@mapletop Yep, they cross-cut it right on square, you can see the grain alignment on the top of the bowl. I think I read a description of one on SP.com that mentioned all the 1898-1998 P-Lip X61’s they had seen were all cross-cut.
@RockyMountainBriar VERY nice work! I think anyone would LOVE to have that Pete in their collection... I know I would! Really great looking job, well done... Oh, and tnx for sharing...
Nothing as fancy as the work others do. I needed another Carey pipe like I need a hole in the head, but I couldn’t pass up the price. I paid more for shipping than I did for the pipe! I’ll let it sit a day or two and give ‘er an inaugural smoke soon.
This is not exactly pipe refinishing, but I fired up the lathe today, I decided to make some “bottom advancers” for large deeply bent pipes. I hate the amount of tobacco that is left below the draft hole (dottle) in some of my big bents so I proceeded to turn out some briar “screens”. Yes, I know there are other types of screens, but it seems to me they don’t belong in a tobacco pipe. I had a briar cut-off scrap that I turned down to a cylinder then drilled seven holes through it. I then cut it into three cylinders, each of a slightly different length. I placed the shortest one in this monster Peterson Oom Paul Patent #12393 commemorative. It effectively turns it into a calabash, the tobacco chamber is still over an inch deep and 7/8” diameter, still a decent sized tobacco chamber. The other thing it should help with in this particular estate pipe is protecting it from charring around the airway more than it already has. The effective calabash air chamber is a 3/4” space below the briar screen. The piece of briar is 3/8” thick. The full depth of the original tobacco chamber is 2 1/8” deep, so the “bottom advancer” cut it about in half, a little less if you figure in the rounded bottom of the original chamber. I left the briar pieces flat, but I think I will get out a big round end-mill and put a divot in the top of the briar. The “bottom advancers” are not permanent in any way, I just use a deck screw and lightly twist into the center hole and lift it out for cleaning, or for smoking the pipe normally if so desired AND I want to throw out a big wad of dottle.
I got out the 13/16” round endmill and cut a bit of a divot in the top side of the briar. With the divot, the tobacco chamber is 1 1/4” deep now. Ready for a smoke.🙂
A while back I picked up this Peterson shamrock. It had several fill spots. With the original finish the filling stood out way to light against the darker original finish. I sanded everything down and re waxed it with no staining. I think this way it hides the filler better. I'm excited to give it a try. It's my first Peterson... shamrock but still a Peterson. 😁
I decided it was time to start working on that small group of pipes I recently acquired at an estate sale. Starting with the meer. It's a noname with some issues: The stem is ever so slightly off center. There is a lot of scarring and small pits that may require some drastic measures. The rim is a mess, and the bowl has some thick caking which will need to be removed. That is where I decided to start... Here's the before pics:
Out of curiosity, will you give it the beeswax treatment after you clean it up?
I have found that the smoked patina comes to the surface once again after applying white beeswax to the exterior. I made corks plugs to fit the bowl and shank of my Meers and use a paperclip/wire stuck in the corks for a handhold, then I melt some white beeswax in a pan and just dip them in and let them drip off. After it cools a bit to where I can hold it, I heat the meer with a blow-dryer or hot air gun a little just to soften the excess wax and wipe the meer off with a paper towel. It will darken the meerschaum and bring out the patina, like magic, once again....at least it has for me.
@RockyMountainBriar You bet. That's my last phase of a meer project. Since I have to use some light sanding in the restoration process, the waxing becomes a necessity. And you are correct, it definitely helps to bring back SOME of the original patina. About the only difference in our techniques is that you dip, and I brush. No difference in the outcome. Here's where I am now...
Unfortunately, that last phase of waxing and heating will also make most of the scratches that you THOUGHT were gone, to reappear. But with more and more smoking, some will start blending with the increased patina... That's just the nature of the beast...
Another waxing result problem. Sometimes after that process, it will leave blochy patches. At first I blamed myself, but over the years I have come to realize that it was probably where the previous owner would hold onto the pipe while smoking, especially if they were smoking hot... I believe, and I will be the first to admit I could be wrong, that very small amounts of wax would gravitate to skin, rather than staying with the pipe, so there was less wax being left to enhance the patina, it would leave a slightly lighter hue on those areas of the pipe. Not too much to do, except allow the blotchy areas to slowly catch up with every new smoking episode, which it usually does... I'll be waxing the meer tonight, so we'll see what happens... 🤞
@KA9FFJ Your theory about the previous owner holding the pipe is directly tied to the myth that one should wear white gloves while smoking a meerschaum, IN MY OPINION.
TIPS FOR TAKING CARE OF YOUR MEERSCHAUM (from meerschaum.com) Do not be afraid to handle or hold your meerschaum with clean hands. Remember, you purchased a meerschaum primarily for your smoking pleasure. The "added" pleasure you derive from a meerschaum is watching it color as you smoke it. The conventional wisdom on this topic is that handling a meerschaum while warm removes the beeswax coating on the pipe, which highlights its coloring. While this is true, only the purist - the smoker far more concerned with the look of his pipe than his own smoking pleasure - need worry about it.
@PappyJoe Tnx brother. Always open to additional knowledge and information. I too adhere to the "smoke meers for the enjoyment" idea. You have never seen me smoke a meer with nothing but my bare hands. However, as the above article reads, I do try to make sure my hands are clean. But I do appreciate the article supporting the idea of removal of wax through bare hands while handling the pipe warm. As stated earlier, It personally doesn't affect me since I simply enjoy smoking a meer. Tnx again for taking the time to research the subject... 🎅
Comments
DadsPipes
exploring the art of tobacco pipe restoration
https://dadspipes.com/blog/
Here are a few “money shots” you asked for of the Peterson 1898-1998 P-Lip Celebration Commemorative X61🙂
Yep, they cross-cut it right on square, you can see the grain alignment on the top of the bowl. I think I read a description of one on SP.com that mentioned all the 1898-1998 P-Lip X61’s they had seen were all cross-cut.
Let's talk about pipe rims.
https://www.smokingpipes.com/smokingpipesblog/single.cfm/post/elements-the-pipe-rims
I think anyone would LOVE to have that Pete in their collection... I know I would!
Really great looking job, well done...
Oh, and tnx for sharing...
Freakin' great deal....
Great find...
Starting with the meer. It's a noname with some issues:
The stem is ever so slightly off center. There is a lot of scarring and small pits that may require some drastic measures. The rim is a mess, and the bowl has some thick caking which will need to be removed. That is where I decided to start...
Here's the before pics:
You bet. That's my last phase of a meer project.
Since I have to use some light sanding in the restoration process, the waxing becomes a necessity. And you are correct, it definitely helps to bring back SOME of the original patina.
About the only difference in our techniques is that you dip, and I brush. No difference in the outcome.
Here's where I am now...
Looking good👍🏻
That's just the nature of the beast...
Great information. Thanks for sharing!
I believe, and I will be the first to admit I could be wrong, that very small amounts of wax would gravitate to skin, rather than staying with the pipe, so there was less wax being left to enhance the patina, it would leave a slightly lighter hue on those areas of the pipe.
Not too much to do, except allow the blotchy areas to slowly catch up with every new smoking episode, which it usually does...
I'll be waxing the meer tonight, so we'll see what happens... 🤞
Your theory about the previous owner holding the pipe is directly tied to the myth that one should wear white gloves while smoking a meerschaum, IN MY OPINION.
TIPS FOR TAKING CARE OF YOUR MEERSCHAUM (from meerschaum.com)
Do not be afraid to handle or hold your meerschaum with clean hands. Remember, you purchased a meerschaum primarily for your smoking pleasure. The "added" pleasure you derive from a meerschaum is watching it color as you smoke it. The conventional wisdom on this topic is that handling a meerschaum while warm removes the beeswax coating on the pipe, which highlights its coloring. While this is true, only the purist - the smoker far more concerned with the look of his pipe than his own smoking pleasure - need worry about it.
I too adhere to the "smoke meers for the enjoyment" idea. You have never seen me smoke a meer with nothing but my bare hands. However, as the above article reads, I do try to make sure my hands are clean.
But I do appreciate the article supporting the idea of removal of wax through bare hands while handling the pipe warm.
As stated earlier, It personally doesn't affect me since I simply enjoy smoking a meer.
Tnx again for taking the time to research the subject... 🎅