Tag: “Kaywoodie briar pipe“

A Kaywoodie Tuckaway Dublin Restoration

December 1st, 2025
Photographed and written by

John M. Young

This is the third Kaywoodie Tuckaway that I have come across. The previous two were purchased and restored before I started blogging restorations, prior to October 31, 2023. They are two of my favorite pipes and have places in a three-pipe rack on my mantleplace. Below is a photo of the three amigos.

The stamping of my original two, the first has KAYWOODIE over Super Grain (in script) over IMPORTED BRIAR (on the shank bottom), a 042 on the right side shank and a logo-less stem. The second pipe has KAYWOODIE over Standard (in script) over IMPORTED BRIAR on the left shank with 022 on the right and a Kaywoodie clover logo stem. I identified the newest pipe from what appeared to be an assortment of pipe parts on eBay. Apparently no one else thought this mess was worth the $9.99 opening bid.

The newest pipe has no discernable stampings but it does have a Kaywoodie clover logo stem. The stems of all three pipes are interchangeable. Below are some photos of the pipe prior to starting work on it.

No stamping bottom, left nor right.

The only distinguishing feature is the stem logo.

The pipe was in relatively good shape. It had a moderate cake in the tobacco chamber and some lava on the rim. The stem showed signs of tooth chatter but without any deep dents or wear. The fit of the stem in the mortise was snug and proper. The grime on the stummel made it a bit difficult to see the grain of the briar but there were hints of beauty under the accumulated dirtiness. As for the slightly off colored clover logo, I thought it would brighten to the original white once sanded. Overall, this looked like a nice and easy restoration.

Background

Kaywoodie has a long and colorful history dating back to their origins, “Kaywoodie name first appearing in February of 1919.” (Kaywoodie History – Greywoodie LLC) The history of Kaywoodie pipes is fortunately well documented thus, allowing rather precise dates for a Kaywoodie collector to declare the provenance of their charges. Rather than deposit it here, I will link the two outstanding histories of KB&B/Kaywoodie – Greywoodie’s site has a well written history of the company (Kaywoodie History – Greywoodie LLC) and pipedia.org has pretty much the same written history with a rich library of Kaywoodie catalogs, photos and images of old print advertisements, (https://pipedia.org/wiki/Kaywoodie). I can’t recommend them enough for those interested in reading more about the company and the products. There is a third document which provides information more specific for tracing the providence of a specific pipe or model of pipes and that is he Collector’s Guide to Kaywoodie Pipes (https://pipedia.org/wiki/Collector%27s_Guide_to_Kaywoodie_Pipes).
- Tuckaway. The 1955 catalog shows a Drinkless Tuckaway that was simply a smaller version of other Kaywoodie styles. The Tuckaways of the 1955-1968 period had military mountings, filter-free see-thru bits, and were packaged in a leatherette case. Available in Standard, Relief Grain, and Super Grain grades ($6-$8, depending on grade). Miniatures. Two-inch miniature replicas of “their big brother”, complete with the Drinkless fitment and Synchro Stem. The catalogs show these as individually-cased pipes but multiple pipe sets were apparently available. Price: $5.00 (Collector’s Guide to Kaywoodie Pipes – Pipedia)
Back in October, 2025 Dal Stanton published a restoration blog about a Kaywoodie Tuck away that he did New Life for a Rare, Early 1960s Kaywoodie ‘Tuckaway’ Standard 050B – The Pipe Steward. This well researched and written post does a fine job at documenting the Kaywoodie Tuckaway far better than I have done. Dal’s pipe also has the “filter-free see-through bits” alluded to in the Collector’s Guide quoted above. This forces the question of when did Kaywoodie produce the three examples which I have come across? Well the only thing which I state is the above quote, “The Tuckaways of the 1955-1968 period had military mountings” (Collector’s Guide to Kaywoodie Pipes – Pipedia). The bits associated with these three pipes are not exactly vulcanite, nor are they nylon. They are apparently some different plastics. They do not oxidize like vulcanite but they are softer than acrylic. They dent from tooth chatter more like nylon but they are easier to sand file and sand than the nylon bits of Medico or Falcon pipes. The white clover logo does show a yellowing with age which was refreshed to the white with sanding.

The Restoration

After the “Before” photos the pipe made its way to the workbench.

Reaming was the first task. The PipNet with #1 and #2 blades, the Smokingipes Low Country reamer and the General triangular scraper were recruited for the task.

The PipNet blades did most of the work.

This Tobacco chamber was drilled with a more conical bit, as is traditional for a Dublin shape pipe. The Kleen-Reem fit this chamber better that the PipNet and was used as well.

There was little for the General to do, but for a bit of clean-up.

Below is a down chamber photo of the reaming results.

The chamber was sanded with 320 sandpaper wrapped around a wood dowel. The exposed bare briar showed no signs of any heat damage.

The rim had a layer of lava on the back half. I hoped there wouldn’t be any charring underneath.

The rim was moistened with saliva. I then took the knife upstairs for a resharpening on the sharpening stone. A few minutes later the rim was scraped with a very sharp blade.

I was surprised at how clean, relatively, the airway of the shank was.Some scraping with a dental scraper was done followed by an alcohol soaked shank brush and several bristle pipe cleaners and cotton swabs also dipped in the 99% ethyl alcohol.

Below are two close-ups of the tooth chatter on the top and bottom sides of the bit. Notice how it looks more like the nylon of a Medico pipe.

I was able to file the bite zone to eliminate most of the chatter on both the top and bottom surfaces.

After the file, I moved to an emery board, like for filing fingernails.

The emery board was also used to reestablish and redefine the button.

There were still some minimal dents which were being difficult. I thought, “maybe a flame painting”. This is where the flame from a lighter is moved along the dented surface. In my experience this is usually to minimal effect but it did seem to work.

The stummel was then taken to the sink for a scrub with undiluted Murphy Oil Soap and a nylon brush. The soap was rinsed with warm water and the stummel hand dried with a cotton hand towel.

Back at the workbench I rubbed the stummel with a make-up pad wetted with 99% ethyl alcohol. This produced some color on the pad as dye or stain was removed from the briar.

I wanted this pipe to be lighter in color to show off the briar grain. I first started a light sanding with a 320 grit sanding sponge.

The sanding helped but not as much as I had hoped. Hmm, plan-B: An application of oxalic acid was the remedy that came to mind.

The crystals present at the bottom of the jar indicate the solution is fully saturated. Oxalic acid is known to bleach stains in woods. My hope was to lighten the color of the briar. Previous attempts at this have met with varying degrees of success.

I applied the first coating of oxalic acid to the stummel with a cotton swab.

This was allowed to sit for 30 minutes while I finished watching an episode of Homeland (glad that it finally made it’s way to NetFlix).

After 30 minutes I recoated the stummel with a second application of the oxalic acid solution.

This one sat for another 20 minutes. The photo below shows what it looked like dried.

The stummel was returned to the sink for rinsing with copious amounts of water. To make sure the oxalic acid was completely rinsed and neutralized I scrubbed the stummel with Castile soap and a nylon brush. I figured that the basic nature of the soap would neutralize the remaining acid.

More rinsing and then some more rinsing, oxalic acid can continue the bleaching if not completely removed.

Once dried I wiped the stummel with 99% ethyl alcohol on a make-up pad again. Far less color came off on the pad and the stummel did appear lighter, though not to the extent I was hoping for.

The only fills that I thought necessary were two on the lower left of the stummel.

The pits were filled with briar dust which was pressed into the pit. The dust then received a small drop of thin cyanoacrylate (CA, super glue). The CA was absorbed into the briar dust and bonded the dust to the stummel nearly instantly.

The fill was then sanded smooth with a 400 grit sanding sponge.

The aluminum collar was covered with masking tape, then the stummel was sanded with a series of sanding sponges from 400-3500 grit. Between sponges the stummel was wiped with an alcohol moistened make-up pad to remove sanding debris.

The stem was sanded with a series of sanding sponges from 400-3500 grit. The masking tape remained on the collar for this sanding. Between sponges the stem was rubbed with mineral oil and wiped with a paper towel. This wiping was to remove any sanding debris. Once the sanding was finished the masking tape was removed and the stem oiled with Before and After Hard Rubber Balm.

I thought that the entire pipe would look better with a buffing with white buffing compound.

After cleaning the buffing compound residue from the pipe I was happy with the briar and the collar but not with the stem. I worked the stem with a series of micro-mesh pads from 4000-12000 grit. Between each pad I rubbed the stem with Obsidian oil and wiped it with a paper towel. The stem looked better but not as well as I thought it could look.

I got out the Before and After Fine and Extra Fine polish and worked the stem, especially the bite zone with these and a soft cloth.

That did the trick, the stem looked good. Next I returned to the buffer and applied several coats of carnauba wax with the buffer.

The final step was to hand polish the pipe with a microfiber polishing cloth.

This Kaywoodie Tuckaway turned out beautifully. I was pleased with the way that the briar lightened with the oxalic acid and subsequent sanding. The briar needed no additional stain or dye and has a lovely warm brown appearance. The stem did turn-out nicely. I cannot say that I like working with whatever plastic it is made of but the end result is attractive. I do wish that this pipe had some official Kaywoodie stampings though. I know they would not affect the pipe’s performance and I am certain of this pipe’s provenance, still I do miss the stampings. The dimensions of this Kaywoodie are:

The dimensions of this Kaywoodie are:
- Length: 5.54 in./ 140.72mm.
- Weight: 1.03 oz./ 29.20 g.
- Bowl Height: 1.74 in./ 44.20 mm.
- Chamber Depth: 1.51 in./ 38.35 mm.
- Chamber Diameter: 0.72 in./ 18.29 mm.
- Outside Diameter: 1.32 in./ 33.53 mm.
I do hope that you have found something here useful to your own pipe care, maintenance or restorations. If you like this sort of thing, please click the like and subscribe buttons. Thank you for reading the ramblings of an old pipe lover.

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Below are some photos of the finished Kaywoodie Tuckaway.
A Kaywoodie Matched Grain 10 Bent Billiard Restoration

October 8th, 2024
Photographed and written by

John M. Young

Oh to have both of the pipes in this matched pair. I don’t mean to complain as this was part of an estate lot where I was targeting a single pipe. The target was a Peterson meerschaum Dublin 120. This pipe was just an innocent bystander caught up in the crazed Peterson Pipe Acquisition Disorder (PPAD) that wreaks havoc on my life occasionally. If you are curious regarding the meerschaum pipe here is the link to that restoration. Below is a screenshot from the original eBay listing back on August 4 of 2024. There was a second Kaywoodie but a White Briar is no Matched Grain.

The lot came from Rockmart, Georgia and did have several interesting pipes. Below are some photos of the Matched Grain prior to working on it.

“Free tobacco with the purchase of one chomped on Kaywoodie.” I don’t think that advertising campaign will catch on.

The stummel needed almost nothing except the general lava cleaning, reaming and cleaning, the stem on the other hand… You may have noticed that the stem immediately behind the button had been filed. I did that before I took the above photos. I was thinking about how to reinforce the button for its reconstruction. So in full transparency, there was a little bit of work done to the pipe prior to the above photos.

Background

I am using pipedia.org’s Collector’s Guide to Kaywoodie Pipes to tell the history of the company and the Matched Grain lines as they are far better at it than this lazy writer. “According to Hacker (1), the firm of Kaufmann Bros. & Bondy (KB&B) began producing the Kaywoodie (2) Pipe in 1915. Hacker notes that:

“The company was originally started in 1851 in New York by two brothers named Kaufmann, who sold meerschaums and clays that a third :brother sent them from Vienna. Business thrived and in 1854 the Kaufmanns took in a partner named Bondy. … The three partners retired :in 1898, but their relatives continued on with the firm, which had begun to manufacture their own briar pipes under the KB&B trademark. :In 1915 the Kaywoodie brand was created as a marketing umbrella for a new briar pipe which the KB&B company introduced. …”‘

The “marketing umbrella” mentioned by Hacker included lower grade Kaywoodies that were later marketed under the “Yello-Bole” name. (According to a 1948 Yello-Bole catalog, “Yello-Boles have been on the market since 1933. About 25 millions of these pipes have been sold”). Hacker concludes his history of Kaywoodie Pipes by noting that:

“The KB&B briar pipe brand existed from 1900 until just after World War I (with some overlapping with the Kaywoodie from 1915 — 1917), :and collectors refer to the KB&B as a Kaywoodie transition pipe. During the early years of the 20th century a number of filter systems :were designed by the KB&B firm and incorporated into their Kaywoodie Pipes under the names of Synchro-Stem and Kaywoodie Drinkless3 :filters. During the late 1920’s and throughout the 30’s the Kaywoodie became a highly respected pipe in spite of its filter system (which :was popular among many smokers of the era) primarily due to the fine quality of the straight grain and the flame grain models. :Unfortunately, the hard-to-get-briar years of World War II marked the decline of the Kaywoodie Pipe, a plummet from which it has never :recovered as far as collectors are concerned….”

The pre-Kaywoodie KB&B pipes were marked on the shank with a cloverleaf around KB&B. Some early Kaywoodies had this same marking on the shank, but the practice was dropped some time prior to 1936. Yello-Boles also had KBB in the leaf on the shanks, but did not have the ampersand found on Kaywoodies.

Early (pre-1936) Kaywoodies had an “elongated” white cloverleaf on the bit, a large fitment, and four-digit shape numbers. The 1936 catalog shows a larger, “fuller” leaf, but lists two-digit shape numbers. Sometime between 1936 and 1947, the better pipes were marked on the bits with a black cloverleaf in a white circle. The white cloverleaf continued on the lesser pipes. However, this was not a consistent convention, as pipes of the same grade could have either type of leaf.

The S.M. Frank Co. now owns the Kaywoodie name, but no longer makes pipes. However, Italian made “drugstore” grade Kaywoodies are still being marketed in this country. These Italian-made Kaywoodies have a “whiteoutline” cloverleaf logo.

Pipedia Editor’s Note: Thankfully, Kaywoodies are again being made in the U.S. ”

(https://pipedia.org/wiki/Collector%27s_Guide_to_Kaywoodie_Pipes#A_Partial_Chronology_of_Kaywoodie_Grades,_Shapes_and_Prices_(1936_-_1969))

The following discusses the logos seen on this Matched Grain Kaywoodie:

“Some of the pre-1936 Kaywoodies were stamped (on the shank) with a cloverleaf around KBB. Sometime between 1936 and 1947, the better pipes were marked with a black cloverleaf inside a white dot. However, because many of the pipes in the 1968-69 catalog still show this type of logo, the black-in-white logo merely indicates a “post 1936” vintage.” (https://pipedia.org/wiki/Collector%27s_Guide_to_Kaywoodie_Pipes#A_Partial_Chronology_of_Kaywoodie_Grades,_Shapes_and_Prices_(1936_-_1969))

The Kaywoodie shape 10 has remained very consistent in catalogs since if first appeared in the 1936 catalog as appears from the Collector’s Guide yo Kaywoodie Pipes:

“1936 Kaywoodie Shape Numbers and Descriptions

Shape Number and Description
- 10 — Curved Medium Billiard”
“1947 Kaywoodie Shape Numbers and Descriptions
- 10 — Medium Billiard, Full Bent”
“1955 Kaywoodie Shape Numbers and Descriptions
- 10 — Medium Billiard, Full Bent”
“1968-69 Kaywoodie Shape Numbers and Descriptions
- 10 — Small Full Bent Billiard”
(https://pipedia.org/wiki/Collector%27s_Guide_to_Kaywoodie_Pipes#A_Partial_Chronology_of_Kaywoodie_Grades,_Shapes_and_Prices_(1936_-_1969))

The below Kaywoodie Lines and their dates are clipped from the Guide and are a compilation:

“THE 1947 KAYWOODIE LINE OF PIPES

The Matched Grain first appears in the 1947 catalog. According to the Collector’s Guide or Kaywoodie Pipes: “In addition to these individual pipes, the 1947 catalog shows two- and seven-pipe matched grain sets(5).
- Two-Pipe Matched Grain Setb: $25.00
- Seven-Pipe Matched Grain Setc: $125.00”
“THE 1955 KAYWOODIE LINE OF PIPES

The line-up of pipes in the 1955 catalog (Table 3) was more extensive than in previous years. The catalog presented an expanded line of meerschaum pipes and introduced a 4-pipe set of Matched Grain Pipes, as well as several pipes with “special features”.”
- Matched Grain Set (4-Pipes): $50.00
- Matched Grain Set (7-Pipes): $125.00”
“THE 1968-69 KAYWOODIE LINE OF PIPES

In addition to the two-, five-, and seven-pipe Matched Grain pipe sets listed in Table 4, the 1968-69 catalog introduced the Presentation Pipe. The catalog states that in “Every 8 or 10 thousand briar blocks, we come across a single piece that is as near to perfection as briar can get. This rare find is set aside and turned over to a master pipe craftsman. He lovingly sees this precious briar through each step, until it takes shape as one of the rarest pipes in the century.” The Presentation Pipe was packaged in a walnut grain, velvet lined, leather case. (See Section 3.5 for description of other Kaywoodie Presentation Pipes).”
- Matched Grain Sets:
  - 2 Pipesa: $75.00
  - 5 Pipes: $175.00
  - 7 Pipesa: $250.00”
“Presentation Collection. “The most illustrious collection of pipes ever assembled – the Kaywoodie Presentation Collection. It presents a set of 28 Kaywoodie Matched Grain Pipes . . . pipes as perfectly, flawlessly, magnificently matched as a string of rare Oriental pearls. Over 500,000 blocks of pristine briar must be sorted to find just one such matched collection; hence no more than 12 sets can be produced in any one year. Hand fashioned from tapered bit to burnished bowl, every pipe in this Collection becomes a prized possession. A Carved Headbriar [see note concerning “carved heads” in the discussion of Heirloom pipes, Section 3.4], a Calabash and a Meerschaum complete this Collection of 31 pipes. This precious ensemble is housed in a custom-designed walnut cabinet of distinguished elegance. It contains a tobacco humidor and a handy compartment for pipe smoking utensils. A brass plate, engraved with the recipient’s name, personalizes the presentation” (Price: $2500). The Presentation Collection did not appear in the 1955 catalog, but was apparently introduced shortly thereafter. A “brief” article in the September 17, 1956 issue of Newsweek supports this contention. The article, entitled “Pipe Dream”, contains a photo of the Presentation Collection, which is described as the “costliest pipe set ever marketed in the U.S.” (Lowndes notes that a small (undated) WWII era catalog showed the Presentation Collection in a smaller cabinet with legs that sold for $1000.)”

(https://pipedia.org/wiki/Collector%27s_Guide_to_Kaywoodie_Pipes#A_Partial_Chronology_of_Kaywoodie_Grades,_Shapes_and_Prices_(1936_-_1969))

From all of the above we can be assured that this pipe was indeed part of a set. Most likely it was one of a pair of pipes made between 1947 and 1969. Its companion piece or pieces are lost to time thus reducing the value and importance but not the beauty of the selected briar and the craftsmanship that went into this pipe.

The Restoration

In the beginning there was clean denim. Kind of a Genesis vibe to the resurrection of this lovely pipe.

I started with the stem. It was lightly sanded with a 600 grit sanding sponge to remove the hardened oxidation and surface grime.

Next, the stem had a pipe cleaner inserted into the tenon to act as a hanger and it was submerged into the jar of Before and After Extra Strength Deoxidizer. Here it sat for 4 hours.

The stummel was exorcized of the remnant tobacco.

The ream team was gathered and included the PiNet, Smokingpipes Low Country reaming knife, General triangular scraper and wood dowel wrapped in 220 sandpaper.

The reaming was quickly completed and the bowl sanded to bare briar. This revealed no damage to the interior of the tobacco chamber.

The rim was moistened with saliva and gently scraped with a sharp pocket knife.

The scraped rim looked mostly free of any charring.

I tried a scrub with 95% ethyl alcohol on a make-up pad to assess the finish on the briar. The pad turned a yellow brown indicating that the finish was susceptible to ethyl alcohol.

I took the stummel to the sink for a scrub with undiluted Murphy Oil Soap and a nylon scrub brush. The soap lather turned a yellow brown color with scrubbing. This was rinsed with warm water and the stummel dried with a cotton dish towel.

Back at the workbench the stummel was wiped with a make-up pad with 95% ethyl alcohol and more of the finish was removed. The result was a finish-free stummel with lovely grain.

Next came the shank cleaning. This was done with folded bristle pipe cleaners and cotton swabs both dipped in the ethyl alcohol.

I lightly topped the rim to remove the dottle knocking scars and the light charring on the rim. 220 and 400 grit sandpaper were used.

Below you can see the rim after the topping.

I was anxious to see the briar grain and applied a coat of Before and After Restoration Balm before I sanded or micro-meshed the briar. I know patience is a virtue but I couldn’t wait.

The stem was removed from the Deoxidizer solution after four hours. It was allowed to drip a good deal of the excess solution back into the jar.

My normal coarse shop rags were both in the laundry so an old bathroom face towel was used to buff away the remaining Deoxidizer solution. I’ll see if the oxidized vulcanite is effective at staining white cotton face towels. The stem on the other hand was looking much better.

The stem was cleaned with bristle pipe cleaners and 95% ethyl alcohol.

Make-up pads with Soft Scrub cleanser were used to further remove any remaining surface oxidation.

The below photo shows a clean black stem with quite a bit of pitting from the deoxidizing of the vulcanite. The stem had been oiled with mineral oil to prevent further oxidation.

For the moment you’ve all been waiting for: “How the heck is that stem going to be salvaged?” My imagined plan was to file immediately behind the button and glue two brass pins across the gap. These pins would provide a scaffold for the building up of cyanoacrylate (CA, super glue) and black JB Weld Epoxy. The pins would be completely encased in CA and Epoxy and not be seen while providing rigidity for any future chomping. The thickened rebuilt zone would be the “new button” The old button end would be filed off, shortening the stem by a couple of millimeters. This plan worked brilliantly in my damaged brain but how would it fare in reality? I wasn’t sure but I knew that I’d have a heck of a hard time finding a perfect replacement stem so, this seemed like the best remedy.

Two brass pins were measured and cut to span the gap. The first pin was glued into place using black CA. I allowed the CA to cure on its own and did not use a CA drying accelerator.

I wanted to work on the stem, one side at a time and be able to access the airway to sand and smooth the airway if needed. I made a dam from a piece of plastic lid and thickened the plastic with several layers of Scotch tape. This would be inserted into the airway to prevent the CA and Epoxy from entering where I did not want it.

With the dam inserted I was ready to start layering reinforcements of black CA.

The black CA was applied using a fly tying bodkin. Unfortunately the black CA was slightly transparent. This is why I thought that I would also have to use the JB Weld epoxy. Imagine the brass pin inside the new button and the old button, that you see below, as being filed off.

Below the CA was allowed to cure and the dam removed. Everything was going according to the plan.

After the CA had cured I cut an emery board nail file to fit into the airway. I used this to smooth the interior of the airway. Below is an early photo of the smoothing. You can see that the brass pin is completely encased in CA.

The process was then repeated for the opposite side with the placement of the second pin.

Black CA was used to fill around and encapsulate the brass pin.

To build up material around the new button I used black JB Weld with the addition of very finely ground carbon powder. I wanted to make sure that the epoxy was not even slightly transparent. I emptied a capsule of carbon into the mortar and used the pestle to grind it into a very fine powder.

The two part epoxy was mixed and a small amount of ground carbon powder was added. To keep the epoxy from fouling the airway another plastic dam was used. This time I coated the surface of the dam with Vaseline petroleum jelly to keep the epoxy from adhering to the dam.

The JB Weld label says the product sets up in 15 minutes. I think they meant to say 15 hours. It does set up to the point that it stops flowing in 15 minutes but I usually give the epoxy at least 24 hours before I try to file or sand it.

The next day, I mixed a second batch of epoxy as with the first batch. This was applied to the bottom side of the stem. I propped up the pipe as shown in the photo below.

The below photo shows how the first application of the epoxy looked after 24 hours.

Here is the second application cured for 24 hours.

This photo shows the two applications in profile.

The button was filed to reshape it. Below is the top view of the reshaping.

The bottom view of the reshaping.

Profile of the reshaping.

I taped the shank off to protect it, with masking tape, then sanded the stem with a series of sanding sponges in grits 320-3500. Between each sponge I rubbed the stem with mineral oil and wiped it with a paper towel.

The stem was then micro-meshed with 4000-12000 pads. Between each pad I rubbed the stem with Obsidian Oil and wiped it with a paper towel.

The stummel was worked with micro-mesh pads 3200-12000. Between each pad I wiped the stummel with a make=up pad dipped in 95% ethyl alcohol.

The pipe was taken to the buffer for several coats of carnauba wax. The final step was to hand buff the Matched Grain with a microfiber polishing cloth.

This beautiful Matched Grain Kaywoodie will unfortunately and most likely never again see it’s mate. It’s beauty will have to be appreciated on it’s merits alone. I think the pipe turned out very nicely. The briar is exceptional with outstanding grain and free of any pits or flaws. The stem reconstruction actually went as I imagined it would. That comes as a welcome shock to me. More times than not my imagined plans are dealt a rude awakening by reality. The dimensions of this Matched Grain 10 Bent Billiard are:
- Length: 4.90 in./ 124.46 mm.
- Weight: 1.28 oz./ 36.30g.
- Bowl Height: 1.72 in./ 43.69 mm.
- Chamber Depth: 1.47 in./ 37.39 mm.
- Chamber Diameter: 0.72 in./ 18.03 mm.
- Outside Diameter: 1.39 in./ 35.31 mm.
I do hope that you have found something here useful to your own pipe care, maintenance or restorations. If you like this sort of thing, please click the like and subscribe buttons. Thank you for reading the ramblings of an old pipe lover.

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Below are some photos of the finished Matched Grain 10 Bent Billiard.
A Pre-1936 (?) Kaywoodie Carburetor Triangular Setter Apple Restoration

April 3rd, 2024
Photographed and written by

John M. Young

My infatuation with pipes from post World War Two through the 1950s has not ended. We are just on a break. I have a long line of pipes in que and the above Kaywoodie should have been subjected to the back of the line. I couldn’t do it. It was just too cute and had such a long noble heritage. Okay, that is an exaggeration. At the time this pipe was produced by Kaufman Brothers and Bondy, KB&B had been in business less than 20 years. That is how old this pipe is. So, maybe she pulled seniority and jumped to the front of the line not with the agility of a teenage gymnast but with the grace of a seasoned digitary of the House of KB&B.

This little darling came from an eBay auction where apparently no one saw the uniqueness of the pipe. Well, not no one, since there were other bidders but, $5.50 for my win? That was welcome and unexpected.

I say unique due to the triangular stem, paneled bowl, carburetor and the four digit shape number. Each of these features is interesting on their own but together I find them very interesting. Allow me to show some photos of the Kaywoodie prior to wany work being done.

Judging from the photos you may find the next statement difficult to believe. The Kaywoodie was in good shape for a well used pipe of this age. I’ll get more into that in a minute. Yes it looked to be in rough condition but other than the stem reconstruction, the pipe was mostly just filthy. I saw stem deoxidizing and rebuilding, filling pits in the briar, cleaning and sanding.

Background on KB&B Kaywoodies

I have restored several KB&B pipes in the past few weeks. There were the four large Hand Mades and one Yello-Bole that came to mind. I love the history of the company and their passion for the Kaywoodie stinger or condenser. I will come right out and say it: I do not like stingers. My favorite Kaywoodie pipes are models which do not have the signature stinger. Having said that, I appreciate a company who remained “all in” in their design for the 80 years or so of production.That shows dedication to their ideas and to their loyal customers.

Kaywoodie has a long and colorful history dating back to their origins, “Kaywoodie name first appearing in February of 1919.” (Kaywoodie History – Greywoodie LLC) The history of Kaywoodie pipes is fortunately well documented thus, allowing rather precise dates for a Kaywoodie collector to declare the provenance of their charges. Rather than deposit it here, I will link the two outstanding histories of KB&B/Kaywoodie – Gewywoodie’s site is great written history of the company (Kaywoodie History – Greywoodie LLC) and pipedia.org has pretty much the same written history with a rich library of Kaywoodie catalogs, photos and images of old print advertisements, (https://pipedia.org/wiki/Kaywoodie). I can’t recommend them enough for those interested in reading more about the company and the products. There is a third document which provides information more specific for tracing the providence of a specific pipe or model of pipes and that is he Collector’s Guide to Kaywoodie Pipes (https://pipedia.org/wiki/Collector%27s_Guide_to_Kaywoodie_Pipes).

Now a little more on this specific pipe. As I previously mentioned the four digit number is indicative of a Kaywoodie being made before 1936. I quote from Collector’s Guide to Kaywoodie Pipes: “If the pipe has a 4-digit shape number, the pipe is probably of “pre-1936” vintage.” (https://pipedia.org/wiki/Collector%27s_Guide_to_Kaywoodie_Pipes) or you can download the original document here.

Another mention of the four digit shape number from the Collector’s Guide states, , “Early (pre-1936) Kaywoodies had an “elongated” white cloverleaf on the bit, a large fitment, and four-digit shape numbers. The 1936 catalog shows a larger, “fuller” leaf, but lists two-digit shape numbers. Sometime between 1936 and 1947, the better pipes were marked on the bits with a black cloverleaf in a white circle. The white cloverleaf continued on the lesser pipes. However, this was not a consistent convention, as pipes of the same grade could have either type of leaf.” (https://pipedia.org/wiki/Collector%27s_Guide_to_Kaywoodie_Pipes)

BOth of the above quotes reaffirm the pre-36 date of origin. The strange patent stamping of this pipe provides additional information. An internet search of the US patent number led me to the following:

(https://patentimages.storage.googleapis.com/4b/ce/2c/0edcdc5ae498b0/US2082106.pdf)

Now the question arises, “How can a “pre-1936” pipe have a stamp for a patent that was not awarded until June 1, 1937?”

The final piece of the puzzle comes from the 1936 Kaywoodie catalog. This catalog clearly shows the Kaywoodie in question as the top pipe in the image below.

(https://pipedia.org/wiki/File:Kaywoodie_1936shapes6.jpg). It also clearly shows the model as being called a “03 Triangular Setter Apple”. The stamp of this Kaywoodie Triangular Setter Apple is not a “03” but rather an “8803”.

I donned my thinking hat also know as a conjecture cap and came to the following conclusion:

This pipe was made prior to the switch to the “new-shape numbering system” to match the upcoming 1936 catalog. During this transition the patented “Carburator” had been in production and had been incorporated into some pipes, even prior to the formalized granting of the patent paperwork. The shape number does end in “03” indicating a carryover from the “old system”. It does not take too much imagination to assume that the production at the factory would occur at a different rate than the churning of a bureaucratic patent office or the time lag of catalog development and printing. All of these factors lead me to the conclusion that this pipe is a 1935-36 Kaywoodie Carburator Triangular Setter Apple.

The Restoration

As with nearly all my restorations, this one too began with a clean piece of denim to work on.

Reaming was the first task for this pipe. The tools were assembled. No PipNet due to the small diameter of the tobacco chamber and the fact that the carburetor rose up from the bottom of the bowl about 5 mm.

Most of the reaming was done with the General triangular scraper so as to not damage the carburetor.

The below photo shows the rim after a good deal of lava had been scraped from the surface.

Next came the cleaning of the stem. The stinger made this slightly more difficult but this stinger did not interfere with the stem cleaning as much as some Kaywoodies that I had done. The bristle pipe cleaners were dipped in 99% isopropyl alcohol to aid in the dissolution of the tars in the airway.

Scrubbing the stummel was next. Murphy’s Oil Soap was used undiluted and scrubbed with a medium bristle toothbrush. The lava around the rim proved to be very adhered to the briar and a stiff nylon brush was used around the rim. The soap was rinsed with warm water and the stummel dried with a cotton dish towel. At this time I decided to scrub the airway of the shank with a nylon shank brush and Dawn dish soap to soften and remove some of the residues inside. This worked and released the strong aroma of old tobacco smoking residue. From this I knew that the shank cleaning would be a long task.

The scrubbing failed to remove all of the lava around the rim. Further scraping with a sharp pocket knife was done. I also used a Scotchbrite pad dipped in 99% isopropyl alcohol to help clear the lava. You can also see in the photo below an old fill that had lost the fill material.

With the lava finally cleared away I chose to work on the fills next. It looked like most of the fills had come loose with wear. Some picking of the old fill material was done with a fly tying bodkin. New fills were made using brown cyanoacrylate (CA, super glue) and briar dust. The fill received a drop of CA from the fly tying bodkin. I then placed a small amount of briar dust onto the CA filled pit and pressed the dust into the pit.

Below photo shows a CA/dust filled pit.

The new fill was then filed smooth and sanded with a 400 grit sanding sponge.

Here were two small pits below the rim.

Another pit filled along the bottom of the shank.

With the fills done and sanded with a 400 sanding sponge, I turned to cleaning the exterior of the stem. I chose to use Soft Scrub on make-up pads to remove the oxidation from the stem. The stem was first sanded with a 400 grit sanding sponge to remove the outer surface oxidation then the several Soft Scrub pads were used. After the scrubbing the stem was coated in mineral oil and allowed to absorb the oil while I worked on other tasks.

Next came the cleaning out of the shank airway. The photo below shows the dry crumbly tars that were scraped free with the dental scraper. The cotton swabs and folded over pipe cleaners were dipped in 99% isopropyl alcohol.

Once a good deal of the tars had been scraped free the cotton swabs helped moisten the tars. This led to the scrapings being more tarlike. You can see a couple streaks of tar residues wiped onto the denim near the scraping pile lower right. I also used alcohol dipped nylon shank brush scrubbings to help free the airway. I could effectively use a favored method of pouring alcohol into the bowl and scrubbing with the pooled alcohol and a shank brush due to the hole in the bottom of the bowl that is the carburetor. Eventually the shank returned clean cotton swabs.

With the shank cleaned out I turned my attention back to the stem. Rebuilding the button, to be exact. Using a piece of flat plastic approximately 2 mm thick, from a lid, I measured and cut a “dam”. This would be used to stop the black CA from flowing into the airway and keep the liquid CA out of places where I did not want new material deposited. The airway was “painted with petroleum jelly to help seal the dam to the area where I didn’t want CA.

The dam was placed into the airway. I had tested the plastic to make sure that the CA did not readily adhere to the plastic.

A thin coating of black CA was applied to the vulcanite. I used a Cyanoacrylate drying accelerator spritzed onto the wet CA to quickly cure the CA. I added additional coats of black CA filling the gap and spritzing with accelerator. I have found that numerous thin applications will allow the CA to build up and cure better than fewer thicker applications.

The below photo shows the fill at about four applications of CA.

At this point I used a flat needle file to start shaping the flat surface of the reconstruction.

I gripped the plastic dam with a needle nose pliers and pulled it free of the new CA material. The CA that was over flowed past the button was trimmed with scissors and flattened with the flat needle file and sandpaper.

Sorry about the photo quality. The phone camera does not do well focusing on buttons, I guess.

Additional beads of black CA were added to the button to add material. These were then spritzed with accelerator and shaped with the needle file and sandpaper to arrive at a shape that was acceptable.

I assembled the pipe and tried the draft to make sure the airway remained open. I received the taste of “old pipe”, or rather the taste of old tobacco smoking residue. Hmm, not acceptable. It was getting late so I decided to pack the stummel with cotton, fill it with 95% ethyl alcohol and let the alcohol work by drawing the residues from the briar and into the cotton overnight.

I taped off the carburetor with Scotch tape in an attempt at keeping the alcohol in the bowl.

Using a disposable pipetteI added the ethyl alcohol slowly, allowing it to fill and saturate the cotton.

Approximately 12 hours later I returned to the workbench and discovered that my cleaning of the bowl and stummel were not as complete as I had assumed they were..

The cotton in the shank was quite dark with tars and smoking residue.

The ethyl alcohol and cotton had performed their jobs well. Testing the draw of the pipe delivered the taste of ethyl alcohol. I guess I’d have to wait another couple hours to see if a second treatment of cotton and alcohol would be required.

Moving on. You probably noticed that I had used painters tape to cover the stamps earlier. That was in preparation for the sanding that I knew would be coming. And, here it is. I sanded the pipe as a single piece. Using the sanding sponges in series I sanded from the 1000-3500 grits. Between each sponge I rubbed a finger dipped in mineral oil to the stem and wiped with a paper towel. I would then dip a make-up pad in alcohol and wipe off the stummel before continuing to the next sponge.

After the sanding came the micro-mesh pads. The pads were used in sequence from 4000-12000. I again wiped the stem and stummel between pads. A slight difference here is that instead of mineral oil I used Obsidian Oil on the stem.

The Pipe was looking very good. I have to admit that sanding and micromeshing the panels of the pipe was far more tedious than working with a rounded shape. Trying to maintain the flat characteristics of the panels took careful pressure and left little room for carelessness or watching television. The stummel was given a coating of Before and After Restoration Balm and was allowed to sit for an episode of a silly aime I’d been ignoring.

After 20 minutes the Restoration Balm was wiped from the stummel using the inside of an athletic sock.

The final treatment of the Kaywoodie was to apply several coats of carnauba wax with the buffer.

This Kaywoodie turned out beautifully. In bright light I did notice tinges of oxidation that remained on the stem. I am debating giving the stem a dip in the Before and After Deoxidizing solution. I probably will but the effect of the deoxidizing solution of the reconstructed area worries me. The finish of the stem is just gorgeous under normal room lighting. The smooth polished briar shows grain that was completely obscured by the grime that the pipe initially had and shows wonderful bird’s eyes on both sides. As with most pipes from this era this is a smaller specimen. The dimensions of this pipe are:
- Length: 5.40 in./ 137.16 mm.
- Weight: 1.18 oz./ 33.45 g.
- Bowl Height: 1.50 in./ 38.10 mm.
- Chamber Depth: 1.17 in./ 29.72 mm.
- Chamber Diameter: 0.65 in./ 16.51 mm.
- Outside Diameter: 1.34 in./ 34.04 mm.
I do hope that you have found something here useful to your own pipe care, maintenance or restorations. If you like this sort of thing, please click the like and subscribe buttons. Thank you for reading the ramblings of an old pipe lover.

Below are some photos of the finished Kaywoodie Triangular Setter Apple Carburetor.
A Kaywoodie HandMade Colossus

March 22nd, 2024
Photographed and written by

John M. Young

Going from one extreme to the next. The previous blog was an elegant little Medico Jet Stream, this pipe is neither of those things. It is big and bold. I am not sure why I can’t settle on a pipe shape that is my favorite. Last time I checked my top three list of favorite shapes had 5 shapes in it. I know what you are thinking, “What the heck? A top three list with only 5?” Oh, not what you were thinking? Well I guess I’m not good at counting nor interpreting thoughts. Anyway, here I have a large Kaywoodie HandMade Colossus that I picked up on eBay after having so much fun with three previous Kaywoodie HandMade pipes. Here are links to them if you are interested: HandMade Saddle Stem, HandMade Tapered Stem and just HandMade. All three of those pipes were large blocky paneled Custombilt style pipes. This one has curves, I like curves.

The Kaywoodie upon arrival

Before I get too carried away with qualitative emotional nonsense let’s have a look at what I was looking at.

Yeah, it was big, bold and a mess. This pipe had been smoked a lot more than the previous HandMades. Perhaps that meant that it was a pipe that was clenched. The previous HandMades had masses that would test the jaw strength of Charles Atlas himself. Okay, that was an attempt at 1949-style humor (about the time of these pipes).

(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Atlas)

Besides, by the look of the chunk missing from the bottom of the stem, clenching most likely was involved. I had a dirty, oxidized, busted-up, relic of a bygone era and I was in heaven.

Kaywoodie HandMade Background

I am going to use the historical information from the previous blogs about Kaywoodie HandMade pipes because I am a rather lazy Gen-X slacker and I don’t have to credit myself, do I?

“Kaywoodie name first appearing in February of 1919.” (Kaywoodie History – Greywoodie LLC) The history of Kaywoodie pipes is fortunately well documented thus, allowing rather precise dates for a Kaywoodie collector to declare the provenance of their charges. The above pictured Kaywoodie is stamped HANDMADE over KAYWOODIE (left) and IMPORTED BRIAR (right). No shape number is present.

Using this information and referring to the Kaywoodie Collectors’ Guide listed on pipedia.org I found that these pipes were made during the following years:

“Handmade-Oversize-Carved 1947-1955 on and off” (https://pipedia.org/images/3/3d/Kaywoodie_Pipe_Names.pdf) and that

“The Oversize Kaywoodies were, as the name implies, “Giants”. Lowndes notes that these pipes were stamped simply, “Hand-Made”. The pipes were all roughly “bulldogish” in appearance and were available in the following styles and grades7 :

• Hand-carved “Colossus” ($10)

• Walnut finish, banded “Hercules” ($20)

• Hand-carved “John Henry” ($10)

• Virgin finish, specimen grain “Paul Bunyan”

• ($25)Virgin finish, banded specimen grain “Goliath”

• ($25)Walnut finish “Atlas”

• ($20)Hand-carved, Meerschaum-Inlaid “Samson” ($15)”

(Kaywoodie Collector’s Guide – p10.pdf)

Looking into the stampings, I went to pipephil.eu for confirmation. There, I was able to find an exact match of this pipe’s stampings.

(Kaywoodie series from L to Z — Pipes : Logos & Markings (pipephil.eu))

All of this generally fits this pipe. I still wanted to give this pipe a Kaywoodie name rather than “bulldogish” as mentioned above. Looking at the below two pages from the 1947 Kaywoodie catalog, I would have to say that the Kaywoodie HandMade in hand is either a “Colossus” or a “John Henry”.

Now examining the areas circled on the two images from the 1947 Kaywoodie catalog and the photograph of this pipe I am more inclined to call this pipe a “Colossus”. Now, this could probably be argued either way but the beading appears to have a slight vertical increase or rise from the shank in both this pipe and the Colossus image. This pipe is certainly large enough to have included another line for stamping “Colossus”- darn it Kaywoodie.

So, I guess I will have to call this pipe a Kaywoodie HandMade Colossus. This also means that my Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) will demand that I change all of the photos that I have taken and labeled as “bulldog” to Colossus. Bah! There, 34 photos and one folder relabeled as well the term “bulldog” within the document have been changed to Colossus.

The Colossus Restoration

As usual the restoration began with a clean denim piece as a work surface. I was a little worried about the condition of the rim and cleaning it of the lava.

Before I could address the rim I wanted to ream the tobacco chamber and inspect it. The tools were gathered and included the PipNet with #2 and #3 blades, General triangular scraper (with the tip ground round), Smokingpipes Low Country Reamer and a wood dowel wrapped in 220 sandpaper.

The tobacco chamber of the Colossus was not heavily caked indicating that it had been reamed on occasion. The existing cake was very hard and resisted reaming. Once removed the interior of the chamber was sanded and revealed no heat damage from smoking but there were a couple of small gouges from exuberant scraping.

Next, I took to cleaning out the stem. I continue to not be a fan of non-removable stingers. This stem required several more pipe cleaners than pictured to remove all the yuck (yuck is the technical term for smoked tobacco residue) from such a small hole and short stem.

No, I did not cut off the stinger, in a bout of frustration. It’s just hiding behind the pipe cleaner which is acting as a hanger for the stem as it goes into the Before and After Deoxidizing solution. The stem soaked in deox (my term for the Deoxidizing solution) for 4 hours.

With the stem in deox, I turned my attention to the stummel. It was time to see what it looked like without 70+ years worth of dust, dirt and grime. The stummel was initially scrubbed with a medium bristle toothbrush and undiluted Murphy’s Oil Soap. I say initially because there were 3 applications of soap and an upgrade to a stiffer nylon scrub brush. Wow, I just realized that I need to clean that faucet of all the Murphy’s spatter. The stummel was rinsed with warm water and dried with a cotton dish towel. While I was at the sink I also used a nylon shank brush with a bit of Dawn dish soap to scrub the airway within the shank. This didn’t do much other than soften the yuck in the shank.

With the exterior mostly clean, except the rim, I attacked the shank. The first thing I did was an exploratory cotton swab dipped in 99% isopropyl alcohol. It came back fouled with yuck. Next I started scraping with a dental scraper. The scraping produced a good amount of yuck which was surprisingly dry and crumbly. The next attack was of the chemical variety – Geneva Convention be damned. I poured about 4 ml of the 99% isopropyl alcohol into the bowl and left it to flow into the shank. I then scrubbed the shank with a nylon shank brush and the alcohol and poured it into the medicine cup. The alcohol was significantly darkened.

After numerous series of scraping – alcohol scrubbing – cotto swabbing – folded bristle pipe cleaner scrubbings the shank was cleaned out.

Then came the dreaded lava removal from the rim. The rim had received frequent splashes of alcohol during the shank cleaning and this helped to soften the lava. I used a brass brush dipped in 99% isopropyl alcohol to scrub the rusticated rim in line with the rustications. This worked very well. A couple of spots did require scraping with a fine pointed dental pick.

WIth the rim cleaned off and the grime removed from the stummel I examined it for spots to fill. I only found one that I thought needed attention. It probably would have been fine to leave it alone but I filled it with brown cyanoacrylate and carefully placed briar dust anyway.

The new fill was lightly sanded with a 400 grit sanding sponge then gouged with a fly tying bodkin and dental scraper to add lines in an attempt to match the surrounding rustication.

Since this stummel was heavily carved and rusticated there was nothing to sand or micro-mesh. I then applied a coat of Before and After Restoration Balm with my finger and worked the balm into the rustications with a baby toothbrush.

After 4 hours of soaking in the Before and After Deoxidizing solution the stem was removed from the solution and allowed to drip off some of the solution. The below photo also shows that I followed local electrical code when finishing the basement – ground fault interrupter outlets and all.

The excess Deoxidizing solution was vigorously rubbed from the stem with a coarse shop rag to absorb the solution and abrade off some of the oxidized rubber. The color of the stem was much improved.

Back at the workbench, I ran a couple more pipe cleaners through the stem to rid the airway of any deox solution and began scrubbing the stem with Soft Scrub on make-up pads. The oxidation of the stem was quite heavy and several pads and additional Soft Scrub were used.

More Soft Scrub. Eventually the stem looked nice and black with no brown. It was then coated with a layer of mineral oil both outside and in the airway. I allowed the oil to soak into the vulcanite for 30 minutes before continuing to work on the stem.

I removed the mineral oil from the button area of the stem using 99% isopropyl alcohol on a cotton swab. I needed to rebuild the broken piece of the stem. Here is the before photo to illustrate what I was rebuilding.

I needed a “dam” to stop the CA from flowing into and blocking the airway. I chose to use a This Falcon pipe cleaner folded in half as the basis of this dam. I then wrapped the folded end of the pipe cleaner in clear Scotch tape. The cheap stuff, not the 3M product. CA does not adhere well to Scotch tape and the clear tape does not dissolve with applications of CA drying accelerator like the good stuff, 3M, does. The excess tape was trimmed from the dam with scissors. The dam was then inserted into the airway. I failed to photo document the early stages of the CA building. I get into a “rebuilding tunnel vision mentality” when doing this and frequently forget to photograph the process. When I did remember, I had applied about 4-5 layers of CA and spritzed each with a CA drying accelerator. A key to doing this is to use several small applications rather than trying to fill the whole gap all at once.

Eventually I had enough material built up to allow me to file the new fill smoothly to the existing stem. I used a flat needle file for the smoothing. There remained one depression that would require additional CA.

With additional applications, filing and sanding the stem was mostly rebuilt. Now I had to rebuild the button. To do this I use the clear Scotch tape to seal off the newly constructed stem surface. This will allow only the button to receive new CA. The CA is applied in a thin layer. The stem is then flipped over so the CA hangs down by surface tension. While holding the stem upside down I spritzed the wet CA with the accelerator. Quickly before the accelerator completely cures the CA, I turn the stem back over and use a sharp knife to cut a straight line for the back of the button.

After the CA cured completely, I removed the tape and the excess CA came off with it.

The new button is then shaped with a flat needle file and a 400 sanding sponge.

Here is a photo of the new button in profile.

The reconstruction of the broken area was complete but the airway was not very well shaped. The lower part needed additional material and a nice smooth surinterior surface. I needed another dam. I cut a piece from a plastic lid.

Here you can see the area I wanted to fill. The stem is held upside down.

The new dam would allow the CA to flow on top of it and adhere to the vulcanite above it.

Two applications were applied with drying accelerators spritzed onto each. The first penetrated into the stem while the second built up additional material on the outer button.

The dam was removed

A wood block was used to cut away some excess CA. The remaining material was filed then sanded.

To smooth the airway I cut a tapered piece from an emery board.

This abrasive emery board was used to sand the interior of the stem’s airway.

Another view of the emery board.

The airway was smooth with the proper shape.

The last reconstructive surgery needed to rebuild the top of the button. I wrapped the stem below the button with clear Scotch tape to protect the stem from additional CA.

A bead of black CA was applied to the button. This was held upside down and spritzed with an accelerator..

While still soft before the curing completed, I cut along the back side of the button with an Exacto Knife. I actually did this twice as I failed to photograph the first tape removal. A second taping was done and a second application of CA. this was also cut as before..

Here is a photo of the excess CA from the second application.

The cured CA was then filed and sanded to shape.

Further sanding defined the shape better.

The shank of the pipe was taped to protect the carving and rustications while the stem was then sanded with the 400-1000 sanding sponges

The sanding progressed from the 1000-3500 sanding sponges. I applied a coating of mineral oil to the stem between sponges. The oil was rubbed in by finger tip and wiped off with a paper towel.

Further fine finishing was then done with micro-mesh pads 4000-12000. Between each of these pads a light coating of Obsidian Oil was applied by finger tip and wiped off with a paper towel.

Final polishing was done with Before and After Fine Polish applied by finger tip and vigorously rubbed with a soft cotton cloth.

The final polishing was done with Before and After Extra Fine Polish as above.

The final step of the restoration was to apply several coats of carnauba wax with the buffer. I swapped a clean flannel wheel after waxing and used it to heat and absorb any excess was from the pipe in an attempt to avoid an excess carnauba wax deposit within the rustication grooves.

The fourth Kaywoodie HandMade was completed. Overall I was happy with the restoration. The old vulcanite never did look like I had hoped it would, as there are still shades of brown visible in bright light. The surface polished well but the color is not the black I wanted. The rustication of this pipe obscures any sign of briar grain save for some lovely straight grain on the flat stamped surfaces and swirling bird’s eye on the bottom. The wood did appear to come back to life with the cleaning and Restoration Balm. The pipe feels excellent in hand due to the rustication and size. I am sure that it will provide long smoking sessions that will remain very cool due to the substantial bowl and thick briar walls. The dimensions of this pipe are as follows:
- Length: 5.35 in./ 135.89 mm.
- Weight: 2.29 oz./ 65.00 g.
- Bowl Height: 1.71 in./ 43.43mm.
- Chamber Depth: 1.39 in./ 35.31 mm.
- Chamber Diameter: 0.83 in./ 21.08 mm.
- Outside Diameter: 2.12 in./ 53.85 mm.
I do hope that you have found something here useful to your own pipe care or restorations. If you like this sort of thing, please click the like and subscribe buttons. Thank you for reading the ramblings of an old pipe lover.

Below are some photos of the finished Kaywoodie HandMade Colossus.