Now, the Tundra is basically my only beef with Brigham: they're very low quality compared to their other lines. Shitty stain, and mine even came with a pit.
Brigham Pipes…Caution
- Thread starter HedleyLamarr
- Start date
My only Brigham is an oldie, around 67-ish, and I've also had the frustrating experience of a stuck insert. I like the concept, whether it actually makes a difference I can't be sure. It's nice to get the lube tip, thanks!
If I still had room on my racks for a Canadian made pipe, I think I'd go for a Blatter and Blatter from Montreal or an estate pipe by Philip Trypis (sp?), though his rustication is not subtle. For a while, there was a Forums member who offered several of his new pipes for sale every week, and SP had quite a run of unsmoked Trypis pipes in their estate section about a year ago. I think his acorn was the most distinct, and his prices were moderate.
I picked up a Trypis acorn in the very sale you mentioned! Great pipe and I really like his bold rustication technique.
I dont use the filter sticks in my (Canadian made 4-dot pot) Brigham, smokes fine without them.
I have the same problem with my 1 dot Voyageur. I have to give the filter a bit of a shove for it to get in place which causes small splinters of the maple wood to appear (on the outside of it, thankfully not on the inside of the filter!). Real stiff to get it out afterwards. Never liked this pipe anyways, but I didn't choose it myself...
I dont have this problem with my other made in Italy 2 dot Algonquin and 3 dot Mountaineer. They work like a dream thus far.
I dont have this problem with my other made in Italy 2 dot Algonquin and 3 dot Mountaineer. They work like a dream thus far.
I have 3 Canadian made and 1 Italian made Brigham. I’ve never had an issue with inserts. They do work quite well and I’ve gotten many smokes out of one insert.
I would imagine you could reuse them once they got darkened by soaking them in alcohol and drying them out.
That said, I’ll have to dig out a Brigham… I haven’t smoked them lately. But I just have way too many pipes I’ve collected over the decades.
Rock Maple pipes I have also seem to “filter” the smoke somewhat. I clean the airway every so often by letting a pipe clean soaked with alcohol sit in it overnight.
I would imagine you could reuse them once they got darkened by soaking them in alcohol and drying them out.
That said, I’ll have to dig out a Brigham… I haven’t smoked them lately. But I just have way too many pipes I’ve collected over the decades.
Rock Maple pipes I have also seem to “filter” the smoke somewhat. I clean the airway every so often by letting a pipe clean soaked with alcohol sit in it overnight.
That's too bad. I have one Canadian made, and three Italian made. Maybe I'm not particular, but they all smoke really good and are what I use most of the time. The filter is loosest in my old Canadian made, and tightest in the two newest Italian ones. After a smoke, the filter swells from the moisture and they are snug in the two newest ones, but I can still pull them out without pliers or anything. I don't think much about it. I love them, they're more than enough pipe for me.
“Lighten up, Francis” is my go to and bonus points when people get the reference.
I also use the phrase " Gear down big rig" with success.
I like "Simmer down, pot roast".
I even say it to myself sometimes.
” Back off War Child Seriously“
As a Canadian, in pains me to say that I too will not be buying any more Brighams. I have now had two Brighams in the last six months with problems. The first one was a Mountaineer (the brand's middle range) and the rock maple filter got completely stuck in the stem. No matter what I tried, I couldn't get it out. I then purchased a Tundra (higher end) only to find that the brass ring between the briar and the acrylic stem fall off. For the price, these types of quality issues should not be happening in my humble opinion. I love to support local businesses, but only if there aren't recurring quality problems.
I feel you on this one. A few months ago, I purchased my first Brigham and loved it (an Italian made Tundra Shape 29--Author.)
I liked it so much, that I decided that I wanted more in my collection and bought three more-- all Italian made-- a Rhodesian, a poker, and a Canadian. They all smoke like a dream, but every now and then, the distillator gets stuck in the Rhodesian and the poker (both are the Algonquian line.)
I couldn't figure it out. Most of the time they are fine, but every so often the distillator gets stuck and I have to pull it out with pliers (I did ruin one distillator.) I knew this wasn;t right, but I wanted to try to fix it on my own because I love the look of the pipes.
I read on Reddit that someone took a 3/16" drill bit and slowly twisted it inside and it pulled out a bur. So I tried it on both pipes and removed a bur in both stems. They seem to be fine, at least so far.
I know this is a problem with Brigham and they are trying to get it fixed. I also think it's bogus that their quality control is allowing these pipes to be sent out and sold.
Hopefully, I managed to fix mine. But sending them back was probably the right thing to do. If this drill bit trick did fix it, I'll probably still buy more of the modern Brighams. I like them enough to kind of focus my ever growing collection on the brand.
I liked it so much, that I decided that I wanted more in my collection and bought three more-- all Italian made-- a Rhodesian, a poker, and a Canadian. They all smoke like a dream, but every now and then, the distillator gets stuck in the Rhodesian and the poker (both are the Algonquian line.)
I couldn't figure it out. Most of the time they are fine, but every so often the distillator gets stuck and I have to pull it out with pliers (I did ruin one distillator.) I knew this wasn;t right, but I wanted to try to fix it on my own because I love the look of the pipes.
I read on Reddit that someone took a 3/16" drill bit and slowly twisted it inside and it pulled out a bur. So I tried it on both pipes and removed a bur in both stems. They seem to be fine, at least so far.
I know this is a problem with Brigham and they are trying to get it fixed. I also think it's bogus that their quality control is allowing these pipes to be sent out and sold.
Hopefully, I managed to fix mine. But sending them back was probably the right thing to do. If this drill bit trick did fix it, I'll probably still buy more of the modern Brighams. I like them enough to kind of focus my ever growing collection on the brand.
Well, being a bit OCD, I'd be inclined to sit back with a glass of wine or Brandy, and think about it. If that happened to me, I'd get a drill bit and very gently enlarge the whatever section that was giving the grief.
If you're not that way inclined, I'd go to a pipe maker and get him to make the adjustment. But I guess it's too late for that.
Every situation has a solution, if you are patient and flexible with various ideas and approaches.
Anyway, the upshot of all of this is, I'm just about to buy a Chinook 65. So we'll see what happens when it lands down here in Oz.
The filters wash out fairly well in a strong solution of Bicarb soda.
Is it possible that the problem has more to do with the distillators than the pipes? I have no idea but it seems like quality control could be less rigorous for the filters than the pipes themselves.
* I only own one Brigham - it is Canadian made and has never been used with a filter
* I only own one Brigham - it is Canadian made and has never been used with a filter
Yeah I just dedicated mine to Burley’s no filter great draw , smokes cool, just said the hell with it after a few needle nose sessions and gross wet splintery filters
Well, I thought about the comment about the Brigham v Savinelli. Did some searching about the place and ended up getting a Savinelli Trevi Rusticated (606 KS).
The rustication has been well done, and I like the larger bowl. It seems to present well.
So time will tell what kind of performance it will produce.
Maybe some of you chaps have a Savinelli, and could pass a comment on them.
The rustication has been well done, and I like the larger bowl. It seems to present well.
So time will tell what kind of performance it will produce.
Maybe some of you chaps have a Savinelli, and could pass a comment on them.