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Dr. Grabow Refurb

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acidpox

acidpox

Can't Leave
Nov 18, 2018
460
317
I bought an estate lot of 6 pipes off ebay awhile back for 20 bucks. This Grabow was one of them and I liked the shape and feel of it so I decided to fix it up.
Original condition I received it in.
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So 1st I sanded off the layer of paint or what ever was on there. Removed the caked with a dull pocket knife and lightly sanded the inside bowl. Next I did a salt and alcohol treatment and cleaned the airways and pipe stem with lots of rubbing alcohol and pipe cleaners. Then stained it a dark blue with leather dye and sanded with 220 until I liked the pattern. Stem got an oxiclean bath and sanding from 1000-3000 grit sand paper. Also sanded the bowl up to 3000. Also had to re clock the stem. Finished with polish and wax with my dremel. Not as good as some of the work I have seen from members here but I'm happy with it, Also it was kinda bad lighting when I took the pics so the blue looks more black in the pics.
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didimauw

didimauw

Moderator
Staff member
Jul 28, 2013
9,967
31,885
34
Burlington WI
So much better without that ugly paint. I never understood why company's would his such beautiful grain underneath. Even with a couple flaws,they look better natural.

 
mso489

mso489

Lifer
Feb 21, 2013
41,210
60,459
It looks great, a whole new day. I can't see the blue in the stain, but it looks fine either way. The grain shows through. It never ceased to amaze me how the stems can be brought back to near new.

 
alaskanpiper

alaskanpiper

Enabler in Chief
May 23, 2019
9,370
42,531
Alaska
Looks like somebody sure smoked the hell out of that funky, blue pipe
Click to expand...
Nothing covers up ugly ass briar like a thick coat of gorgeous robins egg paint! Reminds me of when we bought our house. There was a whole bedroom with beautiful wood paneling that had been painted over with a translucent split pea green stain, along with green painted plywood floors. Needless to say we did a little DIY reno. Some people's choices....
Before/After
house-pics-600x600.jpg


 
acidpox

acidpox

Can't Leave
Nov 18, 2018
460
317
My original thought was to try to save the blue color, but the previous owner didn't do any pipe mantinece and it was just too far gone.

 
acidpox

acidpox

Can't Leave
Nov 18, 2018
460
317
Thanks for the kind words guys, just took it out for its 1st bowl. Some 7 seas regular and I will say its gonna me a damn fine smoker once its properly broken back in. Guess it's time to start working on a CAO meerschaum that was also in the lot. Any tips or pointers for a meerschaum newbie like myself.

 
acidpox

acidpox

Can't Leave
Nov 18, 2018
460
317
It's a metal screw in tenon, when fully screwed in the stem was wayyy off from being centered. This grabow was an adjustomatic and they are made so you can turn the metal part on the stem so if it comes out of line you can twist it so it lines up again back to the 12 o clock position, thus "re clocking" it.

 
didimauw

didimauw

Moderator
Staff member
Jul 28, 2013
9,967
31,885
34
Burlington WI
Even though I don't like the color, I enjoy how much the wear was shown on color of the pipe. I'm strange like that.

 
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