K
klause
Guest
You don't get much for a fiver these days; less than a pint of Guinness, 1/4 tin of tobacco,a couple of Bic lighters, maybe, possibly 2 packets of pipe cleaners if you shop around.
You can though, if you're extremely lucky, do the sacred dance of Fleabay, and hold your breath long enough, pick up a battered old Bulldog. Admittedly, it is fairly mucky, but it does have an amber stem, albeit snapped in two.
A quick ream with the Opinel; a scrub with a soapy sponge; a lot of booze soaked pipe cleaners (at least a fivers worth); some wax; and a small dollop of superglue; et voila:
Until I have the sovereigns to get a proper replacement stem cut, this will serve me well - in fact I'm so happy with it I may just keep it as is - I think it gives it character, and tells a story - its part of the artifacts history.
So, a Bulldog, made in 1897, with a PERFECT bowl, and a repaired amber stem, for a fiver - in my world it just does not get much better than this. The pictures don't show it, but the grain is quite beautiful - and not a single flaw.
The moral? Well, there isn't one. But, if you see an old pipe with a damaged stem, give it a shot, especially if it goes for pennies - even if it needs a replacement stem, it could still be worth it.
You can though, if you're extremely lucky, do the sacred dance of Fleabay, and hold your breath long enough, pick up a battered old Bulldog. Admittedly, it is fairly mucky, but it does have an amber stem, albeit snapped in two.
A quick ream with the Opinel; a scrub with a soapy sponge; a lot of booze soaked pipe cleaners (at least a fivers worth); some wax; and a small dollop of superglue; et voila:
Until I have the sovereigns to get a proper replacement stem cut, this will serve me well - in fact I'm so happy with it I may just keep it as is - I think it gives it character, and tells a story - its part of the artifacts history.
So, a Bulldog, made in 1897, with a PERFECT bowl, and a repaired amber stem, for a fiver - in my world it just does not get much better than this. The pictures don't show it, but the grain is quite beautiful - and not a single flaw.
The moral? Well, there isn't one. But, if you see an old pipe with a damaged stem, give it a shot, especially if it goes for pennies - even if it needs a replacement stem, it could still be worth it.