A Rare Shank Logo KB&B Yello-Bole Sandblast Imperial #3751

July 11, 2017 by Troy W 8 Comments

A couple of weeks ago I was browsing through Etsy, just looking around and I stumbled on this 1930’s shank logo sandblast. 

I was just floored by it and knew I needed this one badly! The stamping’s just made me to want it more.

Not only did it look to be in excellent original condition but it has about every bell and whistle on it for me. A top of the line Yello-Bole Imperial to start with. Not only is it a rare pre- war sandblast. It has a rare  shank logo and a unknown 37 pre-fix number. It is also a shape 51 which is one of my favorite Kaywoodie/Yello-Bole shape’s. I have looked at 100’s of pre-war  Yello-Boles and have only seen three sandblast ones (including this one). This is the only shank logo of the three. Very rare indeed. The other two sandblast had a prefix of 27. Looking up the 37 I could not find it.

27 prefix is…………27    KB&B Yello-Bole, sandblast finish, push tenon, black vulcanite stem (1932-1940’s)

Either it was mis-stamped 37 instead of 27 or its a unknown pre-fix number, I am thinking it was most likely mis-stamped. I will add it to the pre-fix thread on the Kaywoodie Forum just in case and for future reference.

The 51 of 3751 of course is the shape number…..51   Medium billiard, short stem 1932-1966.

Shank logos were not used after 1939 so the pipe dates from between 1932-1939.

I contacted the seller and asked him about the pipe. He sent me a response.

“The pipe is immaculate, considering it’s age. It has been smoked,as there is a thin layer of carbon lining the bowl, but I have to assume at some point it was a collector’s pipe. There’s also a very slight hint of underlying oxidation on the stem. But considering the overall condition of this pipe, I wasn’t willing to mess with it.”

I wish more pipe sellers took this attitude! Too many rare pipes are a over buffed mess by people more worried about making them shiny instead of preserving them.

We have had a regular correspondence since then and have talked quite a bit about pipes. His name is Darryl and owns NorthShorePipes , check it out sometime he has some nice pipes for sale.

https://www.etsy.com/shop/NorthShorePipes

Or his web store

https://northshorepipes.com/

The pipe arrived and I was not disappointed.

It did have some oxidation as Darryl told me but the stem was in perfect shape.

It also has the early metal tenon with screw in stinger.

First thing  I checked to see if the stinger would unscrew. It would not, so I gave a good soak in alcohol.

After a couple of hours I dried off the stem and heated the stinger and got it to unscrew. I don’t think the stinger has ever been removed from the pipe.

I put back in for another soak so I could clean up the male and female threads.

I gave the shank a good scrub with a brush and alcohol to remove any lingering tobacco residue.

I pulled out the stem and stinger after a couple more hours in the alcohol. I scrubbed the female and male threads with brushes.

The stem is ready for a Oxy Clean and warm water soak to remove the oxidation.

I pulled it out every so often and scrubbed it with a piece of Scotch Brite pad.

I gave it a light sanding with 1800-2800 grit.

I cleaned up the stinger and tenon 000 steel wool. I also ran some of it in female threads in the tenon.

After a good wipe down with mineral oil the pipe is ready for some light buffing.

I went over stem lightly with brown and white tripoli before waxing.

I mixed up a batch f my homemade Yello- Bole coating but had a hard time getting to it to stick on the walls of the bowl so instead of stripping out the inner bowl I just gave it a carbon bowl coating. I used honey instead of syrup to keep it inline with the Yello- Bole original Honey Cured bowl coating.

Finished KB&B Yello-Bole Imperial #3751.

I used a original Imperial bowl foil plug  for the finished pictures that I got from a previous NOS pipe. 

I also have a Yello-Bole box that I been saving for the right pipe. This will be its new home from now on when its not being smoked.

3751 with Yello -Bole box , Yello-Bole tobacco pouch and pipe tool.

Here is a picture of the 3751 with my also rare Kaywoodie 5651 Shellcraft meer lined from my previous blog post. Both are 51 shape four digits and made around the same time in the 1930’s.

I have ran a couple of bowls in the 3751 so far and it is a excellent smoking pipe I am very happy about finding and being able to smoke a four digit Yello-Bole sandblast finally. It will be a centerpiece in my KBB Yello-Bole collection.

Until Next Time,

Good Smokes To You