the rim as possible, I used a piece of machine metal to very delicately scrape away as much lava as I could. I do this before automatically jumping to my topping board. This worked well and the topping board was not needed. Instead, I filled in a couple of nicks and used a wooden sphere and some pads to even out the top side and make it beautiful. After this, I used all nine Micromesh pads (1,500 through 12,000 grit) to make everything smooth. I applied some Before & After Restoration Balm and finally saw the beauty of my work. Off to the bench polisher I went. I applied some White Diamond and a few coats of carnauba wax and they added the finishing touch. This Savinelli Punto Oro 915 KS clessidra di Dublino was in need of a new lease on life. 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 “Italy” pipe section of the store here on Steve’s website. You can also email me directly at kenneth@knightsofthepipe.com. The approximate dimensions of the pipe are as follows: length 5⅞ in. (150 mm); height 2 in. (51 mm); bowl diameter 1⅝ in. (39 mm); chamber diameter ¾ in. (20 mm). The weight of the pipe is 1½ oz. (46 g). I hope you enjoyed reading the story of this 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.

Stem Bite through repair – Savinelli Punto Oro Prince

5 Replies

Blog by Steve Laug

I picked up this little Savinelli Prince because I really like the shape of the pipe and the spigot style stem. I bid knowing full well that the stem had a bit through on it. Once it arrived I could have replaced the stem but decided to do a stem patch on it. The pipe itself was in great shape other than the bite through near the button on top of the stem. The underside of the stem was clean with no tooth marks or chatter. As I examined it I also noticed that the previous owner seemed to have done a halfway patch on it and in the process had broken a chunk out of the button and repaired with white glue. The white glue may have been applied by the seller to keep the pieces together while he sold it. I will never know for sure, but the glue would not hold for long as it is water soluble. The two pictures below show the extent of the damage in the stem and give a good idea of the state of the pipe as a whole. It was a great pipe with some unfortunate damage to the stem.

ImageImage 

I cleaned off the broken chunk with a dental pick, which was surprisingly easy and makes my above assertion about the seller doing a quick patch up more likely. I cleaned off the debris on the chunk (it was not very big, but was an essential piece of the button). I washed it with Isopropyl alcohol. Then I re-glued it with clear super glue. I purposely over filled the crack and pushed the piece in place until it held. I would sand off the excess glue once I had dealt with the bite through on the stem.

The bite through was a mess as well. There was oxidation in the hole as well as some built up dust and dirt. I picked the hole clean with the dental pick (by now you know that this is one of my indispensable tools in the refurbishing process). I wiped it down with a cotton swab and Isopropyl alcohol to get a good clean hole. By this point it was black and clean. I used a small round needle file to clean up the rough edges on the hole as I wanted a solid surface to work with. I washed it yet again with the alcohol to remove the grit from filing.

This time, instead of using the greased pipe cleaner in the slot I used a small nail file that fit the slot perfectly and gave a base to the glue. The hole was too big for just a pipe cleaner to provide the coverage. I greased both surfaces of the file and inserted it in the slot in the button. I gradually built up the hole with repeated applications of super glue. I let the layers dry before adding a new coating of glue. I have found that if I build it slowly around the edges it gives a better repair. Once it was built up I over filled the hole to make sure it is well covered and the hole is no longer visible. On this particular pipe I used clear super glue because I was out of the black super glue. Both versions work exceptionally well but the black has the benefit of being the same colour as the stem and is a little less visible.

After the glue was dried I used the flat blade needle file to rework the button back into shape and give it the nice sharp edges that it should have. I sanded the stem smooth, removing the excess glue and the roughness of the glue. I went on to sand it with 400 and 600 wet dry sandpaper and a bit of water to remove the scratches left by the 240 grit paper. Then I used the full range of micromesh pads, 1500, 1800, 2400, 3200, 4000 and 6000 grit to smooth it out. As usual I had a bowl of water near at hand to dip the pads as I sanded and to wash them of the slurry that comes as I sanded. Once they were smooth and shiny, the last three grits of micromesh really do a nice job giving the stem a sheen, I took the pipe to my buffer I finished it with White Diamond polishing compound.

ImageImageImageImage

I have been asked in the past how long the stem patches hold up and the durability of the patch. I have no long term proof of their durability but I have had this pipe for about two years and have smoked it quite a bit and the patch shows no sign of giving way. I clean it as I would any other pipe with pipe cleaners after use and then periodically breaking it down to give it a thorough cleaning inside and out. I would say that is a pretty good track record for a patched pipe. Time will tell but in the meantime it is very smokeable and looks great in my opinion.