Best Of
Re: Pipe refinishing
I hauled out another pipe I refurbished years ago but have yet to smoke. It’s a RATOS Select Old Briar Handmade in France. It was smoked very lightly before I became it’s conservator. It has the strangest inner bowl treatment I have seen. It has several deep gouges, they are factory, because I have seen them in other RATOS pipe pictures. It has a well in the mortise like a Peterson System, but it has a weird stem insert, I guess it serves the same purpose as the “chimney” in a Pete Deluxe System? The stem is partially lined with an aluminum tube as well. We’ll see how it smokes today😉













Re: Pipe refinishing
@KA9FFJ
It’s Bakelite, here is a picture that shows what it looks like a bit better. It looks closer to real amber than the first picture suggests.
It’s Bakelite, here is a picture that shows what it looks like a bit better. It looks closer to real amber than the first picture suggests.

Re: Other Hobbies
My father got one of the copper/brass fire extinguishers from the old railroad depot when it closed. Some stupid fella (me) filled it with water for some reason? It was stored in our unheated garage so it froze and split the whole side out of it. My dad was making us clean out the garage for a dump run, which as a teenager, pissed me off. I threw it out, along with several rail cutoffs that could be used as anvils….man that was stupid of me. I wish I had one of those now. Ahh, the stupid shit teenagers do. I still have a smaller one that is used for a doorstop. Dad brought a couple home, a guy in the shops made them. I’m not sure where the other/s are, I think at least one of my siblings has one? I use this one for a doorstop, and an anvil. Mostly for junior leatherwork and junior gun-smithing. The paint has a few dings on it from anvil use. I think the doorstop in my mom’s garage is a bearing from a rail car wheel. It a steel cylinder about 3 1/2”-4” in diameter and 3”-4” tall. I have pressed it into service as an anvil in the past as well.

Re: Pipe refinishing
@KA9FFJ that longchamp turned out top notch. Well done again sir! The exposed bowl looks great in contrast to the dark leather and stem.

2 ·
Re: Pipe refinishing
@KA9FFJ
Yep, looks pretty bland alright. At least it’s not pressed wood of some sort.
Yep, looks pretty bland alright. At least it’s not pressed wood of some sort.
Re: Pipe refinishing
I forgot to mention that I also purchased 4 stummels at the pipe show for 10 bucks!
I'm starting off by showing you 3 of the 4...
I'll be looking forward to cleaning and generally refurbishing them before stemming...

I'm starting off by showing you 3 of the 4...
I'll be looking forward to cleaning and generally refurbishing them before stemming...


2 ·
Re: Other Hobbies
@opipeman my father was a fireman for 40 years. I remember seeing those smaller hand pump extinguishers at the house from time to time. He would periodically bring home those taller old brass ones as well.

2 ·
Re: What are you guys smoking right Now?
Orlik dark fired Kentucky again!
Beautiful 75 degrees today
Beautiful 75 degrees today


6 ·