The Joy of Unfinished Pipes

[rfernand]

OK; I rested the pipe for over a day and smoked one bowl of Carter Hall in it (yum). Here's what happened (with pictures!):
Before. Notice the moisture I showed in the original "after" picture is pretty much gone, with a light stain left behind. I took pictures from other angles as reference. There is minor perceibable coloring on the right hand side.

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During. I was very conscious about not touching the briar while smoking, holding the pipe by the stem and not resting it on any surface. I feel like President Ford. Not a comfortable situation at all.
After. Moisture spots are clearly back, around previous areas and in some new ones. A bit more darkening on the sides. The pipe is nowhere near broken in yet.

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Fun factor? Still high. :puffpipe:

 

[clickklick]

When those spots "dry", do you notice small pits in those areas?

 

[rfernand]

Nothing obvious.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

I am just amazed that Carter Hall could produce enough water to penetrate that much onto the surface.

I still am having a hard time comprehending all of this. You'll have to forgive me, but there just has been so much evidence on this forum that the briar does not breath. I guess that goes to show you that anything and everything is just a bunch of bunk. I sure would like to take a look at that pipe through a microscope.

 

[rfernand]

I only have a 10x on hand, so I probably won't learn much. But yeah, fascinating.

 

[calabashed]

How interesting, I'm seeing this exact same thing with my new Naked Coral Tinsky, except so far it's confined to one part of the shank a bit below the stem. Just smoked it for the first time a week ago, third smoke last night, each time the moisture spot showed up as soon as it warmed up. It was just a pinpoint first couple times, but last night I watched it grow considerably during the course of smoking, my fingers definitely did not touch that area. This is what it looks like this morning, only a slight shadow left. I'll take another picture right after I smoke it next.
r, how did this turn out for you? Did the wet spots keep returning, and has the pipe colored strangely as you've smoked it?

 

[hawky454]

Yeah, it's fun to watch them color. I have a Nording unfinished Signature that I bought in 2010 and it has colored beautifully since. The way it colors is unique to how you smoke and the oils in your hands so my pipe will color completely different than your pipe and that is what makes it so special to me. In fact, any time I make my own pipe, I prefer not to finish it so that it will naturally darken over time.
Edit* I've never seen a pipe get those moisture spots that ya'll are getting. Maybe that has to do with the rustication?
Just now realized this was a year old post... Would love to see some current pictures of the OP's pipe!

 

[aimlesswanderer]

Interesting thread. I have a Molina Hobby and keep alternating between smoking a bowl and chipping a bit more briar off. I still haven't decided on finished shape or whether or not to stain it. Thanks for the necro.

 

[jpmcwjr]

Edit* I've never seen a pipe get those moisture spots that ya'll are getting. Maybe that has to do with the rustication?

I've not seen that either. I believe it's the briar that's not fully dry.

 

[ashdigger]

I've had several unfinished briar pipes and while I have no clue how they color, and frankly don't care, I really like how they transition. I just purchased two Morgan Pipes' Bones for my Hekthor Wiebe Radiators. I'll start a new thread and show the transitions.
This also one of the reasons I like meerschaum pipes.

 

[leacha]

 

[didimauw]

I bought a university unfinished pipe, with the "70 year old briar" from pipes and cigars a few months ago. It came unfinished, but it seems it was still waxed or polished. This was during its first smoke

And this was more recently.

 

[snowyowl]

I have a lightly waxed (like the University above) and a raw, rough Radice. Both, new, are at the end of this thread:

http://pipesmagazine.com/forums/topic/show-off-your-radice-pipes-here
The raw pipe has now been smoked many times and the only darkening (excepting the rim) is from my handling. Looking the pipe over, I can't find any moisture leaking marks like those shown on the Savinelli or Tinsky. I tried to make an image, but the hand oil markings are too subtle.

 

[PaulTheScandinavian]

if one is in hunt for unfinished savis then one place is worth checking, ebay.it

 

[huntertrw]

"The Joy of Unfinished Pipes"

Nothing joyful about this unfinished pipe!

 

[mso489]

Most pipes age and most improve with wear and darkening, gaining patina and enhanced beauty. But starting with the white or beige look, almost like raw wood (although shaped and nicely sanded) and seeing it develop its own "finish" is inspiring, and just plain fun, not to be missed by anyone smoking pipes. I like having several in various stages of aging.

 

[crashthegrey]

I love my Bones pipes as they color, but even my stained pipes I see develop that patina. It's a beautiful thing. As much as I love some good estates, there's something so rewarding about watching the new pipes color and become beautiful for you.

 

[jabo]

I really enjoy untrained pipes(unfinished ?). I have several and enjoy watching them gradually darken over time. Why ? I don't really care. Maybe the smoke or the waxing. Got a 68 Dunhill Tanshell about a month ago and it has darkened just from my smoking ! ;-)

 

[akfilm]

My Savinelli Noce Walnut, after a while smoking, this is currently out of rotation and going on display at the local tobacconists as a demonstration of the raw coloring on the noce pipes.

My current favorite pipe, a Nording Signature, it started off as plain wood, it's darkened to this.

I really like unfinished or raw pipes. I think they can tell a great story, just like meerschaums. The pipes become distinctly yours. There are a couple other people in town with the noce, but each of our pipes have colored differently.