Back from the Pipe Show

Mark and I made it back home after a great time at the Chicago pipe Show. It's always a pleasure to catch up with old friends and spend a weekend immersed  in the world of pipes. We added a couple of days to the trip this year and that made the event much more enjoyable. We weren't totally worn out the whole time.
I didn't take many photos this year but here's a couple to prove we really went. -T

On the way

The slow smoke contest

Cleaning Pipes

Getting ready for the trip to Chicago.

KiltedPiper

I saw a post on Facebook by Fumeurs de Pipe today about Martin Hansen (KiltedPiper). He lives in Germany and makes some unique pipes. I am so tempted by this one, but I don't know... -T

New David Enrique Pipe On the Way!

David sent photos of the new pipe he has made for me and I'm pretty sure I'm going to love it. I asked him to take a Pipe Dan shape and make his version. I think he did a great super cool job. I can wait to get it. -T

Nice ring blast

Burning Scrap

We end up with mounds of scrap wood and fortunately this is a good time of the year to enjoy a fire. -T

Wow! Just One Month!

Until The Chicago Pipe Show! This event is always a highlight in my year. So many friends I only see once a year not to mention all the pipes! Mark and I will be there with bells on or at least beards. Hope to see you. -T

This is Better!

My favorite. -T

Blended Whiskey

Yes- they're empty

St Paddy's Day seems like an appropriate time to talk about whiskey so I'll have at it.
I recently watched a British tv series about a cop in Scotland- Rebus. In one scene Rebus is in a bar ( a familiar place for him ) and someone offers him a single malt. He declines saying something to the effect " only Americans and fools drink single malt. I drink blended whiskey." Well this got me thinking. I am an American and probably a fool too and I've been drinking only single malt for some years, but maybe I should try some blended whiskeys again. I did a brief search on the internet and saw someone's top 10 list and headed to the local liquor store. I bought 3 to try. I still prefer single malt. No matter which single malt you try, it has a character of it's own. The blended whiskeys were all fine but they lack any depth. They were just bland. But what can I say- I'm an American fool. -T

The Gentleman's Companion

This one's ready to go.

Whiskey, pipe and tobacco not included.

Osric w/ Horn by David Enrique

Still thinking of Pipe Dan and Holbek and fortunately there is at least one pipe maker that responds to these designs like I do. David Enrique recently put this pipe up on his website. Unfortunately I was too slow and it had sold before I saw it! It's a wonderful example of a creative pipe maker taking a classic design and making it new and something different and totally cool. I love this pipe/ -T

Osric w/ Horn - Tanshell by David Enrique

Too Cold!

Our northern factory here in Memphis was humming along pretty well for the past few weeks. The turn around time on orders was down to a reasonable 2-3 weeks but the cold has moved in bringing ice w/ it. Looks like it will be a few days before I can get things cranked up again. It's just too cold out there for an old man. -T

The Outdoor Pipe Rack Factory

Pipe Dan Dan Pipe

I love these designs that Holbek and others did for Pipe Dan ...or is it Dan Pipe? Whichever- I like them a lot and I'm surprised that more folks in the pipe community don't seem to care for them. They are so elegant, clean and modern but also seem to have something working class about them. Maybe I'm romanticizing. -T

Hey! I'm Back.

Here's a couple of recent variations made for customers. I like the way they turned out. -T

The San Fran '35 w/ extra storage

The McCarty Farm in grey

Pipe Racks!

Chris Asteriou!

Back in the Spring at the Chicago Pipe Show I asked Chris to make a couple of pipes for me. One was a panel billiard like one I had seen him post on Facebook. It was a very elegant pipe that looked like it should have belonged to some minor royal figure in a 1930's movie.

The second pipe I requested was a copy of a 1930's Comoy that Chris owns. It's a smallish billiard with a good size bowl.

To cut to the chase- they have arrived and all I can say is WOW! Chris is an amazing pipe maker. Incredible skill and attention to every detail. The only problem with these pipes is that they are too good for the likes of me! -T

Missing

I'm a little shocked at how long it's been since I posted anything here. I suppose I've been busy and verbiage doesn't come easy for me so even a couple of lines is major work and requires more thought than I am comfortable with. But I will try to do better. -T

Bing, Anders & Martin

I sent this picture of Bing Crosby in Holiday Inn to friends and pipe makers Vollmer & Nilsson. I asked if they thought they might be able to make a similar panel billiard for me. They wrote back that they hadn't made one before but would try. Well dang, they did a fine job. They made 2 trying to get a smooth, but both needed to be sandblasted. I didn't especially want a smooth and was happy to leave that decision to the brothers.Anyway- I love this pipe. It smokes great- so great I have smoked it more than once a day several times since I picked it up in Chicago. And I think even though it is a blast, V&N captured the essence of the original. That might be because they listened to Bing croon while they made the pipe. Martin tells me Anders has 6 1/2 hours of Bing on his ipod. I went to the right guys for this one. -T

More from The Pipe Show

Friday Pre-Show Show

Friday

Neil Flancbaum of Smoking holsters fame  

Steve Liskey w/ "My" pipe

Tom Richards, Juergen Moritz, Klaus Zenz and Frank Axmacher

The Show 

Seattle Pipe Club Soiree

Gitta and Wolfgang Becker

Gerasimos Minetos and Chris Asteriou

Photos from the Pipe Show

Here's a few.

Check in at Pheasant Run

Carvers and pipes

Cases full.

More

and more

Drunken Salmon at VinoThai

Steel drum?

Jon Guss- I think he's tired.

Neill Roan and Chris Asteriou

The smoking tent

Back in Memphis!

Made it back safe and sound. Show photos soon. -T

Crossing the bridge.