Holy bubbling Grabows Batman!

Preacher1611 · Thu Sep 06, 2018 11:56 am

The first pipe I ever bought was Dr. Grabow Grand Duke. It never bubbled up like this over the 20 years I've smoked it until 2 or maybe 3 years ago... maybe longer? I can't remember. But it did bubble, why a brand new one would bubble is beyond me. Bad lacquer is probably the issue as suggested above.

Houtenziel · Mon Sep 10, 2018 11:37 am

Just wanted to update that Dr. Grabow did respond to me, and they have forwarded the issue on to management. I will let you folks know how they handle it. I am sure they will do right by me though, given the kind of company they are.

Also, FYI.. the contact form on their site doesn't seem to work

Whalehead King · Mon Sep 10, 2018 5:58 pm

I've had this happen with some pipes, usually when I smoke too hot. I scraped off the bubbles with my pocket knife and, then, eventually, all the lacquer for a bare, albeit amateurish, look.

As for cobs, I've had them start smoking because they got too hot and then have smoke issue out from a burn hole in the side when I wasn't paying attention and just puffing away. It happened to two new cobs, back-to-back. Rather than learn my lesson, I just don't smoke cobs anymore.

These weren't Chinese cobs, either. They were the real deal: Missouri Meerschaum. I don't blame MM. I blame my lackadaisical and absent-minded technique. It's my own darned fault.

Maynard · Tue Sep 11, 2018 5:08 am

I sanded a pipe that was gifted from Fr-Tom to an old friend of mine because of the bubble issue and a Viking bowl I bought off ebay same reason just lightly sanded and then buffed turned out good the eBay bowl was NOS and sure that Tom’s pipe wasn't new. Maybe it's a problem that appears from time to time.

Tue Sep 11, 2018 5:26 am

Maynard wrote: ↑Tue Sep 11, 2018 5:08 am I sanded a pipe that was gifted from Fr-Tom to an old friend of mine because of the bubble issue and a Viking bowl I bought off ebay same reason just lightly sanded and then buffed turned out good the eBay bowl was NOS and sure that Tom’s pipe wasn't new. Maybe it's a problem that appears from time to time.

That Zulu I sent you was in a lot I bought for $9.99 or something to get a Grabow pot and a poker in the mix. It had a vulcanite stem and was adjustomatic. I think they started phasing out the adjustomatic in 1990 or so. It was smoked when I got it, and I smoked it a little too. I just did not have the patience for the smaller bowl. I can believe the lacquer mix gets off or the sprayer puts on too heavy a coat before they catch the adjustment.