Well here they are, the Comoy’s #311 and another Comoy’s Grand Slam, a shape #250B. I decided to top both bowls slightly and define the original chamfers again. I stained both pipes as well. The rim on the #311 is pretty much still in round, the #250B was a little more out of round originally, but I got it pretty close. Good enough for me anyway.
I just finished modifying a bone screw tenon into a push tenon for this little Peterson Patent 4 Amber NAP stem billiard. When I received it, there was a layer of transparent tape between the stem and shank to keep the stem from over-clocking. I did not like that. Also, the threads were just barely catching in the stem, I did not like that either. I think the threaded bone tenon was an attempt at a repair in the past and not factory. There was “Superglue” holding it in the shank👎🏻 I don’t believe they had “Superglue” when this Pipe was made🤔, which I am told is between 1905 and 1915. It just did not seem right....so I drilled out the old bone tenon and made the replacement. The replacement I made works like a “normal” tenon with a friction fit in the shank and threads into the amber stem. This bone screw tenon has the correct diameter and threads per inch, so it fits nice and snug in the amber, and now nice and snug in the shank, and centered as well. I had an old wood and leather pipe case that I bought with a lot of other pipe stuff that was nearly the correct size for this pipe. I had to carefully peel back the leather cover on one edge top and bottom, and also the lining fabric on each edge top and bottom to remove some of the wood. I needed to give the amber stem some room so I could close the case without putting pressure on the amber. I reassembled the case and the pipe fits fairly well. It is a bit too long, and the case was made for an apple shape that was a smidge taller, but it will work to protect this 100+ year old pipe.
@KA9FFJ That is a Peterson Patent NAP stem. You can read about it on Mark Irwin's Pete Blog petersonpipenotes.org, one of the authors of the book "Peterson Pipe: The Story of Kapp and Peterson". They recently commissioned pipe maker Silver Gray with help from Brad Pohlmann to recreate a few for a test group. I was invited to be a tester, but I did not have the funds for the new pipe and stem at the time Silver will still make a NAP stem for Peterson System Pipes for anyone that wants one as a personal commission, kinda pricey though..$250 each I think, unless you can go in with at least three others, then they are $225? There is a lot of work and skill to making one. I am excited to smoke this one though, as it is said to be quite a different (in a good way) experience. A very interesting piece of tobaccianna. The little billiard I just got may even have had the NAP amber stem cut by Charles Peterson himself or at the very least his first apprentice? Jimmy Malone! What a piece of pipe history.
Tnx @RockyMountainBriar I must admit, I don't ever remember seeing one. And as unique as that stem is, I know I would have remembered... Very interesting...
Bad news...after staying in one piece for 100+ years, that amber stem is now broken I fired it up with some Five Brothers last night and after the charring light and about five draws, a bit of the smoke wafted out of the bowl of that little 4" nose-warmer.....I did not have a hand on the pipe at the time. Well, that little waft of smoke hit the back of my throat.... I coughed and blew glowing hot ashes all over, I did not drop it....apparently when my jaw snapped closed during the cough it was a bit too much and the top half of that amber NAP bit snapped off Some conservator of history I am..it took someone 100+ years to crack that rare NAP amber stem...and it had to be me......I should be flogged...
Oh, by the way, it was a very unique dissipation of smoke from that NAP bit....while it lasted....pretty smooth dissipation without hot spots....dang....I liked it while it lasted. I guess I need another NAP to try out.....not amber though.
@RockyMountainBriar don't be too hard on yourself, a few years back someone stoped by work to sell a 1920s gold and ebony cigarette holder. Those long ones that I picture FDR using. I told him I would love to but it for the cost of the gold and while I was looking it over I snapped the ebony mouth piece right off the harder gold end. 😞 Not one of my prouder moments. Another piece of tobacco history that lasted a good 70-80 years before my clumsy hands got ahold of it.
Well here's a Kaywoodie Flame Grain Meerschaum I started. The stem was actually UNDERclocked. I fixed it. It's just that, in my experience, they're usually Overclocked. Anyway, here's the before shots...
After stripping, I was able to detect some "decent" grain, so I decided to 2-tone stain it. The stem wasn't too bad. Anyway, here's the final... another one for the show...
This pipe was part of a lot that I found on Ebay really cheap. Anyway, it had the top 1/3 of the bowl hacked and wacked on, until the guy finally figured out he didn't know what he was doing. Instead of throwing it away, he threw it in the box with the rest of the pipes. I was going to throw it away, but decided to use it to practice on and glean briar dust when needed for fills. After almost a year, I started thinking of something I might be able to salvage. Unfortunately I didn't think to take a before pic or you would have laughed at me for even giving it a thought. So I figured, hey,some people are ok with unique and UGLY, so here it is for your viewing pleasure...😏 FYI - I went with that "wave" pattern because it hid most of his hacking. That finish on the bottom was me practicing a "wood-worm" pattern. The original pipe finish was smooth, but no patterned grain to speak of...
Well here is a Savinelli I just worked over. Again, I did not take before pics, so I will use the original auction pics. After I repaired the shank crack and sub-standard stem repair. I tried to lacquer the bare spots on the pipe. It did not come out good enough for me, so I decided to remove the old finish and see how many fills were under it. There are three larger and a couple smaller fills. I was going to stain the pipe black and see how it turns out, but it does not look all that bad now. I can’t decide whether or not to commit to the black🤔
Comments
I had an old wood and leather pipe case that I bought with a lot of other pipe stuff that was nearly the correct size for this pipe. I had to carefully peel back the leather cover on one edge top and bottom, and also the lining fabric on each edge top and bottom to remove some of the wood. I needed to give the amber stem some room so I could close the case without putting pressure on the amber. I reassembled the case and the pipe fits fairly well. It is a bit too long, and the case was made for an apple shape that was a smidge taller,
Thank you sir.
I am debating on wether or not to buff and wax, or just wax the little Pete or keep the patina🤔
Thank you sir.
That is a Peterson Patent NAP stem. You can read about it on Mark Irwin's Pete Blog petersonpipenotes.org, one of the authors of the book "Peterson Pipe: The Story of Kapp and Peterson". They recently commissioned pipe maker Silver Gray with help from Brad Pohlmann to recreate a few for a test group. I was invited to be a tester, but I did not have the funds for the new pipe and stem at the time
Very interesting...
I fired it up with some Five Brothers last night and after the charring light and about five draws, a bit of the smoke wafted out of the bowl of that little 4" nose-warmer.....I did not have a hand on the pipe at the time. Well, that little waft of smoke hit the back of my throat.... I coughed and blew glowing hot ashes all over, I did not drop it....apparently when my jaw snapped closed during the cough it was a bit too much and the top half of that amber NAP bit snapped off
Some conservator of history I am..it took someone 100+ years to crack that rare NAP amber stem...and it had to be me......I should be flogged...
Yep, That’s a bummer too.
I was going to throw it away, but decided to use it to practice on and glean briar dust when needed for fills.
After almost a year, I started thinking of something I might be able to salvage. Unfortunately I didn't think to take a before pic or you would have laughed at me for even giving it a thought.
So I figured, hey,some people are ok with unique and UGLY, so here it is for your viewing pleasure...😏
FYI - I went with that "wave" pattern because it hid most of his hacking. That finish on the bottom was me practicing a "wood-worm" pattern. The original pipe finish was smooth, but no patterned grain to speak of...