I had an old Dr. Grabow pipe that a friend found at a garage sale when I had first started pipe smoking. I needed some briar dust for another restoration and I never liked the "drug store lacquer" on this pipe. I sanded it down and let the natural briar come out with some wax. Maybe a little crazy to violate the nature of the pipe but it made the grain really gorgeous for such an entry level pipe! Check it out below:
Original Grabow
De-Grabow'd
Original Grabow
De-Grabow'd