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Rigidman

Starting to Get Obsessed
Oct 10, 2020
298
227
60
Richmond VA. Vicinity.
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The picture with the meers, are pipes I bought from eBay that need cleaning. There's a Sir Pipe Arab meer, Turkish Arab meer, a Peterson Rocky Donegal, Chacom, African meer, Falcon, Yello Bole, with extra bowls. I also have a fancy meer bowl for the Falcon.

The next picture is a Missouri Meerschaum(need more), Ascorti, a crappy Mr. Brog, Wessex (my favorite), RoadTown, Roadtown, Kaywoodie white briar. I also have 2 66 Kaywoodie Streamliners, 1 white briar, 1 Super Grain, maybe flame grain. They're in the clean box.

The picture of the 2 pipes are my dads. The top is the White Star, the bottom is a made in Italy basket pipe.

The 2 Roadtowns I got very lucky, both under $10 each. My Chacom was under $15. Just needs to be cleaned.

In my repair box I have a pair of Dunhills, 1 I got for just under $100 it has a cracked bowl. Just about an 1/8". The 2nd I got under $40 and it has a cracked shank. I may be wrong, the cracked shank I may have paid $100 for. I'd have to check. One is a 50s pipe the other a 60s pipe. I'm keeping 1. Haven't decided.

In my repair box I have a Calabash gourd, couple more on the way, it needs new stem, several meers, some basket pipes with beautiful grain, and a bunch of old brand name pipes mostly with stem repair. Chewed up. There's some Savinellis, Sasienis, CPF, Marlboro, Butz Choquins, and too many to list. There's maybe 20-25+.

In my clean box is about 20-25+. Went a little nuts. Except for a handful I paid under $5 for many. Then under $10 for some, but not more than $20 for anything except for the Dunhills.

I sent 3 pipes to briarville. 2 Calabash gourds, I didn't want to chance screwing them up. Except for the Peterson, they all needed cleaning, 1 calabash needed a stem and a bowl, the other has a loose stem. Last a Peterson in need of a replacement band. I'll do the cleaning on the Peterson. Its a gift for my son.

Thanks
 

Rigidman

Starting to Get Obsessed
Oct 10, 2020
298
227
60
Richmond VA. Vicinity.
I kept Promising to put up pictures of my pipes but it just didn't happen. But I forced myself to finally do it. My dads white Star I think is just beautiful. The grain in it is amazing. I try to be careful not to burn the rims. I'm looking to buy a butane pipe lighter. I have a Zippo pipe lighter currently. Tried one of those disposable ones but it didn't seem to last very long. On eBay I can get a lighter for $10 + shipping. Currently using the waxed hemp to light it too. I don't over fill the pipe. Usually about 1/8"-1/4" from rim.

But really, I have like 25+ pipes to clean that goes back on eBay. Then I have about 25+ to repair as well and they'll be going on eBay as well.

Why do people glue stems to pipes? Has anyone else had to deal with this? They weren't stuck from tar, they were glued. You could actually see the glue. A couple I think they just put the stem in the pipe before the glue dried. But some it seemed like they purposely glued the stem in.

I have gotten a couple stuck from tar, but a little heat and they come apart. Reborn pipes is a life saver. Most the pipes I got in lots. The way I considered it was $10 or less per pipe. That way I could clean/repair them and maybe sell them for $15-$20+ depending on quality. Many are below the $5 mark. You have no idea how many I got for .99¢ + shipping.

There are pipes I got in lots that average out to like $3 a pipe. I got many for just experience to clean and repair. But in buying some of those lots I've found a couple gems. That's where I got my Chacom. Dying to clean and sanitize it so I can smoke it. I also have a couple Digbys. One of William Faulkners favorite pipes. According to his brothers book. Also Dunhills.

I wish I had a time machine just to go back to strike gold then get a couple pipes, a couple muscle cars, a couple classic cars and trucks, a couple motorcycles, and stock in Apple.
 
Last edited:

Rigidman

Starting to Get Obsessed
Oct 10, 2020
298
227
60
Richmond VA. Vicinity.
I'll try to get pictures up of the pipes that need cleaning and repair. Trying to figure out an easy way to show the brands without having to list them or edit the pictures name. It'd take too long. Could do it in lots of 10 I guess. There's a couple in the clean pile I'm keeping and a couple in the repair pile I'm keeping. Sent some pipes to briarville. Been very nervous. Sort of like the first time I had to have a mechanic fix my car. He came highly recommended along with some others.

I watch these car shows on tv, some of them talk about terrible shops that had their vehicles for years. Stripped them, lost parts, damage, rust and pits from not being protected wth primer. Just terrible horror stories.

Anyone have any horror stories with pipes? Sent it to some inexperienced hack or uncaring jerk? I know some of these place are extremely busy. Rich said maybe 3 weeks or longer depending on what he finds.

These were eBay buys. I bought a couple that the stem was glued on. One was a Kaywoodie Coral. I was mad. I put a light into the bowl, I could see it around the shank. The tenon must of broken off and this was their fix.

Another, someone glued a new fitting for meerschaum pipes into the stem and I think they put it on to the pipe before the glue dried and they were a little messy. So the stem stuck to the pipe and when I unscrewed it it broke. Didn't take much force at all. Its repairable. Another the stem was loose and they glued it in. I'm like why is this your solution? Super glue isn't always the answer.

Another someone wrapped solder around the shank because it was cracked, no mention of the crack. Another had a bowl burn out that they hid from pictures. I should've known something was up when they couldn't send more pictures. I got it for $3-$4, including shipping. Only bidder. But the stem was nice. Actually fit another stummel I had.

The other thing I found was thread and paper used to tighten the fit of the stem. Or hide the gap between the shank and stem. WHY?!?! Wouldn't have been so bad, but they used super glue to attach it to the stem. Some scotch brite and light sanding took care of it. But now I'm stuck with original problem.

I think wetting the wood with some alcohol on a qtip to make it swell a little will fix it because I don't think the tenon changes size, unless it was too tight and they over sanded. But that doesn't appear to be the case with some of them. Stem is still smooth. No signs of any work. I'm considering building up with CA glue and charcoal, then recutting the tenon on the ones that may have been over sanded. If tenon stretcher doesn't help.

So anyone else have any pipe horror stories? Should've asked around Halloween.

Thanks
 
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Rigidman

Starting to Get Obsessed
Oct 10, 2020
298
227
60
Richmond VA. Vicinity.
Ok, so I decided to just show the pipes I have that need cleaning and minor stem work at this time. There aren't any chips missing on the stems. Some may also need some refinishing. The 2 Dunhills actually need repairs. The large one has a cracked shank. The small one has a cracked bowl. I have some nice silver bands, one dhould work. The crack isn't very long. About 1/4" if that. I also decided not to list brands. Some of them I bought mainly to learn on. Same with the pipes needing repairs or new stems.

I bought the stem tenon cutter. Also I got a drill press for Christmas. Along with a couple other tools. Wish one of them was a track saw. Maybe next year. I want to build me a big comfy chair or a chaise lounge. My dad had a chaise. I loved it. Only problem was it was orange. It was nice soft leather that didn't stick to you and try to rip off a piece of skin when you got up.

Thanks

IMG_20201219_053241.jpgIMG_20201219_053232.jpgIMG_20201219_053248.jpgIMG_20201219_053312.jpgIMG_20201219_052103.jpgIMG_20201219_052119_burst_01.jpgIMG_20201219_052118.jpg
 

Rigidman

Starting to Get Obsessed
Oct 10, 2020
298
227
60
Richmond VA. Vicinity.
If you look real close some of the stems aren't stuck in all the way. They're tight. Some have a sticky substance on them. Others are over clocked. Many gems in there. With Kaywoodies, Grabows, Choquins, Savellis, and shop pipes. But some look really nice. When they're all clean and waxed they'll look amazing, I hope.

Thanks
 
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Rigidman

Starting to Get Obsessed
Oct 10, 2020
298
227
60
Richmond VA. Vicinity.
If you look in the last row, there's a pipe that the stem is on top of the others. A black rusticated one with a straight cream colored stem that looks like it should be bent. Is that the right stem? I think its a Jobey Stromboli. Its a screw in stem. Don't recall if there's a model number. But it looks off to me. If its correct I'll leave it be. If not I'm going to bend the stem so it'll look right.

I'm thinking of keeping the model #66 Kaywoodie streamliner. And the KBB Rocky briar #1613B

Thanks.
 
Last edited:

gamzultovah

Lifer
Aug 4, 2019
3,221
21,456
It’s cool that your Dad was a pipe smoker as well. Only two pipes though? No Internet forums around back then, I guess? ?

Keep the great pictures coming!
 

Rigidman

Starting to Get Obsessed
Oct 10, 2020
298
227
60
Richmond VA. Vicinity.
It’s cool that your Dad was a pipe smoker as well. Only two pipes though? No Internet forums around back then, I guess? ?

Keep the great pictures coming!


He actually had about 6-8 pipes. I kept the 2 bent pipes. My son has the rest. They're all straight pipes. 1 is a meer lined Whitehall(?), a Grabow, and a Medico. I think the last one was just another Italian shop pipe. There are 2 more but 1 is just a stummel with a busted shank and the other has a burn out and no stem either. Neither had any legible markings.
 

Rigidman

Starting to Get Obsessed
Oct 10, 2020
298
227
60
Richmond VA. Vicinity.
Ok, so I decided to just show the pipes I have that need cleaning and minor stem work at this time. There aren't any chips missing on the stems. Some may also need some refinishing. The 2 Dunhills actually need repairs. The large one has a cracked shank. The small one has a cracked bowl. I have some nice silver bands, one dhould work. The crack isn't very long. About 1/4" if that. I also decided not to list brands. Some of them I bought mainly to learn on. Same with the pipes needing repairs or new stems.

I bought the stem tenon cutter. Also I got a drill press for Christmas. Along with a couple other tools. Wish one of them was a track saw. Maybe next year. I want to build me a big comfy chair or a chaise lounge. My dad had a chaise. I loved it. Only problem was it was orange. It was nice soft leather that didn't stick to you and try to rip off a piece of skin when you got up.

Thanks

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I tried to let the markings show. Not sure if you can read anything, but figured the ones with markings on the stems would be easy to tell what they are.
 

Rigidman

Starting to Get Obsessed
Oct 10, 2020
298
227
60
Richmond VA. Vicinity.
The Dunhill with the cracked bowl, looks like someone filed it open. Its not a gaping crack. I think it cracked, they made it so it wouldn't go any further by filing it. Or they were going to repair it and lost their nerve. I have several busted stummels I can use to make some briar dust. I'll fill the crack and refinish the lip. I have some other cracked pipes to practice on first. But I may decide to send it out for repairs. Depends on how things go with my education.

Its funny, looks like the papa and the son pipes.