Two Cousins Pipe Rack Blog

Another Good Time w/ Friends

2012-01-25T06:14:00.000-08:00

Chuck w/ his hand rolled cigarette

A good shot of David

Mark and pipe behind the sausage and cheese plate

The monthly gathering was, as always, a welcome treat. So good to get together and exchange ideas ... even if they are the same ideas we've been exchanging for years. -T

Smoker's Print

2011-12-30T12:45:00.000-08:00

Another one of our cousins sent me this great old print. What a cool "smoking station". If I had room in my house I think I would try to make one. -T

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-24T06:00:00.000-08:00

Happy Holidays to Everyone from the cousins!

Happy Solstice!

2011-12-22T20:17:00.000-08:00

Starting to look like Christmas!

2011-12-17T11:00:00.000-08:00

A couple of San Francisco '35s heading to new homes.

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Enrique B-Day Pipe

2011-12-08T13:35:00.000-08:00

I'll use any excuse to get another David Enrique pipe- This time I had to turn another year older, but it was worth it. -T

Thanks

2011-11-24T02:51:00.000-08:00

So much to be thankful for on this day- family, friends, health, good food - an abundance that I don't have the skill or grace to properly relate, so I'll go small and express my thanks for this 10 year old McClelland Navy Cavendish I opened last night. This is a tobacco I have loved for many years and it just gets better w/ age. A really nice mellow smoke for this day of thanks. -T

The Contraption

2011-11-21T14:14:00.000-08:00

The Contraption is what my wife calls this. I was thinking "Smoking Stand" or "Chairside Companion", but she may be right. It has a sort of Berlin 1957 office look to it. Mark and I have talked about a smoking stand for 4 or 5 years, but we never came up with the perfect design. I thought I had it. I sketched a cool Craftsman-looking piece of furniture and started to build it ... then I quickly saw that what I drew would not work in a 3 dimensional world. On the fly I made changes and then more changes until The Contraption appeared. Not something I will attempt to sell. Instead I believe I'll keep it for myself and continue thinking about the Perfect Smoking Stand. -T

In Time for the Holidays!

2011-11-20T13:37:00.000-08:00

Another batch of pipe racks heading to Smokingpipes.com -T

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Worth the Wait

2011-11-11T04:09:00.000-08:00

Great transition from blast to smooth! Deer antler and ebonite stem.

A few days before the Chicago Show last spring, Gregor Lobnik sent me an email apologizing for selling his whole production to a dealer. He would not have a single pipe for the Chicago Show. I was disappointed (I almost said devastated, but I'm saving that for whatever the politicians and the power elite throw at us next). I had been seeing photos of Gregor's pipes for months and they looked good- real good. I had set aside money for one ... maybe two ... but now my dreams were dashed away. Fortunately the Chicago Show was as much fun as ever and I had a great time in spite of the Lobnik pipe void, but I still felt slightly disappointed... until now. Gregor sent photos a few days ago of pipes he had been working on and they were available ... for the moment. I acted quickly and am happy to report that I now have a wonderful new pipe from Gregor. It is really charming. It has the potential to be one of those go-to pipes that seem to make their way into your pocket and always be ready for for a walk in the woods or a run up to the grocery store. For me this is the ultimate test for a pipe - how does it fit in my pocket? Will it be a good companion and travel well where ever we go? I'm pretty sure my new pipe will be right there with me where ever I go!-T

International Cousins

2011-11-02T14:09:00.000-07:00

Today's work will be heading for Sweden and Germany! Should be ready to travel in a couple of days. -T

Annual Mississippi Camping Trip

2011-10-31T07:40:00.000-07:00

Mark and I spent the weekend camping at Tishomingo State Park in northeast Mississippi. We had a great (but chilly) time. It's great to get into the woods. -T

New? Old?

2011-10-24T07:47:00.000-07:00

A new but old looking rack from Mark. This rack looks like it's been in the family for generations. Nice job Mark! -T

The Lawnmower Cottage

2011-10-22T20:06:00.000-07:00

Two Cousin's friend Chuck came over and helped out w/ the building of the new home for my lawnmower. I think it will lead to bigger and better projects in the future. Chuck and I had a great time building and smoking pipes. -T

The Amazing Axel Glasner!

2011-10-20T13:37:00.000-07:00

I have been looking at the German pipe maker, Axel Glasner's work for 2 or 3 years now, but my timing was always a bit off. I never had money at the right time. Also, I had never actually seen one of his pipes. Just photos on the internet. I had been told by folks whose opinion I trust, that his pipes were very good, but that's not the same as holding it in your hands. I think this slowed me down when I thought of purchasing one. But recently the stars were properly aligned and Axel posted this beautiful pipe on his website. I had a little money so I emailed Axel and found him very easy to work with in spite of my lack of German. The pipe arrived and I was amazed to see that it was even more beautiful than the photos had led me to believe. The craftsmanship is first rate. The transition from briar shank to bit is incredibly smooth - almost unnoticeable by touch. It's smoking qualities are top notch. It's one of those rare pipes that smoke to the bottom of the bowl using one or maybe two matches. I'm very impressed. I'm pretty sure the stars will align themselves in proper order again in the near future. -T

A Couple of New Racks

2011-09-30T07:22:00.000-07:00

Here's a couple of racks I just completed. The Red one has sold, but the golden stained one is available if anyone needs it.
$225 + shipping

-T

David Enrique Again ...and Again

2011-09-26T07:11:00.000-07:00

Blasted Bamboo Poker

Mahogany Blast Rhodesian

I'm rationalizing, I know- but I love David's pipes. They smoke really well. I have had pipes by several big name carvers and couldn't get a decent bowl from them. I sold the pipes and assumed the hype around these makers was way overblown. Thinking about it now, I've come to the conclusion that everyone smokes differently. Those pipes probably were great for someone, just not me. David's pipes are perfect for me. They smoke effortlessly. It doesn't matter which of my favorite tobaccos I try, they all smoke really well. I don't know why. I attribute it to magic. Of course I'm no Neill Archer Roan. I don't have his acumen for scientifically searching for cause and effect. There must be a reason. I look at them side by side with other good pipes I have. There doesn't seem to be much difference and yet ... David's are great and the other pipe is just good. I guess I'll stick with my conclusion that they are magic. I mean who wouldn't buy a magic pipe when given the chance? -T
And another thing- Pipe maker Trever Talbert will have a selection of David's pipes on his table at the Richmond Show. Probably good I couldn't make the show this year ....

Morning Walk

2011-09-19T08:06:00.000-07:00

I packed up my wet weather pipes (a couple of Blakemar and a Peterson) and headed to the trail this morning expecting it to be a little wet. I was surprised to find much of the trail under water. It was bone dry yesterday. A pretty good thunder storm passed through last night supplying more rain than I realized. Fortunately my waterproof hiking boots I got last winter worked well ... at least in water up to 8" deep, unfortunately I walked through some spots that were over a foot deep. It was fun anyway and really makes it seem like fall is just around the corner. -T

Dutch Newton

2011-09-02T08:58:00.000-07:00

The big rack is finished- now for the hard part- packing it to ship. -T

Floor Cabinet in the works

2011-08-27T20:43:00.000-07:00

Working on one of the larger pipe cabinets. Here it is built but unfinished. I'm about halfway through the multiple layers of paint and varnish now. It should be ready to ship some time this coming week. The humidity is low right now, so hopefully the varnish won't take forever to dry. -T

Adam Remington Pipes

2011-08-22T11:20:00.000-07:00

A few days ago I received my 3rd Adam Remington pipe. It's my 2nd commissioned pipe from Adam. I want more. -T

3 Racks Built

2011-08-09T14:39:00.000-07:00

Hope to have these finished and on their way by the end of the week. -T

And Now For Something Completely Different ...

2011-08-05T07:57:00.000-07:00

Artwork at David Lusk Gallery tonight. The opening is from 6 to 9. Come by if you're in Memphis and are art inclined.

Couple of Classic Cabinets from Mark

2011-08-01T10:25:00.000-07:00

These would look good in any smoking room! -T

Today's Progress

2011-07-20T14:47:00.000-07:00

Painting and finishing tomorrow - T

Sawdust and Woodchips

2011-07-19T16:23:00.000-07:00

It was hard to tell if I was smoking tobacco in my pipe or sawdust today. I'm pretty sure I was breathing sawdust mixed w/ just a tad of air. But that's ok- it was a productive day and I can't ask for much more than that. Power tools and pipe smoking! Hey, that's a good day. -T

Another Darjeeling Variant

2011-07-14T05:34:00.000-07:00

The Darjeeling is popular right now. Maybe because it's summer and hot like India ... or at least as like India as these pipe racks are. -T

Another Enrique

2011-07-13T00:50:00.000-07:00

Yep, it's true - I have no will power. No self control. I can't resist David Enrique's pipes. When I told him this on Facebook, his reply was, "Yes, I know that Tim! Hehe!". One more pipe maker that knows I am an easy mark. I would look into Pipes Anonymous, but ... I don't think it's a problem ... at least not yet. I mean, I haven't taken out another mortgage or broken into the grandkid's piggy bank or anything ....

Anyway - this pipe is making it's way across the Atlantic and I can't wait. -T

photo swiped from David's website

New Darjeeling Variant

2011-07-12T05:55:00.000-07:00

Here's a commissioned cabinet that I just finished, The customer liked the Darjeeling, but wanted a glass door and no storage. I think it turned out ok and opens up some other possibilities for playing w/ the Indian look. -T

Great 4th!

2011-07-05T08:46:00.000-07:00

Yesterday Mark and I and our families and friends gathered at my house for our 31st annual 4th O'July celebration. It was another wonderful day. Even the weather cooperated. Slightly overcast w/ temps in the 80s for a good chunk of the day. We ate, played bocce, watch crazy children, smoked pipes and cigars and managed to get totally worn out. I've started resting up for next year. -T

Pictured are my son Corey and grandson Oliver.

Hey Guys- Let's Party!

2011-07-04T08:41:00.000-07:00

Mississippi Factory Humming

2011-06-28T20:20:00.000-07:00

Mark has been busy down at the Two Cousins' southern facility .

Assembly Line

2011-06-27T04:01:00.000-07:00

Working on a couple of exclusive designs for a pipe and tobacco retailer - more on this later. I don't want to put our eggs before the cart. -T

New Pipes from Vollmer + Nilsson

2011-06-13T09:49:00.000-07:00

A few months before the Chicago Pipe Show, I emailed our friends Anders Nilsson and Martin Vollmer about some ideas for pipes I wanted them to make. Two were sandblasted versions of Comoy shapes - a saddle billiard and a saddle prince. The 3rd pipe was a copy w/ improvements of an old beat up Dunhill prince I've had for years. The Dunhill has a silver repair band on the shank that gives the pipe an odd look ... that I like. Being to great guys they are, V+N agreed and even seemed enthusiastic about the projects. I picked up the results in Chicago and have been smoking them daily since. Great pipes as usual from the Swedish duo. Thanks Martin and Anders! -T

2 Cousins w/ Wolfgang Becker

2011-06-10T11:23:00.000-07:00

Here we are in Chicago w/ our friend Wolfgang Becker. We look a bit crazed. I think we were just tired and excited, not psycho. I'm surprised Wolfgang doesn't look worried. Also here are 2 pipes I got from Wolfgang. I don't need to say anything about them. They are Wolfgang Becker pipes- they're great! -T

Australia!

2011-06-06T09:58:00.000-07:00

One of the best things about making pipe racks is coming into contact w/ people from all over the globe. How else would to guys from the southern US do this. I'm sure there are other ways, but for Mark and I this seems to be a good way ... in other words, the easy way. One of the latest pipe racks shipped went to Australia. This was our first customer from DownUnder and we are very excited to receive some photos. -T

Bocce Saturday

2011-06-05T05:37:00.000-07:00

It was the 1st Friday get-together of "the guys"yesterday. Yes, we had it on Saturday so we could spend a good bit of the day playing bocce. It was a great day for it- sunny w/ temps hovering right at 100. Perfect day for firing up the grill and standing around in the sun. We played, we ate, we drank and of course we smoked pipes and cigars. As the evening progressed we turned our conversation to the sorry state of the world and I think everyone left feeling slightly depressed, but still pleased w/ our day. We did what needed to be done. -T

2 weeks since Chicago?!!

2011-05-25T10:23:00.000-07:00

Wow! That happened fast. I've been meaning to post something here, but I hated to post a show-n-tell of Chicago loot or a "what I did on vacation" story. The fact is, I spent way too much in Chicago (not that I regret it) and a show report would sound pretty much like last year. Mark and I had a great time and the best part was seeing all of our wonderful pipe world friends. If you haven't been all I can say is start saving your money for next year. You'll have an amazing time!

Now it's back to work on a bunch of stuff (pipe racks and paintings) that was piled up and waiting for my return. -T

p.s. I'll post pics of pipes I bought in a slow deliberate fashion ... so it doesn't make me appear to be a pipe crazed lunatic.

Packed and Ready!

2011-05-09T09:12:00.000-07:00

It's getting close! Real close! The Chicago Pipe Show is just around the corner. I think I'm a little ahead of last year as far a preparations for the Chicago trip go, but there is still plenty of around the house chores to keep me busy for the next 3 days. Poor Mark is working at the salt mines for these 3 days, so I'd better keep my whining to myself. I'm not sure he's even cleaned his pipes yet. I don't want to be seen w/ him if he is smoking smelly, filthy pipes at the show. Hopefully he will get on it tonight.

Hope to see some of you folks there. We'll be checking in w/ the Smokers Forums crowd on Saturday. -T

The Copenhagen Pipe Show

2011-05-06T05:56:00.000-07:00

Chicago is almost here. I'm starting to count hours instead of days. Here's a few photos from the Copenhagen Pipe Show last month. The dynamic pipe making duo, Villmer & Nilsson were kind enough to send them my way. Maybe this will help everyone get in the pipe show spirit ...as if we need help! -T

The Enriques are Here!

2011-05-04T07:41:00.000-07:00

If you've read this blog in the past, you probably know I am a huge fan of David Enrique's pipes, so I won't gush again. I'll just let you know these are great as usual. I thought I would wait to smoke them in Chicago ... but ..um ... I didn't. No patience. -T

Waiting for David Enrique

2011-05-01T11:02:00.000-07:00

OK- not really David Enrique. I'm waiting on a pair of canadians that I commissioned a while back. They are winging their way here as I type. Pipes from David are starting to be a part of my yearly Chicago tradition. I had a new lovat to take with me last year and hopefully the canadians will make the trip this year. I also hope I can convince David to make the trip one year.

The canadians were something of a surprise. I had intended for David to make a set similar to a pair he made back in 2008. I've been admiring those pipes on his website for a while. In the mean time, David had read Neill Roan's blog about the Comoy 309 canadian and as he said in an email "When I saw this pipe, I decided that I should make a pipe of this elegant shape !". Well I couldn't argue w/ the results. Now I'm waiting and looking longingly out the window (even though it's Sunday) at the mailbox. Any day now I'm sure. -T

Beautiful photo above taken by David Enrique

Things are Looking Up!

2011-05-01T04:26:00.000-07:00

Around here we're calling it The Work Pavilion. It's my new covered workspace and it's ready to go. In fact I worked on a couple of pipe racks yesterday. It's good to get back to work, instead of pacing around waiting for others to finish up their work.

Also, we have a new roof on the house and studio. So I think we can weather these devilish spring storms. At least it's not raining indoors now!

11 days until Chicago!

Trials and Tribulations

2011-04-26T07:06:00.000-07:00

Storms, heavy wind and endless rain interspersed w/ 2 or 3 hours of sunshine. It's starting to get old. My new shop pavilion is finished but now there are roofers and insurance guys to deal with. Last week a storm ripped off a hunk of roof and knocked down some hefty tree limbs. No one was hurt and it can and is all being fixed, but it sure is a drag. My neighbor asked me if I had read the Book of Job- funny huh?

Oh well- just a little over 2 weeks until the Chicago Pipe Show. I'm sure I can hold out until then ... if the next round of storms (later today) don't bring a new catastrophe : ( -T

Light!

2011-04-21T10:59:00.000-07:00

Yesterday the electricians finished the wiring and today I put up lights. Now to build some work benches and get the tools moved in. -T

Two Cousins Furniture?

2011-04-18T10:40:00.000-07:00

Mark and I have been making some pretty funky furniture for the last couple of months. We took a bunch of it to the Crosstie Jazz and Arts Festival in Cleveland Mississippi last Saturday. We had a good time and were very pleased with the reception we got. Hopefully we will get a website going soon that will be devoted to our new venture. Here's a few photos from the festival. -T

Lobnik Pipes for Chicago

2011-04-12T07:11:00.000-07:00

A couple of days ago Gregor was kind enough to send a photo update on the pipes he is bringing to Chicago. I don't usually wish I were rich. Wealth has never been a goal of mine ... except every April, about a month before the Chicago Pipe Show. I could use one of those multi-million dollar executive bonuses about now.

Gregor's pipes just get better and better. I am looking forward to seeing these, but dreading having to choose just one. -T

Roof!

2011-04-12T06:06:00.000-07:00

I have a roof, now I'm just waiting for the electrician. Maybe soon I can leave Limboland and get back to work. -T

New G. L. Pease Blend to Be Released at Chicago Pipe Show

2011-04-05T08:03:00.000-07:00

Here's something to look forward to-

Another plug from G.L. Pease.

More info at Pipesmagazine.com

New Pipes from Wolfgang Becker

2011-03-30T08:24:00.000-07:00

My pal Wolfgang built a new house this past year and along w/ that a new workshop. After some badgering, he sent me a few photos of his shop and some new pipes. He promises me at least a couple of these pipes will be with him in Chicago. I'm counting on it. -T

Concrete!

2011-03-25T11:16:00.001-07:00

New Workspace!

2011-03-25T08:26:00.000-07:00

I'm finally getting a roof ...and a concrete floor ...and electricity! The last few years I've had to work on an unroofed wooden deck and if you've read order posts here, you know I complain (ok, whine might be more accurate.) every winter. Hopefully by this time next week I should have a concrete pad with a roof and actual electrical outlets instead of extension cords snaking everywhere. I'm pretty excited. I should be able to work in all but the worst weather. So no more weather related excuses for why your pipe rack isn't ready on time. I'll post more photos soon. Gotta go now- the cement truck is here! -T

Dreaming of Chicago #2

2011-03-13T03:13:00.000-07:00

Here's a couple of photos from Gregor Lobnik. I'm looking forward to seeing his new pipes "in the flesh". -T

Dreaming of Chicago

2011-03-12T04:35:00.000-08:00

The countdown has begun. It started for me almost a month ago. 60 days until the Chicago Pipe Show. I wouldn't say that I am "giddy", but an outside observer might view my subdued enthusiasm that way. I can't help it. The Chicago show is great. Friends and pipes. Friends I only see once or twice a year and thousands of beautiful pipes. How can any pipe enthusiast not be excited?

Well, as I work hard to at least appear to be a sober right thinking adult, I must confess to needling my pipe maker friends for info and images of what they are working on and which pipes may make their way to Chicago. Fortunately people in the pipe world seem to be about the nicest folks in the world and several go out of their way to appease me. Anders and Martin (Vollmer & Nilsson) are goods examples of this. They are making some commissioned pieces for me but they were kind enough to send me some photos of their current production. -T

Lobnik Retro Holbek

2011-03-07T07:18:00.000-08:00

While surfing the web late the other night I decided to take a look at Joel Shurtleff's site, The Briar Pipe. It had been a while since I had checked in and I wanted to see what was new. I clicked on Gregor Lobnik's name and not intending to buy anything, but dang if Gregor's take on a Holbek classic wasn't there! And at a very affordable price. Before I knew what I was doing (it was late and I was tired and on the way to bed) I clicked the "add it to cart" button. Like I said, I had no intention of buying anything, but I had seen this pipe on Gregor's website and was intrigued and a little in love. At the time Gregor was making pipes for his new Chinese dealer and I assumed it was heading for China, but here it was and I couldn't let it pass. So now it is mine and I am very happy w/ the purchase. I have thought for a while now that young pipe makers should take a look at the 1st generation of Danish pipes ( Holbek, Poul Rasmussen and Brakner, etc.). So many pipe makers seem to start w/ Lars and while I certainly think Lars is a master, I think there were some very cool designs that preceded him and could and should be explored. I hope to see more from Gregor. -T

Trip to Nashville

2011-02-24T05:31:00.000-08:00

I was in Nashville yesterday "on business", and was able to squeeze in a visit to Uptown's Smoke Shop. It's really a lovely spacious store. This was my first visit since their move to this new location and I am impressed. It's heartening to see a tobacco store expand rather than contract. They seem to be focusing on cigars more than pipes. They had one of the largest and most well stocked humidors I have ever seen and I came away with a nice stash of cigars I've never tried before. They also have a friendly crew working there. I spent about an hour in the store. It was a nice diversion from "business". -T

Søren Eric Andersen

2011-02-15T03:35:00.000-08:00

I'm on a roll! I just received a pipe in the mail yesterday from Denmark and it is a beauty ... and not only that, it smokes great. I mean really great. This pipe is from Søren Eric Andersen.

He's one of those Danes who have been making cool pipes for 40 years, so I guess I shouldn't be surprised that he knows what he's doing. What surprises me is that both this pipe and the Pierre Morel that I bought recently, smoke fantastic. I mean they jump into the my top 5 smokers list. I'm not a scientist or a wine reviewer so I can't tell you why they smoke great or really what I mean when I say they smoke great ... they just do. They smoke noticeably better than the majority of pipes I own. Weird. I wish I could pin it down, but I must have the brain of a neanderthal ( I recently read that scientist now believe that neanderthals spoke w/ high pitched voices. Not the deep and guttural grunts that the movies would have us believe.). So if there is anything to gain from reading this, it is the fact thank I highly recommend that everyone go and buy a pipe from Mr. Andersen. You'll be glad you did. -T

Update- I've been smoking this Andersen pipe for a couple of days and I absolutely love it. It feels great to hold, it looks beautiful (the birdseye is amazing) and I swear tobacco tastes better in it. I am so happy with it that I just checked the Eric Andersen website w/ the intention of buying another, but most of them are sold ... I guess I will have to continue checking in and hope I am quick enough to get another one. -T

I see Nick Miller has a couple at Quality Briar. Hmmm ....

Pierre Morel!

2011-02-10T07:40:00.000-08:00

I have been interested in Pierre Morel's pipes for a while now, but have not had the opportunity to actually see one. I have read excellent reviews of Morel's pipes by the guys at the website Compagnie des Pipes and one of my favorite pipe makers, David Enrique has begun an alliance w/ Morel, making pipes together. I was intrigued. On our adventure to The Briary I was able to see and purchase a wonderful little rusticated apple. It is a beautiful pipe and it is one of those smoking machines that if you are fortunate, you come across from time to time. I couldn't be more pleased w/ my find. It is the highlight of a really exceptional trip. -T

Pipe Extravaganza @ The Briary!

2011-02-07T04:33:00.000-08:00

Mark and his son-in-law Joe and I met up in Tupelo on Saturday morning and headed for The Briary in Birmingham Al. We have come to think of this winter voyage as "the kick-off of the Chicago Season". Sort of the start of the feverish anticipation of Chicago Pipe Show. A mini version of that large scale insanity. And we weren't disappointed. The Briary parking lot was packed when we rolled in. The store itself was crammed full of people and the air was ... non existent. It was a wonderful smoke-filled temple of pipe and cigar enthusiasts. In other words - Heaven.

Danish pipe maker, Peder Jeppensen had one counter top filled w/ his Neerup line of pipes. It took a couple of minutes for Mar, Joe and I to squirm our way over. Peder had over 100 beautiful and affordable pipes laid out, just waiting to tempt us. On a counter to the right, Eric Stokkebye had the Villager/Stokkebye line of tobbaccos out with tins open, ready to sample. Moving around the store was difficult with so many folks jockeying for position, but everyone was friendly and in high spirits, so it was fun. The group included a wide variety of society. Old (like Mark and I and even older), young (college students), male, female (ok- just one), rich (guys talking stocks and bonds) and working class and all having a great time. Skip (the owner) and his cohorts John and Mark were looking a little worn after a couple of hours of very brisk sales. There was to be a pipe smoking contest, but we had to skip that and make the 4 hour trip back to north Mississippi and Memphis. We had a fantastic time. Now let the Chicago giddyness begin! -T

Art in Nashville

2011-02-04T09:54:00.000-08:00

If anyone is in Nashville at the end of the month, please stop by and see some of my paintings at Vanderbilt's Sarratt Gallery . Thanks, T

San Fran '35

2011-02-02T03:54:00.000-08:00

This is by far my biggest seller. It's one of my least expensive racks and I'm sure that has a lot to do w/ it's popularity. I like to think that the design also contributes to the sales. It's clean, simple and efficient. It does what a pipe rack should- it holds pipes and pipe stuff. Here's a couple of recent ones. -T

Another Large Pipe Cabinet

2011-01-28T11:49:00.000-08:00

This one is heading east. -T

Cool Video- Ilsted & Tao

2011-01-24T12:32:00.000-08:00

I came across this video yesterday and even though I can't speak a word of Danish, I think it is pretty cool. -T

A Custom Rack from Mark

2011-01-24T05:14:00.000-08:00

Mark just finished his first pipe rack of the New Year. A custom version of the Elliot's Collector Cabinet. This one has a solid wood door and a drawer added, which I think is very nice. He was able to find a nice piece of Bird's eye for the door panel, making this a pretty cool little pipe rack. The accent colors were selected to match the paint that the customer was using in their "Man Cave", the ultimate in custom!

Smokingpipes Pt. 5- Finishing Up

2011-01-23T07:13:00.000-08:00

After spending a delightful time chatting and smoking pipes w/ Adam, I needed to go and find a hotel for the evening. Sykes suggested one just down the street where Tokutomi stays when he is in town. Well if it's good enough for Tokutomi, it's certainly good enough for me.

All in all it was a wonderful trip and well worth the time and miles. I am amazed at the Smokingpipes operation. It is vibrant, fun and incredibly efficient. I was shocked to see how many pipe were being shipped out the day I was there. Can there really be that many pipe smokers in the world? I guess so, and Sykes and crew seem to know exactly what we all want and do a fantastic job of supplying it.

As I was heading out the door I was presented with my grand prize of the trip- a pair of Smokingpipes socks. Amazing! -T

You can see a much better account of Smoking pipes at Pipesmagizine.com

Smokingpipes Pt.4 - Jack Knife Plug

2011-01-20T08:01:00.000-08:00

Adam took me upstairs to more of the behind the scenes world of Smokingpipes and what a bustle of activity it is. It looks like a great place to work. Everyone was busy and rushing around, but they seemed to have time to joke around and socialize too.

We went to Adam's desk where he inspects and writes about the incoming new and estate pipes. It looked like a lot of work to me, but Adam seemed to handle it as if it were second nature. After showing me the ins and outs of estate pipe inspection, Adam brought out a tin of GLP Jack Knife Plug and cut off first some thicker flake cut and then some very thin shag. He explained that loading the bottom portion of the pipe bowl with the thicker flake and then finishing w/ the thin shag seemed to produce a easy lighting, long smoking pipe. He was correct. I loaded up a small bowled Wolfgang Becker that I had brought, thinking that I should be careful w/ this plug. I had heard it can pack a punch. But what I got instead was a wonderful smooth, not too sweet, not too tangy bowl of Va. Very nice. I am already looking forward to cellaring some of this stuff and trying it in 3 or 4 years ... if I can stay away from it that long. 2 thumbs up for Jack Knife Plug. -T

Smokingpipes Pt.3- Adam Davidson

2011-01-19T03:22:00.000-08:00

I contacted Adam before I went to South Carolina and told him I was headed his way. I think I detected a slight " you're crazy" sound in his voice when he told me to "come on", but he was certainly very welcoming when I arrived.

Adam is sort of a Renaissance Guy, he seems to be able to do whatever he puts his mind too. He makes incredible pipes, cooks, and knows a heck of a lot about a lot of stuff. Above is Adam and his amazing beef stew. I only ate a little bit, but it was an effort for me to not stick my face in the pot and start licking. -T

Smokingpipes Pilgrimage Pt.2

2011-01-17T08:00:00.000-08:00

After a few minutes of looking over the store I mentioned to Sykes that I wanted to take advantage of their new discount plan and buy multiple tins of some of my go-to blends. Sykes said this would probably be easier by pulling the tobacco from the warehouse, a seperate building across the parking lot. We walked out the side door and over to the second building. Inside was more tobacco than I had ever seen in one place. There were tins and boxes of tins everywhere. It was a glorious sight. I had to force back tears to bring it all into focus. Sykes told me to grab what I wanted and provided me with what I thought was a large box. Turns out the box was barely big enough to hold my booty. I probably would have started on a second box, but my mind was swimming and I couldn't remember what blends I wanted or even liked. This was probably self preservation kicking in. -T

Top photo- crazy amount of tobacco I bought!

Pilgrimage to Smokingpipes

2011-01-16T08:27:00.000-08:00

I had occasion to be in South Carolina this past week and I couldn't resist the temptation to drive an extra 300 miles (600 really, since I had to return) and see Smokingpipes.com's B+M, Low Country Pipes and Cigars in Little River SC. It was a long drive, but well worth the effort. Sykes Wilford, owner and captain of the Smokingpipes ship and Adam Davidson, who acted as cruise director for my visit, met me at the door. After a very warm welcome (I thought at first they had confused me for someone important) they proceeded to show me around the store and then to all the behind the scenes activity. Here's a couple of photos of the store. More of my little adventure later. -T

Jack Knife Plug and Snow Delays

2011-01-11T06:05:00.000-08:00

I got sucked into the hysterical fervor surrounding the release of GL Pease's latest effort- Jack Knife Plug. On Smokers Forums the excitement was building as the release date drew near and then suddenly a post came through announcing Smokingpipes.com had just received their shipment. I acted fast and ordered 2 tins. I was one of the lucky ones, I had reacted quick enough as word came that the shipment had sold out in minutes. I even ordered a special cutter for the plug that another member of the Forums recommended. Everything was going great ... until last night when I received this notice from UPS-

Exception Reason:	ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS
Exception Resolution:	THE MOVEMENT OF THE PACKAGE WILL RESUME AS SOON AS THE WEATHER CONDITIONS ALLOW (RESOLUTION)

Bummer! I had been enjoying the snow and now it had become a wet blanket on my good times. Now the waiting begins. I will undoubtedly check UPS tracking # a jillion times a day until the snow melts. The funny thing is, I will probably enjoy this burning anticipation as much as I do the new tobacco. We'll see. -T

Snow Day!

2011-01-10T08:05:00.000-08:00

4-5" of snow here and Mark (who lives about 60 mi. south of me) got a good bit more. This makes for a good day to clean up the shop, pack pipe racks for shipment, drink coffee and smoke pipes. -T

New Boots and Old Peterson Pipes

2011-01-05T07:54:00.000-08:00

I have a pair of Merrill hiking boots that are supposed to be waterproof- they are not. Yesterday their replacements arrived. Vasque truly waterproof hiking boots. When I awoke this morning I was happy to hear a light rain falling. A chance to try out my new boots on my morning walk! I grabbed my 3 Peterson workhorses and a pouch full of BBF and headed to the woods. When I arrived the rain was reduced to a light drizzle. Perfect walking weather and a great opportunity to try out the new boots. They worked better than expected. Waterproof of course, but comfortable right away. I thought I might need to wear them a while to get them formed to my feet. But no- they felt like old friends. And the Petersons, which are old friends, performed as always- beautifully. They smoke great and seem to beg to be abused and worked hard. I've owned more expensive Peterson pipes but none have smoked as well as these 3 cheap ones ( Donegal Rocky lovat, Standard 304 and a Rock of Cashel ). I don't know if I was just lucky w/ these 3 pipes or if all of the Petersons in these lines are good, but I am very pleased w/ my pals. -T

Yet Another Video!

2011-01-05T04:49:00.000-08:00

Mark's Baker Road Cabinet is highlighted at the beginning of the video. -T

New Year's Day Feast

2011-01-01T12:02:00.000-08:00

Turnip greens and black-eyed peas for fortune and luck and cornbread ... because it's good! -T

2010-12-31T17:50:00.001-08:00

No More Pipes!

2010-12-30T16:16:00.000-08:00

That's right! I will not buy any more pipes this year. These 2 Gamma Princes from David Enrique are the last, I swear....-T

Another Video!

2010-12-30T08:57:00.000-08:00

Mark has his 2nd pipe rack to star in a video! Pretty cool ... and good music too. -T

My Claessen Christmas pipe!

2010-12-29T04:08:00.000-08:00

I was fortunate to exchange a few emails w/ a prominent european pipe collector a few months ago and one bit of advice he gave me was "to get a Dirk Claessen pipe". It took a while for me to find the pipe that "spoke to me" and at the same time, to have the money to pony up for it. Finally I found it at La Compagnie Des Pipes and I couldn't be happier with the pipe or the service that Guillaume and Gilles @ La Compagnie provided. Great guys to deal with and a nice selection of hand made pipes to choose from... a fine Christmas present for me. -T

Unfinished Business

2010-12-27T14:47:00.000-08:00

It's December 27th and time to get back to work and finish some racks and cabinets that didn't get done before Christmas along with some new orders that have come in. It's always fun to get back to it after having a couple of days off. -T

New Vollmer & Nilsson is Here!

2010-12-16T07:10:00.000-08:00

The pipe arrived a couple of days ago and I have smoked it several times and of course love it. The one bad thing about V&N pipes is that there is no surprise. You expect their pipes to be great and when you get one ... it is. I guess that's not really bad ... Anyway, Anders and Martin may have their sights set on pipe world domination, but that's ok w/ me. -T

Christmas Orders

2010-12-14T06:00:00.000-08:00

We have reached our Christmas cut off. We can't promise any more racks before Christmas. We have a couple that are still available and we will be happy to ship them to you. All new custom orders will have a January ship date -T

Der Krampus

2010-12-11T08:04:00.000-08:00

My daughter pointed this guy out to me. I had never heard of him. Apparently he accompanies St. Nick around and gives naughty boys and girls what for. I'm assured he only comes by on St. Nicholas Day (Dec. 6th), so we're safe for another year. -T

New Take on the Collectors Cabinet

2010-12-09T09:13:00.000-08:00

Mark updated and added to his popular Elliott's Collector Cabinet. It's a great cabinet for showcasing pipes and with this version, there's a lot of storage too. And it just looks cool! -T

Stephen Downie

2010-12-07T17:13:00.000-08:00

I've got this really nice Stephen Downie pipe for sale over at Briar Blues. Take a look. -T

Zippo Hand Warmer

2010-12-06T07:20:00.001-08:00

My dear cousin Mark gave me a Zippo hand warmer for my birthday. All I can say is, why haven't I had one of these for years?! These things are great. I went for my regular morning walk this morning and when I left the house it was 24⁰F. Normally it's my hands that get the coldest and gloves are always in the way when smoking a pipe. Quite by accident I found that w/ the hand warmer, gloves aren't needed. In fact the hand warmer seems to work better w/o gloves on. Just slip it in your pocket and your hands stay toasty warm.

It does take a bit of a leap of faith to use this gadget. It seems a little fool hardy to fill a metal object w/ lighter fluid, light it, put it in a fabric bag and place it in your pocket. But they must have brain surgeons or rocket scientists working at Zippo, because this thing is imo an engineering marvel.

Thanks Mark and thanks Zippo! -T

For Sale

2010-12-03T20:11:00.000-08:00

Here's a 7 pipe closed cabinet I made for a customer, but it wasn't what he had in mind. Mark is making him one that should fit the bill. That leaves this one available if anyone is looking for a Christmas present. -T

7 Pipe Closed Cabinet

12.5"T x 17"W x 8"D

Drawer interior- 2"T x 14.5"W x 5"D

$200 (Available)

Cold Start

2010-12-02T06:40:00.000-08:00

Mark texted me before sunrise this morning to take a look at the beautiful crescent moon. It was beautiful and in a crisp clear sky, but it was cold out. I'm not winterized yet. I haven't become accustomed to cold weather. It goes straight to my old bones. I loaded up the pockets of my old leather jacket with pipes and tobacco and headed over to the Wolf river for my morning walk. I wasn't sure it was a good idea, but I did it anyway. It turned out fine. It was a lovely morning and I was ready to ditch the jacket half way through the walk. The couple of pipes I took w/ me helped. -T

Gold of Denmark

2010-12-01T14:08:00.000-08:00

MacBaren's Gold of Denmark is a blend that Mark and I both enjoy at this time of year. If you asked either of us if we liked aromatics, we would both give you a resounding "NO". But MacBaren seems to be able to make aromatics that have a great smell, taste like tobacco and don't leave a sticky residue in your pipe. And Gold of Denmark just seems like Christmas to me. For some reason, I have enjoyed it more this year than ever before. It has seemed like the perfect tobacco to smoke all day. This might end up being a 2 tin season. -T

V&N- Maybe not so cruel ... ?

2010-11-29T07:08:00.000-08:00

I'm not sure if Martin and Anders (Vollmer & Nilsson) are in fact nice guys or if this is part of their evil plot for pipeworld domination, but after all my moaning and whining they informed me that one of the pipes that they had sent me photos of was available. It happened to be one of my favorites, so I immediately snapped it up. It's a beautiful pipe and I'm sure I will love smoking it for years to come. I can't wait to get it. But I have to wonder- maybe I'm one of those conspiracy nuts- or maybe they knew I couldn't resist ... -T

p.s. They tell me they are working on a website update, but then, in theory so are we.

Vollmer & Nilsson; Cruel Friends

2010-11-26T08:27:00.000-08:00

Be careful what you wish for ....

I recently exchanged emails and ideas with our pipe maker friends Martin Vollmer and Anders Nilsson. The object of the correspondence was a pair of pipes that I wished to commission to be picked up in May at the Chicago Pipe Show. The "pair" ended up being 3 pipes and after some discussion and some great ideas on V&N's part, I will be getting 3 amazing and exciting pipes. I can't wait. Foolishly in parting I asked my friends to send me some photos of current work whenever they had the chance. I like to see what they are working on and they are even worse at updating their website than we are. Well, I got what I asked for and I can't help imagining Anders and Martin having a good laugh, knowing that I would certainly come down with a bad case of pipe lust. The Swedish duo give the impression of being perfect gentlemen, but I think if you look closer you will find a cunning cruel streak. Here's a few of the photos they sent that are now making my life a little miserable. -T

Happy Thanksgiving!

2010-11-24T05:46:00.000-08:00

We will be over indulging w/ friends and family ( after watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade) and we hope you all have the opportunity to do the same. -T

The Factory is Humming!

2010-11-18T03:55:00.000-08:00

OK- we don't have a factory or anything close, but we have been busy and that's good! Here's a couple of international orders. One to Canada and one to Merry Old England. -T

Two Cousins on YouTube!

2010-11-05T10:51:00.000-07:00

Take a look !

Fascinating Reading!

2010-11-01T09:16:00.000-07:00

Great stuff over at A Passion for Pipes. Even we old dog pipe smokers have a lot to learn.

Here's a little intro to what Neill has to say-

"This three-part series will go in my book in the chapter: On Successful Pipe Smoking. It explores a number of issues, most notably 1) How and why blends develop; 2) Matching tobaccos to pipes; 3) How chamber geometry affects tobacco flavor; 3) Why draft hole diameter is relevant to tobacco flavor; and 4) Where tobacco flavor really comes from. The three series posts are:

1) The Mystery of the transforming tobacco
2) Finding that magic fit between pipe and tobacco
3) How and why chamber geometry affects tobacco flavor

In developing this series, I used research findings I unearthed that were developed by scientists who were researching the relationship between the chemical composition of smoke and tobacco-burning temperature. The experiments and findings were initially part of a cancer research study, but their findings and methodology have much broader utility."

Take a look if you haven't already. It will make you think and maybe make you want to do a little experimenting on your own. -T

Above image from Neill Roan' article

Blue Riband Commission

2010-10-26T06:39:00.000-07:00

Several months ago I received a phone call from friend and pipe collector Neill Roan. He was looking for a pipe rack for his growing collection of Comoy Blue Riband pipes. He felt it might be a project that I would find fun and interesting, and he was right. I spent way too long thinking about the project- to the point of Neill having doubts about my interest. Finally, I decided to jump in and do it. This seems to be my best way of operating. I finished the rack in time to bring it to Neill at the Richmond pipe show. He was kind enough to write about the rack on his Passion for Pipes site. I don't get this kind of press often- I figured I'd better milk it for all it's worth. Thanks Neill. -T

Ashton

2010-10-16T03:50:00.000-07:00

I started smoking pipes years ago. I bought my first pipes as many of you did, from a Tinder Box in the local mall. For years I smoked cheap pipes and was happy. Then I discovered Ebay and the thrill of Olde England got the better of me. I was entranced by Dunhill, Sasieni and Barling. Unfortunately I couldn't afford the good stuff. I was only able to win the pipes that no one wanted. They were beat up or from the wrong time period. As my finances increased, or I suppose the truth of it is, that my schemes for diverting money towards pipe purchases got better, I became enamored of of the Danes and then the German pipe makers. But I have always clung to a fondness for England. Sherlock Holmes, smoking jackets and wood paneled libraries- what's not to like? And then along comes Neill Roan and his passion for Comoy Blue Ribands. Once again I felt the lure. But I didn't want to become a pipe historian. I didn't want the thrill of the chase. I'm an American. I want what I want ...NOW. At the Richmond show, I was fortunate to stumble across Jim Craig and his son. Jim has taken over the Ashton name. I had of course heard of Ashton and had even had a lovely conversation w/ Bill Taylor at the bar during the Chicago show some years ago. But Bill's pipes were just too large for me. but now, here in Richmond, was a table full of English pipes that seemed just right for me. I had a hard time deciding which to get. In the end I picked up the small bent billiard w/ silver band shown above. It's a fine little pipe and a really wonderful smoker. I think my problem has been solved. I think I am now an Ashton collector - on a small scale anyway. -T

Smokin' Holsters

2010-10-11T18:39:00.000-07:00

I've been looking at Neil Flancbaum's pipe bags on his website - Smokin' Holsters - and every year at the Chicago Pipe Show and while I loved the bags, none of them seemed quite right for me... until a month or so ago. Neil made a bag that looked almost identical to one I had drawn and I thought it was the perfect pipe bag... but now I had decided I needed one 1/2 the size of my original ideal, so I contacted Neil to see if a 1/2 bag was possible. He said "sure", and proceeded to make me exactly what I wanted. The bag is great! It easily holds 4 pipes, 2 or 3 tobacco pouches, a couple of cigars and my small notebook I carry every where. It really is "The Perfect Bag". I can't praise it or Neil's workmanship enough. -T

What was I thinking?

2010-10-08T11:25:00.000-07:00

OK- it's not like I don't have other things to be doing, but somehow I became just a little obsessed with making a stonewall pipe rack. My wife says it looks like a storybook rack. Maybe I could sell it with bubble pipes for kids ... sort of get them in the pipe habit. Probably not a socially acceptable idea. -T

Back from Richmond

2010-10-07T09:49:00.000-07:00

Mark and I made it back from Richmond a couple of days ago. We had a great time. We camped at Warriors Path State Park on the way up and at The Cedars of Lebanon on the way back. Between camping and the pipe show, it was sort of like going on two separate trips. Needless to say we did a lot of pipe (and cigar) smoking. We saw several old friends in Richmond and made several new ones. I especially enjoyed our evening with noted pipeman, author & publisher, Gary Schrier. What a warm, friendly and funny guy! It was a wonderful trip. The CORPS group puts on a great show. I recommend it to any pipester. -T

Back in the Saddle

2010-09-20T06:23:00.000-07:00

After 2 1/2 months of waiting, I finally got my table saw back from the repair shop. It was under warranty and that's the good news. The bad news was the amazing ineptitude of ...I don't know who. The repair shop blamed the folks at Ridgid, but their excuses seemed a bit lame to me. In the end I suppose it doesn't matter. I will never buy another Ridgid tool. I have lost my faith in their products and their company.

With that said and out of the way, I can go on to say I have had a couple of fun days making pipe racks again. I didn't realize how much I missed it. As many of you know, I am a painter (the artist kind) and I love painting, but it is a pleasure to do something else from time to time. Making pipe racks and working with wood requires a different type of thinking and it is a joy to exercise that part of my brain again.

Anyway, I'm back in the saddle and if you've been waiting on a pipe rack I should have it ready soon.-T