When I was a little boy a man named Harry Hosterman visited my father at his milk barn quite often. Harry smoked little Dr Grabow pipes with Prince Albert, and his pipes although cheap, were beautiful to look at.
Harry took steel wool and removed the varnish of every pipe he owned. He then used olive oil occasionally to shine them.
I recently substituted grapeseed oil for olive oil, but I follow Harry’s example today, I first learned six decades ago.
Harry Hosterman claimed removing varnish let the briar breathe, and they smoked better. I can’t prove that, but I also believe that’s true. It surely doesn’t hurt the smoking qualities.
But the difference in beauty of a varnished pipe and an oil finished pipe is stark, obvious, and undeniable. The plain, oil finished pipe is much more something you’ll be proud to own and smoke.
Most Lee pipes were shipped unvarnished. The Lee Three Star Pot I got in yesterday had a thin dark coat of varnish.
The varnish was so thin, I removed it all with hot water and steel wool in a minute or so. It improved the looks of it.
But when I got home and could apply grapeseed oil, look at what just one application does.
I can apply beeswax (or any other wax) to this pipe now and make it shine, or I can just leave it alone. The grapeseed oil occasionally will need replenished.
A little grapeseed oil goes a long ways. Here’s four other Lees I shined up with the same paper towel and a few drops of grapeseed oil after I applied it to my new Pot.
I doubt Harry ever heard of a Star Grade Lee.
But all his Dr Grabows, were this beautiful, using olive oil.
I prefer grapeseed oil, because it’s thinner and seems to not darken the pipes as much.
Harry took steel wool and removed the varnish of every pipe he owned. He then used olive oil occasionally to shine them.
I recently substituted grapeseed oil for olive oil, but I follow Harry’s example today, I first learned six decades ago.
Harry Hosterman claimed removing varnish let the briar breathe, and they smoked better. I can’t prove that, but I also believe that’s true. It surely doesn’t hurt the smoking qualities.
But the difference in beauty of a varnished pipe and an oil finished pipe is stark, obvious, and undeniable. The plain, oil finished pipe is much more something you’ll be proud to own and smoke.
Most Lee pipes were shipped unvarnished. The Lee Three Star Pot I got in yesterday had a thin dark coat of varnish.
The varnish was so thin, I removed it all with hot water and steel wool in a minute or so. It improved the looks of it.
But when I got home and could apply grapeseed oil, look at what just one application does.
I can apply beeswax (or any other wax) to this pipe now and make it shine, or I can just leave it alone. The grapeseed oil occasionally will need replenished.
A little grapeseed oil goes a long ways. Here’s four other Lees I shined up with the same paper towel and a few drops of grapeseed oil after I applied it to my new Pot.
I doubt Harry ever heard of a Star Grade Lee.
But all his Dr Grabows, were this beautiful, using olive oil.
I prefer grapeseed oil, because it’s thinner and seems to not darken the pipes as much.