pipemakersforum.com

Hello all, just wanted run a question past you all. A few months ago I picked up a Nording Signature Smooth unfinished freehand. I have come to the conclusion that unfinished pipes are not my taste.

So, here is my question.

Would it be wrong If i completed the sanding and finished it myself?

It looks like they stopped at 220 on the wheel. I love the pipe, its a great smoker.

Damien

Dude, it's your pipe. Do whatever you want to it. Shouldn't be hard to finish it.

I figured that would be the answer I got. Just wanted to be sure I didnt do anything considered bad form or disrespectful towards Erik, or any other pipemaker for that matter. I am a pipemaking "Grom." My first complete pipe will be done this week. Ill be posting photos of the Nording too.

Thanks for the reply,
Damien

Nah, the dude deserves it for selling unfinished stuff!

I agree with the fact that it's your pipe and you should do what you want with it. I'll add a few thoughts though.

I've got a Ben Wade freehand that is fairly old and "may" someday be worth something. I never smoke the pipe anymore because it gurgles something fierce. I know I could go in there and fix it and make it smoke well, but for some reason I can't bring myself to do it. I kind of have the opinion that, it was built that way and that's the way it should stay. It's kind of a record in history to how Ben Wade made pipes, and I guess I don't want to taint the record by making it better.

Now, if this were the only pipe I had, I'd make it as good of a smoker as I could, even if I had to replace the stem. But, I've got plenty of other pipes that smoke well, so I don't "need" this pipe.

On the other hand, that's all heady nonsense and I should probably just open it up and smoke it!

If you think you'll ever be interested in the resale value of your pipe way down the road, leave it alone. If not stain that sucker.

Somehow I don't think Ben Wades are going to bounce back to the crazy prices they were somewhere around 2000, so I won't worry much about value.

And I think we have established here about pipes being functional objects, dammit!

Leus wrote:Somehow I don't think Ben Wades are going to bounce back to the crazy prices they were somewhere around 2000, so I won't worry much about value.

Well...there goes my kid's college fund I guess.

I have a Nording unfinished freehand and it will darken nicely on its own. I have been smoking mine for about 10 years. Good pipe. But yeah, stain it if you want. The grain pattern probably isn't high grade though.