Estate Pipes?

[bfreebern]

Ok, since being brought into the fold of pipe smoking, I'm now reading this forum and I'm loving it. I was gifted my first pipe, a Boswell and it got me nosing around ebay and other sites at Estate Pipes.

I guess it's a learning experience, but what do you look for when buying these lots? I know some will have damage and might be fixable, while others are beyond repair. For example, just looking on ebay, I found one that looked pretty cool:

It says it has a biten stem, but is that something that a pipe maker could fix?

Just newbie questions I guess :laugh:

 

[LilBastage]

That is a cool pipe.

Be very cautious on eBay. You can really get ripped. Sometimes a pipe will be fixable, but if you plan on sending it out, it will likely cost you more than the pipe is worth. If you can figure out how to do the work yourself, it's a great place to find some real treasures. A new handmade stem can cost up to $50 or more (or it can be as little as $15).

If you want to find some great deals on really nice estate pipes then Frenchy is your guy. Frenchy's Pipes

On eBay I look for pipes that are clearly photographed and show a picture of the bowl from above along with all other angles. I also look for familiar brands. Descriptions (unless given by established pipe sellers) are usually worthless. If a pipe looks like it has been treated poorly, I usually pass.

I look for pipes that catch my eye just like with new ones, but condition and price are the determining factors for me.

Good luck to you, Brandon! It's nice to see more people getting involved in this part of CP.

 

[BrewMeister]

Welcome to the fold... :thumbs: Good to have you!

Many here have more experience than I however, I can tell you that the teeth marks in the stem are very fixable. I prefer to use a rubber peice on the stem to protect the stem, and it makes it more comfortable to bite on if you need to. Boswell can fix almost any pipe, you may be able to sand out the bite marks, if not they can make a new stem. Hope that is some help, there are some folks here who have revitalized many estate pipes. I'm sure they'll chime in soon.

 

[LilBastage]

I just re-read my post and I hope I didn't discourage you.

I would ask for a clearer picture of the bite marks if there's still time. If they're not too bad they can be sanded out, if they're deep you can fill them with super glue and sand it smooth. If they're too deep, a new stem may be in order. This is all easy work to do yourself, it's just a matter of time.

You may also have to give it the salt (I use cotton balls)/alcohol treatment to get rid of any ghosts. Vinegar can be used to rid it of any musty smell.

 

[bfreebern]

Not discouraged at all. I'm not buying any right now, was just looking to see what ebay has to offer. I still have yet to enjoy my first bowl in my new pipe. Hopefully it will be tonight w/ some Christmas Cookie.

 

[LilBastage]

Not discouraged at all. I'm not buying any right now, was just looking to see what ebay has to offer. I still have yet to enjoy my first bowl in my new pipe. Hopefully it will be tonight w/ some Christmas Cookie.

A great choice. Christmas Cookie is a delightful smoke. :thumbs:

 

[Mr_Wolf]

Not discouraged at all. I'm not buying any right now, was just looking to see what ebay has to offer. I still have yet to enjoy my first bowl in my new pipe. Hopefully it will be tonight w/ some Christmas Cookie.

Christmas Cookie is a great one to start with!

Nice lookin' piece!

 

[bilder]

I am in the process of restoring a Peterson I got off Ebay. Paid $12.50 for 4 pipes and a stand. Got the Peterson, a nice looking Grabow and a couple of others I cannot remember the names of.

The Peterson was very oxidized. Been working on the stem and will have it finished later this week. All in all it is cleaning up great and I will have a nice pipe or two for a bargain.

I may suggest buying a lot or two of cheaper pipes to practice restoration with. That way if you mess up you are not out a lot of cash.

 

[LilBastage]

I am in the process of restoring a Peterson I got off Ebay. Paid $12.50 for 4 pipes and a stand. Got the Peterson, a nice looking Grabow and a couple of others I cannot remember the names of.

The Peterson was very oxidized. Been working on the stem and will have it finished later this week. All in all it is cleaning up great and I will have a nice pipe or two for a bargain.

I may suggest buying a lot or two of cheaper pipes to practice restoration with. That way if you mess up you are not out a lot of cash.

Excellent suggestion.

I'm in the process of restoring a Peterson myself. The stem is a real mess and I hope I can save it. It was only $9, so I can't complain too much. :laugh:

 

[bfreebern]

Thanks for the suggestions. Guess I'll be needing to do some restoration research and see how intensive it's going to be. Might be better off just buying some new ones, LOL.

 

[atuck]

Buying Estate pipes on ebay can be a lot of fun. You can get killer pipes, that normally would cost the bank, for really good prices. The pics are of most importance when picking one you like. I tend to like to stick to the more famous collectible pieces like: Preben Holm, Castello, Dunhill, etc. One of my favorite little pipes I have is a 1929 Dunhill Patent Apple shape that I picked up, already restored, for only $50. Or my 1969 Preben Holm, that was unsmoked and still had the price tag on it, that I got for only $100.

I have even bought some real nice ones that were pretty dirty. I know buying them was taking a chance. But often when they are in this condition the price can be real good. I have, more often than not, been very happy with the pipes after I restored it myself. Still the pics are important. I stay away from pipes that look like they were abused.

Is sending a Pipe BOMB legal? LOL!! :laugh:

 

[psyktek]

All good advice in the above posts. I would add three sellers whose pipes are always in great shape, or they are accurately described and photographed.

Coopersark
Pipestud
MrCan

I have bought from all three and have not been disappointed with any transaction. As far as repair/restoration, Floyd Norwood (Norwood Pipe Repair) has fast turnaround, low prices and great work.

Have fun!

 

[NullSmurf]

I am in the process of restoring a Peterson I got off Ebay. Paid $12.50 for 4 pipes and a stand. Got the Peterson, a nice looking Grabow and a couple of others I cannot remember the names of.

The Peterson was very oxidized. Been working on the stem and will have it finished later this week. All in all it is cleaning up great and I will have a nice pipe or two for a bargain.

I may suggest buying a lot or two of cheaper pipes to practice restoration with. That way if you mess up you are not out a lot of cash.

When you say restore, what are the restoration points? Does oxydation refer to the bowl surface?

 

[bilder]

I polish the stem to remove any oxidization and buff out the bite marks.

Then I ream any excess cake out of the bowl, give it a full cleaning and polish the outside of the bowl to finish it off. So far I have not come across any loose fitting stems, so I have yet to tackle that issue. This is the fifth pipe I have cleaned up so far.

The stem of the Peterson I am working on looked terrible when I first got it. but after some polishing it has really cleaned up well.

I got some photos that I plan on posting when I am finished to show before and after.

 

[hoshnasi]

... I tend to like to stick to the more famous collectible pieces like: Preben Holm, Castello, Dunhill, etc.

I am the same way, I stick to buying the good stuff and restoring. In fact there is a guy from another board that has a nice business doing just that. For the finish you will generally hear the same thing a light polish and a large, low RPM polishing wheel. These with a very short amount of time will removes years of neglect. I avoid pipes with broken stems, its usually more trouble than its worth in the end.

If the pipe is heavily tainted with smells and just doesn't looks clean in general there are a ton of pipe sweetening methods to use. The most successful used a mineral spirit and rock salt to pull the oils and ick out of the bowl (with out without the bowl reamed). There is another way I have been thinking of trying that uses boiling alcohol to flush the whole pipe (stem and bowl). After the procedure a liberal polishing will be needed since the alcohol will make the stem look horrible.

When I get off work I'll hunt for the links to the methods. In the meantime, hit up Google

 

[psyktek]

... I tend to like to stick to the more famous collectible pieces like: Preben Holm, Castello, Dunhill, etc.

I am the same way, I stick to buying the good stuff and restoring. In fact there is a guy from another board that has a nice business doing just that.

Dead Man's Pipes is going out of business due to family pressures. There are likely to be some good deals until his stock is exhausted. Can I afford to take advantage at this time? No.


For the finish you will generally hear the same thing a light polish and a large, low RPM polishing wheel. These with a very short amount of time will removes years of neglect. I avoid pipes with broken stems, its usually more trouble than its worth in the end.

If the pipe is heavily tainted with smells and just doesn't looks clean in general there are a ton of pipe sweetening methods to use. The most successful used a mineral spirit and rock salt to pull the oils and ick out of the bowl (with out without the bowl reamed). There is another way I have been thinking of trying that uses boiling alcohol to flush the whole pipe (stem and bowl).

That's the pipe retort that gets sold on ebay regularly. One caution: do not use this method with Lucite or acrylic stems. They don't survive it very well. Also, with a really gunked up pipe, you will go thru a LOT of alcohol, much more than using brushed and pipe cleaners. Also, I prefer a high-proof beverage for cleaning, such as Everclear or 151 rum.

After the procedure a liberal polishing will be needed since the alcohol will make the stem look horrible.

When I get off work I'll hunt for the links to the methods. In the meantime, hit up Google

 

[hoshnasi]

That's the pipe retort that gets sold on ebay regularly. One caution: do not use this method with Lucite or acrylic stems. They don't survive it very well. Also, with a really gunked up pipe, you will go thru a LOT of alcohol, much more than using brushed and pipe cleaners. Also, I prefer a high-proof beverage for cleaning, such as Everclear or 151 rum.

The problem with brushes and pipe cleaners is that it does not penetrate the briar, which is often where all those foul oils and liquids sink.

 

[psyktek]

That's the pipe retort that gets sold on ebay regularly. One caution: do not use this method with Lucite or acrylic stems. They don't survive it very well. Also, with a really gunked up pipe, you will go thru a LOT of alcohol, much more than using brushed and pipe cleaners. Also, I prefer a high-proof beverage for cleaning, such as Everclear or 151 rum.

The problem with brushes and pipe cleaners is that it does not penetrate the briar, which is often where all those foul oils and liquids sink.

That's true, as far as it goes. Some sellers even caution buyers that regardless how well a pipe is cleaned/sanitized, a pipe cleaner soaked in alcohol will always come out colored.

On the other hand, there are those who believe that it's the surface contamination (or crud, if you will) that causes off flavors, and that what soaks into the briar is what contributes to a well broken in pipe.

As in many things pipe-related, you pays your money and you makes your choice.

 

[atuck]

One thing to keep in mind is the quality of the pipe to begin with. If you buy an estate pipe that was originally very expensive the chances that shitty tobacco was smoked it is less. I doubt that many Dunhill or Costello owners smoked cherry flavored tobacco. :laugh:

Of those 3 sellers mentioned on ebay. Coopersark does the best restoration work. Pipestud really doesn't do restoration work but can have some really great deals. Mr. Can has some real nice pipes with good restoration work but I believe that he is a little overzealous on his descriptions. All 3 sellers are tops though.

 

[bfreebern]

Wow, Coopersark does have some really nice pipes.