Restoration & Grading:
Restoration Philosophy:
This might be stating the obvious but I will mention it just in case – every pipe offered here is an estate pipe, meaning it was used at one point or another.
I will try to sum up my restoration philosophy and morals, but keep in mind that every restoration is approached very individually.
My main goal is always to do the pipe justice and to give it the best chance in its “second life” in a deliberately conservative way – the goal is to preserve originality, character, and history rather than to make a pipe look artificially new. I avoid unnecessary material removal, aggressive refinishing.
Like everything else those morals have their exceptions – if I am restoring pretty new pipe for example that is supposed to look “like new” and doesn’t have much historical value, I might fix some issues, which I will never touch on a 50+ years old pipe.
At the end of the day, a perfect restoration is one where no material was sanded away and the original stain was 100% preserved.
I still need to balance out the “best chance in life” and if I see that a pipe will benefit from a fix than it will lose, then I just do what I think is best for the pipe.
Grading Overview:
As you can see following those strict rules and morals means that my end results will never be the same, because pipes come to me in an array of different conditions.
This is why I created my Restoration Grading system.
Let me give you the basics then give the specific rules for every grade in order to be as transparent as possible.
Grade A pipes – completely restored pipes up to my standards and ready to smoke. These go from grade A1 to A5.
Grade B Pipes – the pipes in this grade didn’t make the cut and I decided not to restore them, for one reason or another. They are still inspected for major damage but not restored whatsoever. These are either grade B1 or B2.
Restoration Grades:
A1 – NOS and usnmoked pipes only
A2 – barely smoked pipes (less than 10 times) in practically as new condition
A3 – pipes in this grade will be very close to “as new” condition but some minor usage or restoration marks are allowed
A4 – some more obvious usage or restoration marks are allowed, but only cosmetic ones and they will be specifically mentioned and shown in photos. Still no repairs done on the pipes.
A5 – the only condition for this grade that I pay attention to is if I had to do a major repair on the pipe – gluing cracks, reshaping, filling etc… Even if I have a grade A2 pipe but with just one repair it automatically becomes an A5.
B1 – unrestored pipes without major repairs needed. They can all be restored up to a Grade A1–A4 by a skilled restorer.
B2 – unrestored pipes which need repair work and can only be restored up to a Grade A5.
Disclaimer
Grade B pipes are great project pipes or a way for you to learn and experience the restoration process yourself, without having to stress about ruining a nice Dunhill or Peterson.
Unfortunately, I can’t guarantee any results here, as it depends a lot on your personal skills.
Basic Restoration Process:
1. Inspection
2. De-ghosting
3. Reaming the bowl
(I always aim to leave a thin carbon layer, but most of the time they will have none, because I wanted to see if there is any hidden damage to the briar)
4. Through cleaning of the whole inside of the pipe (bowl, shank and stem)
Since everyone has their own standards for this pipe, please assume that it is done 90% up to your liking and might need a minute or two for you to consider the pipe ready to smoke.
5. Rim work
Get rid of lava, darkening unevenness and damage. Most of the time this specific step is the biggest deciding factor as to what grade a pipe ends up being.
6. Briar surface
Clean, dents and damage, stain and polish. Here is mostly inspection and decision making.
7. Stem work
Deoxidation, fit, fix chatter, fix any damage on the bite or button, polish.
(Keep in mind that on older pipes especially if they have a “weeker” logo stamp, the stamp area might be left slightly oxidized as not to damage the stamp itself)
8. Wax
As a last step I put a very thin layer of carnauba wax on the briar. This layer is not intended to be permanent – it gives the pipe a great and very glossy protective layer, which will be absorbed by the briar or your hands after 1–3 bowls, leaving a beautiful and more age appropriate satin finish.