What Is This in My Brigham?

[mikethompson]

I'm doing a little refresh on this Brigham I got. I've never done anything like this before. But anyways, as I was cleaning the stem, which I thought was one part I found out it's not. It doesn't look like a stinger, could it be some sort of filter? It's brown and dirty, so is it just a dirty filter?
:puffpipe:

 

[saltedplug]

Same as a stinger, but perhaps the removable piece is designed to be the lightning rod for the deposit of the resins in the smoke?

 

[meatballj]

Yep, its a filter. Brigham's maple wood filter, and by the looks of it due for a change. I use them on a Brigham Pipe of the Year churchwarden I have that's set aside for aromatics. Keeps the moisture down and helps in avoiding tongue-bite.

 

[mikethompson]

Well there you have it.
Thanks - I'm sure my local shop stocks them. Yes it will need to be changed, I don't know how old the pipe is but it's probably original. Some of the pipes I got from the same estate were pretty grimey.

 

[fitzy]

Yup they have a unique filter system.

 

[mso489]

I've seen them described as their "rock maple insert." Some people use them and recommend them. I believe you can wash and re-use them. I get tired of too many different permutations on the filter, stinger, balsa insert, etc. etc., but I think the pipes perform well enough if you just take them out. I like the straightforward look of Brighams, but have avoided them for just this reason. Brigham was for a long time one of the largest pipe makers in Canada, although now I believe they have moved to Italy.

 

[mikethompson]

I'm in the Toronto area and every tobacconist I've been too (ok I've been to 2) stock only Brigham pipes. I think they are still somewhat local.

 

[olkofri]

They are a Canadian company. Unfortunately, their production has been moved overseas: pipes from the first three tiers (one dot [Voyageur line], two dot [Algonquin line], and three dot [Mountaineer line]) are made in Italy, whilst the top tiers pipes (Heritage, Klondike, Chinook, Acadian and President) are made in France.
You can rinse those filters with water and then leave them to dry and reuse them, but eventually you'll have to change them. Yes, the pipe can be smoked without the filter.

 

[JimInks]

I took the filter out. I find them unnecessary.

 

[shikano53]

Can you take some pics of your Brigham or tell us what the nomenclature says? If it is made in Canada it will say so. I have seven Brighams and I don't use the filters anymore but if you wish to, clean them with soap and water and then pass a pipe cleaner through them and let them dry out. Here is a good link on Brigham pipes.

If Pruss decides to chime in, you can take anything he says about Brigham pipes as Gospel. IMHO he is 'Mr. Brigham.'

http://pipesmagazine.com/forums/topic/brigham-pipes

 

[mikethompson]

Looks like it's an old Canadian made one. Can anyone tell me how old it is? *Cough* Pruss cmon in here *cough* It's in really good shape, I'm hoping some wax will bring out it's colour a little bit. It's lighter than it comes off as in the pictures.

 

[olkofri]

In the meanwhile: Brigham: a closer look at dots, dates, and markings

 

[mikethompson]

Pre-1980 if I read that right
One brass dot, style 114

 

[shikano53]

Wow! Very nice indeed! Good score Mike :clap:

 

[winton]

My Brigham has not seen action in a while. Thanks for helping me choose the pipe for my next smoke.

 

[mikethompson]

Thanks guys, it came with a bunch of other estates but it just called out to me from the box. The stem was very oxidised but an oxyclean bath and autosol polish brought it back to where I'm happy with it. The rim is a little scorched but I'm planning to take care of that in due time.

 

[winton]

Great smoke last night in my Brigham. Tuskegee Airmen from C&D. Very tasty

 

[olkofri]

I wonder about the inner construction of that 114 Brigham. My 184's draughthole has something like a spur of sorts underneath, which I think is a cavity designed as a receptacle for the metal tip of the filter. Thing is, when the filter is in place, I can't run a pipe cleaner into the bowl. I have to remove the mouthpiece in order to properly clean it.
Again, I wonder if that 114 has the same cavity and impossibility of cleaning the farthest end of the draughthole whilst the filter is in. :?:

 

[mikethompson]

Olkofri I can definitely check that out for you. I've tossed the skunky filter but will look into it for you (literally lol)
Turns out that dating Brighams is a little difficult. I've narrowed it down to 1938-1979 haha.
Can't wait to really clean it out and get some Dunhill in there.

 

[ben88]

I've narrowed it down to 1938-1979 haha.

More like 1980-1985
https://pipedia.org/wiki/Brigham_Pipes_%E2%80%93_A_Closer_Look_at_Dots,_Dates_and_Markings