“The Rake” On YouTube: Recent Tour Of The Dunhill White Spot Factory in London

[Mike N]

Very cool video by a well-known London YouTube blogger. Interesting info on the quality briar Dunhill uses, etc. Factory manager says Dunhill demand is growing exponentially and they can’t keep up due to growth in younger pipe smokers…and how the Prince and Lovat shapes got their names.

 

[Mike N]

Great discussion at the 27:30 mark of how the White Spot is inserted into the stem and then the polishing with volcanic pumice. At the 35:30 mark discuses how Alfred Dunhill invented “sandblasting” of briar and how it increases surface volume and allows it to smoke cooler than a non-blasted smooth pipe.

 

[smudgersmissingleg]

Great discussion at the 27:30 mark of how the White Spot is inserted into the stem and then the polishing with volcanic pumice. At the 35:30 mark discuses how Alfred Dunhill invented “sandblasting” of briar and how it increases surface volume and allows it to smoke cooler than a non-blasted smooth pipe.

Thanks for this, Mike. It's nearly 2am here in the UK so I'll watch this tomorrow

 

[Shore]

Thanks for sharing this,'preciate it! I didn't get the minute mark, but $100k for a pipe?

 

[JoburgB2]

Very cool video by a well-known London YouTube blogger. Interesting info on the quality briar Dunhill uses, etc. Factory manager says Dunhill demand is growing exponentially and they can’t keep up due to growth in younger pipe smokers…and how the Prince and Lovat shapes got their names.

Wow. Forty-five minutes well spent. That was enjoyable, interesting, and informative. So many details. Thanks for sharing!

 

[Briarcutter]

Thank you!

 

[Bananacaravanadium]

Thanks for sharing!

 

[bootlegpipes]

Thanks for the great resource. Hopefully this will clear up some of the rumors about production of current Dunhill pipes.

 

[Alejo R.]

What kind of "never do any kind of manual labor" person goes into an industrial facility wearing a tan suit?

 

[Alejo R.]

Thanks for the great resource. Hopefully this will clear up some of the rumors about production of current Dunhill pipes.

To clarify rumors, serious research and other opinions must be conducted. This is an interview with the director of the Dunhill pipe factory; under no circumstances will he say anything that contradicts the official line that every single Dunhill pipe is made from start to finish in London.

 

[Briarcutter]

What kind of "never do any kind of manual labor" person goes into an industrial facility wearing a tan suit?

The kind that's interviewing the top dog in the building. Slim chance he'd be helping him shovel saw dust

 

[Alejo R.]

The kind that's interviewing the top dog in the building. Slim chance he'd be helping him shovel saw dust

Well, I've worn many, many types of suits in my life. Working at a bank, where everything is cleaned every day. It's impossible to wear a suit of that color for a day without getting a stain. Even though he's interviewing the boss, at minute 32:50 you can see they're in the ink room, where everything is messy. That suit was never designed to be in an environment like that.

 

[Briarcutter]

That suit was never designed to be in an environment like that.

Yeah you're probably right but it's HIS suite, he can go muck out stalls in it if he wants to. I did notice he didn't offer to stain one of those pipes though

 

[Meerschaum Maestro]

Ah to smoke a pipe in a double breasted suit…class

 

[RustiePyles CPG]

I enjoy his channel quite a bit, as a certified SXS shotgun nut I really enjoyed his episode on James Purdy & Sons.

 

[Searock Fan]

Very cool video by a well-known London YouTube blogger. Interesting info on the quality briar Dunhill uses, etc. Factory manager says Dunhill demand is growing exponentially and they can’t keep up due to growth in younger pipe smokers…and how the Prince and Lovat shapes got their names.

In the first minute of the video the narrator says:

"the best pipes in the world are still made in our capital city of London"

Good one! I haven't laughed so hard since the pigs ate Little Willie....

 

[rodo]

Lots of fun. Enjoyed seeing Saint Claude on one of the machines. So, there remain but two questions: 1) how does one get a tour of the factory and 2) who also thought the Eiffel tower pipe entirely gauche?

 

[Alejo R.]

In the first minute of the video the narrator says:

"the best pipes in the world are still made in our capital city of London"

Good one! I haven't laughed so hard since the pigs ate Little Willie....

Yes. Although best is almost always a very subjective term.

 

[Searock Fan]

who also thought the Eiffel tower pipe entirely gauche?

Truly, a beautifully made monument to poor taste.

 

[Alejo R.]

Lots of fun. Enjoyed seeing Saint Claude on one of the machines. So, there remain but two questions: 1) how does one get a tour of the factory and 2) who also thought the Eiffel tower pipe entirely gauche?

A few years ago, a pipe club offered a pipe tour in London, and one of the highlights was a visit to the factory. I suppose something could be arranged if several people went.