My new/old Grabow Restoration Candidate

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mikethompson

Lifer
Jun 26, 2016
11,292
23,325
Near Toronto, Ontario, Canada
After the technical mishap of it being sent back to the sender, my Dr. Grabow Golden Duke has arrived. I picked this up to practice restoring pipes, as the bowl has some burn marks. The stem looks perfect aside from usual discolouration.
The pipe is very small as well, I thought something called a Golden Duke would be bigger, but smaller means less work right?
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scloyd

Lifer
May 23, 2018
5,938
12,031
Nice pipe Mike. Glad it finally arrived. Looking forward to the after pics. Good luck.

 

didimauw

Moderator
Staff member
Jul 28, 2013
9,894
31,605
34
Burlington WI
Awesome pipe. I recently restored a crown Duke bully similar to that one. Mine has the blue spade. Made back when stems were real vulcanite.
Can't wait to see how it turns out for you!

 

mso489

Lifer
Feb 21, 2013
41,210
60,433
Looks like a great little smoker. Once you get it cleaned up, I bet you'll reach for that one often.

 

acidpox

Can't Leave
Nov 18, 2018
460
317
Cant wait to see it all cleaned up. The grabow I just recently redid gets smoked often.

 

bnichols23

Lifer
Mar 13, 2018
4,131
9,554
SC Piedmont
Even I could deal with a shape like that. A bulldublin, how much better could it get?! (Hush, Duane, I know what you're going to say. -laugh-)
You *are* planning on stell-wooling that daggone spade off the stem, right? :twisted:
B

 

mikethompson

Lifer
Jun 26, 2016
11,292
23,325
Near Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Thanks guys, it is coming along. Hopefully I'm picking up some tricks and skills along the way.
I'm not sure if the calibre will be up to some of the restorations I see around here, but its all about growth right?
No comment on the upside down pictures Bill? You must be slipping.

 

mikethompson

Lifer
Jun 26, 2016
11,292
23,325
Near Toronto, Ontario, Canada
The progress so far:
Rim has been cleaned with 1800 grit micromesh. I've still got a little on there to get off but most of it is gone. I cleaned the whole bowl with Murphy's oil soap and a toothbrush, plugging the bowl with two cotton balls. An incredible amount of grime came off.
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lawdawg

Lifer
Aug 25, 2016
1,792
3,801
Already cleaning up nicely! The first set of pics gave me the impression that the rim was severely charred, but it looks comparatively minor in the "after" pics. Looking forward to seeing the finished pipes. Even though I don't old any Grabows or Kaywoodies etc., I like seeing these classic America everyman's pipes cleaned up and put back into use.

 

mikethompson

Lifer
Jun 26, 2016
11,292
23,325
Near Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Thanks guys! A few coats of mineral oil have really helped with that rough rim. Truthfully to be perfect the bowl would have to be topped slightly, but that's a little much for me right now. I'm happy with how the bowl went. Now to focus on the stem.

 

bnichols23

Lifer
Mar 13, 2018
4,131
9,554
SC Piedmont
Remember, Mike, 60 grit coarse will take that shovel off just like [snap] that.
Yeah, I agree that just a *little* topping could help, though not too much. Full faith & confidence, though, that you ain't so toopid as to not know when enough is too much.
On the pictures, so many of mine come out cockeyed, I figured it was normal!
B

 

mso489

Lifer
Feb 21, 2013
41,210
60,433
I'd vote against topping the bowl. A little wear on a pipe is a good thing, and you are bringing it along nicely otherwise. You could sand it down and re-stain it, but I wouldn't. These grand old U.S. factory pipes are classic.

 
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