I’m not particularly jingoistic, but my last pipe-smoking adventure with a Dr. Grabow Grand Duke left me sputtering that an American manufacturing concern could make such a dreadful pipe. I complained a lot about its fit and finish, not to mention how rough it smoked. A couple days ago, I realized I messed up a little. Sorry, Dr. Grabow! I owe you an apology! Sort of.
Continue reading “I owe Dr. Grabow an apology”
Last time we talked about pipes, we discussed some handmade varieties by Boswell and Johs. Today, we’ll talk about one of the first pipes I bought for myself, a machine-made Alligator in the 311 KS shape by Savinelli, a storied Italian marquee. It looks weird, but it would have been the perfect companion when I first started smoking!
Continue reading “The Savinelli Alligator, a fine pipe with some teeth to it”
I finally had a chance to smoke a new Boswell partially-rusticated bent brandy pipe a couple of months ago when it was still warm out. I also got the chance to smoke the Johs sandblasted bent brandy I got even further back but had forgotten about. Is that a sign I don’t need any more pipes? Probably. All the same, it had been a while since Sheldon the tortoise went on a field trip, and that’s always the perfect excuse for a smoke.
Continue reading “Boswell and Johs: a comparison of handmade pipes”
I like Nørding pipes for three reasons: They smoke well, they look cool, and Erik Nørding is a badass. Which other pipe maker have you heard of who’s commissioned his own bobblehead pipe stand? I saw Nørding’s Seagull some time ago and was blown away at its unapologetically bizarre appearance within the realm of Danish freehands. I knew I had to have one.
Continue reading “The Nørding Seagull pipe- what is this I don’t even”
I thought long and hard about what would be the first new pipe I’d ever buy for myself when I first got back into smoking them. Eventually, I came across a $120 sandblasted tomato from Neerup, a brand I’d never heard of. I loved how it looked, but analysis paralysis got the best of me and someone else snagged it. I wound up with two lesser pipes instead, but I eventually bought a Neerup of my own, a Classic Smooth Bent Pot. With some experience under my belt now, I can honestly say that Neerup pipes are the best value for the money. Anywhere!
Continue reading “Peder Jeppesen’s Neerup pipes and accessories got me all like Nee-YUP!”
I really like Nørding pipes. I own seven, from handmade pieces of art made with exotic materials to machine-made cheapies. An inexpensive Nørding – an Erik The Red that’s perfect for a pipe-smoking breadwinner was the first pipe I bought when I got back into the hobby! I eventually got more, and the cheapest of the bunch is the ultra-utilitarian Nørding Compass poker we’re going to talk about today.
Continue reading “The Nørding Compass- is it worth finding your way with one for fifty bucks?”
I’m more interested in pipes than I’m into the tobacco I smoke in them. As it turns out, my brother’s the opposite! When a couple of new tins came to our house with some new-to-me cuts of tobacco, I decided that I’d have to learn about them to get the most enjoyment out of the unexpected sampler. Here’s some useful information I picked up:
Continue reading “Tobacco Cuts: Square Pegs in Round Holes? “
When I was a kid, anticipating Christmas was one of the most exciting times of the year. Any greater “reason for the season” was lost on me as I spent weeks counting down and dreaming about the presents I hoped to receive! As I’ve gotten older, I’ve found that I spend much more time reflecting on Christmas than I do anticipating its arrival. This year, I discovered myself reliving my favorite Christmas presents from years past. I’ll never forget the treasured space shuttle model my mom Santa got me when I was eight, just months after John Glenn returned to orbit! Eleven years later, my dad got me this Peterson Irish Whiskey sandblasted billiard. It was my first brand-new pipe, and smoking it the other day conjured up Dickensian images of the ghosts of Christmases past.
I like history and I’m addicted to nicotine. That’s what makes smoking a pipe such a great win-win for me! If you’re the same and have fifty dollars to spare, give the Ropp Etudiante series of pipes a long, careful look: I can promise that you won’t regret it. Not only are these pipes competent little smokers, they’ve got some big history to back up their branding.
Continue reading “Ropp’s Etudiante series: The best new heritage pipes under fifty bucks?”
There are a ton of things to consider when buying your first new pipe. If you’re like me and occasionally suffer from bouts of analysis paralysis, you’ve got a hard time of making up your mind ahead of you. That makes the process even more daunting- a pipe isn’t like a disposable pack of cigarettes. Ideally, it’ll be a lifelong companion! There’s lots of responsibility there.
Continue reading “Nørding’s Erik The Red pipe will make your friends green with envy”