Art in Houston

If anyone happens to be in Houston in October, please stop by Koelsch Gallery. I have a few paintings on view. -T

OleFatt Blogg

I've been a avid reader of Anders Johansson's OleFattBlogg for some time. I enjoy reading a fellow pipester's adventures and journeys through life. I highly recommend anyone with a similar interest to take a look.

Ander's was kind enough to answer a few questions and provide a little background info about himself. He writes far better than I can paraphrase, so I'll let him speak for himself -

My Name is Anders Johansson. I was born in '62 in Trollhätten, Sweden, and am currently living in Gothenburg. I live in sin :-) with "K" and we have a daughter "E" who turns 13 this autumn. The latest aquisition to the family is Rufus, our Swedish Vallhund (Västogöapets in Swedish), who runs his own blog in Swedish.

I got the nickname "OleFattGuy" back in the days when I was the singer in a crossover Metal/Rap band (remember the genre, early '90's?) I was thinner then, but figured I'd grow into it, and therefore it was much better than "Tiny" or "Slim" or "Junior ...

I have been working with computers since'90 and with the web since '96.I currently work as an IT consultant, in the business of game based learning, selling technical back-end solutions, system architecture, servers, SCORM-adaption etc.

I've been smoking pipes "sincerely" for the last 5 years or so. I am biased towards smaller bowls and love so-called "ladies" pipes, as long as they are not pink or studded with rhinestones or such extra frills. Though I DO have a Savinelli Ladies pipe with rhinestones ...

I have fumbled in pipe making and am hoping to get better at it as I equip my ManCave with more and more adequate tooling. Only yesterday I destroyed another piece of perfectly good briar by sanding into the smoking chamber ... :-(

My favorite tobaccos are in the English/Balkan/Oriental sphere and I love GLPs Maltese Falcon, and Red Rapparee and Frog Morton Across the Pond and ... I could go on and on but you get the picture.I have experimented in blending my own tobaccos and both the "OleFattBalkan" and the "OleFattEnglish" have gotten rave reviews.

I a an avid fly fisher and tie my own flies, and if I were ever to change my line of work I would want to work with something related to fishing/environment/tourism in some way.

I also love to cook, and I do most of the cooking (Italian mostly, sometimes Swedish) at home and also shopping for it. I also have learned to clean up my mess - though it too a decade of nagging me there :-) . I appreciate good wine (love Tuscan, Rioja and Lebanese) to accompany my food and most brown spirits (Cognac, Whiskey, Rum Calvados ...) and a good Grappa is always welcome to accompany my after dinner smoke or espresso.

That's all folks!

 

Thanks Anders! If anyone else knows a good pipe related blog that needs spotlighting please drop me an email. I'd love to know about it. -T

#3 Burnham Wood Crescent

In a lovely brownstone in the heart of London sits a small pipe rack with six pipes ready to smoke on this cool early autumn day- too bad there's been a murder. Hugh Drummond eyes the pipes and wishes he could take a leisurley stroll with his fiance, smoke a pipe and discuss wedding plans, but that will have to wait. Right now he needs to find out the name of the man lying on the floor with a knife in his back.

Even without the drama this is a nice little pipe rack. Very good brown crackle finish. -T

Holds 6 pipes and adequate storage for your smoking rotation.

16"W x 16"T x 7.5"D

$150

O Canada!

In his never ending quest for world peace, Mark has produced and shipped a version of his Spring House pipe rack to a customer in Canada. We hope this helps to cement the warm relations we have w/ our neighbors to the north. And speaking of our neighbor, he was kind enough to send us a photo of Mark's rack in action. It's always great to see our racks filled and put to good use. -T

Component System

OK- "component" is a little too high falutin' a word for these simple pipe racks, but you can sit them side by side and form a larger rack to hold however many pipes you have. Nice crackle finish. -T

Holds 3 pipes w/ nice storage space

$55 each 

1st Friday ...on Saturday

As Tim's most recent writing suggests, September is here! With the coming of the new month comes another 1st Friday, that monthly gathering of friends that has taken on such meaningful significance for me and I suspect the others in the group. It all started several years ago (I don't know how long ago, but I think that we may be in our 12th year of doing this) when our little group of friends were at our annual 4th of July celebration at Tim's house ( This has been going on for around 30 years, believe it or not) and we all came to the conclusion that we just didn't see each enough. It had gotten to the point where jobs and families and the vicissitudes of existence had kept our tight little group so busy that we just didn't get around to taking care of one of the most important things in our lives, our friendship. We decided to meet on the 1st Friday of each month and spend the evening talking and eating and drinking and smoking, but mostly talking. It's true that we now meet on the 1st Saturday of each month, but we still call it 1st Friday. This is the same group of friends  that goes to the Chicago Pipe Show together. We have plans for a camping trip next month. We are talking about spending a day in downtown Memphis riding the trolley and picnicking (hanging out) on the river. Meeting as we do each month has forged a stronger bond among old friends and I, for one, am extremely grateful for it. -M

Pictured above from L to R- Chuck, Tim and David

September's Here!

September has arrived and I find myself ready for cool weather and the golden days of fall. Mark and I are already talking about camping and hiking (2 of our favorite things to do in the fall and winter!) It also seems like the best time to make pipe racks. We've continued to be busy through out the summer w/ rack orders and this is a first for us. Usually (speaking w/ 3 years experience ) there is a slump in business during the summer, but not this year. Now we are thinking about gearing up for the Christmas rush. Christmas has been the best time of the year for us and we hope this is true again this year. If you have been thinking about getting a Two Cousins rack you might want to order soon. 

Enjoy the Fall! -T