Blog by Steve Laug

Several weeks ago now I received a cryptic email from Mark telling me to keep an eye out for a small package coming from Luca at Neatpipes. Knowing Mark’s proclivity for pipes – Irish and Italian I was not sure what to expect. But I also know he writes a blog for Luca Neatpipes http://www.neatpipes.com/blog/list/diary-of-a-mad-padster/&id=1 so I wondered if there was not a new book on its way to Vancouver.

On the blog was a series of blog articles on what Mark called the Five Laws of Pipe-Companioning. I had read them earlier and enjoyed his writing and what he was proposing. Sure enough when the package came it contained a copy of Mark’s book on the subject. I was thrilled to be able to give it a read. It was published by Luca of Neatpipes and is a small pocket sized book. I know it is pocket sized because I have had it in my pocket several times over the past week and have taken it out for a read at lunch hour, coffee breaks, while standing and waiting in various queues. It is the perfect size for this kind of subterfuge. I am one of those guys who always has a book in the pocket of his jacket so regardless of where I have to wait I have something to make the wait endurable – bank lines, grocery lines, transit lines, you get the picture. Mark’s little book is perfect for my habit.

The Table of Contents gives a short version of the Five Laws and is a great summary of the content of the chapters that follow. I have learned a habit garnered from Mortimer Adler’s How to Read a Book many years ago now, of reading the Table of Contents and Preface of the book to get a feel for the author’s focus and purpose. Doing so this time around did not let me down. The chapters in this little book are as follows:

Preamble 7-9

Pipes are for use 11-17

Every pipeman his pipe 19-25

Every pipe its pipeman 27-33

Preserve the pipes 35-41

Your pipe community is a growing organism 43- 49

Afterword 51-57

Coda 59-67

While Mark writes the book from the Preamble to the last chapter, Rick Newcombe writes the Afterword and Luca Di Piazza writes the Coda.

As can be seen above the book is a brief 67 pages long and can be read in one sitting, but I have found myself reading and rereading the chapters and reflecting on the concepts that Mark proposes in them. It is not so much the profundity of the concepts as the turn of phrase that I have come to associate with Mark’s writing that brings me back again and again. It is a good read for that reason alone in my opinion. But certainly there is more grist for the mental mill than just the turn of phrase in this book – whose concepts go beyond the scope of the short 67 pages. They open a world of reflection for those with that bent. So, load a pipe, find a quiet spot and delve into the words and ideas of the Five Laws of Pipe-Companioning.

In his Preamble Mark spells out what he means by the use of the word, “laws”. Rather than explain it myself I will let Mark do it in his own words. The following comes from the Preamble: “I need to be clear that what follows aren’t “laws” in the sense of something we need to debate, argue about and legislate according to majority rule. They’re universal principles, viz., underlying operative conditions of our hobby…You’ll see beliefs and opinions – mostly mine – but these are not about the laws themselves, but about the way the laws can best be practiced (or observed), something always open to interpretation.” With those introductory words the Five Laws are applied and examined. The layout of the book is well done and draws the reader into the work. There is lots of white space making it easy on the eyes and some beautiful pipe photos inserted between chapters to add colour and “eye candy” for a break to ponder to the words that have just been read in the previous chapter. It is a beautiful little book.

As can be seen above the book is a brief 67 pages long and can be read in one sitting, but I have found myself reading and rereading the chapters and reflecting on the concepts that Mark proposes in them. It is not so much the profundity of the concepts as the turn of phrase that I have come to associate with Mark’s writing that brings me back again and again. It is a good read for that reason alone in my opinion. But certainly there is more grist for the mental mill than just the turn of phrase in this book – whose concepts go beyond the scope of the short 67 pages. They open a world of reflection for those with that bent. So, load a pipe, find a quiet spot and delve into the words and ideas of the Five Laws of Pipe-Companioning.

In his Preamble Mark spells out what he means by the use of the word, “laws”. Rather than explain it myself I will let Mark do it in his own words. The following comes from the Preamble: “I need to be clear that what follows aren’t “laws” in the sense of something we need to debate, argue about and legislate according to majority rule. They’re universal principles, viz., underlying operative conditions of our hobby…You’ll see beliefs and opinions – mostly mine – but these are not about the laws themselves, but about the way the laws can best be practiced (or observed), something always open to interpretation.” With those introductory words the Five Laws are applied and examined. The layout of the book is well done and draws the reader into the work. There is lots of white space making it easy on the eyes and some beautiful pipe photos inserted between chapters to add colour and “eye candy” for a break to ponder to the words that have just been read in the previous chapter. It is a beautiful little book.

The first chapter looks at the First Law, Pipes are for use. At first glance the concept seems clear to those of us who smoke pipes but in the chapter Mark puts folk on a continuum that extends from “absolute pipe smoker to absolute pipe collector. Most of us he says fall in between the poles in a broad field. He suggests that we are called pipe companioners – those who enjoy the company of their pipes. This is a concept that Mark and I have written to one another about as we discuss our love of the pipe. It views the relationship of the pipeman and the pipe as almost sacramental in nature. The pipe has the ability to lift the pipeman to a different plane and provide a connection to a separate reality. This particular chapter is chock-full of concepts that take time to ponder and savor. The ideas in this chapter alone are well worth the meager price of the book.

The second chapter looks at the Second Law, Every pipeman his pipe. This law acknowledges the diverse range of likes and dislikes of pipemen. Another way of saying this could be, “to each his own”. The idea developed in the application of this law is simply to build tolerance for another pipeman’s tastes. Each of us is drawn to the pipes that become our companions and generally move out those that do not fit our criteria. Tolerance and pleasure in the passions of another keep us from becoming elitist in our hobby. Life is far too short to not take pleasure in the joy of another’s discoveries.

The third chapter looks at the Third Law, Every pipe its pipeman. The idea here is that every pipe was made to be smoked by someone at sometime in its life. Mark explores the application of this law to the companioning of pipes (BM – Before Mark: collecting). This law shows the breadth of the room on the continuum between Absolute Pipe Smoker and Absolute Pipe Collector. I have never ceased to enjoy the wide variety of pipe collections that I have seen on my travels when I connect with other pipemen. I love to hear the stories they bring forth from their companioning to regale the beauties and joys of their particular pipes that have found a home with them. To me this is profundity of the application of the Third Law.

Chapter four looks at the Fourth Law – Preserve the pipes. This law is a pleasure for me to read. As a hobbyist pipe refurbisher I have come to believe that all of my pipes will certainly outlive me. All of the ones I have reclaimed and renewed will go on to the next generation of pipemen and give them the same pleasures that they have given me. Not only is there integrity in the pipe companioning in my cupboard but there is also an integrity that is cross generational as the pipes pass through my hands and experience into the hands of the still unknown next generation. Thank you Mark for your reflections on this. He covers the topic beyond my brief excursus above and looks at the application of the law in several different ways. Give it a read.

Chapter five reflects on the Fifth Law – Your pipe community is a growing organism. Mark looks at the idea that every pipe has a story and the fact that you too have a pipe story. To me this is a natural followup to the Law Four. My trust of a given pipe adds another layer to the story of the pipe and to my own pipe story. I am still pondering all of the implications of the application of this law in Mark’s book.

The Afterword by Rick Newcombe really gives the reader Rick’s take on the Five Laws and one can see in it the truth of what Mark mentions in his Preamble, “You’ll see beliefs and opinions – mostly mine – but these are not about the laws themselves, but about the way the laws can best be practiced (or observed), something always open to interpretation.” I appreciated Rick’s words as he walked through each of the Laws and gave us a look at pipe companioning through his eyes. The inclusion of this piece actually does exactly what the book purports to do. Thanks Rick.

The Coda by Luca is yet another application of the Laws from his perspective. He takes us into the world of his companions and we seem how he applies the laws. This too is a great inclusion and a good way to round out the concepts set forth in The Five Laws of Pipe-Companioning.

I certainly appreciated the work Mark has done in putting his thoughts on paper regarding a topic that has always been rattling around in my brain. The concepts explicated by these Laws have been something that I have explored in my own Father Tom stories and the various pieces I have written on the rebornpipes blog. If you are interested in reflecting on your own pipe “collection” and broadening your perspective on it or just interested in all things pipe related then by all means contact Neatpipes to purchase a copy of this great little companion.