I got this WDC Wellington the other day in a lot with another pipe that I wanted. It is a full on Peterson System Standard rip-off, it is said “Imitation is the highest compliment”. I’m not sure I agree fully, but it is a nice pipe. It cleaned up very well, it had been well cared for. I wonder if WDC was ever sued for patent infringement? I have not seen many WDC’s with this style of “acorn” army mount and a true P-Lip style bit. Most have a squared off army mount and a “fake” P-Lip (the hole comes out of the center like a “normal” bit and not the top as in a true P-Lip). The stem had the one piece “System Standard” style Peterson extension/“chimney” that was cut into the end of the vulcanite stem. It had a crack in it so I used some Black Max to fix it. I put a spring clamp near the shoulder to hold it in place. It was going great....until....I put a spring clamp on the extension at the end.....crack/shatter😭. I decided to remove the rest of the broken stem extension. I proceeded to turn down a spare bone tenon I had to make a Peterson System Deluxe style extension/“chimney”. I threaded the internal part of the stem to match the tenon and inserted the “new” bone extension I turned down on the lathe. It should work nearly as well as a true Peterson System Deluxe. The only part of “The System” that may or may not be in this stem is the graduated bore? The pipe has some nice straight/flame grain, cut nearly on center, and it does not have any fills. It still has it’s original finish too. I found a picture of the exact style of pipe on pipephil.eu in the 1915 WDC catalog page pictured there. I’m not sure if it is 100 years old, but it could be.
Well, here's a pipe that was given to me at cost from a Paronelli dealer at the St. Louis pipe show this past February. It is a very light weight pipe and a very good smoker. I'm considering lightly sanding the high points of the stummel and restaining it with a deep red, or a dark kelly green. My objective is to make it a "Christmas pipe" Here's the question: RED or GREEN?... or leave it alone...
@KA9FFJ I think green would offset the red stem nicely, maybe a lighter green....not too light, but too dark of a green may get “lost” in the black. Maybe the rim too, unless you are worried about darkening the rim.
@Zouave Sure have. Most of there pipes seem to have a soft color transition which is quite attractive IMHO. However, if I do decide to re-stain, I plan on hitting the high points on the sandblasted stummel which will give it a different effect. We'll see... time will tell... 🤔
@Zouave Oh, Oh......how about the swampy green ones with metal spikes? They look like a little caveman club. Sad to say, I have some oddball pipes......I don’t want to admit it........I like the swampy green ones with spikes. I know weird🤪
@KA9FFJ can't wait to see what you come up with! Good luck with the project. @RockyMountainBriar I couldn't agree more. I'm not a huge fan of novelty pipes or fantasy pipes, but for some damn reason I love those spiked green ones. 😅 He also makes a sweet looking horn style as well.
Ok. Wet sanded the stummel and ready to stain. I think I'm going with @RockyMountainBriar suggestion and go with green. I'll keep it a light shade since the waxing and buffing usually leave it a little darker... Since I don't have any color like that on hand, I'll check out a leather and shoe repair shop here in town and see if he can spare the little needed for the job...
Well it's going to be a while to complete this "Christmas pipe" project. Visited the local shoe and leather shop only to find they no longer dye anything unless it's tan, brown or black. Back in the day they used to carry every color made. Just goes to sho was you how out of touch I am..
Anyway, now I'll have to order some... Project on hold till further notice...☹
This is not really pipe refinishing so much as pipe reworking. I just bought a Morgan Briar Cigar....just because it’s different. Anyway, I though I would like a stem that blended into the “cigar” more so I made a second stem from a piece of ebonite rod I had. I have eight colors or so, this was the one that blended the best out of the ones I have. It’s not perfectly blended, but more than the original black one. I also wanted to get rid of the “bit” end so it looks like a “normal” torpedo shaped cigar that has been clipped.
@Zouave Thank you sir It took me a bit to figure out which way I wanted the striations in the ebonite to run. The pattern would have been different if I had "swapped" ends. I think the pattern came out correctly, at least to my eye.
Comments
I decided to remove the rest of the broken stem extension. I proceeded to turn down a spare bone tenon I had to make a Peterson System Deluxe style extension/“chimney”. I threaded the internal part of the stem to match the tenon and inserted the “new” bone extension I turned down on the lathe. It should work nearly as well as a true Peterson System Deluxe. The only part of “The System” that may or may not be in this stem is the graduated bore? The pipe has some nice straight/flame grain, cut nearly on center, and it does not have any fills. It still has it’s original finish too. I found a picture of the exact style of pipe on pipephil.eu in the 1915 WDC catalog page pictured there. I’m not sure if it is 100 years old, but it could be.
Thank you🙂
Thank you, 👍🏻
I'm considering lightly sanding the high points of the stummel and restaining it with a deep red, or a dark kelly green.
My objective is to make it a "Christmas pipe"
Here's the question:
RED or GREEN?... or leave it alone...
I think green would offset the red stem nicely, maybe a lighter green....not too light, but too dark of a green may get “lost” in the black. Maybe the rim too, unless you are worried about darkening the rim.
Oh, Oh......how about the swampy green ones with metal spikes? They look like a little caveman club. Sad to say, I have some oddball pipes......I don’t want to admit it........I like the swampy green ones with spikes. I know weird🤪
Since I don't have any color like that on hand, I'll check out a leather and shoe repair shop here in town
I can’t wait to see the results.
Fiebing's Leather Dye, the preferred product for staining a briar or cob.
Visited the local shoe and leather shop only to find they no longer dye anything unless it's tan, brown or black. Back in the day they used to carry every color made. Just goes to sho was you how out of touch I am..
Anyway, now I'll have to order some... Project on hold till further notice...☹
Restoring a Patent Era Brigham 1 Dot Dublin Ken Bennett’s Estate
https://rebornpipes.com/2019/09/06/restoring-a-patent-era-brigham-1-dot-dublin-ken-bennetts-estate/Thank you sir
It took me a bit to figure out which way I wanted the striations in the ebonite to run. The pattern would have been different if I had "swapped" ends. I think the pattern came out correctly, at least to my eye.
Thank you
I am looking forward to seeing your "Christmas Pipe" work-over