Thoughts On The Dr. Grabow Omega?

[mso489]

I have a real weakness for mass-produced U.S. factory pipes. They remind me of 1950's American cars. They are not fussy, but they have style and sometimes durability. I have two Dr. Grabow Royaltons, a Yello-Bole, and two Kaywoodies, and several Benton Iwan Ries House pipes made of Algerian briar. When I get back to them, I'm always surprised at how well they smoke, and indeed they seem to improve over years. I think Dr. Grabow is the last major U.S. briar pipe factory that produces high volume. And they're a real old-time outfit, don't always market their special edition pipes. In fact, you have to get in touch and show some interest to even know these pipes exist.

 

[newbroom]

I picked up two smooth omegas on fleabay awhile back and gave one to my brother.

Mine seems to have a vulcanite stem.

I smoke mostly grabows and cobs, oh, and D&R tobaccos.

Most of my grabows are the older ones with screw in stems, mostly. Westbrooks, Supreme, Tru-Grain, and De-Luxe, along with a couple of those with the aluminum tenon.

In fact, I smoke a Royal Duke w/al sleeve that my son gifted me, with great regularity.

The Omega is well balanced for clenching, though the stem's button end is unusual, it still works fine.

The pipe draws smoothly (I don't filter) and is easy to maintain. Mine stays cool too.

 

[pagan]

I have a few Grabows with forever stems on them, they will be forever smokers

 

[wolfman9]

Well, I’ve had a chance to smoke the Omega a few times now, and I am quite happy with it overall.

However one a couple occasions, I had the unpleasant experience of some moisture building up inside and coming up the airway as bitter tasting ‘juice’, of course this is mainly just because the tobacco I was smoking probably wasn’t quite as dry as it should have been, but I wonder if that also is due to me not using a filter in it, as I haven’t had this issue with my other pipes.

Should I get some Savinelli balsa filters for it, or am I best off just making sure I dry my tobacco better?

 

[aldecaker]

I think drying the tobacco more would help, but on a very humid day or with tobacco with a lot of humectant you may have to resort to a filter to absorb some juice. The Savinelli 6mm balsas work great whenever I have needed them in a Grabow, but all of mine have the aluminum tenon.
The Grabow paper tube filters restrict the draw too much for my liking, and I always thought they had a noticeable paper taste, especially at the beginning of a bowl. I get neither of those problems with the balsas.

 

[mso489]

Intriguing that Dr. Grabow has stuck with the P-lip-like bit on the Omega over the years. I guess it is meant to be a distinctive feature. A fishtail would be preferable to my mind, but I'm sure the Dr. Grabow people have discussed this and been decisive about keeping this feature.

 

[danielplainview]

I have two Omega’s and they’re great workhorses. They can be used for several bowls in a single day before they get soggy. Small chamber nice for a 20 minute smoke.

 

[wolfman9]

I guess I’ll look at getting a few balsa filters ordered, they’re not that expensive, especially if I’m not always using them.
As for the P-Lip style mouthpiece, I’m not really all that enamored with it either, and have considered actually reshaping it into a more conventional fishtail shape, it doesn’t detract from the smoke, but still looks and feels a bit odd to me, if the pipe came with a more flared fishtail mouthpiece from the factory it would be more attractive in my opinion.
Dave, I haven’t tried smoking multiple bowls in the same day with mine, but glad to hear it works well for that, will make for a good traveling pipe.

I find that I am also getting about 20-30 minutes out of the Omega, which is nice for a shorter smoke, sounds like I can repack it if I want a longer one too.

 

[mso489]

I wouldn't hesitate to recommend an Omega, or other Dr. Grabow, to a new pipe smoker as a first pipe, someone who needed to keep their spending down. I'd want to explain the questions about filters since that is not well explained with most pipe purchases and is just left to the consumer to figure out. Leaving out the filters, using them, or using an adaptor -- a little information is extremely useful. Dr. Grabows are generally sturdy and standard enough to represent the pipe smoking experience to a beginner. They're also fine for experienced smokers who want a car or travel pipe, or simply like the old-time look of American factory pipes. I might steer a newbie toward a straight pipe for various reasons, but I started with a bent pipe (Tinder Box St. Ives bent pot probably by Chacom), and I still have it and enjoy it, and it was not pricey.

 

[crashthegrey]

Personally, I skip them and opt for new Kaywoodies. I prefer vulcanite bits most of the time, and that is what is on Kaywoodie. For under $50 you can get most of the Kaywoodie lines. Hand finished right here in NY. By a fourth generation pipe maker. But I am always a little curious about Grabows as well.

 

[drwatson]

Had one for a whole day once..Went to tamp out the loose ash awhile I was driving. And out the window it went, stem in hand.

 

[mso489]

Bummer. Must have been high speed or you'd have gone back to retrieve it, I guess. For the volume they produce, they do pretty well, but that one wasn't put together. Most of these factory pipes last forever.

 

[crashthegrey]

Seems like as good a reason as any to not dump ash, drwatson. What an unfortunate event.

 

[aldecaker]

I don't know how you non-ash dumpers do it. After a certain point, I just can't get a good re-light to save my ass.

 

[samuelgawith01]

I don’t. Remember which series they were from,but two years ago I bought two new Grabows from a local B&M,just to check on their smokability,comparing them to my Grabow purchases in the early eighties.The early pipes were more durable in my opinion,as the tenon joints completely failed on the new pipes.These were not threaded tenons,to my memory.I am interested in getting one or two from their “Big Pipe” line,out of curiosity.I have a Grand Duke upstairs in a drawer waiting to be cleaned.It has a threaded tenon,and the bowl is in really good shape.The stem needs some smoothing out and polishing, I’d like to see them get past the failed tenon joint thing,and we would have some really good mass produced pipes.

 

[crashthegrey]

I just can't get a good re-light to save my ass.

I don't relight very often.

 

[ville615]

Funny I just packed my Omega with some Capt. B dark with a pinch of John Bull. I love that ole Dr. Grabow Omega it has always treated me well.