2 Old Duns, 1 Pete Resto Project (Ahi Ka-Humblepipe Collab)

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Humblepipe

Lifer
Sep 13, 2019
1,787
6,243
Guerneville, CA
@Ahi Ka has become a good friend and we are collaborating once again. Ahi Ka is skilled at finding old souls with great potential. My job is to beautify and repair them in order to put them back into service. On the work bench today:

From top to bottom (and my best attempt identifying, dating - assistance welcomed)
1) 1922-1952 Dunhill Shell 36 F/T [Pat. No 417574/34]
2) Pre-1976 #36 Donegal Rocky "A PETERSON PRODUCT" Made in Rep. of Ireland
3) 1940s (?) DUNHILL (over) LONDON w/ ☆ (right of "LONDON") Pat. No 4175742 w/ Innertube Pat. No 4175742 [very light stamping]


IMG_5960.jpegIMG_5961.jpeg
 

Humblepipe

Lifer
Sep 13, 2019
1,787
6,243
Guerneville, CA
Ref: ABOVE ↑↑↑↑

I swear I see a faint "2" at the end of the patent number, but I just now saw (on the web) that the patent number is likely 417574 (sans the number 2) and the pipe made between 1935-1940.
 
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Ahi Ka

Lurker
Feb 25, 2020
6,518
31,465
Aotearoa (New Zealand)
Ref: ABOVE ↑↑↑↑

I swear I see a faint "2" at the end of the patent number, but I just now saw (on the web) that the patent number is likely 417574 (sans the number 2) and the pipe made between 1935-1940.
What you saw as a faint 2 is actually an underlined 0 bro, making this pipe an uber rare and antithetical smooth pipe from 1940!

(The shell also has an underlined 0, but with the longer patent number it dates to 1950).

Man I love seeing your work brother
 
Last edited:

Humblepipe

Lifer
Sep 13, 2019
1,787
6,243
Guerneville, CA
What you saw as a faint 2 is actually an underlined 0 bro, making this pipe an uber rare and antithetical smooth pipe from 1940!

(The she’ll also has an underlined 0, but with the longer patent number it dates to 1950).

Man I love seeing your work brother

OK. That makes sense. Thanks, Ahi Ka. I am good with "uber rare" LOL.
 

Ahi Ka

Lurker
Feb 25, 2020
6,518
31,465
Aotearoa (New Zealand)
Next on your to-do list is "re-sandblasting" Shell rims turned smooth using hand tools.

It's easier than it sounds, and can really transform oldies that can be bought for little at flea markets and etc. because of obvious wear.
Is this where you would essentially rusticate the rim with a dremmel using the blast on the rim of another shell as a guide?
 

georged

Lifer
Mar 7, 2013
5,491
13,920
Is this where you would essentially rusticate the rim with a dremmel using the blast on the rim of another shell as a guide?

Yes. Several tips are needed, but they are inexpensive. The "secret" to removing the hand-cut look of the Dremel marks is by removing their sharp edges with a 3M bristle brush at high speed, "painting" from all directions. That "erodes" everything evenly.

With a bit of practice a 100% can't-tell-it-wasn't-actually-blasted surface is possible.
 

georged

Lifer
Mar 7, 2013
5,491
13,920
That 36 is such a nice piece that I came back to look at it some more. :)

And the longer I did the crazier the smooth rim made me.

So, I went back through my own projects thinking I'd done a full-on explanation & demo of the rim "re-sandblasting" process using hand tools, and sure enough there was. A sweet EC with good bones that cried out to be made young again.

Yay.

(I love it when my brayne remembers something right these days.)

So, here ya go. Your 36 deserves to get ALL the way home...



The explanation:




The demonstration:

 

Humblepipe

Lifer
Sep 13, 2019
1,787
6,243
Guerneville, CA
That 36 is such a nice piece that I came back to look at it some more. :)

And the longer I did the crazier the smooth rim made me.

So, I went back through my own projects thinking I'd done a full-on explanation & demo of the rim "re-sandblasting" process using hand tools, and sure enough there was. A sweet EC with good bones that cried out to be made young again.

Yay.

(I love it when my brayne remembers something right these days.)

So, here ya go. Your 36 deserves to get ALL the way home...



The explanation:




The demonstration:


Thanks for this. I am going to do this!
 
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DotAndBang’sPipes

Starting to Get Obsessed
Jun 27, 2016
217
465
43
Orlando, FL
That 36 is such a nice piece that I came back to look at it some more. :)

And the longer I did the crazier the smooth rim made me.

So, I went back through my own projects thinking I'd done a full-on explanation & demo of the rim "re-sandblasting" process using hand tools, and sure enough there was. A sweet EC with good bones that cried out to be made young again.

Yay.

(I love it when my brayne remembers something right these days.)

So, here ya go. Your 36 deserves to get ALL the way home...



The explanation:




The demonstration:

This thread is awesome. Probably never going to restore at this level (understatement), but that doesn’t stop my enjoyment of watching you guys do your thing. I watched these videos a while back and am loving their application on this new restoration… Josh
 

georged

Lifer
Mar 7, 2013
5,491
13,920
@georged id be curious to hear your thoughts about the stem on the 1940 113. Original, or shop replacement for a previous horn stem (and maybe the reason for the star stamp?)?

Because of the amount of shank taper from leveling (double what's normal, which would make sense if it was leveled twice), and the slight discoloration from the didn't-quite-match stain on the leveled area, Imma gonna say it's a Dunhill shop replacement.

Something that reinforces that conclusion is the quality of shaping of the stem itself. Uneven overall, a bit too slender, the fishtail a bit too pronounced + starting too "soon" (toward the stummel), etc. In short, it looks like something that was made by less experienced repair shop people, which is where the line guys were assigned in their early days to learn the craft. (Everyone had to "pay their dues".)
 
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