Pipe Restoration Series #3: Wally Frank.LTD. Imported Briar Straight Grain Second, Medico Imported Briar F Stamped Stem.

So from the F stamp I think I can date the Medico to pre 1955, but I'm at a complete loss on the Wally Frank.

I won't have to do much with the medico stem, looking pretty good already.

Stamping for Medico

Stamping for Wally Frank, I can see how it ended up as a second with all those fills. Gonna be tricky to try and blend those in.

Decent rim burn on this one, you'll see how deep it goes once I get to sanding.

Not too much in the way of bites so it looks like a simple clean up job.

Rim darkening but there's some lovely birdseye underneath

After cleaning and sanding

Still a bit of char underneath all that sanding on the Medico, I don't really want to sand it more otherwise I'll lose the ridges, I'm sure it'll blend in with the stain.

A nice dark Cordovan stain that I'm planning to lighten up with buffing/micro mesh

The Medico actually fits 6mm and I've tried both wood and paper filters to much success.

After a quick buff with white diamond, longer buff with red rouge, and a final coat of carnuba I'd say these are just about done.

Blending the fills in kinda sorta worked but I might go back to it with a toothpick and try to even them out to be invisible.

I'm loving the dark brown with slightly reddish hues that the Cordovan stain gives, it just takes a bit of coaxing to get it there.

Medico in sunlight

Wally Frank ready for hot tubbin