@bluespiper, the Burley with no flavor was Perfection Plug Burley by Uhles. Maybe my taste buds are dead, but there didn't seem to be much in this one.
Just finished a bowl of Russ' Candy Corn Blend in a $10.00 pipe I picked up and refurbished at an antique shop.
I know nothing about the craftsmanship that goes into proper pipe restoration, other than what I've learned from Pipe Presenters on YouTube. And neither do I have the proper tools or buffing wheel to do a professional job. But I've been provided me with just enough information on sanitizing the stem and bowl that I was able to do a credible job. I'm confident the pipe is germ free both inside and out, and the stem polished up real nice. Thankfully it was acrylic - and the past owner wasn't a clencher. Not a nibble on the mouth piece. The real work was removing the enormous cake inside the bowl. Doesn't look like it was ever cleaned or reamed during the life of the pipe. The cake around the bowl as so thick there was a miniscule hole for filling tobacco that was barely large enough to stick a doubled-up pipe cleaner through to the bottom of the bowl. I had to dig a bit along the side with a pen knife just to create a center hole big enough to begin reaming the pipe properly. I have a Decantur reaming set with four different size reamer heads - and I had to painstakingly try to work my way into a dead center position in order to properly ream the bowl without damaging one side or the other. My patience paid off and I accomplished that without damaging the bowl. Once that was done I had to clean and sand the badly charred rim of the pipe to expose the original wood finish. Then after hand waxing the pipe a half dozen times it looks brand new - and smokes like a dream.
Can't think of nothing so satisfying as bringing an old pipe on life support back to life and make it serviceable again.
@ghostsofpompeii I love the Dracula pipe from peterson! I was hoping to get one over the holidays but Dracula did not descend on my house-maybe next year! Which style did you get?
I just posted a picture of my Chacom pipe in reply to @mfresa question pertaining to Chacom pipes, so while it was already in my hand I decided to smoke it with some Sutliff Vanilla Custard. Very nice with an afternoon cup of coffee.
C & D Autumn Evening which followed Peterson Holiday Season (2016) to start the morning and then Peterson Irish Whiskey. I'm breaking in my new Savinelli Venere Brownblast (920KS) bent stem which arrived in the mail yesterday.
Comments
Just finished a bowl of Russ' Candy Corn Blend in a $10.00 pipe I picked up and refurbished at an antique shop.
I know nothing about the craftsmanship that goes into proper pipe restoration, other than what I've learned from Pipe Presenters on YouTube. And neither do I have the proper tools or buffing wheel to do a professional job. But I've been provided me with just enough information on sanitizing the stem and bowl that I was able to do a credible job. I'm confident the pipe is germ free both inside and out, and the stem polished up real nice. Thankfully it was acrylic - and the past owner wasn't a clencher. Not a nibble on the mouth piece. The real work was removing the enormous cake inside the bowl. Doesn't look like it was ever cleaned or reamed during the life of the pipe. The cake around the bowl as so thick there was a miniscule hole for filling tobacco that was barely large enough to stick a doubled-up pipe cleaner through to the bottom of the bowl. I had to dig a bit along the side with a pen knife just to create a center hole big enough to begin reaming the pipe properly. I have a Decantur reaming set with four different size reamer heads - and I had to painstakingly try to work my way into a dead center position in order to properly ream the bowl without damaging one side or the other. My patience paid off and I accomplished that without damaging the bowl. Once that was done I had to clean and sand the badly charred rim of the pipe to expose the original wood finish. Then after hand waxing the pipe a half dozen times it looks brand new - and smokes like a dream.
Can't think of nothing so satisfying as bringing an old pipe on life support back to life and make it serviceable again.
My take on "Old King Cole" in a Peterson 314 Meerschaum.