A New Chap Pipe From A Nice Chap

[alexnorth]

I just got home from a birthday party and even though it wasn't my birthday I still got a gift to take home. A vintage pipe!

It is a "Chap" brand pipe. The little info I've managed to gather is that Chap is a french brand established in the 1920's. I would gladly hear any more info on this brand.
I would call this a semi-bent billiard with an ever so slightly forward canted bowl. It's got some markings - "chap perfect" "ecume" "Saint Claude" and "418" on the shank and "chap" again in the stem. It features a layered pointy stinger that doesn't remove and I think it might be meerschaum lined.
There is some discoloration on the stem. Now I don't have access to any pipe workshop but I wouldn't mind putting some effort into making it shine again. How would one go about that with general house supplies, if possible?

 

[cortezattic]

Pipephil.eu has a few pages about it. Here's a link to Google search results.
I hope that stinger is removable.
"ecume" in French means "foam", so it's probably meerschaum (sea foam), AFAIK.

 

[aldecaker]

There's got to be a way to remove that monstrosity of a stinger, should you want to. The stem doesn't look to be in that bad of shape; I'd give a Magic Eraser a try and see if that will be sufficient. Then some pipe stem polish or toothpaste should finish it off pretty well.
That pipe is a nice shape and size- enjoy!

 

[alexnorth]

Upon further inspection the stinger does release. I think I'll leave it off. Magic eraser, is that a special kind of eraser?

 

[mawnansmiff]

"Magic eraser, is that a special kind of eraser?"
Yes, it's a magic one :rofl:
Seriously though, magic erasers can be bought online, do a quick Google search. I prefer to use Oxyclean myself followed by micromesh followed by white diamond on the wheel.
Whatever you do, please post pictures after the clean up.
Regards,
Jay.

 

[agnosticpipe]

I think it's a great pipe! I like French pipes in general, and it should clean up nice. What Jay said, post cleaned up pictures please.

 

[mso489]

Scotch tape the stinger to an index card and keep it with your pipe accessories in case you ever want to sell the pipe with its original equipment, although this one looks like a keeper. I have several stingers similarly secured and carefully labeled as to which pipe it belongs.

 

[alexnorth]

I'll go look for it at gringotts then mawnansmiff.. ::

I will save the stinger then but probably not use it myself. Will a small brush to the trick polishing the stem you think? I'm really looking forward to smoking this pipe, it belonged to an elderly friend who had it when he was younger some 40 years ago

 

[alexnorth]

So... I went to gringotts and managed to buy some magic eraser. With some serious scrubbing the grime was removed and the stem looks considerably better. I'll try to post some progress pics tonight. This is my very first mini - "resto". It's fun to have small projects to occupy your mind

 

[alexnorth]

So, I scrubbed the stem with magic eraser and there was alot of Brown oxidation(?) coming off it. The stummel got a rub down with a wet rag. I scrubbed the inside of the shank and stem with pipe cleaners soaked in whisky 56%ABV. Until they came out clean, both dry and wet ones.
I don't have a workshop with a Wheel or anything but I searched around a bit and found some useful (totally wrong?) advice. I uset chapstick to shine the stem and pipe and then finished the stummel of with some oliveoil aswell to boost the shine. All in accordance to the all-knowing internet.

¨

Here is the result: