Quick Ugly Pipe Made...A Little Less Ugly.

[hauntedmyst]

I have this McCraine's panel billiard I bought 30 years ago. Before that, it had sat in the shop for sale for at least 10 years. I bought it with it's partner, a apple shape with the same finish for a song since I liked the apple's appearance. Unfortunately, the apple ended up burning out on the first or second smoke. McCraines made it good with some tobacco of my choosing. I bought this one since it was so cheap and figured this one would be good as a pipe to abuse. It's fulfilled that roll really well. It's been left outside at times, in the heat of the summer or the cold of the winter for extended periods. It's been smoked for long periods with only the occasional pipe cleaner run through. It's been lost and it's been found. But for all it's good smoking qualities and survival skills, it's ugly. Unfinished briar is like meerschaum in that it can color really cool or it can color ugly and pick up a lot of dirt and just look grungy. This one is one of the later.


Here it is after an evening spent stripping her down to as close to nothing as I can figure out how to do.



I was going to go with a simple black stain but then changed my mind and went with Oxblood first, then Black, then a light coat of British Tan. It was rubbed with a rough cloth after each coat to let the previous color through a bit. At the end it was buffed to bring more color through and then polished. As you can see it came out with an interesting brown with red poking through. I have to polish the stem tonight. I'm trying to decide if I like it or if I should just go basic black or dark green. Time will tell.

 

[didimauw]

Oh wow. That's much better! Nice job.

 

[cigrmaster]

That is a great color, excellent save on your part. I have a few pipes with similar colors. They are all from my Jack Howell collection.

 

[FurCoat]

That's not a bad looking pipe. You did a great job with the stain. I wouldn't change it.

 

[LotusEater]

That's not a bad looking pipe. You did a great job with the stain. I wouldn't change it.

I agree

 

[hauntedmyst]

Thanks guys. Got the stem cleaned up tonight and I like it even more against the black. It’s a cheap grade of Vulcanite so it browns easily if I don’t take care of it.

 

[kurtbob]

Thanks guys. Got the stem cleaned up tonight and I like it even more against the black. It’s a cheap grade of Vulcanite so it browns easily if I don’t take care of it.
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Nice!

 

[Michigan_Bill]

Good job!

 

[mso489]

I prefer what you have to black or green, for the shape of the pipe, that great old four square panel billiard. Green would look like a St. Pat's pipe and too blocky, and black would be too common and not quite right for the slightly larger size of pipe. You have to know a good thing when you see it. That's a classic finish for a classic pipe.

 

[falconsmoker]

That's one nice looking pipe, well done!

 

[cshubhra]

Nice bit of restoration ?

 

[CoffeeAndBourbon]

Great work!!

 

[kcghost]

Nice looking pipe.

 

[Morrison Jeremiah]

What a transformation !

 

[John C.]

Wow. Nice job.