Dr. Grabow Pipes

Sir Duke · Guest

ummm. I smoke Like a weasel sucking egg. ted is right. I aint never burned through the botton.

He who piths through screen makes stinky welcome mat.

drbridges · Posted: Sat Aug 16, 2008 1:32 pm Post subject:

Yes, well I feel there must be a better way to prevent bottom burnout. Breaking in the cob isn't as objectionable as breaking in the hardwood stem in the bottom of the bowl. And it is burned back to the cob in most of my broke in cob pipes.

MM could at least cut the protruding shank at a longer bevel, so you don't have to burn away the top half of the shank.

BTW, for some unknown reason the Dr. Bridges Mac has been the easiest cob break in I've experienced, ever. May have something to do with 3 inches of loose tobacco filter between me and the ember.

GrabowGuy · Posted: Wed Sep 10, 2008 3:03 pm Post subject:

Not a fan of cobs!
I like Meers though.
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Texhealer · Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2008 12:27 pm Post subject:

This may be a little off topic but here goes, I have been collecting tools and supplies over the last couple of years to hopefully start making a few pipes.

Consequently I have also been reading a LOT about pipe making. A lot of discussion and effort is given to the importance of precise drilling, the exactness of the mortice and tennon fit and making sure the tennon and airway meet without the slightist gap lest there be gurgling, airflow constriction, and all sorts of horrors. And everyone seems to pretty much agree that if it's not all just perfect then it's firewood....

Then I light up a cob or a Grabow without the filter and wonder..... Confused

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drbridges · Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2008 2:45 pm Post subject:

ted · "Old Timer" Joined: 23 Jun 2008 Posts: 1171 Location: NC'

Healer and Dr.B...During my career at Grabow, I made or oversaw the making of over 50 million pipes. On my first day in the office in 1966, Paul Fish, President, gave me a Silver Duke and a Starfire, and I knew I was supposed to learn to smoke them. I did, and probably smoked thousands of pipes during my time.

The Starfire gurgled. Of course, the SD didn't. I asked Mr. Fish, and his answer has stuck with me for 40 years....Here it is paraphrased.

Consumers expect the airhole to be bored "perfectly" into the bottom of the bowl. This "bottom" bore will gurgle, always. An airhole needs to be bored slightly higher than the bowl bottom for a comfortable smoke. Moisture needs to have a place to collect rather than coming back out of the bowl into the shank and stem. The paper filter compensates in many pipes.

This is not what the "sophisticated" pipe smoker wants to hear, but it sure has worked for me. I think that's why the cob is so "gurgle-proof" with or without filter.
Today I (and I'm sure Paul ) will admit that "wet"tobacco has a bearing.

I firmly, and always believe that a correct airhole bore is slightly high. It's so hard to convince the smokers of that, that I've been hesitant to mention it. Start another Civil War probably.

Anyway...My thoughts and remembrances.....ted

ozark southpaw · Posted: Fri Sep 19, 2008 11:29 pm Post subject:

I think you are probably right Ted.Most pipes with stingers that I have smoked seem to gurgle more. the filtered Dukes dont seem to gurgle much unless the filter gets soaked,usually because the tobacco is to moist. I have noticed that the grabows are not drilled right at the bottom although they aint drilled way high either.I read on one forum where they were talking about making "mud" using wet cigar ashes to make a paste to build up the bottom of the bowls of pipes that were drilled high. I do open up the airhole in my pipes which semms to help make them drier smoking and easier to draw on.
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Gig · Duke & Westbrook Man Joined: 04 Jul 2008 Posts: 240

All pipes which I carve have a 4mm draught hole which gives a niice easy draw and I love Cob pipes Smile

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Gig aka "Duke, Westbrook & Omega Man"

drbridges · Posted: Sat Sep 20, 2008 3:55 am Post subject:

I agree with ted, and OS. I might agree with Gig, except I can't convert 4mm into a standard inch equivalent.

I do use a drill on a tap wrench to standardize the airway on my pipes. Once I experimented and used a drill that was 1/32" larger, and it proved too much. Your personal packing and drawing style determines which airway diameter will please you. And whether you use an additional filter will also.

Smoke a Viking and a Pacer. The Pacer is the bent Viking. I find the Pacer more prone to gurgle, and I suspect it is because of the bent stem. Because of their shape bent pipes may concentrate moisture deep in the airway.

drbridges · Posted: Wed Sep 24, 2008 2:36 pm Post subject:

Would it be feasible to improve a gurgling pipe with a low "bottom-of-the-bowl" airway by deepening the bowl?

I'm thinking of a conical sanding attachment on a rotary Dremel-like tool that could be used to lower the bottom of the bowl about 1/32" below the airway.

Of course cake would be partially removed, and new briar exposed, requiring a new break-in period.

Opinions?