Bunch of questions about a GBD?

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Puffer Mark

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Hi, Pipers.

Just got this GBD. lovely grain and all, albeit with a minor imperfection (crack?) in the shank. It has a brass rondelle insert in the stem and therefore is probably pre-Cadogan, but I have a few questions. First, there is a brass (??) ring around the stem. Anyone know what that means? First time I've seen it!

It has GBD (rounded) over 'LONDON MADE" on the left and 'LONDON ENGLAND' over 'RJ" on the right

Second, and most concerning, it has a stain on the right side. At first I thought it might be part of the briar but with some preliminary cleaning with solvent, it seems to lighten revealing grain underneath.









So now what?

I'm reluctant to go to sandpaper, as I tend to remove the stampings when I do.

Try stronger solvent, perhaps with gentle abrasive like magic eraser?

Smoke it as is, and live with the stain?

Advise Please!
 
I believe that is one of the new GBD's, with that stem accent.
I would try wrong the stain or lightening it with some 91% iso alcohol, then wiping on a slightly darker stain to blend it all in.
 
Afternoon PM!!!! OK, since you asked, I'll throw out my 2 cents worth!! First the stem...I'm guessing it's a replacement. I've never seen that gold band on a GBD. Also, I compared the brass roundel to three of my GBD's. It doesn't look quite the same. The "G" is slightly slanted to the left and the "D" is slanted slightly to the right. With all three of mine are the letters dead level! I also noticed that there "appears" to be two small fills on the bottom of the stem. The appearance may be an illusion from the photo angle; but I found it highly unusual for a GBD to have a fill/s. I own several (all rather old I admit!!); I've never had a fill on a GBD.

The stain just looks like something was spilled on the wood. Sure looks like the briar has absorbed the liquid pretty deeply. Hopefully one of our pipe refinishers will chime in with some scholarly advice!!! I sure don't have any. I sure do like your pipe!! Great shape; I'll bet it smokes superbly. Best of luck to you :cheers: FTRPLT

 
Hi mark. That looks like a liquid has run down the outside of the bowl. If that's the case, the all important question is how far has it permeated into the wood as this will govern how much you need to remove.
 
The only series /models from the pre/post Codagon period with any brass on the stem were the Garland models and it was a wide almost 1/2" one. Also there should be a "style/series" name on the stem such as Garland. Virgin etc. Usually on the opposite side from the GBD imprint there would be a style/shape #. Here's two links for GBD style/shapenames and numbers to check out. These are from the earlier period, but I'm not sure if the same names/numbers are still used on the newer pipes. :twisted:
http://www.perardua.net/pipes/GBDshape.html

http://www.perardua.net/pipes/GBDlines.html
 
Hi Mark, that is a reject (RJ) GBD . I've also got one, with a couple of fills, bought 22 years ago and won't swop it for anything! Smokes like a real champ :D

As for the "stain" I would leave it as is. It runs real deep and you are going to spoil the shape of the bowl should you use sandpaper. Maybe, just maybe, you can have it sand blasted. It won't take the stain away but it might end up something very special. The "crack" is nothing to worry about.
 
SpeedyPete said:
Hi Mark, that is a reject (RJ) GBD .  I've also got one,  with a couple of fills, bought  22 years ago and won't swop it for anything!  Smokes like a real champ :D

You're supposed to learn something new everyday; I just did :) Have never seen or heard of a GBD "reject!' My understanding has been that briar such as this became one of many GBD seconds (Digby for example). :cheers: FTRPLT
 
riff raff":5g0k83xx said:
I believe that is one of the new GBD's, with that stem accent.  
I would try wrong the stain or lightening it with some 91% iso alcohol, then wiping on a slightly darker stain to blend it all in.  
Yes, maybe press an iso soaked cottonball against it to leech some of it out.
 
Gentlemen,

Many thanks once again for all the advice and kind comments. I can understand it being a reject, as aside from the other issues, it's drilling is also off center toward the top.

At this point after seeing the consensus opinion, I am inclined to leave it as is rather than risk disaster with my ineptitude. I also don't know if we have a local equivalent of your American Everclear.

I think I'll just give the bowl a polish, tend to the tooth chatter, and use it as driving pipe. It does have a good clench and nice balance. Only paid $20 for it, so no disaster on that front either.

Perhaps I'll give it a cute name like "Vlekkie" (Little stain in Afrikaans, and also the nickname of one of our erstwhile rugby players).

Oh geez, did I say rugby? No-one mention Japan! Who said that? Who said that? Stand up!  :x

Thanks once again everyone.

M.
 
I think Speedypete has it right, probably a reject. That stain looks fairly permanent which leads me to believe that it was inadvertently done at the factory. Ignore it and enjoy the pipe. I own a few GBD Virgins and they are some of the best smoking pipes I have acquired. Admittedly, they are older ones and you will find putty fills in many of the newer ones. But not to worry, I have seen $400 Petersons with fills so go figure. Enjoy the pipe fills and all.
 
ftrplt":cehx15uz said:
SpeedyPete":cehx15uz said:
Hi Mark, that is a reject (RJ) GBD .  I've also got one,  with a couple of fills, bought  22 years ago and won't swop it for anything!  Smokes like a real champ :D

You're supposed to learn something new everyday; I just did :) Have never seen or heard of a GBD "reject!' My understanding has been that briar such as this became one of many GBD seconds (Digby for example). :cheers: FTRPLT
I actually had another one, bought as NOS, with worse fillings than the one I mentioned here. I gifted the NOS one to Charl Goussard who smokes it regularly!! It's got all the normal GBD markings on the left with a distinct RJ stamped on the right side of the shank.
 
SpeedyPete":91ce3mco said:
ftrplt":91ce3mco said:
SpeedyPete":91ce3mco said:
Hi Mark, that is a reject (RJ) GBD .  I've also got one,  with a couple of fills, bought  22 years ago and won't swop it for anything!  Smokes like a real champ :D

You're supposed to learn something new everyday; I just did :) Have never seen or heard of a GBD "reject!' My understanding has been that briar such as this became one of many GBD seconds (Digby for example). :cheers: FTRPLT
I actually had another one, bought as NOS, with worse fillings than the one I mentioned here.  I gifted the NOS one to Charl Goussard who smokes it regularly!!  It's got all the normal GBD markings on the left with a distinct RJ stamped on the right side of the shank.
I'm wondering if GBD just doesn't send "RJ" stamped pipes to the US market? "It's a puzzlement" said the King!!!
 
Once again, thanks for all the interesting inputs.

For what it's worth, I have smoked it a few times after sprucing it up and it smokes great.

On the subject of rejects: I think South Africa was seen as a suitable market for sub-brands and seconds (and quite possibly rejects) by a number of British makers. They certainly seem to be in relative abundance here.

I can't speak for Pete, but I don't have any complaints, as we can often pick them up for (comparatively) next to nothing :cheers:

Pete: NOS???

Stay well, all.

M.
 
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