Refurbish an old calabash or leave it be?

[hiplainsdrifter]

I recently scored a great antique calabash for under 50 bucks! I just got it and it has a few little condition issues- at least if is to be functional. First, the cork under the meershaum is pretty dried and has cracked apart in places. Second, there is a slight amount of play in the connection between the gourd and the briar shank under the silver band. The stem seems to be very stuck in the shank. I wondered if it is worth trying to repair any of these issues, or if messing with them will just decrease the value of the pipe. Thanks

 

[ejames]

You might want to send that one out to a pro for refurb if you intend to use it. If not it will make a nice display piece.

 

[corvinvelegost]

You might want to send that one out to a pro for refurb if you intend to use it. If not it will make a nice display piece.

i second that. If you want to use it i would have it refurbished by a pro.

 

[matchstickman]

Norwoods Pipe Repair
I would not trust my pipes with anyone else but these fine people. Given how hard it is to find a true Gourd Calabash these days, and considering how little you paid for the pipe, I think it would definitely be worth it to send it off to Floyd and let him work his magic on it. He will have it smoking like brand new in no time.

 

[jchaplick]

If not what Pipe Novelist said, I would also trust Walker Briar Works, contact them and see if they can do anything, they do very nice works

 

[matchstickman]

I would also trust Walker Briar Works

I have heard rave reviews about those guys as well, I just trust Norwoods because I have used them before and always had good luck. It would be worth getting ahold of Walker Briar Works to find out if there is anything they can do as well. I'm not sure what their prices are, however.

 

[jchaplick]

I'm not sure what their prices are, however.

They are very reasonable, one pipe I had I thought was unfixable, they did it for 18 bucks, they have fixed a few of my pipes, and I am, at some point, going to send two or three more in for some stem replacements.