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Post by bonanzadriver on Jun 3, 2017 23:41:42 GMT -5
Well, I thought I'd spend a little time tonight with a post about the tour. My son Seth was in town visiting, here for his little sisters H.S. graduation. So, he loaded up in the car and made the 3 hour trek with me up to the land of Dr. Grabow. Here's the old factory and water tower on the edge of town...  |
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Post by bonanzadriver on Jun 3, 2017 23:42:38 GMT -5
A picture of the group, that showed up for the tour, having breakfast at a local restaurant before heading to the factory.  |
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Post by bonanzadriver on Jun 3, 2017 23:43:20 GMT -5
The new factory, built in the 70's...  |
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Post by bonanzadriver on Jun 3, 2017 23:44:16 GMT -5
Our greeter...  |
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Post by bonanzadriver on Jun 3, 2017 23:46:30 GMT -5
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Post by bonanzadriver on Jun 3, 2017 23:47:47 GMT -5
Over the doorway leading to the factory...  |
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Post by bonanzadriver on Jun 3, 2017 23:48:32 GMT -5
Where it all begins...  |
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Post by bonanzadriver on Jun 3, 2017 23:49:31 GMT -5
Old ads in the hallway leading to the factory floor...   |
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Post by bonanzadriver on Jun 3, 2017 23:51:06 GMT -5
Hundreds of bags of briar blocks...   |
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Post by bonanzadriver on Jun 3, 2017 23:52:04 GMT -5
The factory floor...   |
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Post by bonanzadriver on Jun 3, 2017 23:54:15 GMT -5
One of the many many machines used to shape the briars into what we all recognize as our favorite pipes...  This gentleman, a true craftsman, has been making pipes @ the Dr. Grabow factory longer than I've been alive...  |
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Post by bonanzadriver on Jun 3, 2017 23:56:11 GMT -5
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Post by bonanzadriver on Jun 3, 2017 23:58:51 GMT -5
The factory once employed over 440 craftsmen. Today that number has sadly reduced to only 28. Each employee used to be required to work 1 or 2 machines. Now that number is 8 to 10. Subsequently, they now do production runs of 2,000 to 3,000 units of a given shape at a time. Here's what they were working on when we were there...  |
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Post by bonanzadriver on Jun 4, 2017 0:01:19 GMT -5
The raw material, heather tree root, is obviously a product that grows underground in imperfect conditions, as a result flaws or defects are not always apparent until after shaping has begun. Consequently, 20% or so of them are rejected. This one, sadly enough, is destined for someones fireplace.   |
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Post by bonanzadriver on Jun 4, 2017 0:02:19 GMT -5
We now take a break from our regularly scheduled programming for a brief message from our sponsors....  |
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Post by bonanzadriver on Jun 4, 2017 0:05:47 GMT -5
This gentleman, a 25+ year employee and fellow Harley fan, was performing two tasks. One was drilling out the shanks to accept the stem. Two was to drill the draught hole.  Before he can do this though, the stummels must be soaked in water to prevent the shanks from cracking. The water has a dye in it, thereby differentiating them from the dry ones.  |
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Post by bonanzadriver on Jun 4, 2017 0:06:35 GMT -5
A Big Box of Beautiful Bent Black Bits...   |
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Post by bonanzadriver on Jun 4, 2017 0:07:27 GMT -5
Oh yeah... Some beautiful little briars...  |
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Post by bonanzadriver on Jun 4, 2017 0:08:11 GMT -5
Inspector 13.  |
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Post by bonanzadriver on Jun 4, 2017 0:09:00 GMT -5
Man, is this a beautiful bent briar or what!?!?  |
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Post by Deleted on Jun 4, 2017 0:10:44 GMT -5
Dino, thanks for the trip report and all the great photos. I might have to do that trip some day.
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Post by bonanzadriver on Jun 4, 2017 0:13:49 GMT -5
Rick, the current COO / GM / Plant manager, shared with us that the factory's most profitable products were their Dr. Grabow Filters and the Dr. Grabow Pipe Cleaners. He went on to state that the profit from these two products were what allowed them to keep the doors open and therefore be able to still craft pipes. Sadly, for me, was the fact that the most expensive pipe to produce was my favorite... The Bent Bulldog. This meant that they have all but stopped producing them. Here's the filter making machine...   Hundreds of wooden crates full of packaged filters...  |
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Post by bonanzadriver on Jun 4, 2017 0:15:21 GMT -5
Before we knew it, we'd been there for close to 2 hours and the tour was over. Our greeter was there to bid us farewell... |
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Post by bonanzadriver on Jun 4, 2017 0:18:16 GMT -5
Thanks Don. I probably should have mentioned that the factory has been forced to discontinue public factory tours. Being as we were the Dr Grabow Collectors group, and that one of the founders of the group was the retired COO of the plant, we were given the "Private" tour. These have been taking place pretty much on an annual basis for a few years now. So, if you wanna come along, join the group |
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Post by bonanzadriver on Jun 4, 2017 0:24:04 GMT -5
In closing gang, I wanted to say that these folks at the factory are incredible at what they do and were all very gracious hosts.
Rick shared with us that they had enough briar on hand to see them through 5 or 6 years of production. And that he had recently placed an order for more briar, expected to arrive later this year. It is my sincerest hope and prayer that they are here long after that.
Many of the employees there were 2nd and 3rd generation craftsmen & craftswomen.
Although I don't use filters in any of my pipes, I do go through a ton of pipe cleaners in my estate pipe refurbing endeavors.
I have decided that from this point forward I will only buy Dr. Grabow Pipe Cleaners.
I've also decided to buy at least 2 or 3 pipes a year from these folks.
I would like nothing more than to be on this tour, over the coming decades, and meet a 4th & 5th generation employee or two.
Dino
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Post by simnettpratt on Jun 4, 2017 1:39:55 GMT -5
Wow. Superb job Dino, apparently you should have been a tour guide. Excellent narration, clear pictures - I didn't know Dr. Grabows were advertised as pre-smoked. Very sad to hear the cleaners keep the doors open, but if it works... Really liked the 'It's the smart thing to do' ad. I'm smoking a basket bulldog right now, and by golly, I do feel smarter. I guess their pipe cleaners are Dills? PS I had a couple of Dr. Grabows, but they went out to poor or deployed folk. I might have kept them if I'd seen this first |
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Post by Deleted on Jun 4, 2017 6:24:53 GMT -5
Very cool. Looks like an awesome time. Many thanks for taking the time to post the pics Dino. I prefer their filters in cobs and have used their cleaners but I need a Grabow pipe in the work barn for sure.
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Post by craigmillar on Jun 4, 2017 7:24:07 GMT -5
We can only hope that pipe smoking makes a real comeback that was a neat tour sure hope it keeps going.
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Post by stvalentine on Jun 4, 2017 9:08:29 GMT -5
Great review of the factory and their employees! It´s sad that the days of the pipe seem to be over. Today it´s just a niche, if an successful one.
Dr. Grabows are very rare here in Germany and I don´t own one but I use some Denicotea products which they offer too.
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Post by peterd-Buffalo Spirit on Jun 4, 2017 9:19:09 GMT -5
...great pictures and narration...thanks for sharing!
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