A little while ago I came across this Hans "Former" Nielsen freehand on eBay and fell in love with it. I’ve always been a fan of the pickaxe, elephant’s foot, and pointed bent Dublin shapes and I’m guessing this would be considered an elephant’s foot of sorts.
Although previously smoked, the pipe was in near mint condition requiring only a clean and a bit of buffing to make it look new again. The contrast between smooth straight grained faces against the sandblasted birdseye really sets the pipe off. I’ve always found this design element very appealing. The deep burgundy staining really complements the grain, especially the highlighted birdseye.
This pipe is a very compact package and feels substantial in the hand yet its excellent balance and weight distribution make for a very comfortable clencher. The length is about 5 ¼ inches with a bowl height of almost 2 ¾ inches. I really love how Former placed a bend in the shank as it leaves the bowl rather than leaving it straight as most do.
Although a good smoker, it’s not one of my best. This was a little disappointing as Former has a reputation for creating superb pipes. My biggest complaint is that the pipe tends to go out more frequently than most. This might be due to the stem and shank being drilled a little narrower than usual. I sometimes have trouble passing a standard pipe cleaner through the stem & shank as the passage is pretty tight. Forget about using tapered or fluffy cleaners; they won't budge. At first I thought accumulated tar and char was clogging up the passage but a thorough cleaning proved otherwise.
Rick Newcombe is a strong advocate for the open draw and routinely has his new pipes re-drilled accordingly. Although this one may be a candidate for a little corrective surgery I have serious qualms about messing with a high-dollar pipe like this and really screwing it up. Besides there are far worse sins a pipe can commit than requiring a few relights. This pipe’s virtues far outweigh this minor inconvenience. After all, it’s a stunning piece!
Although previously smoked, the pipe was in near mint condition requiring only a clean and a bit of buffing to make it look new again. The contrast between smooth straight grained faces against the sandblasted birdseye really sets the pipe off. I’ve always found this design element very appealing. The deep burgundy staining really complements the grain, especially the highlighted birdseye.
This pipe is a very compact package and feels substantial in the hand yet its excellent balance and weight distribution make for a very comfortable clencher. The length is about 5 ¼ inches with a bowl height of almost 2 ¾ inches. I really love how Former placed a bend in the shank as it leaves the bowl rather than leaving it straight as most do.
Although a good smoker, it’s not one of my best. This was a little disappointing as Former has a reputation for creating superb pipes. My biggest complaint is that the pipe tends to go out more frequently than most. This might be due to the stem and shank being drilled a little narrower than usual. I sometimes have trouble passing a standard pipe cleaner through the stem & shank as the passage is pretty tight. Forget about using tapered or fluffy cleaners; they won't budge. At first I thought accumulated tar and char was clogging up the passage but a thorough cleaning proved otherwise.
Rick Newcombe is a strong advocate for the open draw and routinely has his new pipes re-drilled accordingly. Although this one may be a candidate for a little corrective surgery I have serious qualms about messing with a high-dollar pipe like this and really screwing it up. Besides there are far worse sins a pipe can commit than requiring a few relights. This pipe’s virtues far outweigh this minor inconvenience. After all, it’s a stunning piece!
