My basket Parkers after The Briar Patch

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jpmcwjr

Moderator
Staff member
May 12, 2015
24,565
27,065
Carmel Valley, CA
The bent billiard was found among the basket pipes at Davidoff in London, natural unfinished, about $35. The Hungarian I got in Edinburgh, about $45. Both have had about a hundred bowls since I got them in December.
Today I stopped by for some tobacco and lighter fluid at The Briar Patch in Sacramento. The geniuses there made them look like way expensive burners. Just a layer of carnauba wax buffed out by an expert.

IhGTcYd.jpg


 

jpmcwjr

Moderator
Staff member
May 12, 2015
24,565
27,065
Carmel Valley, CA
Yes, when the finish is nothing but nose oil, carefully selected hand grease and grime, a lot of handling and then a wax job, the look cannot be beat in my book.

 

mso489

Lifer
Feb 21, 2013
41,210
60,433
jpm', you reinforce an important point, that with a somewhat educated eye you can retrieve wonderful pipes from the pipe shop basket. All kinds of quality seconds and surplus inventory get recycled there, among the sad poorly finished Czech and other plastic stem cheapies to avoid. One way to educate your eye is to take every opportunity to look at fine pipes, your own or those of others, or at pipes shows or shops. A good article I read years ago said if you are going to buy a moderately priced suit, first look at the ones that are high-priced, so you get your eye adjusted to quality points. Same with pipes. When you realize that the $45 pipe in the basket shares more in common with the $300 pipe in the glass cabinet than with the cheapies around it, you're onto something. Very nice pipes you have there.

 

mawnansmiff

Lifer
Oct 14, 2015
7,385
7,295
Sunny Cornwall, UK.
Hear hear JPM. There was a time (not too long ago) when I really hankered after an electric buffer but now am pretty convinced I can manage perfectly well without one.
Though ultra shiny pipes (especially stems) do look nice they also look too contrived to my eye. Also I would wager my own hand buffed pipes would maintain their finish far better than the glistening wetlook pipes.
I expect to be shot down in flames for that remark but it is what I honestly believe.
Regards,
Jay.

 

mso489

Lifer
Feb 21, 2013
41,210
60,433
maw', I'm of the hand-buffed school myself. I think a motorized buffer can be used skillfully, and is probably hard to resist if you own one, but I think hand buffed pipes do as well or a little better in some cases.

 

mawnansmiff

Lifer
Oct 14, 2015
7,385
7,295
Sunny Cornwall, UK.
MSO, quite true. A dab of Kiwi neutral shoe polish then buffed off with a micro-fibre cloth works wonders. Also FWIW I took a leaf out of your book and never ream my pipes (only estates that are clogged up), I do the scrunched up paper towel trick.
Sometimes 'by hand' is best.
Regards,
Jay.

 

jpmcwjr

Moderator
Staff member
May 12, 2015
24,565
27,065
Carmel Valley, CA
I do like a high gloss but there's some point beyond which it's too much.
I'm thinking if I got a buffer, I'd be in the garage eight hours a day for two weeks, then never go back; it's happened with other tools I've bought.... So when visiting The Briar Patch in Sacto, I buy some stuff and see if they're not to busy to buff a pipe or two. Meantime, Paragon Wax is just fine, mineral oil on the stem.

 
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