I just purchased this circa 1980 unsmoked Dunhill 3214 Root Briar, which is a group 3 bent Dublin from Paul's Pipe Shop in Flint, MI. It will pass a pipe cleaner, but only if the tip is bent. The draft hole is drilled at the very top of the mortise and certainly not in line with the draft hole in the stem, which is dead center in the tenon. The only thing saving the draft on this pipe is the 1/4" of extra space between the bottom of the mortise and the end of the tenon.
Is this common for a Dunhill bent? I have a 1970s bent that has a draft hole drilled nearly as high, but with an enormous draft hole in the tenon (perhaps for a 6mm filter?). It smokes fine.
As a side note, I was pretty disappointed in the service from Paul's. The stem was dull and tasted very bitter from oxidation. Clearly, no attempt was made to buff the stem. Particularly with a pipe at this price, it should be buffed at the time of delivery. Also, my expectation when I buy a new pipe (not an unsmoked estate), even if it's NOS, that it has a pipe sock and box. This came with neither.
Is this common for a Dunhill bent? I have a 1970s bent that has a draft hole drilled nearly as high, but with an enormous draft hole in the tenon (perhaps for a 6mm filter?). It smokes fine.
As a side note, I was pretty disappointed in the service from Paul's. The stem was dull and tasted very bitter from oxidation. Clearly, no attempt was made to buff the stem. Particularly with a pipe at this price, it should be buffed at the time of delivery. Also, my expectation when I buy a new pipe (not an unsmoked estate), even if it's NOS, that it has a pipe sock and box. This came with neither.