My Dunhill 107
Well, the pipe came today and I immediately got to work. I sanded down the crazy bits, and my goal was to meet the front dimple/crevasse. If I did that, I'd be ok with leaving some chips. I just wanted a flat surface, and any chips left would testify to its character (hopefully!). Had one minor hang up, and that was midway through, a piece of the bowl wall chipped off. It wasn't that bad, but a bit nerve-racking. It was certainly a reminder that I was working with an 83 year old (at least) pipe.
After sanding, I smoothed the edges (as best as I could), oiled it up, and fire it up. Smokes absolutely splendidly. The draw is open, smooth, and the briar does have a bit of nuttiness. I'm a bit shocked that it's somewhat prominent, but this being my first Dunnie, it was probably more of a "never had this before!" experience.
Doing it myself really gave me a lot of satisfaction. Many people said not to, b/c the shape was already lost and I'd be better off just smoking it. But this pipe is mine, and I wanted to do it justice. Yes, there are still chips. No, it's not perfect. But I did this with my own hands, and well, it's a Dunhill. I'll be shipping her off to get her dot, and then she'll be a regular in my rotation.
Before:
http://img28.imageshack.us/img28/5582/dsc03465r.jpg
http://img32.imageshack.us/img32/509/dsc03440f.jpg
During:
http://img98.imageshack.us/img98/5314/dsc03477b.jpg
http://img257.imageshack.us/img257/7120/dsc03483c.jpg
http://img692.imageshack.us/img692/3292/dsc03482x.jpg
After:
http://img693.imageshack.us/img693/4043/dsc03498n.jpg
http://img34.imageshack.us/img34/1042/dsc03500s.jpg
http://img535.imageshack.us/img535/4258/dsc03496h.jpg
- mclayton's blog
- Login or register to post comments
- 238 reads
Tobacco of the Month
Hal O' The Wynd by Rattray's
See the entire TOTM list
Discuss this tobacco
Go to the TOTM forum
Memorable Quotes
Got a memorable quote? Submit it via PM to slartie. Go, go, go!
Recent blog posts
Active forum topics
Upcoming events
Syndicate
Comments
Good on you! There's nothing
Good on you! There's nothing sacrosanct about Dunnies but they are great pipes. And old wood does smoke better, in my experience.
Hang in there
Takes a lot of guts to tear into something that you have been taught to revere. Truthn is, it's just a hunk of wood, like the CROSS so don't screw it up.(lol)
I mean honestly...
You guys saw the before pics, it was a heapin' mess! Someone said that it loses its shape designation. I don't know. It still looks, to me, like an apple. It looks to my pipesmoking friend, who's smoked for 20 years, like an apple. So meh. I can prolly try blending more, but I think that's that. I'll be sending it off to George at Precision Pipe Repair, and he'll be putting on a new white dot. Since the stamping is very faded (you can make out the parts of the patent number, the 107, and inner tube without help; if you look at the other side in certain light, you can see Dunhill London and Ao), I want people to know that's my Dunhill!
Buy that man a beer
Hahaha! No pressure.... :D
Mclayton...thats a nice Dunnie and IMHO I think you've breathed some much-needed life back into it.
Thanks Eric! I'm doing the
Thanks Eric! I'm doing the salt/alcohol treatment tonight. Couldn't get over the sourness mid-bowl. Just praying that it doesn't crack!