Author Resto: Before/After 9/21/15

[danielplainview]

I forgot to take before shots of this one, but I have the sellers photo's. One of these days, I'm going to get a real camera. I use my iPhone to take pictures and they either turn out too dark or with glare. Unless I use a bright light, the grain doesn't show up in the shots.
This is the first Sterncrest I've seen with the diamond inlay stem which is usually reserved for the Certified Purex line. It may have been switched out at some point but it's a perfect fit. Sterncrest's are all push stem, and the Certified are usually threaded. This author is a push stem so I assume it's the factory original.

LHS Sterncrest Sivler Band #266

 

[philobeddoe]

WOW! You resurrected that pipe from the dead, job well done.

 

[mso489]

My thoughts exactly, you really brought that one back. It's one of the most handsome renditions of the author I've seen, not to too chubby, not too apple-like, not too pot shape. You did some nifty work to get the stem back in the shank as a proper fit, and I'm fairly sure that's the same stem, but that is remarkable that the sleek finish is under that crusty yellowed old crud fest. Many of these restorations are awe inspiring. I would have paused a long time and probably not paid two dollars for that poor old burner.

 

[jpmcwjr]

Once again, you've nailed it.
Unless your iPhone is pretty old, you can get very decent photos from it. Cut in half a couple of gallon milk jugs and use them as light diffusers. Place a couple of light sources outside of them, pipe in middle. Your current photos are already in the top sector of pipe photos!

 

[gloucesterman]

Absolutely beautiful. Love the shape and the band really gives it some pizzazz.

 

[danielplainview]

Thanks everyone. I couldn't wait to get this one back in action again. It went straight from the mailbox to the workbench.
@jpm, thanks for the tip. I'll give the milk jug diffuser a try. I'd like to be able to have clear, well lit pictures without all the glare. I've tried to diffuse the light before but they turn out too dark, and the grain doesn't show.

 

[brudnod]

Dave, as always, you do a remarkable job in bringing back from the dead, dead, dead pipes to their former glory!

 

[ssjones]

A gorgeous shape and restoration! Those pix are pretty darn good! I've learned that close-up shots come out pretty well (nomenclature, etc.) using my Android phone.

 

[stickframer]

I've never heard of Sterncrest. But damn you clean em up good.