When did Kaywoodie become a drugstore pipe?

[KevH]

I purchased a Kaywoodie "Flame Grain" shape 22 estate pipe. It is a 3 hole stinger. The finish is very dull and dry at the moment and it looked and smelled like it sat in a box in the garage for the past 30 years or more.

I just spent the better part of this evening cleaning the stem with Oxyclean, alcohol and Flitz and it now looks magnificent. Now I'm working on the bowl with alcohol and cotton balls. This is the first time I've tried restoring a pipe and I can't wait to see how it turns out.

So when did Kaywoodie become a "lesser" pipe? I know the ones made in the 1930's and before are held in high regard. Would this one have been considered a lesser pipe or drugstore pipe?

 

[Anonymous]

In the aftermath of WW II.

Britain ran up a staggering "Lend-Lease" bill it was unable to pay, leaving the central bankers over a barrel.

So, (if you're halfway familiar with this stuff) predictably, the US import tariffs on British-made goods (including pipes) were essentially waived.

The US companies screamed bloody murder, for they were forced into price competition against British stuff that was being essentially dumped here for what it would bring. But, as usual, money talked and bull$hit walked.

Since you asked.

:face:

 

[smokinbriar]

You might find more info at the kaywoodie collectors site.

 

[DoverPipes]

I said it before, I'll say it again......y'all realize that Bill F. (Owner of Kaywoodie) is a member here? :lol!:

https://www.brothersofbriar.com/u2848

 

[smokinbriar]

Bill is also a member on the KWcollectors from what I saw,he has been sharing alot of good info & pics on there.

 

[DoverPipes]

Good thing I told him about it.................

 

[lifeon2]

Can a brother get a link???

oh wait http://kaywoodie.myfreeforum.org

And yes it was after WWII but there were other competing high end lines made by S.M. Frank in later years after they purchased Kaywoodie

 

[Anonymous]

Same thing happened to all of them.

Cheap imports (not only British) squeezed them into a marginal position.

The guys buying Britwood were upscale in market terms ; folks used to / loyal to domestic pipes were, in many cases, blue collar sorts who looked at pipes more as utilitarian objects.

Wally Frank finally threw in the towel and shipped his equipment to Italy.

Not that anybody else had it much easier -- from 1900 to 2000 the market for pipes & pipe tobacco shrunk steadily in the English-speaking world.

:face: