I wanted to share this little beauty I brought back from the grave. While recently surfing the bay, and telling my self the whole time "you already have too many, why are you on here", I came across a listing. The listing was for a "smocking pipe", yep, I know I'm not the only one who gets excited with a misspelled pipe listing with blurry pics. As experience would tell us, I got it for a little over a dollar, and with shipping it set me back about 7 dollars.
It got in today and besides thick cake and grime all over, I could see the gem underneath. Although it was described as a no name, it turned out to be a "London Crown". Not much info on these pipes, but some say they are a Hardcastle, which is a second by Dunhill. I could see that with the shape and finish.
I put this baby through a full refurb, I'm talking full refinish, shellac, buffing, reaming, salt/alcohol treatment, retort, pipe mud to fill a suspect internal hairline crack, draft hole redrill, sand/smooth the rim, tighten tenon, the whole nine...nay, the whole nineteen yards. After the makeover though, she is a beauty which I will smoke with pride.
I would also appreciate if someone could shed some light on the "London Crown".
Before and afters...
