What Does a Fill Look Like?

[lordofthepiperings]

I've been smoking a pipe regularly for about three years now, but I don't think I've ever been shown really what a fill looks like in a pipe bowl. I'm sure I've probably seen them before, but nobody has told me "You see that? That's a fill". So, I ask you more experienced pipe collectors what does a fill look like and can one post a photo with a fill circled or something?

 

[nsfisher]

A blemish that doesn't match the grain. Like a chickenpoc scar or a scratch etc. filled in with wood putty.

 

[topd]

Sometimes it's hard to tell a fill from the natural grain, and sometimes it's perfectly obvious. The first

pipe is a 'no-name' Italian pipe I've been smoking for about 30 years, it has a couple of fills in it.

The next two photo's have a Savinelli that has what looks like it could be fills, but is actually the

end of the grain in a birds eye pattern.

A fill on the bowl at left.... The end of veins in the brier on bowl at right.

 

[garyovich]

top, great looking sav billiard. I may have to go back and re-examine some of the spots I thought were fills.

 

[lordofthepiperings]

Thanks for the pics. I think I have a better idea now. Much appreciated.

 

[taerin]

Here's a fill on a Pete,they just don't look like wood.

 

[ssjones]

This Bertrams is loaded with fills. (top pipe) It is only a 20. The bottom is a 50 pipe ($5 back in the day) and has no fills, but also not the original stem.

This Selected Straight Grain (Comoys) has one tiny fill in this photo:

I dug the fill out and filled the hole with a mix of Superglue and briar dust. I did a two-stage, black and then brown stain to accent the grain and hide my fill fix. It's almost invisible now.

 

[wayneteipen]

You sure the birdseye on that Savinelli isn't filled? It's not unusual for the birdseye grain to be loose and pitted requiring fills. I've never seen birdseye that looked like that.

 

[sjpipesmoker]

Here's some articles on fills
Article by Russ Ouellette
Fills
Fills 2

 

[mlyvers]

good examples here. great work AL on that pipe.
mike.

 

[hobie1dog]

Nothing like a picture to explain what words simply won't.

 

[sjpipesmoker]

Here are some pretty major fills...
Fills

 

[chopz]

(inserts gratuitous photo of dr phil)