Dr. Grabow Quality

[Danpiper]

Title edited.

One time a grabow stem was twisted and the whole briar bottom just broke off do u have any .......??

 

[mortonbriar]

Take up arm wrestling!

 

[Chasing Embers]

do you have any?

Yep. Ninety years old and has survived cullings that sent Dunhills to the landfill.

 

[PipeIT]

Sorry to hear, I’m not sure about newer Grabow quality, but older vintage Grabow pipes, it’s my understanding are amazing, right up there with some of the biggest names.

I have a dated from 1967-1969, Commodore 65 Zulu with a vulcanite stem, metal screw-in tenon, the stinger was removed.

This pipe is absolutely amazing, and when I bought it last month, it was in like new condition which was also something to see such an older pipe hardly used.

The blast on this pipe is really something too.

I love this pipe!

 

[anotherbob]

from what I've heard the old ones and the new ones are totally different beasts. Almost ever story I've heard of a pipe breaking from something other then abuse has been a new grabow. Things like the original poster said. Not basket pipes. I've talked to a few smokers who've gone through more Grabows from stems breaking, burnout, and just the pipe cracking then some of us have owned pipes in total.

 

[mikethompson]

I have two of them, which cleaned up nicely. I cleaned up a Grand Duke for @scloyd and it looked great too.

 

[newbroom]

I hear that the company mentioned has made a few pipes in its time. Perhaps one or two escaped the quality control department on the way out the door?

 

[WVOldFart]

I don't know about the newer ones, but the old ones that I have are good smokers. I always thought that Dr. Grabow got a bad rap just because they were factory manufactured and inexpensive. I have several older Freehands and they are all good smokers. My first pipe was a Dr. Grabow, purchased in 1980 and I still have it.

 

[HawkeyeLinus]

Take up cigars?

One time, at band camp ….

 

[scloyd]

I cleaned up a Grand Duke for @scloyd and it looked great too.

Here it is. Thanks again Mike. Great pipe.

 

[seagullplayer]

My newest ones are a couple of years old. I had a couple of my dad's from the 70's and I have had no issues with any of them. I'm sure a feller can buy much nicer pipes, but I'm not sure I would say "better".

All mine work very well for their intended purpose.

 

[didimauw]

Yeah the new ones don't have a whole lot of meat on them, especially in the shank area. I had one shank crack while smoking once. Didn't realize it till it started leaking on my hand. Filled it with the cake from the bowl, and kept on smoking it. And every new grabow I have smoked, the stem also has cracked. But they are great smokers for the money!

 

[SBC]

As in anything, initiates go through somewhat predictable stages:

They may begin with a Grabow or a cob, then graduate to mid-range factory pipes like Savs or Petersons (at which point they begin to look down their noses at their humble beginnings, embarrassed of their Grabows and cobs), then eventually they acquire some workshop and artisan pipes.

But finally, when they are well established and have nothing left to prove... they realize that they liked a couple of those old Grabows and cobs after all, and begin to smoke them again.

I've got a Grabow and a cob racked right alongside my Vesz, Soren, Karl Erik, and Jeremiah Sandahl, and I reach for them just as frequently.

A small percentage of any pipe demographic will surprise us with failure which nobody could have predicted. But if a significant percentage of Grabows failed like yours did, Grabow wouldn't be in business.

 

[Windknot]

I have my grandfather's Omega in my regular rotation and it smokes wonderfully. I believe it still has the original stem as well. I've heard some folks say the stems on the newer Omegas break quite often.

 

[OKSooner]

I have a Grabow and it's served well for some time.

 

[ray47]

I have my grandfather's Omega in my regular rotation and it smokes wonderfully. I believe it still has the original stem as well. I've heard some folks say the stems on the newer Omegas break quite often.

I've purchased 3 Omegas and each tenon broke after a month of smoking. I always let the pipe cool down before removing the stem. One broke off and I never removed the stem. I eventually sent them off to have the stems replaced with acrylic stems, problem solved.

 

[Windknot]

I've purchased 3 Omegas and each tenon broke after a month of smoking. I always let the pipe cool down before removing the stem. One broke off and I never removed the stem. I eventually sent them off to have the stems replaced with acrylic stems, problem solved.

That's my plan *when* the stem on this one breaks. Not sure if it just has to do with this one being an older one or I'm just lucky. =)

 

[greeneyes]

OP edited?

 

[mso489]

I own two Dr. Grabows and have not had problems. They are both Royaltons with acrylic stems, and I think the bent bulldog is notably well turned in terms of carving. The bulldogs have disappeared from the market recently, though I am sure there is some old inventory out there, but I wonder if one of their senior carvers has retired. As I've said before, if this pipe were turned by an artisan carver, it would be praised on high. It achieves a full bulldog shape without bead lines, and the diamond shaft is ingeniously melded into the bowl, really astute work. Dr. Grabow seems to be the largest remaining maker of briar pipes in the U.S., up there in Sparta, N.C. I think they do good work.

 

[Windknot]

I own two Dr. Grabows and have not had problems. They are both Royaltons with acrylic stems, and I think the bent bulldog is notably well turned in terms of carving. The bulldogs have disappeared from the market recently, though I am sure there is some old inventory out there, but I wonder if one of their senior carvers has retired. As I've said before, if this pipe were turned by an artisan carver, it would be praised on high. It achieves a full bulldog shape without bead lines, and the diamond shaft is ingeniously melded into the bowl, really astute work. Dr. Grabow seems to be the largest remaining maker of briar pipes in the U.S., up there in Sparta, N.C. I think they do good work.

You've put me on the hunt for one now. =)

~Harris