Category Archives: Pipe Related Essays

Short and not so short essays on pipes and tobacciana

A Pipe’s Journey – Big Ben Select Bent Billiard

Blog by Steve Laug

I personally enjoy knowing the history or journey of a pipe before it arrives in my trust. So when I am gifted a pipe I record where it came from and if I keep it I have an idea of the path it took to come to me. If I gift it forward I pass on that information to the next owner if they are interested in knowing. I don’t know what it is about the story of a pipe that intrigues me but I have some idea that it is because of the connection it gives with pipe men behind me and those who will live beyond me. I know that a briar pipe will live long after I am gone. Because I buy estate pipes I know that it has had a long history before it came to me. When I know that history it adds a dimension to my enjoyment of the pipe. When I don’t know the history I can learn a lot about it from the previous pipe man who smoked it before me.

This pipe came to me in a gift box of six pipes that were in need for refurbishment from a friend in California on Smokers Forums. I believe he picked them up from Ebay in a lot of pipes he purchased. As many do, he bought the lot for one of the pipes and then set aside the others to either work on or to pass on to others. This particular pipe was a sandblasted Big Ben Bent Billiard. Underneath the wear and tear I could see that a gem still resided. It had a silver band and a nice looking blast. I could see from the use and condition of the pipe that it was obviously someone’s favourite pipe. I must have been a great smoking pipe because it was smoked into the condition it arrived at my work table.

The finish was rough but shape was classic. The feel of the pipe in my hand was perfect. It fit in the cup of my hand and was light weight and comfortable. The thin stem would clean up nicely and feel great in the mouth. There was some work to do before it would be ready to be smoked by me or by someone I gifted it to that was for sure. The bowl was dirty and thickly caked. The shank and stem were filled with tars and grime. The bowl was stamped on the underside of the shank – Big Ben Select under a B in a circle. The rim edges were worn and rough but as it was a blast this would not be a problem to clean up. Over the stain coat was also a shiny varnish or lacquer coat that I always find to be a pain to remove and deal with in a pipe that is worn like this one. The outside of the stem was oxidized but the circle B logo was still deeply stamped. There was also a slight tooth mark on the underside of the stem near the button. The button was very tight and small – so much so that a thin pipe cleaner was work to get through the slot. I described the process of refurbishing this old timer in a previous blog that can be found at the link below. https://rebornpipes.com/2013/01/20/new-life-for-a-big-ben-select-bent-billiard/

I don’t know anything about the original owner of the pipe as the gifter had no information on where it had come from. However, that being said I could tell a lot about the pipe man who had smoked it to this point in its life. From the condition of the pipe I knew that it had belonged to an old timer who smoked his pipes until they were worn out, threw them away and picked up another one. In terms of that scenario this pipe had a lot of life left in it. I could see that the pipe had never met a pipe cleaner in its long existence. I could tell that it was smoked almost continuously without a break to let it rest. I think it could easily fit into the category of rode hard and put away wet that accompanies many an old horse. All that being said it must have been a great smoking pipe to have been so “loved” that it never left the hand of the pipe man. The wear on the finish around the bowl where his hands rested showed how he held it. The small tooth mark on the underside of the stem near the button showed the way he clenched it in his mouth. As for the tobacco he smoked – well it was pretty oily and dark smelling so there is part of me that thinks that it was something like Erinmore. The cake was hard and dense.

Here are some photos of the pipe when I finished restoring it. I knew that one day I would find the right person to pass this one on to.

Not too long ago now I was talking to a good friend of mine, Dal who lives in Sofia, Bulgaria. He had recently taken up the pipe again. He had a few pipes that already had stories attached to them so we spoke of cleaning up and restoring his pipes. We talked about methods and tools used to clean them so that he could bring them back to a bit of their former glory. That got me thinking that I would like to pass a pipe from my collection on to him. Looking through my rack my eyes fell on the Big Ben Select bent billiard and I knew this was the one that I would gift to him. It had an interesting history and the idea of sending this Dutch pipe back to Europe just fit for me. I also knew that the thin stem, the tactile sandblast and the bend of the pipe would appeal to his liking.

The timing was perfect as one of his colleagues was here in Vancouver for training at our office so I could send it back to Bulgaria with her. It would be hand delivered in a timely way and much more likely to arrive in one piece than if I shipped it to him through the post from Canada. I took it from the rack and gave it a quick cleaning to remove any dust that had collected. I gave the pipe a light buff with carnauba wax and then with a clean buff to bring up a shine. I took it apart and wrapped the stem and the bowl separately in paper towels. I put a small bag of Stokkebye’s Balkan Supreme with the wrapped pipe and put the gift into a ziplock bag for easy delivery.

This past weekend she gave him the pipe. I was curious to find out what he thought of it so I fired him an email and asked him. Sometimes my curiosity cannot wait to just let things happen at their own pace I want to know sooner. I wanted to be able to finish my chapter of the life this pipe. I had after all delivered the trust to another pipe man and I wanted to discharge the trust for this old pipe to him. He wrote the following email in response:

Hey Steve,
Well, I named it ‘Vancouver’. It only seemed right. I really like it – the look, feel…very nice. Today I smoked my first bowl, recorded it for posterity with the photo attached. I’m not too practiced at doing selfies…. Very light weight and smoked well. I love the stem design too. Thanks. The tobacco was good too – starts with a sweet aroma and finishes with something really full – can’t quite put my finger on it. I look forward to hearing the back story on it.
Dal So my trust has been discharged. With one journey across the Atlantic under its belt and travel to the West Coast of the US from somewhere in the Eastern or Central US it now crossed the Atlantic once again. It had a stopover in Amsterdam and Budapest before it came to Sofia, Bulgaria. Its story can now continue in the rack of another pipe man a continent away from the original purchaser of the pipe. His first bowl was a Balkan Supreme on the balcony of his apartment in Sofia. I am sure that he will add his own unique elements to the story and will grow and expand over the years he enjoys this pipe. One day when he passes it on as a trust to another pipe man he can also pass on its history with his part of the tale added to the story.

Home from Lethbridge, Alberta with a few Pipe Finds and Gifts

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Blog by Steve Laug

I was away for a little over a week and just returned from a week of rest and work in Lethbridge, Alberta with a good friend, Rohan. It was a great time. I am unable to visit somewhere without checking out antique shops or malls to see if I can find any pipes or tobacciana that interest me. So for sure I had to do a bit of that on this trip. On Saturday there was an Antique/Flea Market happening at the race track under the grand stands and we went to check it out. Over the years I have generally found something to take home with me on these expeditions. My friend’s wife found a nice wooden pipe rack with a humidor jar for him. I found a few items scattered around the market. The first of these was a rough old sandblast billiard that was stamped Diplomat and Italy on the bottom of the shank. The stem was not the original as it did not fit. Whoever owned it before had wrapped the tenon with thread and tin foil to hold it in place in the shank. They had also hacked up the stem with files to cut a new button and grooves on the underside to make it a dental bit. It was very rough. I paid $10 Cndn for it which for the American’s reading this is about $6. Not a bad deal. I also found an unused Kleen Reem pipe tool in a hard shell case. All parts were there and the lining of the box was a little worn for wear. The tool itself was spotless and the band of pipe cleaner pieces was still present. I paid $20 for the tool which is a great deal for a vintage pipe tool that was still unused. The third item shown in the photos is a pipe lighter. It did not have flints in the chamber so the wheel free spun. It is stamped Fisher Elite over Made in Canada. This little lighter was $10. It will take a bit of work to get it working well again but it is a nice piece of tobacciana and Canadian made to boot. Rohan had made several trips recently and picked up some gifts for me. I thank him for his thoughtfulness. The first of these was a little hand carved pipe from Columbia. It is similar to the ones that friends have brought back for me from Nepal. I know it is not a tobacco pipe but it is interesting nonetheless and now sits on my book case with a pipe from Viet Nam, two from Nepal, two older Ropp Cherrywood pipe. The other gift was from a recent trip to Australia. He picked up this leather covered Butane torch lighter for me that will make a great addition to my lighters.

It was a great trip in a lot of ways. My friend and I enjoyed many a bowl together on his front porch and on Monday afternoon visited a pipe man from England that lived down the street from Rohan. He invited the two of us to join him on his patio. We looked over his collection of pipes and tobacco. Then we sat outside and chatted while enjoying a few bowls together. His wife brought us each a cup of tea and some butter tarts to enjoy while we visited.

Sitting at home now and cleaning up the Diplomat pipe I want to say, “Thanks Rohan for the great time and the memories that I added both in terms of pipes and lighters and shared bowls. I look forward to the next time we meet.”

Reborn Pipes – Looking back 3 years ago to June 24, 2012

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Blog by Neill Archer Roan

This piece originally was posted on Neill’s Blog – A Passion for Pipes (http://www.apassionforpipes.com/neills-blog/2012/6/24/reborn-pipes.html) not long after I had started rebornpipes. I had no idea that he was going to write this or what he would say. I was quietly starting the blog and the readership was really low. I did not know what I was doing I only knew that I wanted an online presence to put the pieces that I had written on refurbishing pipes and the extra ones that would come. I also wanted it to be a place that others could contribute to and share their work. I wanted a virtual community of amateur and otherwise pipe refurbishers. Now looking back three years or more after rebornpipes began I want to take time to thank Neill for his jump-start for rebornpipes. It was his publication of this piece on A Passion for Pipes that opened up a broader readership very quickly. I have read Neill’s blog for a long time now and when I read this piece he wrote it actually brought tears to my eyes. He got the point of rebornpipes. I can honestly say that it was his encouragement then and now that keeps me going. I want to take this venue to publicly thank you once again Neill. Your encouragement has meant the world to me. Thank you very much

As of my last researching the number, there are over 150 million blogs out there on the internet. By the time I finish typing this sentence there will probably be 160 million. It’s amazing how many people blog these days.

Steve Laug at breakfast at the Chicago Pipe Show

There is one new pipe blog out there that deserves your attention: Reborn Pipes, written by the Vancouver, BC pipe man Steve Laug. It is better than good. It is wonderful. Truly wonderful.

I became acquainted with Steve Laug through the popular Smokers Forums, an online pipes and tobacco forum. Steve serves as a moderator on that forum. Subsequent to my online introduction, I met Steve in real time at the Chicago Pipe Show quite a few years ago. I had already intuited Steve’s kindness and generosity; these things can be experienced in an online environment, but they are amplified in real time.

In real life, Steve is a member of the clergy. He is the sort of man whose flock I would immediately join if he lived within driving distance of my home. Thoughtful, quiet, and warm, Steve is, to my mind, an old-fashioned ministerial type in that his ministry emerges from serving others. I once learned of him bringing a homeless stranger back to his home and table for Thanksgiving dinner, an event inside his life that is probably so routine as to seem unremarkable. I’m sure he will be embarrassed to read these words, assuming he ever does. In other words, he actually lives the example of Jesus Christ as opposed to preaching the example.

I bring this up because that spirit of service comes across authentically in his writing.
In his pipe life, Steve brings homeless pipes to his workbench – pipes that have seen better days. In most cases, these are unremarkable pipes in brand or collectible terms. The one thing they seem to share is that they were once loved by someone. Most of them have had the tarnation smoked out them. As we would say of this kind of horse in Wyoming where I grew up, they were “rode hard and put away wet.”
Taking a gander at these pipes in Steve’s “before” pictures, most people would muse, “Why bother?” Why indeed?

It only takes looking at the “after” pictures to answer the question. When Steve applies his considerable refurbishment skills to these pipes, they are, in fact, reborn. Steve’s blog is aptly named because these pipes leave Steve’s bench more than refurbished. They are reborn to their purpose, ready to be smoked. Ready to be treasured.

In Reborn Pipes, Steve shares more than his refurbishment process, he shares his patience and his insights.

In practical terms, by reading Steve’s blog, you can learn how to restore your own pipes to their former glory. If you are new to the pipe world, or trying to build your rotation without draining your bank account, you can acquire skills that make it possible for you to buy estate pipes, spiff them up, and then enjoy them. By so doing, you’ll learn that you can buy and smoke much better pipes than you could otherwise afford. Plus, they will be yours – truly yours – in terms that you could never understand if you haven’t gone through this process.

I’ve bought many a fine pipe in my nearly 60 years, many of them high-grade, artisanal pipes. They have come to me in exquisite and pristine condition. It has surprised and perplexed me that a pipe’s beauty is not only an attribute that conjures desire, it can also be a barrier to my enjoyment of the pipe. All that newness, all that perfection defies defilement by putting match to tobacco within its little chamber of perfection. I have pipes in my collection that have remained unsmoked and unenjoyed for over a decade. I own these pipes, but they certainly do not feel like they are mine.

I’ve never felt this way when buying an estate. As I have assembled my Comoy Blue Riband collection, I have wound up with more than few pipes in need of refurbishment. When I’ve finished restoring the pipe, the work has created a bond of affection for that pipe that only time and labor can endow. I appreciate its qualities in deeper, more meaningful ways than I have ever felt for any of my brand-spanking-new treasures because I have had a hand in revealing its better qualities.

If you haven’t sussed out my point by now, let me state it outright: Steve’s blog addresses in metaphorical terms more than the refurbishment of pipes. He reveals that all things under heaven may be reborn through love, and not through love as it is so popularly and shallowly understood, but rather love as it is expressed by the farmer or the gardener.

The farmer and gardener express their love of the land by working it. They endow their land with purpose through the dignity of stewardship. There is not only affection here, but economy, thrift, and satisfaction that comes from the husbandry of more than oneself.

There aren’t many blogs out there that improve oneself by reading them. Reborn Pipes is special in this way. It deserves an audience. I invite you to join me as part of it. Navigate to Reborn Pipes by clickin here.

Article originally appeared on Pipe Blog (http://www.apassionforpipes.com/). Used by permission from the author. See website for complete article licensing information.

Reflecting on the illusive “magic” smoke and what makes it happen

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Blog by Steve Laug

In between traveling and working I had a day free in Budapest, Hungary. I had finished the work I had gone there to do and had some free time. I needed time alone after several weeks filled with people and meetings so I could recharge and regroup. So, I slept, wandered, ate and took time to write. I wrote a reflection on pipe smoking in Budapest that I posted earlier. I also wrote this reflection on what makes a magic smoke. I sat in a nice sidewalk café near my hotel with a pen and paper and wrote the outline for what later because this piece. I am sure that over the days ahead I will add to the thoughts I am expressing here and certainly invite you who read it to add to it as well using the comments box at the end of the blog.

Much has been written about how drilling and airflow dynamics affect the way a pipe smokes. And while that certainly is true there are other things that also affect a smoke. The reality is that the basic mechanics of a pipe are quite unremarkable. There is a furnace chamber for burning the tobacco and an airway on the bottom side of the bowl with a tube that runs out to a mouthpiece. The tobacco is lit; the air is pulled through the tobacco from the top of the furnace and is drawn through airway into the mouth. Diagramming it is quite simple. Think of a larger U or V with a line running from just above the bottom of the letter (U—–) and you have a pretty good picture of what the general furnace looks like. There are modifications of course such as bent pipes, partially bent pipes, system pipes etc. but even then the basic diagram is accurate.

I have been refurbishing pipes for over 15 years now – slowly, steadily learning more and more about the craft. One thing I have learned is that the basic mechanics of a pipe do not change. The externals may vary from pipe to pipe and maker to maker. The diameter and shape of the bowl differs. The diameter of the airway differs. The configuration of the airway in relation to the bottom of the bowl differs. The fit of the tenon into the mortise will either be tight or loose with arguments for both. However, the basic mechanics remain constant. The changes in bowl size and airway size affect burn and draw rates certainly. The larger the bore of the airway the easier it is to draw the air through the tobacco to the mouth. However the route is the same. I liken it to adjusting the flue on a woodstove. The more open the flue the more quickly and easily the wood burns. The more closed the flue the longer the burn. To some degree this is true of pipes as well. Kirsten pipes for example have a flue system to adjust the airflow in their bowl with a mere turn of the end cap. This controls the burn and openness of the airway.

I would say that while certainly the rate of burn, the flow of air and the ease of draw all contribute to a good smoke they are not alone in defining what makes a great smoke. They merely adjust the rate of burn of the tobacco and the duration of the smoke. Some of you might say that the bellows (the smoker) on the end of the mouth piece end also sets the cadence for the burn and the flow of air through the tobacco and draws the fire down into the bowl. But even this is still part of the mechanics. Think in terms of a bellows that draws air to the fire in a forge and intensifies the burn and the heat of the fire. It is part of the mechanics of the burn.

So if it is not just mechanics that make a good smoke then what is it that makes it happen? Is it the tobacco? Is it the cut and dryness of the leaf and the way the pipe man packs the bowl that makes a great smoke? Certainly these contribute. Add this to the mechanics of the pipe and you have another part of the answer to the question at hand. By itself, it also does not guarantee a good smoke. I am sure that many of us have experienced that accidental great smoke when we paid no attention to the pack of the bowl or to tamping correctly or applying the flame to the leaf. Most of us have experienced that magical smoke even in a poorly drilled and mechanically inferior pipe. So what is the deal? I know that one of my most magical smokes was in an old Medico Brylon billiard sans paper filter which made the draw wide open. I was packing it at a stop light and smoking it while I drove my car and the smoke was like a revelation of why I smoked a pipe. Nothing about the set up or the pipe precluded that I would have a magic smoke. In fact most of us would cynically have bet against it being a good smoke. So what is it that makes the magic? It is not mechanics alone. It is not your method of loading and tending the bowl alone. It is not the quality of the pipe alone. Though all of these contribute to the magic smoke to some degree but none of them, either alone or together, explains it.

I have read some who would say that the magic may reside in the briar or the meerschaum or the qualities of a particular piece of briar or meerschaum that is well seasoned. I am not convinced that this is altogether true. I have had both aged briar and new briar pipes that smoked both poorly and very well with no particular rhyme or reason. I have had the surprise of having Brylon and pressed meer pipes that have smoked really well and certainly a large proportion of them that smoked poorly. I have picked up cheap basket pipes or corn cobs when I was traveling on a short trip and left my pipe at home and found that some of them delivered amazingly great smokes. All of the curing, shaping, drilling did not guarantee a great smoke. I know that an aged piece of briar should deliver a better smoke but I have had older Algerian briar pipes that were well broken in and still burned both hot and sour. At the same time I have picked a newly carved pipe, loaded a bowl and was carried off by the magic. Certainly, quality briar and quality meerschaum that are well carved and well drilled increase the odds of a good smoke but they are not a guarantee.

Along with all of the things another contributing feature that comes to mind from my experience is the setting where I am smoking my pipe. It definitely contributes to the quality of the smoke for me. I know that when I find a good spot where I can relax and either disappear into a reflective state or sit and watch passersby both work well for me and they contribute in different ways to the nature of the smoke. I just came back from Berlin and Budapest where sidewalk cafes are everywhere and the amazing thing about these cafés and terraces is that they are smoker friendly spots. I spent quite a few late afternoons and evenings availing myself of the pleasure of the café. I was able to find the sweet spot on a few of those days and enjoy a magical smoke. In those cases I think I was able to disconnect from my busy day and slowly puff and slide into that space where pipe men go when they are alone with a good pipe. The quality of the smoke was definitely affected by the spot. But I have also enjoyed good smokes slowly walking through a park or down the street by my house as I head to an appointment or a meeting. So it seems that the setting contributes but it is not solely responsible for the moment.

That leads me to the last consideration of elements of the good smoke in this reflection – that of the internal state mind of the pipe smoker. What does it contribute? In my experience, my most magical smokes have oddly occurred during some of the hardest and most troublesome days of my life. The pipe allowed me to disconnect from the heat or weight of the moment and stand apart for a moment. It was that magical disconnect that allowed me to get lost in the smoke. It gave me a moment to move outside of the moment and just get lost in the smoke. In that quiet spot created by the pipe I was able to gain clarity and move forward with decisions and choices that had been weighed and considered with care. I know that some would argue that a calm spirit and quiet heart makes for a better smoke, but in my experience it is the ability of the pipe to take me to that place of calm and quiet that adds to the magic. For me the state of mind seems to come after the smoke has been entered into and not as a per-requisite for making the magic happen. I am sure for others this may well be the case but it alludes me when I seek for it and comes to me when I surrender to the quiet of the pipe.

I am sure there are other contributing features that can be added and certainly would love to have you add your own thoughts to these reflections in the comments section below. All I know is that for me it is that ever illusive but amazing magical smoke that keeps me coming back again and again to my pipe. Regardless of the circumstance I have learned that the mechanics, the tobacco, the setting and the reframed state of mind all contribute their part to the great smoke!

An Unexpected Gift – An Early Christmas Tale

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Blog by Steve Laug

I started this short story last Christmas and never finished it. Over the past months I have taken the time to complete the story and continued to edit it. It has a few twists and turns and a predictable ending I suppose. I post it now as we move ahead toward Christmas.

Matt had tucked the children into bed after giving them each a cup of warm milk and reading them a good story. And now quiet had descended on the house as they were sound asleep. His wife had gone to bed as well after preparing for tomorrow’s Christmas meal. All things being equal that meant Matt had some quiet time to relax and reflect. He poured three fingers of Maker’s Mark neat into his mug and settled into his chair. He loved to sip the smooth bourbon from a mug rather than a glass – it just worked for him. On the side table next to his chair he had strategically placed one of his pipes (chosen for just this occasion), a tin of 2010 Christmas Cheer, a tamper and lighter. There was also a selection of books that he could spend time reading – everything from murder mysteries to autobiographies. There were plenty of options to meet whatever desire struck his fancy.

He took a sip of the Mark and then set it on the table so that he could pack his pipe. He loved the flavour of Christmas Cheer and he always packed it straight from the tin. He rubbed it together to form a ball and then stuffed it into the bowl. He put some of the broken pieces of tobacco on top of the bowl to use for tinder and took a draw on the pipe to make sure it was not too tight. He then let the flame of the lighter dance across the surface of the tobacco as he drew the flame into the bowl. It did not take long before the tobacco ignited. He tamped it lightly and relit. Soon he settled back to puff contentedly on the bowl. The flavours of the Virginia hung in his mouth on his lips and gums. He could taste the sugars. The air around his head was filled with smells of rich Virginia. And even though he had read that you could not smell your own pipe Matt was convinced that he could and savoured every smell.

With the pipe fully lit and smouldering he took another sip of the Mark and swirled it around in his mouth. Makers Mark went exceptionally well with a rich Virginia Flake. And Christmas Cheer was as rich as could be and the combination just worked. He sat quietly thinking about his family in bed in the rooms above his head. He looked at the Christmas tree and the gifts that were placed strategically around its base. He nodded his head and thought how much the kids would enjoy the magic of Christmas morning in just a few hours. He well remembered that they would be up at the crack of dawn and emptying the stockings that hung on the mantle of the fireplace – heavy with goodies and small gifts. He and his wife had devised the stockings as a strategy to give them a bit more time resting while the kids opened the stockings.

The smoke curled around his head and the peacefulness of the moment lent an air of contentment to his heart and mind. He reached for a book he was currently reading – a biography of CS Lewis one of his heroes. He had read all of Lewis’ books and had read the Chronicles of Narnia to his children for many years now. It was almost a yearly event that started every fall and ended about the time the flowers poked out from the ground in the spring. He found that at this particular moment he could not focus on the book at all so he set it aside. He tamped his pipe and slowly puffed on it. He sipped the Mark and leaned back in the chair. He put his feet up on the foot stool and disengaged from the world around him. That was the beauty of a pipe. The ritual of loading, packing, lighting and smoking a pipe had an uncanny way of making the cares of life slip away for the time spent with the pipe. It slowed down time and caused worries to dissipate even if only for a short moment. The respite seemed to make knots untangle and worries not matter as much.

Time seemed to just slip away and Matt was brought back to reality when he heard the grandfather clock strike 12:00. The tobacco had burned down to a light grey ash. The fire in the fireplace had grown cold. The Makers Mark in his mug was gone. He had been lost in the smoke of his pipe and the quiet reflection that seemed to reside in the midst of that smoke. He heard a rustle behind him and wondered what was going on. He thought he must have been hearing something but he stopped nonetheless. There was a rustle of fabric and a slight cough. He sat up straight and peered around the edge of the tree in whose shadow he sat to see who was there. And what to his wondering eye should appear? Who was behind the edge of the tree and his vision? Whose clothes were rustling and who coughed? It was his son Luke. Luke came into the room and climbed up on his dad’s lap. He snuggled in close and Matt laid his finished pipe on the table.

He sat with his young son on his lap in the dark with only the flickering Christmas lights lighting the room. His eyes grew heavy and very soon he was sound asleep with his son on his lap. He never heard the slight rustle in the chimney or the clunk as a pair of boots landed among the cold ashes of the fire. Nor did he move when the fellow quietly went across the room and laid down his sack and arranged his presents under the tree. Once finished the fellow looked at Matt and Luke sitting in the chair and chuckled quietly. His eye took in the pipe on the table next to Matt and the can of Christmas Cheer sitting open next to it. He walked to the table, picked up the tin and took a deep sniff of the tobacco. He took a pipe out of his pocket and loaded a bowl, tamped it with his finger and lit it with the lighter. He sipped the tobacco and as it burned slowly in the bowl he wrote a note for Matt. He set the note next to the tin and replaced the lid on the tin. As he did Luke stirred and his eyes grew large as he took in the fellow smoking a pipe standing in front of him. He wink at Luke and put a finger in front of his mouth. He put a finger next to his nose and in a wink he was gone.

Matt awoke to his son shaking him. His son said nothing but merely pointed to the note next to the tin of tobacco. Matt shook himself awake, picked up the folded paper and read what was written there. Here is what it said:

Hi Matt, I stopped by to leave a few things under your tree. I was so glad to see that you smoked some decent tobacco in your pipe. Christmas Cheer is my favourite blend. I hope you don’t mind but I helped myself to a bowl. You left the lid off so I put it back in place for you. You don’t want that tobacco drying out too much. Oh and just so you know I left a little something from me under the tree. I expect you will enjoy it. Maybe next year you will be awake and we can share a bowl. Merry Christmas! — Nick.

Matt sat stunned for a moment. Then he turned to his son and together they looked at the fireplace and the gifts under the tree. He went to the tree and picked up the small package with his name on it. He knew that it had not been there before. He turned it over in his hands and then opened the package. Inside was a nice tin of 2008 Christmas Cheer, two years older than the one that was on the table. There was a short note under the plastic lid that simply said:

I enjoyed some of your 2010 Cheer so I thought I would share some of mine. Enjoy! – Nick

Who would ever believe this simple tale? But they both knew it was true. Luke had seen the old soul and Matt had the letter and the closed tin of tobacco. They both knew that their guest had been there. Matt could also smell the Virginia smoke in the air. Ah well. They both should head to bed for a few hours of sleep before the rest of the family awoke and the festivities began. He unplugged the lights on the tree and picked up his son. The two of them climbed the stairs. He tucked his son into bed and kissed him good night. He took himself to bed and pulled back the covers. He was asleep as fast as his head hit the pillow. October 6, 2015

y how things change: Reflections on Pipe Smoking while visiting Budapest

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Blog by Steve Laug

I have just returned from being in Berlin and in Budapest. I spent just over a week in Budapest and had a great time there. While I was there I was able to sit in a variety of sidewalk cafes and café terraces and enjoy dinner, a pipe and a drink in all of them with no issues. It was a delight to either end a meal with a pipe or sit and sip a new brew while enjoying a bowl. While I was there met other pipe smokers and found them friendly and helpful. I visited two of the pipe shops I have written about before on the blog – Gallwitz and the Pipetorium. When I visited here 5 years ago these both were amazing pipes shops in their own right. They were very different but they both are connected with good memories of that first trip. However this time when I visited them they had undergone significant change. These changes brought to mind some questions for me on the health of pipesmoking in Budapest. The Gallwitz shop looked the same on the outside but once I opened the door and went in it was obvious that things were not the same. The shop was reduced to almost half of its original size. I was quite shocked when I walked in the front door to see how small it had become. When I was there previously the shop was the quintessential European pipe shop. The walls were lined with cabinets and display drawers. The back of the shop had a low counter and a pipe craftsman sat in residence there. He was not only the shop keeper but a pipe maker in his own right. He “reigned” in this shop with dignity and an age beyond his years. The photos below show what the shop used to look like. I hope that these will give you a picture of what I had in my memories of the previous visit. It was a veritable treasure trove of pipe history in Budapest and a must stop for all who love the pipe and all things pipe. This time the many pipes both estate and new had been reduced. The drawers of pipes were less and they contained fewer examples and brands. The back wall which had earlier been filled with a variety of tinned and pouch tobacco was missing. The shop looked like it had been emptied of its aged dignity. The pipe maker was gone from the low counter. Instead it appeared that the owner (a man more my own age) was now present. I could see that things were not doing well. In speaking with him I found out that the government was making it almost impossible for him to make a living with his shop. He said that they took away tobacco sales and nationalized them. His shop could no longer sell tobacco. He seriously wondered how long he could survive. Listening to him and looking at his shop I too wonder if it will be here next time I come to Budapest.

To illustrate how much things have changed there on the Vaci Utca I want to point out some of the differences that five years have made. This street is the tourist hub of the city. It contains high end shops and restaurants as well as the assorted tourist shops. There were many small tobacco shops here when I came five years ago. For instance just across the street and around the corner from Gallwitz there used to be a Davidoff shop. It was no longer there. In its place was government tobacco shop with cigarettes, drinks and candy with a limited selection of cigarillos, a small assortment of Cuban cigars, maybe 8 different pouched tobaccos and roll your own tobaccos and cigarette papers. The ambience of the elegant Davidoff shop was gone as were its humidors and shop clerks. Many of the other shops were either gone or changed to the innocuous government tobacco shops with little tie to the past that had been there before. I wonder about the state of the historic shops in Budapest and am pretty sure they will be gone when I return again to this beautiful city.

A few days later after work, one of my Hungarian colleagues, who is also a pipe smoker took me to visit the Pipetorium. This shop was a sweet memory to me of my last visit to Budapest. I was hoping that the unique little shop with its hobbit like shop keeper had not changed. The following three photos are pictures of what the shop looked like the last time I visited Budapest. When we came to the location of the shop I was surprised. I would easily have walked right by without knowing that I had missed it. The unique classic pipe sign was gone and in its place was the circular government tobacco shop sign. The display windows were painted over as was the glass door. My friend and I pushed open the door and I was expecting the worst. Would the shop be but a memory of my last visit, like the Gallwitz shop? I was not sure. The painted windows and door had darkened the inside but thankfully it remained much the same. The hobbitlike owner who I had met previously still sat behind his counter. The difference this time is that I had a Hungarian with me so we could actually visit. The previous time we had managed with few words. This time we visited and talked about the state of his shop. He told me that he was saddened by the changes that had been forced upon him by the government regulations. He said that he was still surviving. I purchased some pipe cleaners that he manufactured and some tobaccos to pass on to friends before leaving the shop. I looked around at the displays of pipes and tobaccos and wondered if this shop would be here the next time I came to Budapest. Time would tell.

On the last day in Budapest I took a walk further down the Vaci Utca looking for some gifts for my daughters and hoping to see one last tobacco shop that had been there on my previous visit. It was called the Cigar Tower and was a tall round building that stood on a corner street just off the Vaci. When I had been there in the past it had display windows that advertised the pipes, cigars and tobaccos that filled the shop. There was a lovely cigar/smoking lounge on the upper floors. It was an interesting place to visit before but had none of the quaint ambience of the old pipe shop. It was more of a cigar shop that sold a few pipes – but at least it had that. When we walked by I looked at the windows and saw that the same government regulations had attached themselves to this shop. The windows and doors were painted over and the obnoxious government signs now cover them. The display windows are dark. The inside also was darker and the selection had deteriorated much as the other shops. There were fewer pipes and a smaller selection of tobaccos than before. Even the cigar selection had been reduced. It had changed from a unique shop to ugly one. I did not even bother checking out the lounge on the upper floors. The windows had also been painted over and looked dark. I had no desire to lose the memory I had of sitting and enjoying a pipe and a drink there. These were indeed sad times for tobacconists and lovers of the old pipe shops in Hungary. Things had changed and I was left wondering if they would survive the change. Would even this shop remain the next time I was in Budapest. After visiting these old memories and feeling the very real loss of what used to be I sat and smoked a bowl and had a pint at one of the sidewalk cafes near my hotel. It is such a contrast to experience this time in Budapest. While there is distinctly a freedom to smoke a pipe that is very much alive here there is also the sad reality that the pipe shops have declined under oppressive regulations. Things look good at first glance as you sit in a café enjoying your pipe but once you make the rounds to the shops and speak to the shopkeepers and owners you see that things are not as good as they appear. Will there be any pipe shops in Budapest next time I come? I have no idea really. But I am hoping in the years ahead that there will be new shops who figure out how to survive the regulations and thrive as unique glimpses into the past. I am also hoping that the government does not follow the path that the Canadian government has and ban smoking from the sidewalks and cafes. This would truly be sad and a real loss of personal freedom.

I am home in Vancouver now and missing the sidewalk cafes and the pleasure of a pint and a pipe in the quaint ambience that is found in those spaces in Budapest. I am left wondering if they will be there the next time I am in Budapest or whether they too will be lost to the back reaches of my memory.

My Introduction to the World of Estate Pipes

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Blog by Steve Laug

Many years ago, when I picked up the pipe again after leaving it aside for a time, I purchased a Medico billiard. I remember that I bought it from a 7-Eleven Convenience Store on the morning my oldest daughter was born in 1982. To me it was a thing of beauty, long and slender and light weight. It had a shine and it felt smooth in the hand. It was made out of Brylon – a mixture of briar and resin and had a nylon/plastic stem. I had no idea of what Brylon meant and how it would smoke but I did not care. I was ecstatic over the birth of my daughter and wanted a pipe to celebrate the event. It smoked hot for the longest time but eventually built a cake that cooled things down a lot. It was the only pipe I had and I never even thought of rotating pipes. I smoked Borkum Riff Whiskey flavoured tobacco as well as Captain Black Blue. I used pipe cleaners because somewhere along the way I had learned that they were necessary but I never let the pipe rest before loading it again and smoking a few more bowls. The only time it rested was when I did! I still have that old pipe – 33 years later. I have restemmed it with a churchwarden stem and still smoke it on occasion. I can tell you when I changed my habits and bought more pipes and some better grade tobacco. I can’t tell you the date of that momentous event but I can tell you the story behind it. I visited a small tobacco shop near where I worked in Vista, California to pick up some more pipe cleaners and some tobacco. When I went into the shop there was an older gent was sitting behind the counter smoking an interesting pipe and the tobacco he was smoking smelled great. We got to talking and I showed him the pipe I had – the old Brylon. I have to give him credit because he did not laugh at or mock me. He just said that he thought I needed to think about picking up another pipe or two so that I could give this one a rest. He was very gentle with me, knowing full well just how green I was to pipe smoking. He asked me what kind of budget I had to work with and like all young fathers my response was a laugh and a question. “Budget?” I asked. He chuckled and did a midstream adjustment in his path to take me to the estate pipe rack.

From the many pipes on the rack he chose two pipes for me that he thought would work well for me. They would give me some variety as well as value for the money. They were very differnet from my Medico. The first was an Alpha Comfit in a modified Prince shape. It was smooth briar and dark and rich looking made in Israel. It had thick walls, a thin saddle stem (with a comfit dental bit) and was clean and ready to smoke. I immediately fell in love with the hand feel and the shape of this pipe. That was my second pipe. The Medico had a rack mate. At that point I had no inkling of the difference a briar pipe would make to smoking when compared with Brylon. It was all about how they looked – their shape and feel – to me. The old gent did not mock me but shook his head approvingly. He truly had my number. The second pipe he chose for me was a sandblast Ben Wade Preben Holm made freehand. It was a piece of art to my eyes – almost what I have come to know as a Dublin shape, but had no idea of that then. The body of the pipe was a beautiful sandblasted briar. Then end of the shank and the rim were what he described as plateaux but to me just looked rough and craggy. It was very light weight. The stem was thin as well. I held the pipe and knew that I had to have this one as well. It too felt amazing in the hand.
I told him I would take them both. Now, understand I had no idea what they cost or if I could afford them. I was in “love” with them and had to have them. He laughed when he saw the “teenage boy in love” look in my eyes. He gave me a price that fit well into what I could afford. I have no idea what I paid for those two pipes but looking back I know he gave me a very good deal. He led me over to the tobacco bar and handpicked two tobaccos for me – not packaged drugstore tobaccos but two of his own blends – I don’t remember the names and the shop is long gone now but I do remember that one was a Virginia and the other was an aromatic that he said smelled like plum pudding. He gave me 2 ounces of each blend to go with the pipes. He cleaned each pipe with a pipe cleaner and wiped them down with a cloth and put them in a pipe sock that he had for them – a no name felt sock. He put some pipe cleaners in the bag along with the tobacco and the pipes.

Then to my surprise he asked if I wanted to smoke one of them before I left the shop. He would guide me in the packing and lighting to make sure I had it right so I would get the most out of my `new` pipes. I remember choosing the Ben Wade and packing it up. He checked my load and then added a bit more. He had me feel the springiness and then showed me how to light it with a match. Then he relit his own pipe and we smoked a bowl together. I will never forget that old gent and the first two good pipes I purchased. The pipe smoked like a dream.

I put away the old Medico and smoked those two pipes for quite a few years. I frequented that shop for as long as I lived and worked in Vista. I went back to see if it was still there a few years ago but it was gone. However, it still lives in my memory. I still have those two pipes. I still smoke them, 33+ years later and I still relive the story with every good smoke that they deliver. The Ben Wade looks tiny now in comparison to the newer freehands that are on the market. The old Alpha has been restemmed by none other than Lee von Erck many years ago now. Both will continue with me through my life.

That was my introduction into estate pipes. Is it any wonder that I still have far more estate pipes than pipes I have purchased new? Somehow, that initial experience set the bar for me to be on the lookout for estate pipes and to add them to my collection. Today not only do they make up the majority of my collection but I have added to that the hobby of restoring and refurbishing estate pipes. I have been doing that for over 15 years now and love the feel of old briar and bringing it back to a life of usefulness. At this point in my life I don’t think my love of estate pipes will ever die. The hunt for them is a part of every holiday and trip that I take. Even my kids take part in the hunt now.

I read a post on one of the forums on this topic that included a quote from Kris Kristofferson that I remember hearing when I was growing up. It is an apropos way to end this blog. “I’d trade all my tomorrows for one single yesterday.” The author talked about the nostalgia of old briar and what a great addition that is to the value of the pipe. To me though the thing that makes estate pipes even interesting to me are the stories that come attached to the old pipe. Sometimes you can ferret out the stories of the pipe other times you have to use your imagination and create a story that fits the pipe. But in either case the memories that come along with these old pipes (if you can find them) and the ones you add over the years give these estate pipes a patina of dignity that it will take many years for a new pipe to gain. Do you buy estate pipes? Why? What are your reasons for buying estate pipes? If you do not, what keeps you from these dignified old timers?

Making a Simple Light Box

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Blog by Andrew Selking

I saw a post by Andrew on one of the forums I follow and wrote and asked if he would post it here. It is something that I have been working on for a while now and to read Andrew’s work. Without any further ado here is the article.

Let me preface this by saying I am not a photographer and I only have vague memories of learning about light in science class. I’m also frugal, so when I started looking for ways to take better pictures of my pipes, cost was big consideration.

So let’s build a light box. First we’ll start with the materials:

medium size cardboard box
white tissue paper
white duct tape (you could also probably use white masking tape)
white poster board (the thin flimsy kind)
day light bulbs (14W compact fluorescent)
ideally three directional lamps

Cut out square sections on three sides of the box. Tape the top of the box and cut out a square section for the top. I used some of the scrap cardboard to reinforce the top. Next tape your poster board in the inside of the box. You will want it to curve from inside the box so that it makes the item you’re photographing look like its floating. Use the white tape to cover any cardboard that is inside the box. Finally, tape your white tissue paper over the openings on the two sides and the top.

I don’t have a fancy camera, but it does have a setting for slow flash to help give a better fill. I also use the close up setting. I was having problems getting my darker pipes to show up in the pictures. I tried more light and it still didn’t help much. I accidentally discovered that changing to a darker background makes the wood easier to see. I have an example of a pipe photographed with the all-white background and the same pipe photographed with a green towel in the background.

I know a lot of you out there do some really great work restoring pipes, while others have amazing pipe collections. This is an easy way to let others appreciate what you do. I hope you found this post useful and I look forward to some amazing pictures.

Restoring Two Older Bonus Walnut Pipe Stands

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Blog by Steve Laug

One of the perks I picked up in the recent lot of pipes I bought off of craigslist was a walnut pipe rest and a walnut 6 pipe rack/humidor. Both of them were in decent shape. They were scuffed and worn in spots and dusty from disuse. But they were still very functional. I have wanted a two pipe rack like the one on the left of the photo for a while now to use on my desk at the office. The other six pipe rack with the humidor now resides beside my chair in the living room. I have had pipe laying in an ash tray and tins stacked next to them. I was able to put the pipes into the rack and the tins in the humidor so it was a great addition. I took a few photos of each piece before I cleaned them up to show that they were in relatively good shape for pieces this age.

I worked on eth humidor/rack first. I took it apart to clean up the pieces. The sides of the humidor had removable cedar panels on the sides of the box. The bottom and top of the humidor were milk glass and both were in great shape. There as a sliding metal plate perforated with holes that held absorbent material inside that could be wetted to keep the humidor living. I scrubbed the glass on the top and the bottom with soapy water and rinsed them before drying them. The walnut rack and case I scrubbed down with Murphy’s Oil Soap and then hand buffed with a soft cotton cloth. The wood was quite soiled as can be seen from the cotton scrubbing pads in the next two photos. I was able to remove all of the grime from the wood and bring some warmth back to the finish.

I put the interior of the humidor back together. There was a cardboard piece that sat between the milk glass and the wooden bottom of the box that went in first. Then the cedar pieces that went on the sides went in next. These were beveled on the bottom and sides to make for a smooth fit with no gaps. They were well cut and fit tightly together with no gaps.

I slid the metal plate out of the track in the lid and scrubbed it with a damp cloth to remove the dust and tobacco bits from the surface of the metal. I buffed it with a soft cloth to bring back some shine. After I had dried it out I slid it back into place on the lid. There is a gold label on inside of the lid that reads “Made of Genuine American Walnut”.

I buffed the rack and humidor by hand and took the next series of photos.

I scrubbed the two pipe rest with Murphy’s Oil Soap and hand buffed it with a soft cloth. The finished pipe rest is shown in the photo below. It looks like new and has a deep warm glow to the finish again.

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