Dr. Grabow Restoration, Trying Rustication, Pics

[jah76]

I picked up this pipe with the express purpose of butchering it. I stripped, topped it, rounded the bowl to try and even it out a bit, cleaned it, and sanded it. I then used my dremel to turn a screw driver into a rustication tool and then proceeded to stab myself in the hand about 8 times and bleed all over the pipe.
Then I cleaned it off with alcohol and stained, flamed, sanded, restained it. I used some matches, magic eraser, and some white diamond on the stem. I gave the whole pipe a once over with Halcyon wax before buffing it. (I just can't get inside rustication with anything else)
It turned out "okay" but I learned A LOT about rustication and self mutilation. Smoking it now, I taste a tiny bit of stain and I can still taste the alcohol from the bowl treatment. I should have let it dry an extra day. But man this stem is really great for clenching. Ignore the stain on my hands and the bad cell phone pics.

 

[moses]

Nice job! You may have given me my much needed kick in the pants to start mutilating an old grabow I've been saving for a rainy day.
Looks good! :clap:

 

[4dotsasieni]

You did that rustication?? Using a Dremel & a screwdriver? That is AMAZING - looks like it came out of the factory that way.
Now count the number of depressions in the surface of the bowl and compare them to the number on your hands. If there are more on the bowl, you came out WAY ahead of the game!

 

[oldredbeard]

A fine job sir, I also have an old grabow that was painted. I sanded it, might have to try a little of that myself.

 

[jah76]

Thanks much. I practiced an old spare bowl I had to try and get a feel for it. My two year old was watching me a gleam in his eye.... I'm sure I'll find him standing on my liqueur cabinet "rusticating" all my smooth pipes or the cat.
I'm not happy with it yet. I might make a new tool out of a standard screw driver and try a different pattern.
4dot I actually laughed out loud.
Sidenote: I thought maybe I was tasting stain when I was smoking it. It wasn't. It' was Hyde Park, I bought it on a whim. Didn't know it was a Lakeland.

 

[ffmurray]

you did a really good job on that pipe. what sort of shape did you grind the screwdriver into to do the rustication?

 

[yazamitaz]

Jah that is awesome. I am with 4dot, I cannot believe how well you did that, AWESOME job!!!! :worship:

 

[wildcat]

Good job 76! Fun and satisfying, aint it? :puffpipe:

 

[jah76]

Murray I basically went down the middle of a Phillips to make 4 "tines". Then I sharpened each one and they came out uneven. After that is was just pushing and twisting as I went. If you google image search rustification tool you'll find some. Some of them with nails and screws look like a torture device.
Wildcat. Yeah I had more fun just playing around and trying to fix something that would have ended up in the trash.
I've been practicing on some cheap ebay wins till I feel confident enough to restore my grandpa's pipe. Still got a ways to go.

 

[colorduke]

Nice work.

 

[ejames]

I've been practicing on some cheap ebay wins till I feel confident enough to restore my grandpa's pipe. Still got a ways to go.

You're not going to rusticate your Grandpas pipe are ya?

Nice job on the Grabow!

 

[jah76]

No sir. I just don't want to screw the pooch. I've been carrying it around for the last 27 years.
It's got a few cracks that are making me leary. I've got a cracked Peterson that I'm going to work on this weekend for practice.

 

[mlyvers]

nice job sir. you do good work, I am impressed with the results.
mike.

 

[redbeard]

That does look factory! I didn't see it here, but what did you use for stain?

 

[jah76]

Red. I used Fiebings leather shoe dye.
Keep in mind you can cut it with alcohol before hand or/and wipe it down afterwards to lighten it up.
I'm still figuring out how to use it.

 

[durham270]

Nice work! Very nice indeed.