K
klause
Guest
Late last year I picked up 4 beautiful pipes; 3 Meerschaums, and a briar. All were old, and in poor shape, apart from the briar. The Meers needed a full wax job as they were dull and chalky, the briar just needed a good clean. I spent a few hours in quiet bliss as I set to work, releasing the inner beauty of them all.
There were problems though. 2 of the Meers and the briar had stripped threads and broken bone tenons. The other meer had at some point in time had a very poor repair job done on the tenon resulting in a hairline crack developing in the neck. This was a bit of a bugger, as they were intended to be smoked. I actually smoked the meer with the cracked neck, as it was so beautiful and begging to be smoked - I am a man of little to no patience, so risked that smoke - and, it was magnificent.
That smoke ðecided me. I was going to get these repaired by an expert. But who? I remembered my old, €10 Dunheill Shell that had a crack in the bowl (HUGE cake from previous owner) - I'd sent it to Ian Walker to see what he could do, and he'd stunned me with his repair, and was even more pleasantly stunned at the cost. I couldn't understand how he could do the work he did for the little he charged.
So, I emailed Ian, a man of few words, and asked if he'd have a look at my pipes. He was game, so I packed them up and waved them off at the post office. Ian duly contacted me and we agreed the work. I was excited, and the anticipation was killing me, until yesterday. They arrived at my door. I'm just back in from 3 hours in the greenhouse with the 2 bend Meers and an Erinmore plug. Wow!!!!
The above needed new threads and bone tenons. I don't know how old the Meers are, 1 has silver marks, but the date letter is obliterated. The briar is dated to 1905. A happy coincidence with the bent meer is that the original owner carved his initials on the front of the bowl, in small letters - they are also, as it happens, my initials!! This pipe is home.
This meer is just absolutely gorgeous. It had a crack, so Ian put a silver band on it. It looks like it was always meant to be - and better, he monogrammed it with the Norther Briars monogram, and it works beautifully. It real silver. This one smokes itself.
So, basically, this is to thank Ian for his work in saving my beautiful pipes and giving them to me so that I can enjoy a lifetime with then. Thanks, Ian.
Any of you fellows in the UK or Ireland who need a bit of work doing on a treasured pipe, I recommend Ian - wholeheartedly - he's a gentleman and a true craftsman.
Thanks again, Ian.
There were problems though. 2 of the Meers and the briar had stripped threads and broken bone tenons. The other meer had at some point in time had a very poor repair job done on the tenon resulting in a hairline crack developing in the neck. This was a bit of a bugger, as they were intended to be smoked. I actually smoked the meer with the cracked neck, as it was so beautiful and begging to be smoked - I am a man of little to no patience, so risked that smoke - and, it was magnificent.
That smoke ðecided me. I was going to get these repaired by an expert. But who? I remembered my old, €10 Dunheill Shell that had a crack in the bowl (HUGE cake from previous owner) - I'd sent it to Ian Walker to see what he could do, and he'd stunned me with his repair, and was even more pleasantly stunned at the cost. I couldn't understand how he could do the work he did for the little he charged.
So, I emailed Ian, a man of few words, and asked if he'd have a look at my pipes. He was game, so I packed them up and waved them off at the post office. Ian duly contacted me and we agreed the work. I was excited, and the anticipation was killing me, until yesterday. They arrived at my door. I'm just back in from 3 hours in the greenhouse with the 2 bend Meers and an Erinmore plug. Wow!!!!
The above needed new threads and bone tenons. I don't know how old the Meers are, 1 has silver marks, but the date letter is obliterated. The briar is dated to 1905. A happy coincidence with the bent meer is that the original owner carved his initials on the front of the bowl, in small letters - they are also, as it happens, my initials!! This pipe is home.
This meer is just absolutely gorgeous. It had a crack, so Ian put a silver band on it. It looks like it was always meant to be - and better, he monogrammed it with the Norther Briars monogram, and it works beautifully. It real silver. This one smokes itself.
So, basically, this is to thank Ian for his work in saving my beautiful pipes and giving them to me so that I can enjoy a lifetime with then. Thanks, Ian.
Any of you fellows in the UK or Ireland who need a bit of work doing on a treasured pipe, I recommend Ian - wholeheartedly - he's a gentleman and a true craftsman.
Thanks again, Ian.