PAD 3 New Ashtons but They All Have Something Weird About Them

[Dshift]

I think last week , I had a bit too much fun, reading all the crazy stories about Ashton's inconsistency when it comes to quality. I even dared to comment that the Ashtons I have are all perfect, not realizing I was just oiling up the back of the high horse i was sitting on
Soo let's skip to today, when a package with three Beautiful Ashtons just arrived and with the pipes came nice dose of Karma

One unsmoked for sure and the other two ,either unsmoked or smoked just once.

Let's start with the unsmoked 1986 Sovereign XX - the Cumberland stem is not even close to being flush with the silver band


Let's continue with the Pebble grain XXX - Looks unsmoked, feels unsmoked and smells unsmoked, but it has a Les Wood repair ring covering the made in england stamp?

For the final one i am pretty sure i am hallucinating issues at this point...
We have a gorgeous brindle XXX and for some reason I think something is wrong with the shape of the stem... Looking at it from the side it looks upside to me... Am I going crazy?


What do you think - is this Ashton weirdness or ebay seller shenanigans?
The weird thing is that none ov those things feel like an issue to me... I bought all three pipes for myself and not to resell and I love them so far, even the repair ring one - i love that it is a bit stubby now now if they smoke half as well as my other Ashtons i will be a very happy man!
This being said, I am noticing a weird streak I am on when it comes to estate pipe purchases. I hope it ends here, because I am waiting for 2 juicy packages with old Petes and fancy dunhills and I am not in the mood for funny business with those ones...

 

[Briarcutter]

I don't really see anything wrong with the so called "upside down" stem but that's just me. The other two I also see some obvious discrepancies. I wish you the best on your "in coming". Keep us posted, congratulations!

 

[Jo L.S.]

I find them absolutely superb. The Ashton with the L&JS band was a collaboration with Leslie Wood. Jim Craig worked in silverware at Dunhill before taking over the Ashton company. He and Les Wood made some excellent pipes before Les launched the Ferndown. It should read: Leslie & Jim Silverware.

 

[Dshift]

I find them absolutely superb. The Ashton with the L&JS band was a collaboration with Leslie Wood. Jim Craig worked in silverware at Dunhill before taking over the Ashton company. He and Les Wood made some excellent pipes before Les launched the Ferndown. It should read: Leslie & Jim Silverware.

That's all great, but any explanation for the covered stamp?

 

[Briarcutter]

That's all great, but any explanation for the covered stamp?

Just a guess...he could have made the pipe originally without the intention of metalwork. Then sent it off for silverwork, IMO, the nomenclature should not have been covered. Not cracked by any chance is it?

 

[Jo L.S.]

Just a guess...he could have made the pipe originally without the intention of metalwork. Then sent it off for silverwork, IMO, the nomenclature should not have been covered. Not cracked by any chance is it?

I agree with you, briarcutter, the pipe could have been marked without planning to add a silver ring and added at the last minute, I have already seen this process on an old Dunhill.

 

[Dshift]

Just a guess...he could have made the pipe originally without the intention of metalwork. Then sent it off for silverwork, IMO, the nomenclature should not have been covered. Not cracked by any chance is it?

Absolutely no sign of any damage whatsoever

 

[sablebrush52]

Absolutely no sign of any damage whatsoever

If it's covering the nomenclature it's clearly a later addition, probably requested by the purchaser. Over the years I've encountered dozens of undamaged pipes that had aftermarket bling added to them. It's not unusual.

 

[Dshift]

If it's covering the nomenclature it's clearly a later addition, probably requested by the purchaser. Over the years I've encountered dozens of undamaged pipes that had aftermarket bling added to them. It's not unusual.

This is so weird to me since I haven't seen those pipes, but by the time I get your experience I am sure i will have

 

[georged]

#1's stem wasn't originally cut for that pipe. It's a re-cycle.

#2 either has a crack (lightly wet the face of the shank---the exposed wood surrounding the mortise-hole---and blow on it gently... a dark line will appear in a few seconds if there's a crack), or a decorative band was added by owner request after the pipe was completed.

#3 is a case of the trademark inlay being drilled and applied to the bottom of the stem---the "wrong side"---by accident, and the stem being shipped anyway.

 

[Ahi Ka]

#3 was made for the OZ market

 

[Dshift]

#1's stem wasn't originally cut for that pipe. It's a re-cycle.

#2 either has a crack (lightly wet the face of the shank---the exposed wood surrounding the mortise-hole---and blow on it gently... a dark line will appear in a few seconds if there's a crack), or a decorative band was added by owner request after the pipe was completed.

#3 is a case of the trademark inlay being drilled and applied to the bottom of the stem---the "wrong side"---by accident, and the stem being shipped anyway.

#1 just got weirder... It's a 9mm stem with rough.drilling marks in the shank....

 

[jguss]

#3 was made for the OZ market

The coriolis effect strikes again. Will the smoke from that pipe circle clockwise?

 

[georged]

#1 just got weirder... It's a 9mm stem with rough.drilling marks in the shank....

Yup. A retro-fit.

 

[georged]

Bill was famotorious for shipping weird stuff from time to time.

For fans of the brand who are shop-minded, here is a deep dive into a setting a wonky specimen right. (The pipe is now a personal favorite)

Correcting a Pipe's Manufacturing Errors 2

Share your videos with friends, family, and the world

www.youtube.com

 

[Dshift]

Bill was famotorious for shipping weird stuff from time to time.

For fans of the brand who are shop-minded, here is a deep dive into a setting a wonky specimen right. (The pipe is now a personal favorite)

Correcting a Pipe's Manufacturing Errors 2

Share your videos with friends, family, and the world

www.youtube.com

Is that your video?

 

[georged]

Is that your video?

Affirmatory, breaker one nine

 

[Dshift]

Affirmatory, breaker one nine

Lovely, i have been watching your videos, while on the throne, for the last week or so Great content!

 

[Terry Lennox]

I like the Jimmy Craig Brindle best.
I have a lot of his pipes. Bought one directly from him at the Las Vegas show a few years back.

 

[Ahi Ka]

The coriolis effect strikes again. Will the smoke from that pipe circle clockwise?

I’ve only noticed this to be an issue when water flushing