Here is one of those pipes we acquire that we really know anything about. It was listed as a Linkman’s Dr. Grabow Select Grain Full Bent Estate pipe sale on eBay. After receiving it I went in search of information on it. Using all the online facilities available I was able to get the Patent Number which shows that the pipe was made around the late 1940’s. The nomenclature while not clear on any side was but, faint enough. some was visible but incomplete. What I was able to read made it look like a Peterson but different. Continued searching turned up a page on Pipedia that showed a very nice similarity to what I could see. D.P. Lavietes filed for the patent in 1946 and it was granted in 1949. The stamping that looked like Peterson is in fact Royalton. The stamping showed the “lt” near the “on” and the “R” that looked like the “P” of Peterson makes me think I found what I was looking for. I found most of the information for the Royalton Pipes on the Pipedia website. While it has the Lavietes Pat No. Mr Lavietes is further mentioned in the write up on Pipedia. This is during the move to Sparta South Carolina from what I can gleen and is still in production today for the Dr. Grabow line of pipes.
This image comes from the US Patent office website. What came to the bench was a challenge as the stem had straightened, was clogged completely and the bowl had lost most of its color. The first photos are from the seller on eBay.
I began by reaming the bowl and giving it a salt and alcohol treatment to sanitize it. Then I turned my attention to the stem. It had been plugged with tars and in need of a good cleaning. Using a thin wire I was able to open up the airway to begin using pipe cleaners and cotton swabs to get a thorough clean of it.
After the cleaning was done, I started to clear up the minor defects to the stem. It had a couple of small tooth marks that I used CA (Super Glue) and the accelerator to speed up the drying time. Then using a tapered fine bastard file I was able to get back to the vulcanite and begin to polish it. Beginning at 1200 grit to 2000 grit I wet sanded the stem then progressed through to 12000.
I did fail to complete the pictures as I was engrossed in the process of completing the polishing. When done I put it aside and went back to the bowl.
As it had a buildup of lava I used Murphy’s Oil Soap and a toothbrush to get most of it clean. This was followed up by topping it on the table with 320 grit sandpaper. Then using sanding sponges the rim was smoothed out any scratches and polish it. There was a small ding left in the rim which I left to add a little character to the pipe. Once again the work got the better of the process and I failed to document with pictures.
The color chosen was to be Fibeing’s Dark Brown Leather Stain. Several coats of the stain was applied and flamed to set. The excess was wiped off and rubbed out with several types of cloth ending with a terry cloth to raise the shine. The bowl and stem were covered with Obsidian Oil and again wiped down to shine.
The stem was ready to be completed. I mentioned that the stem had straightened, so I heated it with a paint heat gun, put a pipe cleaner into it to keep it open and rebent it by pressing it over a bottle of Everclear. I held it there until the heat dissipated and it cooled enough to stay in the new shape.
The last thing to do was to polish and shine it up. In writing this I see where my lack of posting has me wanting to raise my game a LOT!
ReserectedPipes 