Dunhill score on the 'bay

[rcstan]

I haven't been eBaying in quite some time but I found this
http://www.ebay.com/itm/261401082315
I was expecting the worst, one pic and low BIN price ($85).
This is what arrived and I put on the workbench Monday

These are post-restoration pics, and it's been smoked a few times. Yes, I took them with the phone. The good SLR camera needs to be sent in for a refurb (long story). Pics of the nomenclature didn't come out crisp enough so I didn't bother, but it reads "42025 DUNHILL SHELL MADE IN ENGLAND 18". The silver is marked 925 and AD, so it's the real McCoy. The stem is original.
Apparently they don't make this shape anymore, and we've only had one example of a Shell 42025 that ever came through SPC in the last 12 years.

There was a ghost of English that I certainly didn't mind. It's seen some use but not abuse, although the previous owner smoked it in about the same manner I did my pipes in the beginning, bit hot around the mid-point ( some heat crazing that could turn into spider webbing ) and never to the bottom which was cake-free. Has a nice smooth but fairly tight draw. The wide-open "suck golf balls through the stem" airway is what turned me off Dunhills before.
So I am now officially a Dunhill owner, and it's almost a birth year pipe ( made the year after ).
I've re-broken it in with Lancer's Slices. Smokes like a dream. Going to load some Old Dublin and take it out for a before-bed smoke.

 

[weezell]

Congrats on a SUPER pipe...

 

[rcstan]

Thank you!
Did I mention I totally love the execution of the Poker/"Bent Billiard with Chopped Bottom" ?

 

[JimInks]

Congrats on the deal. Hope you have many great years with the Dunhill.

 

[fnord]

That is one beautiful burner and you made one hell of a score.
What a good get.
Congratulations!
Fnord

 

[elpfeife]

Quite nice after your handiwork. I do like the shape.

 

[tobyducote]

Great find..congrats

 

[pruss]

Great score, and wonderful clean-up job.
Congrats!
-- Pat

 

[yazamitaz]

Sure looks purty after you cleaned 'er up rcstan, great job.

 

[kcghost]

Nice looking Dunhill. What is the date of this pipe?

 

[frennchy11]

Awesome pick up and even better restoration! Congrats! :clap:

 

[rcstan]

Thanks guys!
I first sanitized the outside of the stem, stem airway, and bowl airway, scraped away at the cake with a pipe knife ( as I don't keep any of the "professional" tools at home ) and gave it a "test function" smoke. This helped loosen the cake, although it tasted a bit funny due to the oxidation.
The next day on my spare time at SPC when the "before" pictures were taken, the cake was reamed out with a Castleford set, water, and sanding screen. I discovered the heat crazing and quit, as to not gouge the affected area. The bowl airway and mortise were cleaned with denatured alcohol, bristle cleaners, and Q-Tips. I lightly scrubbed the rim tar off, but some of the maroon stain was starting to come off, so that was the end of it. Swiped the inside of the bowl with denatured alcohol, and then off to the Sissal wheel. Since the stain was susceptible to rub off, I gave it a light touch. The silver band got the compound wheel and jewelers' rag
The stem airway saw bristle cleaners and denatured alcohol until they came out clean, including the slot. There was a bit of tooth chatter on the bottom of the button, but Emery boards took care of that. Then off to the buffer with Tripoli and white Diamond for the oxidation and final shine. I applied a bit of Obsidian Oil, let it dry, and buffed on the cloth wheel.
Lastly, a minute coat of Obsidian ( personal preference ) was applied to the outside of the bowl, left to dry, then buffed with the cloth wheel.
I waited until the evening to smoke it, then took the picture. One hour tops including the trial pre-clean smoke.

 

[rcstan]

kcg, it's a 1978, the year stamping is a bit weak, and since the nomenclature is on the bottom of a sitter pipe, it will probably further degrade as time goes by, unless treated with care. Needless to say, it's not going to be a work bench smoker.

 

[flmason]

Congratulations on your new pipe. After all your work and effort I hope the pipe will last awhile and will not ruin. That way you can recoup the money you spent over time and then use that savings to buy another pipe.