Also used to make (some) woodwind mouthpieces.
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Interestingly, the Butcher brothers had been in business for 40+ years before they started using the (B) >>>------> + mark. They also made a ‘Bow’ razor starting around the same time. They probably bought both from someone else, but I have no idea who.
The arrow marks are also incredibly inconsistent in appearance, and not just due to typical die wear on the stamps-- especially considering they only used stamps for them for maybe 10 years. Most were done with the then-new photo etching process. There isn’t really a definitive version of the arrow.
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Its also a damn fine pipe stem. Though its prone to sulfurous oxidation that can taste kind of groddy and be tough to remove or cover.
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Same with woodwind mouthpieces. When they’re machine-finished, and polished to a shine, it can be hard to tell apart from a plastic mouthpiece. But usually the “smell test” will settle it, particularly if it’s an older mouthpiece.
Now, imagine this in Bela Lugosi’s voice:
“Smell my mouthpiece.”
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Oof. Considering that just a little warm water and skin friction on a razor can make the scales a bit stinky, I’m not surprised pipe stems would too.
The list of things made from the stuff is prodigious. Everything from jewelry to medical tools.
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Well frankly the very nature of a pipe makes it stinky all over, so you clean it some what frequently if you know what’s good for you. The vulcanite has its own little quirks. I think its light exposure, along with spit and just time, accelerates the oxidation of the rubber. The sulfur leaches out and gets weird. Its really more of a problem with older “estate” pipes that haven’t been fully restored. The rubber gets dull, with a chalky, powdery surface. It smells of rotten eggs, and tastes of sadness and burning. Apparently it can cause welts on your lips if you’re sensitive, whatever sulfur compound is leaching out is supposed to be a bit caustic.
The one nice pipe I have has a vulcanite bit. Marbled red and black. But it was purchased restored after light use, still has some dullness but not grossness. And I do not believe typical use can cause these problems without long time spans. Its genuinely a lot nicer than the plastic stems. Clacks less on the teeth. Stays cooler. And apparently there are colors you can’t really get out of the other materials, the particular red marbled into mine being one of them.
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Fortunately for us all Chuck Norris can only shave whenever a baby dragon sheds it’s teeth.
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It takes a lot of time, and yeah, I do the whole forging from stock thing. Also, layered material fold fold fold etc… thing. It’s a very therapeutic hobby to hammer the crap out of 1500 deg. metal.
I actually have a bunch of tutorials up on a site that I used to be an admin at.
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A search for images of vulcanite turns up a lot of pipestems, and also a lot of bits (mouthpieces) for horseback riding. Apparently horses feel the same about the comfort of the material.
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Nothing about it being a Vulcans only weakness? Asking for a friend.
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Only if the piece is sentimental, broken, and the Vulcan in question needs to repair it.
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I laughed when I saw they actually went to 7, as I ordered the three blade razors. Two being the surprising new number of blades when I started shaving.
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I haven’t tried the 7; I’ve used the 6, since they were included in the first kit I bought on sale. The biggest difference between that and 2 or 3 is the feel of the razor, kind of a ‘bed of nails’ effect.
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Its mostly been displaced by acrylic, but certain high end brands still use it. Mostly pops up with vintage pipes. A lot of your quality pipes these days are expensive luxury products. Which drives a pretty big collector market focused on usable vintage pipes. A good bit of the value in an old pipe is in its usability, and most pipes have better value restored than as is. Which is how we got on the subject. Lotta noise anywhere with info on pipes on how to deal with vulcanite bits, and whether you want one or not. I ended up with one and it turns out I like it better, don’t know if I care enough to seek it out if I look for more pipes. I have one good one, and corn cobs work just fine if I feel like getting back into it.
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Don’t forget this one:
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Same with myself–once I figured out to shave with the grain before going against it. And then there was the epiphany of rinsing the blade after each and every stroke and not when you feel like it.
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Can we just link to the video already, you big tease!
I bet this is what she based the song on… since it’s from the son’s POV.
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Wow, I’ve never seen that. That is certainly based on Peter Reich’s book, it captures its spirit perfectly.
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OMG! You should get that album… it’s amazing. But that song’s my favorite track.
Looks like I’ll have to save up for it:
1985 was a…busy year for me (that year I turned down a TT job in California and moved to England on a postdoc, an agonizing and probably insane decision). Probably how I missed it.
Likewise I recommend Peter Reich’s book, A Book of Dreams.
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