Metal pipes

fishnbanjo · Sep 21, 2015

Was on a metal pipe spree a few weeks ago and picked up these three beauties.
The first has a briar bowl insert and it's an E&G Airflow and it smokes great.

The second is an Aristocob unsmoked in the original container I will hold off smoking it until I can pick up a 3 pack of cob inserts and smoking the most ragged one.

Finally is this ceramic bowled metal shank Jima with instruction booklet and original case. Has a unique method of removing the center shaft for cleaning what they call the filter, a spring, it's actually a condenser as it traps moisture and contaminants, nice smoking pipe, very cool smoke with some Peretti Oriental #40.

banjo

johnnyreb · Sep 21, 2015

Banjo,

I like that E&G Airflow for its space age look. Does a metal pipe like that have a moisture problem? I'm thinking it is probably like pipestone or Bakelite. I would assume the briar insert would help some with the accumulation of moisture? Is the insert threaded?

fishnbanjo · Sep 21, 2015

johnnyreb,

The radiator shroud unscrews and the briar bowl is made to fit the inside of the shroud and on top of the base of the shank. There is a small hole in the center which fits over a small pipe on the base. The front screw is removable to allow cleaning of all the parts, I'm toying with purchasing a corn cob bowl that has not been drilled for a stem to see how it compares to the Aristocob. The E&G comes from the late 30's so it was science fiction like for its time it smokes very well for me. Cheers.

banjo

johnnyreb · Sep 21, 2015

Banjo,

I have a Kirsten M or L (forget which) but have never done anything with it.
How do you clean the ceramic insert on the Jima? If I remember correctly it is not removable.
When I saw this first pic I was sure I was looking at the Port side of a navigation light for a boat, but it is clearly a briar insert.

fishnbanjo · Sep 21, 2015

Looking at it I would treat it like meerschaum and it doesn't want to cake up so a damp cloth once cool should work. Tha pipe you have sure looks like the light assembly on the bow of my Boston Whaler, never saw one before, thanks for sharing.

banjo

johnnyreb · Sep 22, 2015

Just to be clear the above is not my pipe. The maker is unknown & the pictures I posted came from here:
http://www.smokingmetal.co.uk/pipe.php?page=235

brass · Sep 22, 2015

Thanks for sharing the pics. I had no idea that metal pipes existed - excepting Falcons and Tsgue.

mso489 · Sep 22, 2015

Great array of metal pipes, with unique designs and concepts. I'm so attached to having natural materials dominate my pipes that I haven't bought a metal pipe; I considered but did not click on a Falcon in the Iwan Ries customer appreciation sale recently. But these metal pipes are admirable for being distinctive. Most metal pipes have an oddly retro feel, art deco or 1950's science fiction. 'Love the Boston Whaler bow light comparison -- yes it does! fish' just has an incredible pipe museum in most every category.

johnnyreb · Sep 22, 2015

Lots of metal stem/bowl pipe brands from the 1940's -1960's which are now out of business required or smoked best with filters due to the cooling condensate. Pipe cleaners ( as in the Falcon), balsa wood & even cotton or tissue can be used now in those pipes where you feel you must have an absorption filter for the condensate due to the cooling effect of the aluminum on the smoke.

johnnyreb · Sep 23, 2015

Banjo,
You may already know this but I found where your E & G Airflow is a sister to the Imperial Smoke Kooler pipe made by the Edlund Co, Detroit, MI. A third model of the same pipe was called the Aircool. Oscar T. Edkund (Edlund?) & Dexter Goulston ( E & G ) were the inventors, acquiring US Patent #D143,423 in Jan 1946. I believe the name is Edlund & Edkund is a typo.
http://www.smokingmetal.co.uk/pipe.php?page=157

http://www.smokingmetal.co.uk/pipe.php?page=158

fishnbanjo · Sep 23, 2015

johnnyreb,

I have seen a few references, what amazes me is the fact there were many different metal pipes offered, the first era being the late 30's to just before WW II and with metal of all types being utilized for the war theses were basically short lived. The second era was well after the Korean War int the 60's with the third era coming in the 70's through the 80's. I realize the Falcon is currently still in production but don't really know what else is. I plan on taking a photo of the metal group I own since some use different techniques to cool the smoke it would probably be of interest to those who own, or are looking for, various metal pipes, cheers.

banjo

johnnyreb · Sep 23, 2015

I probably can't put my fingers on the quote now but I was reading last night that Kaiser Aluminum was casting several types of stems before WWII. That would explain why there are so many similarities among those early pipes. Some brands offered briar bowls in addition to the aluminum bowls and the briar bowls with screw thru body were all made by Kaywoodie. Again would explain similarities among brands of aluminum stem pipes.
I noticed quite a few of these pipe companies were located in areas of the country known for their aircraft industry, such as Seattle, Wa. Kirsten is one that is still in business today & supposedly has an 18 month backlog:
http://www.kirstenpipe.com
I have a first generation Kirsten & a Filto. I'll give the Kirsten a little polish & take some pics as well.

plateauguy · Sep 23, 2015

Score! I have a true weakness for the metal pipes - but I like Airstream trailers, too.

peteguy · Sep 23, 2015

That E&G Airflow is a really nice looking pipe. I will keep an eye out for one of those for sure.

johnnyreb · Sep 23, 2015

Okay I stumbled on to the quote again that I referenced above & it was Alcoa & not Kaiser Aluminum that was casting or extruding aluminum tubes used by several pipe companies:
"It appears that Alcoa (Aluminum Company of America) cast pipe bodies cetainly those used by Comet."
"The body of the pipe can be hexagonal, square ( Thoro Kleen only seen this shape) or circular in cross section. Regardless of variant all parts are interchangeable."
The tube bodies by Alcoa were used by "Knowles Air Lite (believed to be Canadian version), Roybrooke, Comet, Original Gridiron and the Greenwich House Thorokleen."
And all the bits were coming from a same supplier as well, "There seems to be a selection of mouthpieces, some taking a filter. All come initially from the Greenwich House Corp, New York."
With the briar bowls coming from Kaywoodie it's easy to see how this all came about for quick assembly.

johnnyreb · Sep 28, 2015

Banjo,
Check out this Airflow:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/281811705197?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&fromMakeTrack=true

davet · Sep 28, 2015

Score! I have a true weakness for the metal pipes - but I like Airstream trailers, too.

Add aluminum canoes to that and I'm in. I've got an old aluminum canoe, probably early sixties.

johnnyreb · Sep 28, 2015

Here is an odd metal pipe marked Sanitary Clay.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Aluminum-Sanitary-Clay-Bent-Briar-Estate-Tobacco-Smoking-Pipe-Unsmoked-/181883220407?hash=item2a5915b1b7

Metal pipes

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