Any Dunhill estate experts around?

[eon]

Today I acquired a small 1947 Dunhill Root apple with cumberland stem. It is a truly magnificent little pipe. I mostly collect Italians - Castellos and Cavicchis of more recent variety but have yet to see such well defined grain on any pipe (and this really goes to show something)! Though somewhat hidden under darker stain, the grain is perfectly formed around all sides, fine as angel's hair and arranged in ideal, tight pattern. I will post pictures as soon as I am done with restoration.

The reason I am seeking advice is the inner tube in the mouthpiece as I have no prior experience with these. It appears that the tube is stuck inside, with little rust showing near the mouth of the tenon. It has slightest horizontal play to it but will not dislodge. I have no idea how long the pipe has been sitting but the slight musty smell of the bowl suggests quite a while. Do you have any experience in getting stuck tubes out of mouthpieces? How likely is either to break in the process?

The first thing that came to mind was WD40 (I am a motorcyclist, after all) but the next moment it seemed silly. Oil would be almost impossible to remove afterwards and I would leave smoking the latter to my Kawasaki. Does anyone know of equally penetrable but less synthetic solution?

 

[NeroWolfe]

Welll...The inner tubes are made of aluminum, so you should not be seeing rust.......If it was me I would send it to a good pipe-repair man...Mark Tinsky (American Smoking Pipes in Montana) does good work at reasionable prices....There are higher-end repair guys, but you'll spend a lot more $$$$ for the job, and unless it is a true rarity, probably not necessary.....

 

[NeroWolfe]

Ooooops....I see that you are in Bonnie Scotland, so sending to an American pipe-repair person would not be practical.....I would suggest contacting James Barber Tobacco Merchant in England http://www.smoke.co.uk/ They are Dunhill experts and good people.....

 

[eon]

Aye, shipping it across the Atlantic might be a bit expensive, though not overly so. The main reason I haven't taken in to a repairship is that I would really like to do the job myself. I love working on my pipes and have thus far been able to carry out all jobs myself.

As for the rust, aluminum can and does oxidize. It takes much longer than iron but eventually it will. Contact with certain minerals and acids speeds up this process. I would imagine that smoking a pipe might produce such catalysts. I have two Brighams whose mouthpieces are fitted with aluminum parts and they have certainly oxidized over time.

Thanks for the suggestion on the James Barber shop! They are new to me and if I should fail eventually I will be sure to contact them for professional repairs.

 

[Jar]

Let us look closer at the problem. Very often the element which is stuck inside of vintage/previously used and left unclean pipe is, as a matter of fact, simply "glued" by dried condensate, tar, residues of smoke, etc. So it will be helpfull to find a solvent that will dissolve this "dirt". The strong alcohol - like the one reccomended for so called The Professor's Pipe-Sweetening Treatment serves very well for such purpose. Here may arise the question: what kind of alcohol ? more details on it, please...so maybe this link
http://www.virtualsmokinglounge.com/resources/articles/professors_pipe_sweetening_method.html
will be of help

The specific type of alcohol you should use will depend on several factors, such as availability, cost, and potency. Many prefer Everclear consumable grain spirits (as high as 95% alcohol), but it is not available or even legal in all locations. Others use Rum 151 (75.5% alcohol) or Vodka (40% to 50% alcohol), but they can be very expensive. Still others prefer to use Isopropyl alcohol (91% alcohol). It is extremely potent and effective, as well as very inexpensive. The choice is yours! ...

With hope that it helps
Jacek in Poland

EDIT: I posted the quotation as it is published, but let me add, that vodka or any other alcohol of similar kind contain too much of water. So stronger stuff, like mentioned Everclear consumable grain spirit or any other spirit of 95% alcohol is recommended.

 

[dougc905]

Perhaps you should get the pipe cleaned since it is potentially valuable and you seem relatively inexperienced in pipe cleaning. There must be someone in Scotland or England that can clean a pipe! You could even mail it to Dunhill in London. Is the Fellowship of the White Spot still in existence? That's the official Dunhill pipe club. Researching that group should get you some leads on where you can send the pipe for cleaning.

[edit] I just did a search on the above. They seem to be history as their webpage was last updated in 2002. Whitespot

Searching for Dunhill proper, I see no mention of pipes. Here's the address: Dunhill Maybe contacting one of their service centers would be worth a call anyway.

A websearch on "England smoking pipe repair" found two places: E.A. Carey's UK operation and F. Duckworth & Sons

Doug

 

[CLRV]

I wholeheartedly agree with you, doing the restoration oneself is far more satisfying. Beyond this encouragement, I don't have much to offer.

I can't imagine the alcohol treatment suggested would harm anything. If the washer is supposed to be in there it's unlikely that basic restoration will dislodge it. I just wouldn't try to gouge it out or anything. If it's not supposed to stick then it'll pop out and there's a new bit of knowledge.

Regardless, keep us updated.

Plus, it would be awesome to see the before and after shots.

 

[LL]

Very often the element which is stuck inside of vintage/previously used and left unclean pipe is, as a matter of fact, simply "glued" by dried condensate, tar, residues of smoke, etc. So it will be helpfull to find a solvent that will dissolve this "dirt". The strong alcohol - like the one reccomended for so called The Professor's Pipe-Sweetening Treatment serves very well for such purpose.

This ^^^^

Also, straight denatured (wood) alcohol will work just fine. It's scent-free, too.

 

[eon]

It's out! :cheers:

Took me the better part of yesterday and a few dislodged fingers but that made it all the more satisfying! The alcohol did the trick, I think. I used 80% white spirit which I assumed pure enough. Not wanting to sink the entire mouthpiece for the issue of oxidation (vulcanites brown real fast in spirit and for what I know cumberland is somewhere in between the former and acrylic in terms of oxidation), I gently dipped the tiny cracks between the tenon and the tube with a pipe cleaner and ran it through the bit the same way. After letting the thing sit for several hours I was able to twist it out (after snapping a part of it). The part near the bit was very wet from the spirit and covered in brownish residue so I assue that was where the problem lay.

Thank you guys for all the good advice and the contacts. As for the pipeshops, I would only ever trust my pipe to them if a) I knew the person and his workshop firsthand or b) if a good acquaintance recommended it. Without either of the two I am a little reluctant to send my pipe away in an envelope. Especially a dear one.

It's the same with bikes, really. Even though I know smaller repairs take me much longer than professionals and I might spill a drop or two of oil, at least I know exactly what has been done and how. Too many a bad experience with overworked workshops has taught me better.

That said, E.A.Carey's European opertion is completely new to me and they seem to have an interesting selection of house blends to try. So thanks dougc905!

 

[NeroWolfe]

I believe that the "Fellowship of the White Spot" had been dead for quite a few years. And, I would NEVER send a pipe to the Dunhil "Shop" in London......The Dunhill shop now focuses on clothes and other items for the well dressed person; pipes are not part of the Dunhill shops infrastructure anymore; they are a separate business. I visited the Dunhill shop in London approx. 4 years ago; they had pipes on display; many had oxidized bits !!!!!! The young sales-clerk did not seem to know anything at all about pipes.

 

[Harlock999]

I believe that the "Fellowship of the White Spot" had been dead for quite a few years. And, I would NEVER send a pipe to the Dunhil "Shop" in London......The Dunhill shop now focuses on clothes and other items for the well dressed person; pipes are not part of the Dunhill shops infrastructure anymore; they are a separate business. I visited the Dunhill shop in London approx. 4 years ago; they had pipes on display; many had oxidized bits !!!!!! The young sales-clerk did not seem to know anything at all about pipes.

That's a shame! I've had a fantasy about going to London, getting dressed up and visiting the flagship store. Maybe not such a cool deal now. I think I'd still like to browse a Davidoff store, someday.