State of the U.S. Factory Pipe

[mso489]

Just a short post to solicit ideas about the current state of the U.S. factory briar pipe industry, as in Kaywoodie, Dr. Grabow, and similar brands. It appears to me that Edwards brands such as Benton seem to have gone to low or no production. I admit I am still impressed with especially Dr. Grabow pipes. No one would mistake them for up-market factory pipes or artisanal pipes, but they make a highly respectable product that is durable, reliable, good-smoking and handsome in its genre. I'm don't own any estate Kaywoodie's or Grabows, but the current ones seem consistent with their past strengths. I'm not a huge fan of the Kaywoodie Drinkless, but get some good smoking out of the one I own. Any comments, reflections, historical perspectives, or inside info would be of interest.
It appears to me that fewer brands are in production, house pipes, etc. Some series, such as the Yello-Bole briars, are either out of production or low production and hard to get. Brylon still seems to be a staple for Yello-Bole and Medico, I'd guess based on price, a pipe that lasts forever for $19 to $25. The U.S. factory pipes seem most alive in its estate market and collector community where these are treasured and subject to really scholarly study. The current product, maybe not so much.

 

[papipeguy]

Let us not forget Missouri Meerschaum. Great bang for the buck for 150 years.

 

[michiganlover]

There are really only 3 main players in the US factory made market: Dr Grabow, SM Frank (Kaywoodie, Medico, and Yellow Bole), and Missouri Meershaum.
Only MM really seems to embrace the modern market having a fully functional website where you can purchase their products direct from the factory. The other two have really basic websites that kind of fall into the "I guess we have to have a website, so here it is"; kind of a design it and forget about it thing.
FYI, all new production Kaywoodies are now push stem without the stinger/ drink less attachment, a vast huge improvement in my opinion.

 

[michiganlover]

SM Frank seems to be producing house pipes for Pipes and Cigars (the Hearth and Home series pipes), so it's my feeling that most of their limited production capacity is probably going there.
http://www.pipesandcigars.com/brands/1661/hearth-home-signature/?type=Pipes

 

[michiganlover]

Dr Grabow has some pipe lines such as the Patriot and Adjustmatic that are only available by calling the factory direct. Most I feel don't even know they exist. This is a very poor marketing tactic in the Internet age.

 

[aldecaker]

New Grabows have to be inspected as carefully as the blister packaging will allow, because they're very hit or miss. I usually buy mine at Walgreens, and the ones here only carry the Grand Duke. They are usually on the small (bowl) size for me, so when I spotted one with a larger-than-average bowl, I snapped it up (Had the aluminum ring as well, an added plus). Imagine my disappointment when I got it home and found a crack in the shank, easily half an inch long, and extending to the outside of the shank. I had to take a refund, because none of the other Dukes they had were near as big.
When CVS had their closeout, I grabbed their last Grabow, a Savoy. It was 75% off, so in my excitement, I didn't look at it very closely. Turns out, the shank extended from the bowl at a weird tangential angle, and the stem was warped sideways to compensate. No refund/exchange, obviously, so I reworked the shank with sandpaper, opened up the shank ID, and fitted it with a MM freehand stem. It is now acceptable-looking, but was not even worth the 25% of MSRP I paid for it.

 

[mso489]

aldecaker, your bad experiences make me feel like there's some kind of back story at the factory. When I've gotten a new pipe that's good, they give me the feeling that there has been a lot of effort to do it right, as with the shaping, finish, and solidity of the Dr. G. Royalton bulldog, at least the one I bought from one of our sponsors. But these pipes you're describing speak of a management problem, carelessness, and maybe angry employees. It's hard to square those two experiences, but there it is. I'm puzzled. I have a Kaywoodie pushbit Saxon and a Yello-Bole Checker that seem to be good solid pipes that improve with age. I don't like the feeling that these old standard bearers are fading, either from lack of marketing or from q.c. problems. Interesting that comparable old brands in France, Italy, and elsewhere seem to be doing well, more than just hanging on.

 

[Perique]

Grabow has a proud history, and still makes some fine pipes within their price point. I'm a big Savoy fan myself. That said, as has been mentioned, they need a compentent marketing department. And yes, a functional website. Sure, the market is small. But Grabow is still missing the boat.

 

[Perique]

I just checked out that like to the Hearth & Home pipes. That black rusticated bulldog is a good looking pipe. If Grabow does in fact produce it, this demonstrates they can make a competitive pipe.

 

[michiganlover]

I didn't say Grabow was making the Hearth and Home pipes, I said SM Frank/ Kaywoodie was. All we know about the H and H pipes are that they are U.S. made, but they bare a very strong resemblance to the Kaywoodie pipe of the year pipes made for several of the pipe boards. Looking at their designs they definitely look like Kaywoodies to me.

 

[lordofthepiperings]

Briarworks International is making a name for itself. I love my Icarus Volcano and plan on getting many more pipes from them.

 

[tuold]

My feeling is there are serious QA problems going on at the Dr Grabow factory these days.I won't buy a new one unless I can inspect it myself first. I don't think it's necessarily a new problem because I have estate Grabows that vary wildly in quality, all the way from amazing quality to drop-it-in-the-trash-dog-rocket quality. There seems to be certain amount of luck in getting a good specimen, but I have some and appreciate them.
I have my grandfather's drugstore pipes he bought in the 1960s, Grabows, Medicos, and Frank. Everything about them is better than anything new I've bought in that category currently. I bought a $50.00 Stanwell when they were on sale at P&C awhile ago and it reminds me favorably of the drug store pipes of yore. So maybe we just have pay a bit more these days to get the value.
Speaking of marketing..... The Wall Street Journal came out today with it men's fashion insert. As I flipped through it, I was thinking this was really a missed opportunity for a pipe maker to buy some well placed ad space. Men are really lacking in the the accessories department. There is hardly anything uniquely masculine about what is available now and I think think there is a pent up demand for it.

 

[Perique]

I didn't say Grabow was making the Hearth and Home pipes, I said SM Frank/ Kaywoodie was.

10-4. I misunderstood

 

[edgreen]

Quality control is not just an issue with inexpensive, American pipes. I have a silver spigot Peterson (not a bottom of the barrel Pete by any means) that has the draft hole at the top of the mortice while the tenon draft hole is dead center.

 

[disinformatique]

I have been trying to get older collectible Keywoodie pipes. I have bought a few estates but they are still in the US. Will let you know once I get them.

 

[pylorns]

DItto on the new kid on the block with briarworks coming to play as american made factory pipes.

 

[leacha]

Isn't Dr. Grabow and KW made in Italy and just put tougher here like Peterson does in Ireland?

 

[mso489]

leacha, so far as I know, Dr. Grabow pipes are made entirely in Sparta, N.C., in the Blue Ridge Mountains. From the look and feel, I'd say that was correct.

 

[danielplainview]

I love my Grabow's but I've only bought a few brand new. Most are pre 1960's. The new ones I inspected before buying, and they're pretty nice. If you find one with a broken shank or stem it most likely happened during shipping or store employee handling and not from the factory.
Dr Grabow makes specialty pipes but do not advertise them. Terrible marketing strategy. The Grabow Patriots, and new Ajustomatics look pretty nice. Maybe we can get Ed to drop a pic or two.
I've never been a fan of the non removable stingers on Kaywoodies. I find the draw too tight. The new Kaywoodie handmade series look fantastic and I think they are stinger free. $200 vs. $20. I think if Grabow made a high end pipe, people would snatch them up.

 

[ejames]

AJustomatics on left,Patriots on right. The Patriots are push stem filter pipes and have a brass extension on the stem. The Ajustomatics will also take a filter.