Rusticated Brigham to Fix Excessive Fills.

[OneGoodBulldog]

So this was my third pipe, a Brigham 316. Got it at a bit of a discount because of the stem oxidization. Took it home to find that it was full of fills! Seven fills on the bowl and shank, seems to me this stummel should have never gotten a three dot stem, but what do I know? Well I'll tell you what, Brigham doesn't know either! Three emails to the company and zero responses means this is the last Brigham product I'll ever buy. So I rusticated it just to stick it to em!

Tools used. Pocket knife and mini Phillips screwdriver. Painted the recesses and script with a bit of acrylic primer and she's back in rotation!

 

[sasquatch]

Wait, 75 dollar pipes don't have perfect top grade briar?

I need a moment.

 

[STP]

Nice job on the rustication ?

 

[kcghost]

Nice job on the briar but it seems you are really over reacting.

 

[mso489]

Rustication isn't as easy as it looks, and you did a good job. I have some old Bentons bought as Iwan Ries house pipes, and they have a few fills, but after many years, they are still in place, and the pipes are oil cured Algerian briar, so I take the bitter with the sweet, and they are excellent smokers.

 

[OneGoodBulldog]

Wait, 75 dollar pipes don't have perfect top grade briar?

I need a moment.

Since the entire world seems to love gouging Canadians on every retail item under the sun your $75 pipe costs $120+ up here. Why? Well economists would like you to believe that since we are a sparsely populated country with poor infrastructure it simply costs more to ship goods. This is total BS however because the same explanation is also used to explain why E-books cost ten percent in Canada than they do in the US. Also, we have trains, so...

And hey, you know when you spend $40 (CAN, so like .42 cents US) on a pipe and it's got exactly zero fills it kind of raises the bar for when you're spending twice as much on your next pipe. It also wasn't so much that the pipe was poorly finished, it was the part about the radio silence that drove me to such extreme lengths. Oh well.

Cheers!

 

[OneGoodBulldog]

Nice job on the briar but it seems you are really over reacting.

Oh heck no! When I overreact you'll read about it in a paper. Pipe Wielding Maniac Holds Local Tobacconist Hostage, Demands Helicopter, Matches and Several Pounds of Mac Baren Flake as Ransom. The wrap-up story after I've been arrested will probably read something like; PWM Arrested After Several Hours Spent Locked in Helicopter...

In reality, I'm easy money. Just respond to my emails and I'll be happy. I was more upset about the total lack of communication on Brighams part.

 

[OneGoodBulldog]

Rustication isn't as easy as it looks, and you did a good job. I have some old Bentons bought as Iwan Ries house pipes, and they have a few fills, but after many years, they are still in place, and the pipes are oil cured Algerian briar, so I take the bitter with the sweet, and they are excellent smokers.

Thanks mso! It was kind of a painstaking process, but well worth it. I hadn't smoked out of this pipe since the fills started to come out and after not hearing back from the company I had let it sit for awhile. I am just mystified as to why Brigham wouldn't have just said screw it and put this stummel in a non smooth finish. They make their 16 shape in a few different lines. It's certainly not what I'd let past my own workbench! I can understand if a high quality briar needs one or two fills, but a middling pipe? Just sandblast it or something, it's not like its detracting from the briar at all.

 

[danimalia]

I expect some fills or imperfections on a cheaper pipe, but 7 seems like a lot. Maybe it isn't though and I have just been lucky and/or not very good at detecting fills. Either way works for me ?

Nice job on the rustication!

 

[kurtbob]

Hell, I think it looks better now!

 

[OneGoodBulldog]

I expect some fills or imperfections on a cheaper pipe, but 7 seems like a lot. Maybe it isn't though and I have just been lucky and/or not very good at detecting fills. Either way works for me ?

Nice job on the rustication!

Thanks! I make it out like I have really high expectations and I tend to dramatize everything, mostly for fun, but seven fills just seemed like too much. I have a Savinelli off brand pipe that cost a little less and it's got two fills that have stayed in through a couple whoops moments, so I know you can get decent smooth finish pipes at that price range.

 

[Chasing Embers]

So this was my third pipe, a Brigham 316. Got it at a bit of a discount because of the stem oxidization. Took it home to find that it was full of fills! Seven fills on the bowl and shank, seems to me this stummel should have never gotten a three dot stem, but what do I know? Well I'll tell you what, Brigham doesn't know either! Three emails to the company and zero responses means this is the last Brigham product I'll ever buy. So I rusticated it just to stick it to em!

Tools used. Pocket knife and mini Phillips screwdriver. Painted the recesses and script with a bit of acrylic primer and she's back in rotation!
View attachment 76177

That looks great!

 

[mso489]

I think knowing briar is a high skill, so if the youngster in the shop takes over for the master carver for an afternoon or holiday, all bets are off. The last two pipes I've bought have been described as having vulcanite stems, and neither did. It was not a problem; I'd have bought them either way, but it annoyed me since most retailers get it right. I'd have chosen vulcanite if I'd had the choice. I'd bet it was a rookie doing the specifications on pipes that day. They probably associated certain stem materials with specific brands and type it in. Pipe and tobacco retailers need more people than there are qualified applicants. Most Forums members would qualify as experts by most employee hiring standards.

 

[ofafeather]

I hear you about the fills and especially about the communication. Fills annoy the shit out of me. Just rusticate the thing! Speaking of which, great rustication!!!

 

[Chasing Embers]

Wait, 75 dollar pipes don't have perfect top grade briar?

I need a moment.

I've seen Punto Oros with fills.?‍

 

[ofafeather]

I've seen Punto Oros with fills.?‍

That’s why I loved Ed Burak’s Connoisseur pipes. Even his lowest end pipes, which were like $40 in 2001 had no fills and only natural finish. They had sand pits but that was fine. Some makers did/do spot carving which was never as appealing to me but I will take that over fills any day. The other stupid thing is that you can make a fill that won’t stand out but most makers couldn’t be bothered.

 

[sasquatch]

I mean, look at the piece of wood being spun, not just rejected, but taken to completion, at the 6.00 minute mark here. Eegad.

 

[ofafeather]

I mean, look at the piece of wood being spun, not just rejected, but taken to completion, at the 6.00 minute mark here. Eegad.

Cool video. Thanks for sharing.

 

[mikethompson]

Great job on the rustication. It would bother me to get no replies on emails too, but my blood pressure probably wouldn't boil over.

 

[OzPiper]

In reality, I'm easy money. Just respond to my emails and I'll be happy. I was more upset about the total lack of communication on Brighams part.

I'm with you on this.

Last year I ordered a pipe from one of our sponsor's EU branch. Paid my money and waited 3 months - no delivery.
I was expecting Covid-related delays, but 3 months with no pipe and no communication ?
I cancelled my order. I thought the least they could have done was to send me an e-mail every few weeks to say there were shipping delays, but that shipment was on the cards still. Very poor, or in fact, no customer service.

I ordered from another UK-based retailer - pipe delivered in 3 weeks !