Hey everyone, I posted here late last year after being given a set of Dunhill pipes that belonged to my Great-Great-Grandfather. I took the advice of the membership here and sent them to Anthony Cook for a clean and polish, and I thought I would share the results. I will attach the photo I took today after receiving them and also link to the before and after photos that Anthony took. I am not much of a photographer so I figured his photos would represent them better. Unfortunately, there was extensive damage to the chambers on all 3 pipes and I don't think I will ever smoke them. I'll attach the quoted text from the email I received from Mr. Cook and would like opinions on the repairs that were made and if any of you have had similar repairs made and feel confident in gently using the pipes.
Cook's Fine Pipe Works | 1923 Dunhill DR 7 - https://www.cooksfinepipeworks.com/1923-dunhill-dr-7-000164a
Here is the email I received from Mr. Cook regarding their condition.
There are a couple of additional things about these pipes that need to be mentioned. Most importantly, the pipes have been smoked very hot which caused severe damage to all three chambers. They are among the worst I've ever seen and I'm very surprised that they didn't burn through completely. The chambers have been patched and insulated, but nothing is as resilient as the original wood. For that reason, this is one of very few repairs that I can't guarantee. The success of the repair relies as much on the technique of the smoker and the qualities of the remaining wood as it does on any skill or material that I could bring to the table. Knowing that, if you still choose to smoke the pipes, be sure to break them in very slowly and very carefully. If you notice the bowl becoming hot, stop immediately and let the pipe rest.
Relatedly, the inner rims of both DR pipes were heat damaged as well. On the DR 9, this only resulted in a bit of darkening and some irregularity around the inside of the rim. No big deal. On the DR 7, however, the front, inner rim was fully charred. There was no good wood at all, only brittle charcoal. The damaged section has been rebuilt using a heat resistant resin. You can see it at the 6 o'clock position in the top-down rim photo. The wood surrounding the damage is darkened but still good. So, the replacement material also needed to be dark for a good match.
I would like to thank everyone here that replied to my previous posts and helped me make the decisions that I did. Regardless of the damage that was found, I am happy to be in possession of these pipes and I hope to preserve the family history that they hold.
Cook's Fine Pipe Works | 1923 Dunhill DR 7 - https://www.cooksfinepipeworks.com/1923-dunhill-dr-7-000164a
Cook's Fine Pipe Works | 1923 Dunhill DR 9
A gallery of photos featuring a 1923 Dunhill DR 7 smoking pipe restored by Smoking Pipe Repair & Restoration Specialist, Anthony Cook, of Cook's Fine Pipe Works.
www.cooksfinepipeworks.com
Cook's Fine Pipe Works | 1923 Dunhill Shell Briar 2
A gallery of photos featuring a 1923 Dunhill Shell Briar 2 smoking pipe restored by Smoking Pipe Repair & Restoration Specialist, Anthony Cook, of Cook's Fine Pipe Works.
www.cooksfinepipeworks.com
Cook's Fine Pipe Works | 1923 Dunhill Ventage Case 4-Pipe Set
A gallery of photos featuring a Dunhill Ventage Case 4-Pipe set restored by Smoking Pipe Repair & Restoration Specialist, Anthony Cook, of Cook's Fine Pipe Works.
www.cooksfinepipeworks.com
Here is the email I received from Mr. Cook regarding their condition.
There are a couple of additional things about these pipes that need to be mentioned. Most importantly, the pipes have been smoked very hot which caused severe damage to all three chambers. They are among the worst I've ever seen and I'm very surprised that they didn't burn through completely. The chambers have been patched and insulated, but nothing is as resilient as the original wood. For that reason, this is one of very few repairs that I can't guarantee. The success of the repair relies as much on the technique of the smoker and the qualities of the remaining wood as it does on any skill or material that I could bring to the table. Knowing that, if you still choose to smoke the pipes, be sure to break them in very slowly and very carefully. If you notice the bowl becoming hot, stop immediately and let the pipe rest.
Relatedly, the inner rims of both DR pipes were heat damaged as well. On the DR 9, this only resulted in a bit of darkening and some irregularity around the inside of the rim. No big deal. On the DR 7, however, the front, inner rim was fully charred. There was no good wood at all, only brittle charcoal. The damaged section has been rebuilt using a heat resistant resin. You can see it at the 6 o'clock position in the top-down rim photo. The wood surrounding the damage is darkened but still good. So, the replacement material also needed to be dark for a good match.
I would like to thank everyone here that replied to my previous posts and helped me make the decisions that I did. Regardless of the damage that was found, I am happy to be in possession of these pipes and I hope to preserve the family history that they hold.