Comoys Stem Repairs (PepesDad1)

riff raff · Feb 5, 2014

Walt sent me this quartet of Comoy's pipes and asked if I could repair the damaged stems. Most had fairly large chunks of material missing on the bottom of the stem and I didn't think the Superglue product would hold up. With Walt's consent, I decided to cut off the broken buttons and reshape new ones.

I detailed the work in this "Reborn Pipes" blog entry. The thin profile of Comoy's stems are what make them so appealing and comfortable, but it made for a challenging project:
http://rebornpipes.wordpress.com/2014/02/05/comoys-stems-new-buttons/

Walt received the pipes today and seemed pleased. He graciously offered me one of the pipes and I chose a Sandblast Canadian (I don't have a Canadian shape on my rack). Walt has some special plans for the other three pipes.

Here's some before and after pictures.

huffelpuff · Feb 6, 2014

Wow can't imagine how you pulled that off but they look super!

Jim

RAlden · Feb 6, 2014

That is a tough repair to make. It amazes me the condition some old pipes are in, and a lot of them look like they were smoked with their chewed up half missing stems for years....

pepesdad1 · Feb 6, 2014

Yeah, I'm a dog on stems. RiffRaff did a fantastic job on these. Feel like the original and takes me back in time. Al also got off some of the "grime of time" covering the pipes making them glow with pride.

The top apple is a Blue Riband...going to AJ. He's been wanting one.

The bottom pencil shanked billiard with the saddle bit...that is going to Kirk. Proper Englishman needs a proper English pipe.

The sandblast straight grain pencil shanked billiard, I'm keeping.

Hope the new owners enjoy them as much as I did.

Jimmy1973 · Feb 6, 2014

Impressed all around.
Nice work Al. Nice briars like those deserve to be fixed and enjoyed.

Walt very generous of you.

RAlden · Feb 6, 2014

pepesdad1":g85l77ew said:
Yeah, I'm a dog on stems.

No, I have seen worse ! I bought a collection of good Italian pipes once that had been eaten... They had literally been chewed down to half their original length, and these were acrylic stems!