Ruminations on the Stain of a Lee

[Briar Lee]

I’ve noticed a phenomena where a new Lee that is natural and not stained will darken with use, while a stained Lee may become lighter with use.

Yesterday I was privileged to buy two almost new Lee Three Star grade 7 pointed star pipes, one stained (or so I thought) and the other natural.


Both pipes had been barely smoked, no more than a half a bowl each. Like many other high condition Lees I’ve bought, a few minutes with steel wool and Everclear restored them to new again.

Yesterday was extremely busy, and I only had the privilege of smoking the natural Rhodesian (or is it a double ringed Pear) once at my office, once at a sidewalk cafe, and once after dark on my deck. Then I cleaned it with Everclear and wiped it with grapeseed oil. It was an extraordinarily good smoking Lee, which is saying quite a lot.

This morning, the natural Lee is darker, and far more beautiful than it was yesterday.



I must go get ready for the day, but I’m secure knowing that briar is very porous or else three smokes and one application of oil couldn’t darken and stain a natural briar this much.

I’m also curious if the other one I though was stained really was.

Today I’ll find out.

 

[Briar Lee]

Today after three smokes, with just the oil from my hands, and the smoke penetrating the briar, the pipe I thought was stained is assuming the same color as the Virgin finish Lee.

I feel really sorry for anybody who loves pipes and hasn’t discovered Pipes by Lee yet.

If they aren’t the best pipes in the world there’s not any one bit better.

 

[bassbug]

I'm pretty sure both those pipes are stained.

 

[telescopes]

I'm pretty sure both those pipes are stained.

Ya think.

 

[telescopes]

I feel really sorry for anybody who loves pipes and hasn’t discovered Pipes by Lee yet.

If they aren’t the best pipes in the world there’s not any one bit better.

See, Mr Lee. It’s saying things like that which will get you disbarred.

Next thing, you’ll have folks up in arms suggesting that the election was stolen or that all this heat is something natural a grift from the all mighty.

Yes sir, you keep talking like that and you’ll find yourself Lord of the Fly hatchlings.

 

[petes03]

I'm pretty sure both those pipes are stained.

Yup…..

 

[georged]

I'm pretty sure both those pipes are stained.

I dunno...

I was visited by a group of Saucer People last week who glowed and sort of hummed the entire time they were in my den, and after they left I noticed all the pipes in my collection had darkened.

So it could have been that.

Wait...

Now that I've ruminated on it a bit, I'm POSITIVE that pipe darkening is caused by Alien Aura Energy in every case. Always has been, and always will be,

100% positive.

And I will never, ever be dissuaded of that fact.

That OBVIOUS fact.

 

[didimauw]

@Briar Lee you have a great eye for finding these pipes.

And you must be running out of room on your pipe rack!

 

[Briar Lee]

@Briar Lee you have a great eye for finding these pipes.

And you must be running out of room on your pipe rack!

I need to try and count all of them someday.

Here’s a stash I found this afternoon of billiards.


Lee did stain some of his lower grade pipes, but only on the last Lee production have I found a varnished Lee, and the varnish was thin, easily removed.

The most ironic thing about Pipes by Lee is I’d bet nearly all were bought as gifts by women for their men who smoked them maybe once, then put them in drawers beside the cuff links and ties. Pipe smokers today can take advantage of bargain prices on brand new old Lees that really, honestly, were an attempt to make the best pipe in the world.

When you wipe a new old Lee with Everclear no stain comes off. It will with every other stained pipe I know off. How’d Lee manage that trick?

On the 7 and 5 point star era pipes, a Star Grade has no fills. It soaks grapeseed oil like a sponge. It is delicious from the first bowl.

I’ve assumed they were oil cured, but maybe Lee boiled or treated them with saccharine or sugar or something sweet that didn’t stain the briar. If modern pipe makers could duplicate the smoking qualities of every Lee, you’d think they would. Maybe three or four smokes forms a cake, and it’s a sweet experience doing it.

Lee pipes tend to be small for modern pipe fashions, they just don’t have flashy grain, and the styles are arch conservative.

But until you have a few, you’re missing out.

 

[woodrow]

Well! I’ll have to snatch one up before Mr. Briar Lee buys them all. I’m looking for a banged up one to restore.