Older estate pipes stained darker than new pipes?

[aquadoc]

We're the pipes of yesteryear stained more darkly or do the stains darken with age? Is it simply style based on time period? I have been slowly stripping stain from the Mountbatten and the grain is pretty wild but you would never have known with the original dark walnut colored stain. Also, there are 2 very small fills that you have to look hard for. Today's fills seem much lighter and obvious, maybe even poorly done in comparison. No attempt to match the natural color of the wood.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Probably darkly stained to hide the flaws. Briar's natural color is very pale, and the only way you can see most of the grain is to dampen it, or stain it.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Here's a century old KB&B and a Linkman's Dr. Grabow from the 30's. Both fairly light on the staining.

 

[mso489]

Most pipes certainly darken with use. For example many unfinished pipes, over time, go from bone white to a deep walnut or similar dark shade. But also, I do think in earlier decades, the fashion was to favor darker shades for a more serious reserved look. So both factors are at play. I've seen both fills that are lighter and others that are darker than the original stain, or that develop contrast over time. I guess the best matched fills are the most inconspicuous. Most stain finishes darken somewhat, or a lot, over time. I can't think of any that I have observed that have gotten lighter. I think high quality pipes with beautiful grain tend to darken over time but retain clarity of the pattern of grain. This is one of the traits for which you pay considerably higher prices.

 

[anthonyrosenthal74]

Some of those older pipes had killer grain. I've seen some old pipes, that I'm sure came from a block of briar any of today's best artisans would have killed over. But you don't see many (at least I haven't) with a lighter stain on them. They just covered that beautiful grain up it seems. I'm thinking the older the briar, the nicer the grain, but maybe it's harder to find the old plants (heath tree) as most got used up.

 

[Chasing Embers]

And here's an image of bare, dry briar from when I still had some time to tinker.

 

[oldgeezersmoker]

Mountbattens can be very nice pipes!

 

[aquadoc]

Nice pipe. That looks like a bone stem. Regarding the first comment, yes, I have found some not as dark older estates but in general they seem much darker. And the grain of even lesser makes seem at least equal to $100-200 pipe grain of today. And often superior.

 

[aquadoc]

Yes, this is a Nice Mountbatten. But I did not like how dark the stain was... and it was as if it had a thin top coat that had some chips in it. Some alcohol and sanding and now smooth as glass. Still want to go lighter.

 

[jabo]

I've found Briars always darken with age and smoking.That's the reason I like "unfinished" or light new pipes. I can see the color change over time as I smoke em. Kinda like Meerschaums.

 

[sablebrush52]

Types of stains, like types of bowl shapes, change with the fashion. Many of the briar pipes from the late 19th thru mid 20th centuries were stained dark because that was the popular taste. Lighter stains were also available, just not as prevalent. Nowadays there is much more variety in staining. Lighter stains, or unstained bowls, are now popular. The fashion may swing back, assuming pipe smoking doesn't wink out entirely.
Much of the darkening seen on old vintage pipes is an accretion of grunge from smoking, and much of that can be cleaned off, once again revealing the grain.

 

[aquadoc]

I wonder how much if the color change is permanent from smoking? I have soaked in alcohol and sanded multiple times and it is not close to being as light as I would like. I did find 2 small, well done fills and I am reticent to switch to a higher purity alcohol because of the risk of destroying the fills. As small as they are, I do not want to try to replicate the original job. I wonder how a clear fill would work....

 

[jpmcwjr]

Pretty permanent! They darken, too, with exposure to light and handling.

 

[foggymountain]

Pipes darken with smoking. I have a 1957 or 58 Wilke that was a light beige. It is now dark tobacco colored brown. I may be wrong, but suspect the more aged pipes darken more quickly. Another example is a Peterson I bought on Ebay. It was a boxed set with a Zippo lighter. The pipe had Zippo and Pete stamped on the nickel band. I believe it was an old set from many years ago. The pipe quickly turned a dark brown from the original orange. Great little Lat smoker. That pipe aged many years in the box.