Dr Grabows?

[red kilt]

I was just curious as to why nobody on here talks about Dr Grabows. I know they arent the greatest pipes in the worl but i dont see a problem with them. My first pipe was a Dr Grabow starfire, aside from the bit having a little chunk out of it right at the end it smokes great. Just wanted to get some opinions.

 

[Doc Manhattan]

I don't think anyone here avoids the topic, but another board is a dedicated forum for Dr. G enthusiasts, so I imagine they grab a good deal of those topics/users.

I have two NOS Grabow Westbrooks (the Dr. G. coupon pipe, I believe) that Mars Cigar bought in a big lot, and they're obviously a budget pipe but very nice smokers--good briar, drilled right.

 

[ewest]

My first pipe was a Dr. Grabow. As a first pipe, it took a lot of abuse, but it was always a good smoker. Wish I still had it.

 

[momus]

They are good pipes...I have a Grand Duke which smokes well...one thing against them, beyond their decent smoking, is the stems. They feel cheap in your mouth. If you get past that they are fine. Plus, you can actually buy them at places that don't just sell tobacco...

 

[Smokntaz]

My first pipe was a Dr. Grabow. As a first pipe, it took a lot of abuse, but it was always a good smoker. Wish I still had it.

Same here! An Omega bent for me!

 

[Ol'Dawg]

For along time Dr. Grabows were the only pipes I smoked, mainly with Sir
Walter Raleigh...then I found the internet. :lol: I still regularly smoke Dr. Grabows especially when I'm doing outside work, fishing or hunting.

Here's a link to the Dr. Grabow forum--
Dr. Grabow Forum

and a link to photos of their factory tours. I toured the factory in 2009 during the Sparta sesquicentennial celebration and had a great time. It was really fascinating to see how they made their pipes on really old equipment.
Factory photos

Jim

 

[ZombieWeinerDog]

i am a fan of grabows.
ive only got 2 now, others are gone.

ive got a new royal duke smooth, and an old adjustomatic regal, my favorite grabow, nice and dry smoke.

 

[Rob_In_MO]

Actually the Alpha line of Dr. Grabows are suprisingly nice to smoke. Not a Savinelli by any means, but still a decent quality smoke.

I personally don't care for some of their cheaper lines, but the better ones (Alpha line) really aren't that bad..
Since i'm not a full-time English Blend person, I keep one of these just for the occasional bowl of Dunhill 965.

 

[clueless]

I just enjoyed a lunch time smoke in a Dr. Grabow. It is what they call their Big Pipe. It's not really that big but is a nice medium sized bowl half bent that is one of my favs. I have one other Dr. Grabow that I smoke occassionally even though it seems to leak a bit of 'moisture' where the stem connects.

 

[*camoham]

have 2 myself.

grand duke bent which i acquired some 15-20 years ago while in school. its beat to hades but still has memories attached to it.

also a straight duke which im fond of due to its small bowl. good for a fairly short smoke.

nothing wrong with them. nothin' at all i think.

camo

 

[GCook]

I'll bet a Grabow was the first (tobacco) pipe of many, if only because they were and still are sold in chain drugstores. My first pipe was a bent Grabow back when Nixon was president and pipe smokers were common. I didn't know about resting my pipe; it was the only one I had and I smoked 2-3 bowls a day throughout college and I loved it.

 

[Bugsahearn]

Why does pipesandcigars sell used estate grabows for 80 bucks? Seems craxy

 

[Richard Burley]

Why does pipesandcigars sell used estate grabows for 80 bucks? Seems craxy

The question might be, do they actually get that for them or are they just fishing around in "estate" waters? There is a belief decades old that old wood is better wood. Perhaps they wish to tap into that putative market. If that works with their Grabows, then they ain't crazy. Works with Charatans, Dunhills, etc., with good reason. With Grabows, I don't know. I don't think I've ever had one, but the company has certainly served the pipesmokerly world well over the years. I said "perhaps." They could actually be lunatics.

 

[Bugsahearn]

I smoke old grabows but only buy them unsmoked and they are a million times better than the new ones. But still they are very cheap and if someone wants a used grabow they can be had for a few dollars...so I'm not understanding P&C logic. It's also damn near impossible to contact pc to make a counter offer

 

[RDPipes]

Nothing that P&C does would ever surprise me, as far as I'm concerned there Charlatans and $80 Grabow's is just another scam of there's.

 

[RobJ]

I dunno, or care, what they might be worth but I have a hand full of Grabows I bought when I was starting out in the early '70s. I still have them all but only one is in my regular rotation and it's a great smoker, especially now that the stem is aligned properly.

 

[Bugsahearn]

Love grabows. The old ones smoke great...and I find them to be the most aesthetically pleasing to my eye...simple...classic...love the colored spades

 

[Bugsahearn]

You get a dud every once in a whole and some smoke better than others but when you find one you like it's worth it. Boy an I glad they aren't too trendy too

 

[ftrplt]

First ever pipe, Sept/Oct 1964, purchased was a Dr. Grabow. Nice Rhodesian, still have it. Shank's busted/cracked but could smoke it if I really wanted. Second pipe, same time period, was another Dr., Dr. Plumb squat bulldog. Still quite smokeable at 50+ years of age :cheers: FTRPLT

 

[Idlefellow]

I've had a Grabow or two over the years; don't believe there are any in the racks now.  But boy, do they bring back good memories: displays of Dr. Grabows, Dr. Plumbs, Yello-Boles, Kaywoodies, Custombilts, Medicos, etc., and in every drug store, grocery store...I remember when even JC Penny's and Monkey Wards had pipe displays.

And remember when some tobaccos had coupons where you could order pipes?  I had a couple I got through Amphora that I recall as quite nice, and I still have the double-walled clay calabash and Delft tobacco jar that I got through Troost...

Ah, the Good Old Days!

(Sorry, didn't mean to hijack the Grabow thread).