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Tag: Wally Larsen of St. Paul Minnesota

A Senlar Billiard restoration

February 3rd, 2024

Written and Photographed by

John M. Young

Over the past week I have restored two of the three Senlar pipes that I came into my possession. The first two were both Canadian style shapes with lovely tree bark like rustications. This last Senlar is more of a billiard shape with a slight bend. I can’t really call it an ⅛ bent since when I “eyeball” the stummel with a protractor I see about a 5 degree angle. I have to give Wally Larsen credit for making this pipe geometry lesson for me. I am getting ahead of myself again, if you haven’t read the first or second Senlar Canadian restorations Wally Larsen references make no sense. I will let pipedia.org summarize:

“”Senlar” – Pipes were made in Minnesota by pipe maker Wally Larsen who inverted his last name LAR SEN to come up with SEN LAR. The Saint Paul Pioneer Press nicknamed Larsen “The Great Dane Of The Pipe World” in 1973. Larsen’s pipes were made in the basement of his Minnetonka home, with pipes selling in 1973 for as much as $75. Larsen learned the pipe making craft in the 1940’s when an established pipe maker moved into the home next door. After observing this craftsman work for three years Larsen decided to make a pipe for himself. That first pipe got him some attention from fellow smokers and he sold his next nine before being able to keep another for himself.

Senlar pipes were apparently primarally sold in only three shops, St. Marie’s and the Tobak Shop in St. Paul, and Tobaccoland in Rosedale. Larsen expressed difficulty keeping up with the demand of just these three outlets.

Larsen sought to make Senlar pipes “Look like a tree.” Which he accomplished by using a whirling drill to carve a distinctive bark like finish on the pipe. It is a finish seen on most Senlars and Larsen regarded it as a sort of trademark.

He died in approximately 1988.” (https://pipedia.org/wiki/Senlar)

I had picked up 3 Senlar pipes in an estate lot purchased from eBay last month.

Clicking the above photos should take you to their respective restorations.

Back to the geometry lesson. I was reading about the characteristics of the traditional billiard shape. This pipe is just full of contradictions to that shape. Here is what Tobaccopipes.com says about billiards: “The Billiard shape is without a doubt the most popular tobacco pipe shape in the world. Billiards feature a perfectly cylindrical chamber and can be found with either a bent or a straight stem. The key to a classic Billiard is a cylindrical shank equal in length to the height of the bowl.” (https://www.tobaccopipes.com/blog/glossary-of-tobacco-pipe-and-pipe-tobacco-terms/)

Okay, the shank length and bowl height do match if you use the average for the front height and the back height. This pipe has a canted rim in relation to the shank. This angle is approximately 20 degrees.

Now to make matters more confusing the bowl meets the shank at a 90 degree angle at the rear of the bowl.

However the bowl is not cylindrical, it is flared at the bottom with the front of the bowl at a right angle to the rim.

So, what does all of this mean? I don’t know but it sure is cool and it makes for a very interesting looking pipe. It is like an optical illusion. The pipe looks like it is a slightly bent billiard, yet, when you measure it one way it is at a perfect 90 degree angle. However, when you look at it you see it as bent.

It is all about the angle from the front of the bowl to the shank. It gives the illusion of being a cylindrical bowl due to the curve at the heel yet the bowl is flaring outwards and you move down the bowl. Then there is a very slight bend to the stem which is comfortable to clench and allows easy viewing of the top of the tobacco chamber when lighting the pipe. Genius.

All this and I haven’t even started restoring it. I will get on with it. The pipe, though geometrically amazing, did need some attention. The tobacco chamber had a moderate layer of cake. The exterior was dirty with a lava crusted rim. The stem had minimal tooth chatter but had calcium deposits and oxidation issues. The most alarming part, to me, was the constriction or congestion of the draw. When the stem was disconnected it had a fine draw but when inserted into the pipe the draw was very restricted. I took this to mean the airway of the shank was going to be a tough one to clean. The stem also seemed to be slightly loose fitting.

Here is what I was looking at:

I started with a clean denim piece on the workbench surface then assembled the reaming tools. The PipNet with the #2 blade, the Smokingpipes knife, the General triangular scraper and the two sanding rods. 220 sandpaper wrapped around the wood dowel and 320 sandpaper on the sharpie. The cake was very hard and thicker than it appeared. As I was working the PipNet I had to stop frequently and scrape with the knife to allow the PipNet easier action. The bowl was also deeper than it appears – more of that optical illusion. Eventually the PipNet reached the bottom of the chamber. I was very surprised by the pile of carbonized cake remains on the plastic reaming pad.

The chamber was then sanded with the 220 and 320 sandpaper rods to bare briar. The interior looked very good with no signs of any heat damage to the chamber. At this point I tried to blow air through the airway but it was completely sealed. I used the Scotte Pipe Reaming tool’s drill needle to try to clear the airway. The needle drill worked through the airway with difficulty but eventually reached the tobacco chamber. This greatly opened up the airway and returned it to normal.

Next came the scraping of the lava from the rim. I moistened the lava with saliva and used a sharp pocket knife to carefully scrape the rim. The first photo shows the rim ½ finished.

With the rim scraped it was time to scrub the exterior of the stummel. I took it to the sink and applied a liberal blob of Murphy’s Oil Soap. The soap was used undiluted and was scrubbed with a medium bristle toothbrush. When finished scrubbing I rinsed the stummel with warm water and dried the stummel with a cotton dish towel. I then poured about 3 ml of 95% ethyl alcohol into the tobacco chamber, sloshed it around and allowed it to flow into the shank but not pouring it out. I then used a nylon shank brush to scrub the airway. I poured the scrubbing alcohol into a medicine cup to assess the color. The color indicated that there was still a good deal of work to be done cleaning the airway. I returned to the workbench and started work on the stem and allowed the stummel to dry out.

The briar surface looked very dry and prompted me to photograph it.

I started sanding the stem with 400 and 600 grit sanding sponges. These quickly removed the calcium deposits and smoothed the chatter. There did not appear to be any deep tooth marks that would require filling with black cyanoacrylate (CA, super glue). After the sanding I oiled the stem with mineral oil to prevent further oxidation.

When inserting the stem into the stummel I heard a “click” that did not sound normal. I immediately examined the shank around the stem. There I saw a hairline crack.

I remembered that the stem had felt slightly loose earlier and wondered, “did I just crack that shank or did the cleaning remove the grime that had concealed it?” I went back through the photos that I had taken previously to see if I missed it.

There was a dark spot on the left photo of the mortise, at about 11:30. On the right photo, immediately above the glare, there may have been a crack. Neither of these photos were definitive. I suppose it didn’t really matter if I did it or if it was there. The crack would have to be addressed.

I had never fashioned a band on a pipe that had anything other than a round shank. Perhaps this whole experience was there to expand my horizons. I checked the size on my existing brass tubing. The 17/32 outside diameter tubing looked like it would work.

I measured the length that would be needed to cover the crack and reinforce the mortise. I then used a pipe cutter to cut a band from the end of the tube.

The band was cut now to see if making it into an oval would be as easy a process as I hoped it would be.

Using needle nose pliers the round band was bent onto an oval.

The oval was pressed onto the shank and tapped into place.

The band diameter was slightly greater than the diameter of the shank so I smoothed the edges of the band with sandpaper giving it a bevel on both sides.

I thought that it looked good and would look even better once it gets glued in place and is sanded with the stem for a more custom fit. I assembled the gluing gear.

I used the fly tying bodkin to apply the thin CA to the crack. The CA penetrated and bonded the broken parts together. After it had dried I sanded it with the 400 sanding sponge. I dipped a cotton swab into acetone and wiped the inside edge of the mortise to remove any CA from that surface. I then mixed the J.B. Weld per instructions. Again using the bodkin, I applied a bead of the epoxy to the first 2-3 mm of the shank. I applied a thin layer of the epoxy to the inside of the band. Trying to keep my left hand free of any epoxy, I worked the band into place with my right hand. I used the needle nose pliers to tap the band firmly into position. I then used acetone on a soft cotton rag to clean off both my fingers and the shank/band of epoxy. The mortise was wiped with a cotton swab dipped in acetone. Everything looked good. I coated the contact areas of the tenon and stem with Vaseline and inserted the stem. I was confident I had wiped all of the epoxy off but, I know my luck when it comes to these things… The pipe was set aside to allow the epoxy to cure.

When I returned to the workbench I examined the band and determined that the epoxy had set beautifully. The stem slid free smoothly and had the correct snugness of fit. All that remained for this pipe was to; 1) sand and polish the stem and new band, 2) apply restoration balm to the stummel and 3) wax. I was looking forward to the finished product.

I had sanded the stem with the 400 and 600 sanding sponges before I used the Soft Scrub, so I proceeded on with the 1000-3500 sanding sponges. After each sponge I would wipe the dust from the stem and apply a finger-tip-dip of mineral oil to the stem. I would then wipe it again with a paper towel.

As I was sanding I let the sponge glide up over the edge of the new brass band. This sanding of the band smoothed it and took some of the edge off the band.

Micro-meshing pads were up next. I used the 4000-12000 pads. Between each of these I applied a drop of Obsidian Oil, rubbed it in with my finger and wiped with a paper towel.

After the micro-mesh pads the stem and band were polished further with Before and After Fine Polish followed by the Extra Fine Polish. These were both applied by finger then rubbed with a soft cotton cloth.

The end is nigh, That reminds me of the graphic novel Watchmen everytime I say it.

(Moore, Alan & Gibbons, Dave. Watchmen. New York, New York, DC Comics, 1987)

I applied a coating of Before and After Restoration Balm to the stummel and worked it into the rustication with a baby toothbrush.

I allowed it to sit for about an hour then wiped the excess off with an inside-out athletic sock. I love the thick terry cloth for doing this. Oh, may we please have a moment of silence for this was the final pipe served by this jar of Restoration Balm. Dramatic pause.

I took the pipe to the buffer for a couple of coats of carnauba wax. I would not normally apply carnauba wax to a rusticated pipe like this but all of the rustications were running in the same direction so, I thought it would work out.

There you have it, the final pipe of the three Senlar collection. Of the three, this billiard is my favorite. I think the band added a little pizzazz that the two Canadians were lacking. Given, they didn’t suffer a shank crack and require a band but, still. The angles are the other part of the design of this pipe that I just love. The more I look at them the more appreciation I have for Wally Larsen. I can’t say that I can identify the tree bark that he was after with this pattern. I think the rustication looks interesting and accentuates the bizarre cant of the rim. The stem polished up very nicely to glossy black. This bordered with the polished brass then the rusticated briar is just a joy to the senses. As is the feel of this pipe in the hand, very comfortable with great balance. I hope that you have found something here useful or at least entertaining. If you do like this sort of thing, please click the like and subscribe buttons. I thank you for reading the ramblings of an old pipe lover.

Below are some photos of the finished Senlar Billiard.
A Senlar Canadian Restoration

January 29th, 2024

Written and Photographed by

John M. Young

I can’t remember if I had read about Senlar pipes then went out looking for one to restore or, if I came across a Senlar pipe while searching estate lots on eBay then researched about Senlar pipes. Either way I ended up with an estate lot that contained three Senlar pipes which was the reason I bought the lot.

The three Senlars were all similar shaped pipes with two of them bening Canadians and one a billiard. When they arrived they all looked well used and well loved.

The first Senlar that Idecided to restore was the uppermost pipe in the photo above. As I saved the photos from the restoration they were all called “Senlar Canadian 1 …”. For this blog I’ll just be calling it the Senlar Canadian or the Canadian. Here is our subject by itself before any work has been done.

The stummel was in good shape and looked like it just needed cleaning. The stem on the other hand looked rough with teeth marks, calcium deposits and oxidation.

What was it about this brand that drew my attention? I think it was the idea of a guy up in St. Paul Minnesota making pipes in his basement and selling them to a public that seemed to have an insatiable want of them. The story of Senlar by pipedia.org reads as follows:

“”Senlar” – Pipes were made in Minnesota by pipe maker Wally Larsen who inverted his last name LAR SEN to come up with SEN LAR. The Saint Paul Pioneer Press nicknamed Larsen “The Great Dane Of The Pipe World” in 1973. Larsen’s pipes were made in the basement of his Minnetonka home, with pipes selling in 1973 for as much as $75. Larsen learned the pipe making craft in the 1940’s when an established pipe maker moved into the home next door. After observing this craftsman work for three years Larsen decided to make a pipe for himself. That first pipe got him some attention from fellow smokers and he sold his next nine before being able to keep another for himself.

Senlar pipes were apparently primarally sold in only three shops, St. Marie’s and the Tobak Shop in St. Paul, and Tobaccoland in Rosedale. Larsen expressed difficulty keeping up with the demand of just these three outlets.

Larsen sought to make Senlar pipes “Look like a tree.” Which he accomplished by using a whirling drill to carve a distinctive bark like finish on the pipe. It is a finish seen on most Senlars and Larsen regarded it as a sort of trademark.

He died in approximately 1988.” (https://pipedia.org/wiki/Senlar)

Smokingpipes.com had an estate Senlar for sale at one point in history.

(https://www.smokingpipes.com/pipes/estate/united-states/moreinfo.cfm?product_id=157760)

As did etsy.com, this seller is apparently no longer active.

(https://www.etsy.com/listing/172049804/vintage-senlar-custom-made-wooden?show_sold_out_detail=1&ref=nla_listing_details)

I did try to search for the old The Saint Paul Pioneer Press newspapers but found that associated sites all wanted a subscription to their services and I am too cheap for that. Honest and cheap. So, there we have it; Senlar pipes made by Wally Larsen, in his basement, some time between the latter 1940’s-1988 in St. Paul, Minnesota.

On to the restoration. The pipe received a new piece of denim for the work surface and was disassembled. The rim showed lava accumulation and maybe a bit of charring. This required cleaning to assess the condition of the rim. The stummel was shiny but I wasn’t sure if it was due to a clear coat of some kind or an accumulation of wax. Either way cleaning of the stummel would reveal that. The stem was in need of sanding and oxidation removal with potentially a slight reshaping of the button.

The first step was to ream the tobacco chamber. I used the PiNet reaming toot with the #2 blade, the Smokingpipes Low Country knife and the General triangular scraper for the brunt of the work. THe chamber was then sanded with 220 sandpaper wrapped around a wood dowel and 320 sandpaper wrapped around a Sharpie marker.

The inside of the tobacco chamber looked great and showed no signs of any heat damage.

Next, I lightly sanded the surface of the stem with a 320 sanding sponge to remove the calcium and the worst of the oxidation. I decided to give it a soak in the Before and After Deoxidation solution. I figured that I would start with a 2 hour bath and see how that worked before advancing. I used a pipe cleaner to suspend the stem in the deox jar and turned my attention to the stummel.

With the stem soaking, the stummel was taken to the sink for a scrubbing with Murphy’s Oil Soap. The Murphy’s was used undiluted while the scrubbing was done with a medium stiff toothbrush. I graduated to a brass brush with additional Murphy’s Oil Soap to better clean the lava from the rim. The soap was rinsed with warm water and dried with a cotton dish towel. Back at the workbench the stummel was wiped with a make-up pad dipped in 95% ethyl alcohol. The pad removed something from the stummel. I was not sure if it was accumulated wax or a shellac finish. Either way it did a good job at removing the something and leaving the briar bare.

With the exterior cleaned it was time to address the interior. I tried cleaning the airway of the shank with cotton swabs dipped in 99% isopropyl alcohol. In the photo above you can see the scrubbed stummel and the first few swabs. The airway had a thick deposit of tar throughout. The nature of the long shank made scraping with a dental scraper difficult. This left me with scrubbing with nylon shank brushed as the best option. I returned to the sink and poured 3-5 ml of 95% ethyl alcohol into the bowl. I held the stummel at an angle to allow the alcohol to flow into the shank but not out of the mortise. I then scrubbed the airway with the nylon brush. After several seconds I poured the alcohol through the shank into a medicine cup. I then applied a few drops of Castile Soap to the brush and scrubbed the airway with the soap, rinsed with hot water and went back to the alcohol. I would reuse the alcohol three times before replacing it. In the below photos you can see the darkening of the alcohol with subsequent scrubbings.

This process of scrubbing with alcohol followed by soap was repeated numerous times. I lost track of the number. After replacing the alcohol more than 3 times I returned to the workbench and tried the cotton swabs again. Better but still very dark. My hands were tiring/cramping from the same repetitive motions so I took a break.

After the break I removed the stem from the deox jar. The excess solution was allowed to drip back into the jar. I used a coarse cotton shop rag to vigorously rub the solution from the stem until it was dry. The surface looked much better but still there remained a brown

tinge to the stem. I ran a couple of pipe cleaners through the stem to clean it of the solution and started working on it with make-up pads with a dab of Soft Scrub. This quickly made the pad dark with oxidized rubber. After a few pads with Soft Scrub applications the stem was looking very nice. I cleaned out the inside with bristle pipe cleaners dipped in 99% isopropyl alcohol until they too returned clean.

Returning to the stummel, I went back to the alternating alcohol then Castile soap scrubbing. A few more changes of alcohol and a return to the workbench and cotton swabs finally showed a much lightened color to the cotton swabs. Eventually the airway was cleaned.

Next was the sanding of the stem. I reinserted it into the stummel as I did not want to round the junction of the stem/stummel by sanding them apart. I did not want to sand the rustication of the shank. Fortunately there was a narrow band of smooth briar next to the stem. With care I could sand and micro-mesh the smooth portion of the shank and the stem simultaneously. I started with the 600 sanding sponge and advanced through the 3500 sponge. Between each sponge I applied a drop of mineral oil rubbed in with my fingers and wiped away with a paper towel. Once finished with the sponges I moved on to the micro-mesh pads, 4000-12000. Again After each pad I applied a small drop of Obsidian Oil, working it in with my finger and wiped the stem with a paper towel.

The stummel did not receive any sanding nor micro-meshing. I applied a coating of Before and After Restoration Balm and allowed the pipe to sit overnight. In the morning the Restoration Balm had dried significantly yet remained tacky. I put a brand new cotton buffing wheel on the buffer and used that to buff away the excess balm. The pipe was looking very nice and like I assume it did when new. I did want to apply wax to it though. I chose to use the Decatur Pipe Shield No-Buff Wax. This was applied with my finger

then rubbed in with a baby toothbrush. The was was allowed to dry for 2 hours then rubbed with a clean terry cloth towel. I took the pipe back to the buffer and applied a couple of coats of carnauba wax to the stem and the smooth stamp area on the shank.

Overall, I am happy with the way this old Senlar Canadian turned out. It is not the same sense of accomplishment one gets from refinishing a smooth pipe when beautiful grain is discovered hiding underneath years of old finish and grime but, this rusticated pipe is pretty in it’s own way. The pipedia.org quote talks about Wally Larson trying to make his pipes look like the bark of a tree and this does have a resemblance to a small scale Ash tree. The stem turned out very nicely and the glossy black sets against the rustication with grand results. I do hope that you have found something here useful in restorations of your own or at least found this entertaining. If you do like this sort of thing, please click the like and subscribe. Thank you for reading the ramblings of an old pipe lover.

Below are some photos of the finished Senlar Canadian.