Category Archives: Pipe Reviews

Over the years as I have bought pipes from Pipe Makers I have written reviews of those pipes. While they do not deal with the theme of pipe refurbishing, they give me some great help in the area of mechanics of the pipe – airways, drilling, stem shapes, button shapes and the shape of the slot in the button. I have learned much from these pipe makers whose pipes I buy – both from their work and from them personally.

Review of a Hand Made Medici Bamboo Acorn

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When I first saw this Medici Bamboo Acorn pipe I knew that I had to have it. The Medici mark is made by or for Todd Johnson of Todd Johnson pipes. I bought this one and later found out via Adam Davidson that it was carved by him when he worked with Todd. I bought it from a fellow Smoker’s Forums in late 2006 or early 2007. And I have been smoking it since that time and it is a great smoke. Since I had the day off today I decided to write a review on this beauty. The length of the pipe is 6 inches long and the bowl height is 2 inches. The chamber diameter is 3/4 inches and depth is 1 1/2 inches. It is great sized pipe and very light weight. It is comfortable in the hand. The overall shape is something like a ¼ bent acorn with a nicely done bamboo shank extension. The stamping is on the bamboo shank. It is stamped USA over MEDICI over 2006.

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The finish on the outside of the pipe is a gnarly sandblast that highlights the ring grain on the front and the back side of the pipe and birdseye on the sides of the bowl. I have come to love the tactile feel of the sandblast on this pipe. The bamboo shank is a two knuckle piece that is very light coloured and natural looking. There is an ebony ring that is on the shank where it meets the bowl and where it meets the stem. The shank is joined to the bowl by a stainless steel tenon and the stem also has a stainless steel tenon. The shank is unlined bamboo between the mortise and the joint at the bowl. The staining on this appears to be a black but in the light it has highlights of a burgundy or red that shines through.

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The stem itself is a well made saddle stem handcrafted from acrylic. The blade of the stem is well tapered and thin without sacrificing durability. The saddle and blade have been carved in such a way to make it look almost like a military bit with the blade meeting the saddle on a rounded platform. The blade is flattened on the sides tapering back to the button. It is a comfortable bit in the mouth and it so light that it makes an easy clencher. The tenon is stainless and sits against the ebony ring/disk that caps off the open end of the bamboo. The disk is applied in such a way that is forms a band around the end of the bamboo. The button is exactly the way I like them – thinner on the edges with a gentle rise at the centre top and bottom. It fits well behind the teeth for a comfortable feel. The draught hole in the end of the button is also funneled to deliver a mouthpiece that has the same diameter from start to finish. Comfortable and well executed. A pipe cleaner passes easily through the pipe with no obstruction.

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The internal mechanics of the pipe are very well executed. The bowl chamber is drilled to a ¾ inch diameter. The inner edge of the bowl us straight and clean to the rim. The outer edge is sharp and clean with the blast coming right to inner edge of the rim. I don’t believe the bowl was coated. It is actually hard to remember back to the time of the first smoke of this one and it now has a nice solid cake of Virginia tobacco. There were no flaws or visible pits in the interior. The draught hole is centered at the bottom of the bowl and seems to have a slight funnel as well – like a shallow Y- leading into the shank and stem. There is a very easy and open draw to the pipe. The fit of the stem to the shank is very good – smooth and tight with no light showing at the joint. The tenon sits deep in the mortise against the ebony ring/disk. The fit of the tenon is smooth and tight. The edges of the stainless tenon have been polished and rounded so there are no sharp edges. The drilling of the draught in the bamboo shank is straight and centered in the back of the mortise. The air pulls clearly through the pipe with no whistling at all. Using a light to shine through the various airways reveals smoothly executed airways on the inside. It also appears that the stainless tenon that attaches the bamboo and the disk on the bowl is also polished and smoothed out as there is no catch when a pipe cleaner is pushed through the airway.

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Since I was writing this up today I decided to smoke a bowl in while I took down my Christmas light. I loaded a bowl of aged McClelland’s 5100 and puffed on it as I unwound the lights from the columns on the porch. The tobacco packed as easily as I had remembered and kept burning after the second light. I love that about this pipe. Sitting outdoors or inside the thing almost smokes itself. The draught on the pipe is superb. The smoke was uncomplicated and effortless. It was just as I remembered it from the first bowl many years ago. It has always smoked incredibly well and delivered a flavourful and effortless smoke.

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I end this post with a picture taken by a friend of me with the pipe in my mouth. I had just received it in the mail and had decided to save it for this occasion. What was the occasion you might ask? It was the wedding of a good friend. He had asked me to officiate at is wedding and when it was over I had gone outside to fire up this pipe for the first time. I did not notice but his photographer shot this picture. It was a gorgeous Vancouver afternoon and a perfect day for a smoke outside the church under one of the trees along the curb.

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Thanks Adam for crafting a beautiful and great smoking pipe. Thanks for providing me with over five years of great smoking. This pipe is a veritable Virginia machine.

Review of a Hand Made Larrysson Apple

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Blog by Steve Laug

For quite some time I had wanted a pipe crafted by Paul Hubertt, a Larrysson pipe. Have a look at his website and you will see some of the beautiful pipes he has made and sold and those still remaining for sale http://www.larryssonpipes.com/index.php Several years ago I saw this one on his website and took the plunge. I have been smoking it since that time, enjoying it and thought it was about time to write a review. It is a beauty to be sure. The length of the pipe is a nice short 5 inches and the bowl height is 1 3/8 inches. The chamber diameter is 3/4 inches and depth is 1 1/8 inches. It is a perfect size for me, and feels great in the hand. The overall shape is something like a ¼ bent apple. The stamping is in a smooth oval on the underside of the shank. It is stamped Larrysson in script over HAND MADE over CORNWALL over ENGLAND and underneath all is the date stamp – 72-09 which I believe means the 72nd pipe of 2009.

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The finish on the outside of the pipe is a beautiful sandblast that highlights the ring grain on the pipe. There is a tactile feel that adds to the beauty of this particular sandblasted pipe. On the shank Paul continued the blast but left a smooth band near the stem shank junction and in an oval on the underside of the shank for the stamping. The rim and underside of the bowl obviously had a birdseye grain and the blast highlight that as well with small pits and whirls. The staining on this appears to use a contrasting series of browns to highlight the blast. There is a medium brown undertone that is interesting and over that is a lighter brown or almost tan overstain. The combination works very well and as I have smoked it the variation is developing depth. The stem itself is a well made saddle stem handcrafted from acrylic. The blade of the stem is well tapered and thin without sacrificing durability. The design along with the slight bend makes it fit very comfortably in the mouth. It also rests well enough that it can be clenched quite easily. The tenon is delrin and is countersunk at the end for good mechanics. The button is exactly the way I like them – thinner on the edges with a gentle rise at the centre top and bottom. It fits well behind the teeth for a comfortable feel. The draught hole in the end of the button is also funneled to deliver a mouthpiece that has the same diameter from start to finish. Comfortable and well executed. A pipe cleaner passes easily through the pipe with no obstruction.

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The internal mechanics of the pipe are well executed. The bowl chamber is drilled to a ¾ inch diameter. The inner edge of the bowl us straight and clean to the rim. The outer edge is rounded down to the edges of the bowl with the blast coming right to inner edge. The bowl is not coated with a bowl coating and the raw briar was sanded smooth and very clean. There were no flaws or visible pits in the interior. The draught hole is centered at the bottom of the bowl and seems to have a slight funnel as well – like a shallow Y- leading into the shank and stem. There is a very easy and open draw to the pipe. The fit of the stem to the shank is very good – smooth and tight with no light showing at the joint. The tenon sits deep in the mortise – if not exactly the same length then impressively close! The fit of the tenon is also smooth. The drilling of the draught in the shank is straight and centered in the back of the mortise. The air pulls clearly through the pipe with no whistling at all. Using a light to shine through the various airways reveals smoothly executed airways on the inside. Paul’s mechanics are very well done.

Today I smoked it when I went for my walk. I loaded a bowl of aged McClelland’s 5100 and took a walk in the neighbourhood. The tobacco packed very easily and lit well. The draught on the pipe was superb. The smoke was uncomplicated and effortless. From the first bowl many years ago now until today this bowl smoked incredibly well. It always has delivered a flavourful and effortless smoke. I am looking forward to another bowl later this afternoon.

Thanks Paul for a well made pipe that smokes as good as it looks!

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A Bill Boyle Chubby Apple – A Review

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I have been smoking this Bill Boyle chubby apple that I picked up from him for quite a while now and thought it was time to write up a review. This is the second pipe that I have purchased from Bill and I have found both of them to be consistently good smokers. Bill moved from pipe refurbishing and cobbery (crafting handmade cob uniques) to pipe making a few years back and his craftsmanship is progressing quickly. The first pipe I bought from Bill several years back smoked incredibly well, as the internal mechanics were perfect. But it had a thick stem and button that I found uncomfortable. In this pipe he has progressed on the shaping of stems and buttons to the point that it is very comfortable. I think one of the things I appreciate about Bill is that he is always learning and improving.

The latest pipe I purchased from Bill was a Chubby Apple.

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The dimensions for this pipe are as follows:

Length: 5 inches

Height of the bowl:  1.75 inches

Size of the chamber:  .75 inch diameter and 1.5 inches in depth

Drilling through the shank:  5/32inches

Drilling in the stem:  5/32″ to tapered toward the button and funnelled at the button

Weight: 2.0 ounces

The mechanics of this pipe are well done – as are those of my previous Bill Boyle pipe. He has really mastered the drilling and internal design for his pipes. The bowl interior is clean and smooth when it arrived. He uses no bowl coating so the interior of the briar is visible. This one is a clean piece of briar with no surprises (at least on the surface). The airway is centered in the bottom of the bowl as it should be. There are no ragged edges or pieces left behind by the drill bit. The airway is smooth when examined with a light. It is smooth throughout the shank with no ragged edges. The transition from the airway to the mortise is also smooth and clean. The airway in the stem tapers toward the button and ends in a smooth funnel at the button. The button on Bill’s pipes used to be too thick for me and I would file them down to the size I like when they arrived. I mentioned that once to Bill and he made this button to exactly the specs that I spelled out over the phone. The slot in the airway is also smooth and clean with no ragged edges. It is also centred in the button – something that I used to take for granted but have learned to pay attention to on the pipes I buy and the ones I restem.

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The externals – shaping, finish, stem and feel of the pipe are excellent. I like the compactness of Bill’s apple shape. My other pipe is also an apple – ¼ bent. He did a great job cutting it to maximize the grain and highlight the beauty of the piece of briar. The feel in the hand is perfect for me as I find the apple shape a very comfortable shape to smoke. The finish is nicely done. His staining of the pipe is even and smooth with no fading or light spots on the pipe. The contrast of the undercoat with the brown finish coat makes a nice looking pipe. The stain on the undercoat makes the grain really stand out and the overcoat sets it off very nicely. There is one flaw in the bowl on the front of the pipe. It is visible but does not affect the smoking ability of the pipe (see the picture below). The flaw is not terribly deep but Bill chose to stop sanding so that he could maintain the shape that he had chosen for this pipe.

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The saddle stem is hand cut German ebonite and is comfortable in the mouth. For me some of Bill’s earlier pipes had a more drastic slope on them and thus were not as comfortable in my mouth. I found them hard to hold in my jaw. The slope on this one is more gradual. The flat blade of the stem is cut well and is also a good thickness for the look of the chubby bowl and shank. Bill has tapered the edges to meet and create a midline on both sides of the stem. Nicely done! The finish on the stem is also very good. There are no file marks or scratches in the finish. It is a smooth finish and he has polished it a glassy shine. The fit of the saddle to the shank is also well done. There is no gap between the stem and the shank of the pipe. The thin saddle is a feature that I really like on this pipe – it gives is a unique look. The fit in the tenon is snug and smooth.

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I have been smoking the pipe now for long enough to know that it is a smoking machine. It was not terribly hard to break in and after a few bowls the bowl had begun to form a thin cake. I smoke primarily Virginias and Virginia Perique tobaccos in this pipe and it delivers a clean full bodied taste each smoke. The draught on the pipe is quite effortless as it is an open drilling. The briar warms nicely in the hand but does not get hot. If you have not worked with Bill to have him make a pipe for you or have not picked one up on his website http://billboylepipes.weebly.com/ you should give them a try. If your experience is anything like mine you will not stop with one pipe.

A Review – The Masika made by JSEC Pipes

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James Gilliam from JESC Pipes http://www.jsecpipes.com/sold-pipes.html and I had been emailing back and forth regarding a refurb he was doing. We talked about different processes and he wrote a piece for the blog on a pipe maker’s look at refurbishing. In the process he showed some pictures of a nice little bamboo shanked pipe that he had made for himself. I really liked the looks of it and commented that should he make another I would be interested. Not long after that I received an email from James about a little bamboo pipe he was carving that would be rusticated. He sent me some pictures of the shape and later of the unstained bowl. Once it was done he sent some pictures and a simple note saying, “It is yours if you want it but there is no obligation.” When I saw the finished pipe it called my name and I sent James the payment via Paypal and the deal was completed. He named it Masika and the picture below gives its vitals.

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In this review I want to look at the pipe from a more technical side and walk through its construction, feel and delivery of the smoke to me. I drew the pipe from the brown cloth pipe sock and here is what I found. Once it was in my hand I have to say that honestly I was not prepared for what awaited me when I opened the package. I had read the dimensions and saw the pictures but somehow they did not capture the beauty and patina of this pipe. The bamboo has a patina to it that makes the pipe look far older than it is. It is a darker brown tone that I have found only on older bamboo pipes. I don’t know how James accomplished the patina but it is virtually the same colour as some of my older Yello Bole Bamboos and Kaywoodie Mandarins that are over 50 years old. It was very lightweight. Somehow in my head I had not captured what 20 grams felt like very well. This thing is virtually weightless.

Looking at the externals of the pipe. James seems to have used several stains to give an undercoat that shows through the top coat and a contrasting top coat as well. Depending on the light and angle of the pipe the colour highlights look different. They are a variety of browns and blacks that come through with the light and the angles. The rustication is well done and tactile but not rustic or rough. The best descriptor I can use in speaking of it is to describe it as refined. The band of smooth around the shank ahead of the black band and bamboo and the smooth rim are a great contrast to the rustication and the stain variations on the bowl and shank. I have already spoken of the bamboo and its attraction for me. There is a twist and bend in the bamboo that gives it a feel of struggle and pulling back. I like the look of the twist and turn of the bamboo as it gives a character to the shank that a straight piece would not give in the same manner. The black band between the briar and the bamboo makes a great transition from the pipe to the shank. James also used a small band of black before the stem as well. The two bands serve to set off and bookend the bamboo shank of the pipe. The hand cut ebonite stem is very well done and comfortable in the mouth. It has a nicely shaped button that is sharply cut and catches well on the back of my teeth. The slot in the button is oval shaped and there is a smooth V slot that facilitates the movement of smoke across the mouth.

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Moving from the externals of the pipe to the internal mechanics. James your workmanship on this pipe is stellar. The angle of the drilling is done in such a way that the bowl is of a uniform thickness throughout. The bowl bottom is relatively the same thickness as the walls of the pipe. The bowl is drilled at the same angle as the exterior of the pipe. The draught hole is precisely where it should be – centred at the back side bottom of the bowl. The bowl is coated with a neutral tasting bowl treatment. I don’t know the components but it did not add any flavour to the tobacco nor did it come off with the first smoke. I don’t usually like bowl coating but this one was not a problem to the smoke. I am confident that James is not covering flaws in the interior of the bowl. Holding light to the bowl revealed a clean and smooth airway with no impediments. Looking down the bamboo shank at the stem end it is clear that it is not lined with any material even in the mortise. I believe that James used a tenon to anchor the bowl shank and the bamboo but I am not clear as to the material. The tenon on the stem is crafted of stainless steel and is a good snug fit. The inside of the stem is also very smooth. There is no roughness or constriction where the stainless steel tenon ends and the stem material begins. This transition is smooth. The airway flattens out like a squeezed drinking straw so that the diameter does not change but is flattened and opened.

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I have been smoking this pipe consistently since it arrived and it smokes very well. The bowl break in was quite easy from the first bowl. It smokes dry and clean with no moisture buildup or gurgle to the bowl. From the first I have been able to smoke it to a dry ash. With each smoke there is no damp dottle to deal with in the heel of the bowl. The draught on this pipe is very smooth – no whistling sound and no sense of having to suck or work to get the air to move through – it is effortless. It has been and will continue to be a pleasure to smoke, exactly what I look for in a pipe that keeps its place in my rotation.

I would highly recommend that you have a look at the pipes James sells. He is a pleasure to deal with and fine craftsman. I know others who have commissioned pipes from him and found the experience a pleasure. I cannot speak highly enough of the workmanship on this pipe and ease of the deal with James. Give him a call and order a pipe or at least check out the website that I noted above. Have a look at the beautiful work that he does.

The Birth of a Pipe – A Comissioned Gabrieli Pipe

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I contacted Dan Chlebove of Gabrieli Pipes in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania about carving a pipe for me. I wanted something in a shape similar to a Becker Wasp but with Dan’s own take on it. Over the time he worked on it he took these pictures to show me the development of the pipe from the initial drilling until it was finished. I collected the photos and made this photo essay on the birth of a comissioned pipe. I thought some of you would enjoy seeing the process from the initial drilling to the finish.

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A Review – A Kevin Arthur Apple

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Blog by Steve Laug

About a year ago now I contacted Kevin Skraboly of Kevin Arthur Pipes regarding a commission that I wanted him to make for me. My request was pretty simple in that what I wanted was an apple shaped pipe that had his rusticated finish. I did not specify colour or finish in terms of shank treatments of patterns. I also did not specify a shank extension or the wood that he would use in it. I pretty much left all of the artistry up to him to work his magic.

When the pipe arrived and I have to tell you the shape and finish were exactly what I had in mind when I commissioned it from Kevin. It was and is beautiful. The coral rustication reminds me of cut glass and the rustication of the Canadian carver Michael Parks. The rustication is very sharp and rough in the hand but a very cool finish in terms of the smoking. The bowl and the rim are almost totally rusticated with a thin band that is stained in a reddish stain that goes around the inner edge of the bowl. There is also a thin line of stained briar around the end of the shank. To complement the reddish stain on the smooth portions and the black matte stain on the rusticated bowl Kevin put on a shank extension of thin black Lucite then a nice piece of Box Elder that he stabilized. The overall flow of the bowl and shank is brilliant and the colours are beautifully matched from rim to the end of the shank. ImageImage

The stem is inset into the shank about 1/32 of an inch. The Box Elder shank extension is a tire like ring that rides on a briar shank that is cut to hold it. The Box Elder has an interesting marbled look to it that is really set off by the black of the Lucite band and the black stain on the pipe. Kevin did an excellent job on the inner mechanics of the pipe with drilling that is perfectly execute from the shank and into the bowl  – coming out exactly centre in the bottom of the bowl. The airway and the inside of the bowl were very smooth with no rough spots left by the drill bit in the bowl or shank. There was no bowl treatment or coating so just a good smooth briar.

The stem itself is hand cut out of a swirled red and black Cumberland like Lucite. It is thin and comfortable in the mouth. It has a slight bend to it that gives it a stylized look. It is a saddle stem with a bit of a step down from the ring at the saddle. Kevin did a great job shaping the stem and capturing a shape that really works with this pipe. The stem is nicely finished with the thin ring just behind the cylinder that provides a shift before the taper of the stem flows toward the button. It is a wide slablike stem that looks great with it striations of black that run through the red. The choice of material for the stem matches the red on the rim and the shank and the black on the bowl. The Box Elder breaks that colour flow up in an interesting way. The tenon is Delrin that has been inserted into the Lucite stem for durability and ease of use. The airway is funnelled slightly for a smooth transition from the mortise when it is in place. There is a very minimal gap between the end of the tenon and the base of the mortise. The airway is smooth even where the Delrin meets the Lucite of the stem. There is no lip or rough spot at that junction. The draught is unrestricted and open from the bowl to the tip of the stem. Draught is effortless. The fit of the stem to the tenon is very well done. The button is perfect to my liking and very comfortable in the mouth and teeth. The opening in the mouthpiece is fanned out nicely. The smoke is delivered smoothly to the mouth. ImageImage

The overall construction of this pipe is very well done. It is light in the hand and in the mouth. It is well balanced and has a great tactile feel when it is cool and as it warms up during the smoking of a bowl.

I have been smoking it for over a year now and after breaking it in with some Balkan blends that I have here it has become a good English/Balkan smoking pipe. It delivered a good smoke from the first smoke and continues to do so. It draws well; the lighting has never been a problem. It seemed to take very little time to break it in and continues to be an effortless smoke.

Thanks Kevin of Kevin Arthur Pipes for delivering a well made pipe that remains a very good smoking pipe even a year later. He continues to make interesting and well made pipes that are available on his website at http://www.kevinarthurpipes.com/  Stop by for a look, order one for yourself,  you cannot go wrong with his work.

Review of Crosby Pocket-sized Apple

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Blog by Steve Laug

I received this pipe through the generosity of a good friend. I had been with him when John posted a pipe like this on his website for sale. When I went to purchase it someone had beat me to it. It turned out to have been my friend so he had John make a second one for me. When the pipes were completed he came by the house to drop my surprise gift off and to sit and smoke the two pipes together. I think of him and his generosity each time I look at this beauty.

In this review I want to look at the pipe from a more technical side and walk through its construction, feel and delivery of the smoke to me. I drew the pipe from the smooth black leather pipe sock, stamped with Crosby’s signature and USA in gold. Here is what I found.

In my hand the pipe is very light weight. I do not have a scale to weigh it in terms of grams or ounces but I can say that the weight is light. It is nicely made and roughly 4.5 inches long. The shape and weight make it easily a sitter even though it is not flattened on the bottom of the bowl or the shank. It is so light weight and balanced that, like the Morrisette I reviewed earlier, it is easy to leave in my mouth without clenching while I am driving home from work. The construction and eye to detail is very good. The finish is rusticated with a craggy tight rustication. John left a band at the end of the shank to facilitate the shank stem junction. The bottom of the shank also has a spot in which John stamped Crosby and the year of make – 09. In terms of stain and colour this is interesting. John seems to have stained it with a series of stains. It is almost matte black when viewed without a bright light. But with light there are hints of browns, reds and blacks. As I turn the pipe over in my hand the colours shift and are visible. The rim of the bowl is also rusticated with the same roughness as the bowl exterior. The rustication and finishing job on this pipe is very well done.

The stem work is nicely made. It is hand cut from acrylic but is soft in the mouth. It is a Cumberland like material in greens, yellows, olives, browns and blacks. The stem/shank joint is perfect – no gap whatsoever. It is a modified saddle stem – asymmetrical in shape. The slope on the top of the stem is at a sharper angle than that on the bottom of the stem. Both are cut with what looks like an eye for tree ring like striations in the acrylic. It is a fairly wide and flat stem that is very comfortable in the mouth. It has a nicely shaped button that is sharply cut and catches well on the back of my teeth. The slot in the button is a smooth V slot that facilitates the movement of smoke across the mouth. The colour on the end of the button is like a bulls eye – rings and rings that almost centre on the whole. The stem is polished with no scratches or file markings at all. Very clean. But the material is such that it goes very well with the matte finish of the bowl. Very nice feel in the hand.

Moving to the inside of the pipe – the mechanics of the pipe are very good. The angle of the drilling of the bowl takes advantage of maximum bowl thickness and depth. The draught hole was precisely where it should be. The bottom of the bowl is of relatively the same thickness as the walls of the pipe. Nicely laid out John!! The bowl was uncoated and very smooth. There are no rough spots where the draught hole entered the bowl. The inside of the airway in the shank and the bowl were very smooth with no extraneous roughness from the drilling. The same is true with the inside of the stem, which was also very smooth. Holding light to the bowl revealed a clean and smooth airway with no impediments. The drilling from the draught hole to the hole in the end of the shank is wide open and unimpeded. The tenon is delrin I believe and is open to draw the smoke through evenly. The opening airway in the end of the tenon is wide open and proceeds to the button in a smooth open path. There is no roughness or constriction where the delrin tenon ends and the stem material begins. This transition is smooth. The airway flattens out like a squeezed drinking straw so that the diameter does not change but is flattened and opened. The draw on this pipe is very smooth – no whistling sound and no sense of having to suck or work to get the air to move through. The draw on the pipe is effortless. From the first smoke it was a very easy pipe to smoke. Once lit it was effortless to smoke.  A pleasure to smoke, exactly what I have come to expect from the other Crosby pipe I have and what I hear others saying about his pipes.

JOHN CROSBY PIPES http://www.crosbypipes.com/

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Review of Gabrieli Quarter Bent Brandy

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Blog by Steve Laug

I wrote this review several years ago now and post it here as I wrote it then. Dan still makes great pipes and they are reasonable in price. Dan is one of the makers that I have learned much from in terms of staining and stem work. He has always been available to me when I have a question or need a tool. We have spent many hours communicating across the continent via Skype and for that I am thankful. I have two of Dan’s pipes and love them both.

Yesterday (11/5) I received my Gabrieli pipe in the post from Dan. I have been waiting anxiously to have it in hand since he posted it here on the forums as a piece in progress. It is a beauty to be sure. The length of the pipe is 6 inches and the bowl height is 2 inches. The chamber diameter is 7/8 inches and depth is 1 ¾ inches. When it first arrived I thought it seemed large but it is very nice in the hand and the largeness is more in terms of appearance than reality. The overall shape is a ¼ bent brandy bowl that is quite large with an elongated shank that is pencil like. The combination works for me quite well. The stamping is also unique. On the stem and shank junction it is hand stamped Bethlehem, PA. On the left side in a smooth circle it is stamped Gabrieli arched over USA. On the shank right side is a Moravian cross with the date and grade stamp.

The finish on the outside of the pipe is rusticated in a finish not unlike the sea rock rustication on some of the Castellos I have seen or other brands that have a similar pattern of rustication. There is a deep craggy feel and look to the rustication on the bowl with a randomness to it that adds to the overall appearance. On the shank the rustication changes appearance a bit to more vertical striations and patterns. The variation between the bowl and the shank is actually very nice and they blend together well. On the rim of the pipe Dan left a bit of plateau on the right rear rim but the way it is in appearance carries through the rustication pattern from the bowl but a bit deeper. The rest of the rim is smooth with a slight edge protruding onto the bowl all the way around the pipe forming a smooth band around the outer rim that matches the smooth band at the shank stem junction.  The staining on this appears to be a blend of darker/medium brown with a red undertone that is interesting. It really goes well with the shank stem extension of Masur Birch set into the stem between a band of Cumberland and a Cumberland stem. The colour of the pipe is a beautiful match to the Cumberland stem colours. Nicely done Dan. The stem itself is a well made half saddle stem. The top of the stem is saddle shaped and the underside a gentle taper. The design along with the slight bend makes it fit very comfortably in the mouth. It also rests well enough that it can be clenched quite easily. The tenon is delrin and is funneled at the end for good mechanics. The button is exactly the way I like them – thinner on the edges with a gentle rise at the centre top and bottom. It fits well behind the teeth for a comfortable feel. The draught hole in the end of the button is also funneled to deliver a mouthpiece that has the same diameter from start to finish. Comfortable and well executed. A pipe cleaner passes easily through the pipe with no obstruction.

The mechanics of the pipe are nicely done as well. The bowl chamber is fairly large with a slight chamfering around the inner edge of the bowl. It is coated with some kind or precarb coating that has no flavour attached to it. (Whew!) The draught hole is centered at the bottom of the bowl and seems to have a slight funnel as well – like a shallow Y- leading into the shank and stem. There is a very easy and open draw to the pipe. The fit of the stem to the shank is very good. Smooth and tight. The tenon sits deep in the mortise – if  not exactly the same length then impressively close! The fit of the tenon is also smooth. The drilling of the draught in the shank is straight but to accommodate the bend in the pipe it has the small u at the bottom of the mortise that is barely noticeable but present. The air pulls clearly through the pipe with no whistling at all. Using a light to shine through the various airways reveals smoothly executed airways on the inside. Very nice mechanics.

Today I gave it the inaugural smoke. I loaded a bowl of Red Ribbon (1983) and took a long walk at work. It packed very easily and lit well. The draught on the pipe was superb. The smoke was uncomplicated and effortless. It was smooth from the get go with none of the new pipe break in woes. The bowl coating is tasteless and does not change the taste of the tobacco. I am looking forward to another bowl on my drive home from work.

Thanks Dan for a well made pipe that smokes as good as it looks!