Please ID this Tamper and Where to Find One

[NightSkyFlash]

I picked this up at the Chicago Pipe Show a couple weeks ago. It’s inscribed with “REG DES 930161 STAINLESS SHEFFIELD ENGLAND”. The seller didn’t know and a google search only comes up with an old sale of a “Vintage Erinmore Pipe Tamper” that looks somewhat different.

 

[bluegrassbrian]

Knife and steel tool production in Sheffield England goes back to the late 13th century I believe. There has been a multitude of cutlery makers based there over the centuries.

Your tamper is likely a modular design that various pipe and tobacco companies could have had their name and logo emblazoned on.

 

[AJL67]

Knife and steel tool production in Sheffield England goes back to the late 13th century I believe. There has been a multitude of cutlery makers based there over the centuries.

Your tamper is likely a modular design that various pipe and tobacco companies could have had their name and logo emblazoned on.

Yes they are Richard’s Sheffield England pipe tools i have a few different ones, different texture patterns on the handle and they have different blade shapes depending on when they were made it seems. I think i paid about $20 each for these and two of them are unused mint condition.

 

[tobakenist]

I have several of them, they were common in England, mine will be in my junk box somewhere, I have so many pipe tools for over 50 years of piping.

 

[NightSkyFlash]

I like this one because of the end is oblong instead of round. I like that for my travel case so I have less worry about the edge being jammed into my pipe through the case if it inadvertently gets squashed. Plus the knife is sharp, which I personally appreciate.

 

[cshubhra]

If you want the functionality without the antique look, Brigham makes a modern version

https://www.smokingpipes.com/accessories/pipe-tampers-and-tools/moreinfo.cfm?product_id=93242

 

[jpmcwjr]

I'd say it's a pipe tool. I have a few, a couple from JJ Fox, and a couple of wood sided ones, dunno the make. The tamper is round, fits all pipes.

 

[NightSkyFlash]

I found some that are nearly identical but with different decor -

Pipe Tool Made in Sheffield - Etsy

This Tools item by sheffieldknives has 40 favorites from Etsy shoppers. Ships from United Kingdom. Listed on May 16, 2023

www.etsy.com

I bought two.

 

[AJL67]

I kind of dig these, but not for 50 bucks.

Hand Forged Pipe Tools - Etsy

This Pipes item by StormCloakForge has 809 favorites from Etsy shoppers. Ships from Mequon, WI. Listed on Jul 12, 2024

www.etsy.com

 

[NightSkyFlash]

I kind of dig these, but not for 50 bucks.

Hand Forged Pipe Tools - Etsy

This Pipes item by StormCloakForge has 809 favorites from Etsy shoppers. Ships from Mequon, WI. Listed on Jul 12, 2024

www.etsy.com

That is cool but I wonder if it would rust if you don't keep rubbing beeswax on it.

 

[jpmcwjr]

Those (iron?) pipe tools are good looking but very impractical. Don't walk around with those in your pocket!

 

[kcghost]

We had a tool like this on the KC Pipe Club. Thought they'd sell like hot cakes, but they were more like turds in the punch bowl. It is a pipe tool very similar to a Czech tool and sold for $20, I have no idea what happened to them.

 

[jonathanbowley]

I just picked up a lot on eBay and it had the very same tamper with a Dunhill Rollagas and a Solingen cigar cutter. My friend sent me the link to this thread so I thought I'd share. I signed up a few weeks back but haven't had opportunity to post yet.

All three of these are barleygrain so someone must have liked the look and put them together as a little smoking set at some point.

 

[jguss]

The design reg was granted in February or March of 1967. It could be retrieved with time & money but not sure the documentation would tell you enough to be worth it.

 

[condorlover1]

Standard Sheffield pipe tool. The later models shown on here had that nice rounded end to the blade. I cannot remember if I have ever had one of those since I am rather fond of my Czech pipe tool, the one that is a tamper, spike and coke spoon. Here are a few earlier examples that have come from various dead members of my family. The one that is nickel plated with the pointed blade is post WW1 and came from either my Mother or Fathers side of the family. The one with the white ivory side was my Fathers and the other one came from lord knows where but I use that to cut up plugs with and very rarely take it out the house. The knives shown earlier are really nice and I suppose I should try a visit to the 21st century sometime just to see if I like the pipe tools!

 

[Honkytonk Man]

Thought I'd have a quick look for the tamper OP posted.
But came across this one.... NEVER USED ANTIQUE Massag 3-way Smoking Pipe Tool Tamper Czech Republic SURVIVOR | eBay - https://www.ebay.com/itm/123805580578?hash=item1cd3633d22:g:zlMAAOSwN7BdB9CW&amdata=enc%3AAQAIAAAA4CsNI%2B7CbkAO56zW36a%2FoSPIzi8uejbxfrk4KXN3dVI%2FIg0hLihLFc9BkPJKjxK9vvAogN11EtO1CuoRDraQYSzseGd50b8Z7mZHgr1NSmzn4vXZsPmq6W4KjttC1TdbUfmf7eqLJbhVvRsDFnJIBu5qwKYLUoRMmkAKVP%2FSO%2BjkNmmiS5l5ev4mGCndxlBJTqWz%2Bhdxw6fjKWhFZlH25qh2aTrfPWxBsUWzTBpjVbxuhBgEjcIY9bzXb2gdFgCLTObqxJ6JFm7t0co0pOhgv8FkL9oPeCLVxybCFNiJMzHA%7Ctkp%3ABFBMrvimh8li
For the exact same one at SP, will cost you 2.00 bucks!

Then there's this bargain, from the same seller....

 

[Honkytonk Man]

OK, so there must be something going on here.
Has the seller miss placed the decimal point?
Or are these tampers made from platinum, or white gold?

 

[solideogloria86]

View attachment 243520
OK, so there must be something going on here.
Has the seller miss placed the decimal point?
Or are these tampers made from platinum, or white gold?

Nope. I actually reached out to this guy a while backand told him these are a dime a dozen. He said "nope! These are real Massag, made in the Czech Republic"
Makes them rare and expensive he says. I found a place selling "Massag" Czech tools for a couple bucks and sent him the info. He stopped replying.

 

[solideogloria86]

View attachment 243520
OK, so there must be something going on here.
Has the seller miss placed the decimal point?
Or are these tampers made from platinum, or white gold?

I can't find the message in my ebay app for some reason, but I do have it in my emails. This reply was a doozy

 

[jpmcwjr]

View attachment 243520
OK, so there must be something going on here.
Has the seller miss placed the decimal point?
Or are these tampers made from platinum, or white gold?

Decimal point 2 places off!
BTW, instead of pasting a long URL in, you can paste it in using CMD-K. and it's short and not unattractive.