First Purchase/ Dr.Grabow.

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johnnyrebel

Starting to Get Obsessed
Dec 3, 2010
192
0
So I was at the local Antique Mall, and happend upon this pipe. Their was a little cup with a few old pipes for 5 dollars, I saw the tip of this bulldog hanging out and thought i would have a look. In the past couple days i've been thinking about getting one. This Dr.Grabow exactly to be honest. So what an awesome find! Anyways..the reason im posting is i need some help. As with an estate pipe, its not a surprise that it needs some work. Though it seems to be in pretty decent condition. Which is why i picked it up. Their didn't appear to be any serious damage, and the stem seems pretty nice with a little..whatever..on it, I dont really know what it is.
I thought i would take some pictures and ask about cleaning up a pipe, maybe you guys could give me some tips. I've read and watched some videos on cleaning up the shank and bowl. As well as the rim, but what im not sure about how to clean is the stem. Im not sure how to get the gunk off. I'll post some pictures so you can see. Plus theirs a crack on the shank on the bottom. Im just curious what you guys think, let me know that'd be great! Thanks.
BDogII.jpg

BDogI.jpg

BDogIII.jpg

BDogIV.jpg

Edit: Sorry if the pictures are a bit big, wanted to show the condition.

 

flipflopsandshades

Can't Leave
Dec 12, 2010
335
0
Excellent find. I often wonder if I were to visit an antique shop or a pawn store what I might find. You never know when it might be your day and you find a true diamond in the rough. :D

 

johnnyrebel

Starting to Get Obsessed
Dec 3, 2010
192
0
The antique shop i was at had a bit of pipe things. Quite a few pipes, some of them expensive..and others were resonable. I would have bought more from the cheap bucket, but i dont know much about restoration. I need to have a further look into it, but i thought here would be a good start. I'll definately start checking antique shops more.
I'll let you guys know how it cleans up.

 

buckeye

Part of the Furniture Now
Nov 16, 2010
925
8
nice pipe, great grain. it will clean up nice. go to youtube and search estate pipe cleaning. or send it to me and i will clean it for you. the crack should not effect it.

cleaning is pretty easy.

 

johnnyrebel

Starting to Get Obsessed
Dec 3, 2010
192
0
Thanks Buck, that would be great to have you clean it up for me. I think it would be best that i learn to do it up though. I may need your service in the future though!

 

bubbadreier

Lifer
Jul 30, 2010
3,011
3
Norman, Oklahoma
Sounds like you might have found an antique shop that knows what it has! My favorite are those that just see "pipes" and not a peterson or a comoys pipe! I have gotten some great deals on pipes!

 

johnnyrebel

Starting to Get Obsessed
Dec 3, 2010
192
0
yeah, some of them were a bit pricey..the further you dig the more you find though.
Im trying to get the stem out of this thing, and i can't seem to get it to budge any..any tips?

 

jwp159

Can't Leave
Jan 1, 2010
365
2
Great find, I don't know if it is a twist in or a push in, I'm not a Garbow expert. You can use a little grian alcohol or high proof drinking alcohol to help to get things to free up. Put a little in the bowl and tilt it to get it to run in the draft hole.If there is a liitle gap where the bit and shank meet try a cotton swab to get some in that way to. Give it a little time, 15-20 minutes for the alcohol to work once it goes in, use a twisting motion, counter clock wise to free the bit up. Once you get it apart, use alcohol to clean the inside of everything, you may want to try the salt treatment. The bit can be cleaned with polish or sometimes I use a past made of baking soda and water and scrub it with a small cloth. After the oxidation comes off, a little olive oil will bring back the shine.

Hope this helps

 

unclearthur

Lifer
Mar 9, 2010
6,875
5
For a push in bit stick that puppy in the freezer for 15 or 20 minutes. The difference in contraction rates should free it up enough to get it out.

 

johnnyrebel

Starting to Get Obsessed
Dec 3, 2010
192
0
Wont the alcohol take off the finish if i get it on the wood? I was watching some videos this evning and they spoke alot about the finish and that it wouldn't be good for it to get that on it? I dont know if its a screw in or not.
Im a bit worried about trying to twist it too much, that it might worsen the crack. I dont know if it will or not. This would be my first pipe to restore, so i worry that i'll damage the pipe more. Though im sure its not what it seems once i get through it for the first time.
Speaking of putting it into the freezer, i was thinking of putting it in warm water. Similar to opening up a jar or pickles or somthing? That when you put it in the warm water it expands and makes it easier to twist off. Could i do somthing like this? Or would that jepordize the stem's shape and things?
I think we have some alcohol here at the house. You know just the regular kind you'd find at walgreens and things. Would that be suitable? I think you were saying it was JWP. It seems like it should be a pretty easy clean up and things once i get that stem off. Thanks for all the advice.

 

igloo

Lifer
Jan 17, 2010
4,083
5
woodlands tx
You should clean it with alcohol the kind you drink ,be careful not to get it on the wood parts . I would try the freezer for the stem to loosen it up . It should be a screw in stem ,but then again I could be wrong . A gentle twist to the left or the right should work . I like to use Mentadent on the stem .

 

johnnyrebel

Starting to Get Obsessed
Dec 3, 2010
192
0
Okay, well i've got a few things done and have some questions now. This morning i've gotten up and tried the baking soda. This worked really well, took all the tarnish off really fast. Though now im wondering how do i change that discoloration in the brown stem now. Its turned a light brown from the baking soda, i've washed it off well.
Also, i was wondering about the metal bit at the end of the stem. Will that come clean with baking soda as well, or is their a way to get the tarnish off without taking that shiney finish away?
Once i finish up this stem it should be about ready to be smoked, Thanks for all the help.

 

johnnyrebel

Starting to Get Obsessed
Dec 3, 2010
192
0
Thanks for all the advice, i just finished cleaning it up. Though the stem isn't cleaned as well as i liked. The bit cleaned up very nice. I went with the baking soda method and then finally put the olive oil coating over the stem. What im having problems with, is the metal piece which i suppose holds the filter wouldn't budge on coming out of the stem. Theirs a little bit of build up inside there.
I didn't polish it, or nothing. So it looks about the same. Though i cleaned off the rim too where all that sut had built up.
Thanks for all the help, in a timely basis too! You guys have been alot of help.

Still lots to research into and work on getting a more thorough cleaning.

 

johnnyrebel

Starting to Get Obsessed
Dec 3, 2010
192
0
I just finished up and thought i would stop in and let you guys know how its turned out. I checked out some video on the internet and found that toothpaste would work on silver, so i thought i would give it a try on the metal bit that holds the filter and it took the tarnish off really well. Now the stem goes in very easy. It must have been the tarnish that was making it so hard to move in and out.
Then i buffed it up a bit and turned out great! Here are a couple pictures. Thanks again, you guys sure are alot of help.
RstnI.jpg

RstnII.jpg


 

puffintuff

Can't Leave
Dec 14, 2010
437
0
Good find. I have a Grabow I inherited from my father. I'd say from the 50's or 60's, but from my limited research, it's hard to date Grabows or any other pipes for that matter. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

 
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