Here come the Beckers

[fishnbanjo]

While I always take care of my pipes this is my oldest Becker from Fritz Becker. It is a pencil shank rusticated Billiard and the shank had a fracture near the stem that had been repaired.
When I purchased it I knew it had the fracture and was given time to both inspect it for soundness and even smoke it. All was well, the repair was sound and it smoked well.
It served me well for many years before the glue repair failed, I cleaned the old glue off and did some major research in finding a glue that I would try to once again put it right. After 2 years of playing around with cobs and different glues I found the glue I would repair it with.
Once again soundly repaired I felt this classic style old soldier needed a classic codger blend so I chose Prince Albert to keep it smokey.

banjo

 

[tozert]

I like that pipe. The lines, the long tapered shank, the rustication that had been lightly sanded smooth before staining, the tall bowl, the colour...everything!

 

[bluegrassbrian]

I had a very similar one with an oval shank. Terrific pipe but I ended up selling it to acquire a Federico.

 

[fishnbanjo]

I have one by Federico and it's as good as any made by Fritz or Paulo, the name and pipes are in good hands.

banjo

 

[lestrout]

Yo b'jo
Good to hear your thoughts about Federico's work, and I share your sentiments having inspected a number of his pipes. I suspect some of my Paolo Becker generation pipes have had a lot of input by his son, since his health was fairly poor in the last years.
BTW - what glue did you settle on for the repair?
hp and tl

les

 

[fishnbanjo]

Gorilla Glue Super Gel it has a high temperature rating and I allow three times the actual cure time they note, it doesn't expand like the original Gorilla Glue and is clear leaving no glue lines.

banjo

 

[hobie1dog]

Love the pictures, keep them coming.

 

[newbroom]

Always the tease, eh Fish?

Come ON man, share your research! Be a good pipe brother, and tell us all the name of this elusive adhesive, please?