Tom Spithaler

I grew up in western Pennsylvania. As kids, my parents had taken us on several trips to the homes of friends of the family that lived in Kentucky. I remember much about those trips in spite of the fact that I was only about 7 or 8 years old, and thought the heat to be stifling. I remember swimming in TVA lakes where the water was so warm it felt like taking a bath.

What I remember most however, was my father stopping at several farms on the way home. He was fascinated by the long flowing fields of tobacco. It was a Sunday afternoon, and we stopped at farm after farm that day. Inevitably, someone was sitting on the porch, or resting under a shade tree in the front yard. My Dad would walk up to the gentleman of the house who would always rise to meet the man driving the car with Pennsylvania license plates coming their way (whether out of Southern grace or Yankee suspicion, to this day I do not know). They’d trade their greetings, exchange a few sentences, shake hands, and my Dad would just walk back to the car—empty handed. What was Dad doing? What did he want? Just one stalk of tobacco from the field?

Finally Dad found a couple sitting in the front yard under what I remember to be a weeping willow tree. The wife was snapping beans, the old farmer smoking his pipe. Dad called us all over, at which point Mom and we five kids started snapping beans to help the woman of the house. Dad and the farmer walked off towards the field, around a barn, and out of sight. We snapped beans, laughed, had some sweet tea and snapped a bushel or two of green beans before the two men came back, this time with Dad holding a prized possession. Two tobacco stalks.

Strange, but in my youth, Dad was not a smoker. I think it was on those trips however that I gained an (until recently) un-nurtured interest in tobacco. The other seed that was planted in my mind was the sheer pleasure, joy and relaxation that were on the faces of those old farmers as they sat on their steps, stoops and lawn chairs smoking their pipes. There was some majesty in that, wonderment that stirred in the heart of a boy.

What did I learn from that trip? Firstly, that there was something special about the tobacco industry, something uniquely American. Secondly that the Civil War was still being fought in the minds of more than a few tobacco farmers south of the Mason Dixon. Such was the bias of my youth. North vs. South. Yankee vs. Rebel. Now, we face a new bias, East coast vs. West Coast. Left Coast vs. Right Coast, Liberals, Conservatives. While this bias certainly plays a role in American politics, the news media and social norms, generally speaking, it does not seem to play a role in the style and character of pipe crafters. I however, am beginning to form one.

I have known Mr. Kurt Huhn for some time. We became acquainted when after starting a small pipe restoration business, I began to visit an on-line forum that Kurt so graciously hosts, and is frequented by some of the world’s greatest pipe makers. We struck up a friendship based on some shared hobbies both inside and outside the smoking pipe industry, and the next thing you know I was the owner of two of Kurt’s pipes. I was immediately struck by their quality, and have wanted to write a review of Kurt’s work for a while now. Time and other responsibilities have prevented me from getting to this review. Not to mention the fact that the first two pipes I acquired from Kurt have now been well used for a year and have become two of my favorites. I clearly needed something new to review, and what better reason (excuse) to get a couple of new pipes from Kurt! I penned Kurt an email, and the next thing you know, two new beauties showed up via US Postal service.

The pipes arrived well packaged in an ample box. I know it seems silly to review the packaging, but how many of us have received pipes through some sort of shipping process, only to have them arrive in small boxes that are hardly the right shape, too small, and with inadequate packing? I know I have, and some things have been damaged in shipping. Such was not the case here.

After unwrapping the pipes I found them both securely bundled in black hand-sewn socks with ‘man-like’ draw-strings. Again, the review is not about pipe socks, but still, I grow tired of the satin ribbons, and tiny braided cords that so many socks are bound with. These draw strings were made from black para-cord. In the Army we called Para-cord "550 cord". Why? Inside the ballistic nylon outer shell are five smaller braided nylon cords each capable of supporting a minimum of 50 pounds each, thereby giving you a finished length of string that can support more than 250 pounds of pressure. The ends of the cord are fused (presumably with a good quality pipe lighter) and knotted, and when pulling those socks closed, you know you have hold of a substantial cord. Kudos for the man-cord!

Both samples that were sent are textured. Each one blasted, not hand rusticated. Kurt has a discerning hand when it comes to blasting briar. In samples I have seen, his blasting technique ranges from a subtle, almost understated accent to the grain of the wood, to a form almost barbaric in its intensity. Each one however, artfully, and tastefully done. This is, in part, why I find Mr. Huhn’s work so exciting. Texturing is a pure art form that is only gained through experience and an intuitive understanding of the medium. Mr. Huhn has, in my opinion, mastered that art.

The first sample out of the sock is this beautiful Chubby Billiard. It is immediately identifiable as a billiard style pipe, but yet something is untraditional here. If the bowl is viewed independent of the shank, everything looks fine. But the bends into the shank from the bowl, and the shape and angle of the shank itself are reminiscent of a Salvador Dali painting. The angles appear untrue. But they are not meant to. The shank looks bent, but not bent in a traditional sense. Rather, it has an almost rolling ‘wave-like’ quality to it as it flows from the bowl, with some of it being an optical illusion. But it’s meant to. And I love it.

This quality of being a billiard, but not - and the features blending together and sort of rolling as they pass is the quality of the ‘chubby’ part of the name. Kurt describes it this way,

"Chubby billiards are an interesting breed of pipe. Given the nature of the wood, the mood of the maker at the time, bent vs. straight, you can end up a lot of different things calling themselves chubby billiards. This particular example is based on the very first chubby billiard I offered for sale, but is "supersized" - a term that is somehow apropos."

Trust me when I say that I mean no disrespect to the population that might be "waist-size challenged" (since I find myself in that very group). But by applying the same idea of ‘chubby’ to this billiard, you get the idea of parts sort of flowing together, traditional lines being blurred - sort of melting together and a little out of customary proportion. This pipe has slightly ’rounded features’ that have a wave-like action to them. This chubby billiard is a happy representation of an over-weight billiard. A few extra pounds on the waistline in this case look really good.

The texture on this pipe leans towards the aforementioned subtle side. It is not too deep, but has enough intensity to bring out the grain texture very nicely. This technique reminds me a great deal of the Danish genre, similar to some Hilson production models and some production Italians as well. Barring unpredictable flaws or character changes in the briar itself, the blasting on this Chubby is soft and smooth, somewhat sinuous in nature as if each ridge-lined crevice is actually a small lifelike tendon or ligament tying together the strength of this stout pipe’s briar soul. Spider-webbing their way out from the smokers left side of the heel of the bowl, around to the face, then backwards up and around the shank, the texture runs rampant over the surface of the pipe as if trying to regain control from some unknown force.

The color is stunning. Not distinctive in its raw palette, yet there is more there than initially meets the eye. Described by Kurt as a "deep mahogany" a closer inspection reveals lighter browns, deeper reds and a flush of yellow trying to hard to make its way to the surface and burnish itself against your eye. It puts me in the mind of a terra-cotta Tuscan rooftop. Beyond what I would call brilliant staining, the finish is ruggedly spectacular.

"For all pipes, shellac is employed in one fashion or another…shellac that is allowed to penetrate the grain slightly, then wiped off while it is still wet. This helps set the stain and bring out the natural beauty of the wood. For sandblasted pipes, shellac is used as a base finish prior to waxing with carnuba. Again, this sets the stain, preventing the dreaded "stain bleed" that can happen on heavily stained sandblasted or rusticated pipes."

Kurt went on to describe his techniques for staining and finishing in minute detail making certain I understood the finer points of the process and how much care really goes into it. Highlighting things like high quality shellac, not allowing it to set, using it to seal the stain and not the wood itself etc. This description went on in great length. In reading it I began to understand the criticism I get sometimes for being giving more details than may be necessary. At the same time, I also completely understood the process itself, and more importantly, how vital it was to Kurt that I knew how significant it was to him that this process is done right!

"Then, after the shellac is cured (about 5 minutes) the pipe can be buffed with compound and carnuba… every pipe gets a coat of wax. To keep the buildup of white particulate wax down I just make sure I’m focusing on details. You have to be aware of the direction of the deeper parts of the grain, and make sure you follow those along the rotational direction of the wheel…Like most things in pipe making, it’s heavily involved on attention to detail. The actual methodology is different for smooth or sandblasted, but the basics are the same."

The Chubby has a 7/8" diameter bowl with the depth at about 1.75", which is roughly equal to the diameter of the bowl itself at its widest point. The shank blends from the bowl at a hardy .95" and tapers ever so slightly to a .835" where the shank meets the stem. The overall length of the stummel is 3.25" make this Chubby while out of shape cardio-vascularly, well proportioned as a package just the same.

The stem, made from imported ebonite purchased exclusively from New-York-Hamburger, the US based entity of Gummi-Waaren Compagnie AG, from Lüneburg Germany is Mr. Huhn’s exclusive choice. This company has a 100 year old tradition of manufacturing and molding parts of ebonite.

"It’s not inexpensive, but the quality is worth it. I have tried other suppliers, and there are good ones out there, but they’re my favorite."

With the stem fully inserted into the mortise the overall length is just about 5.75". This leads us to my favorite part of the engineering of this pipe. The mortise and shank to stem fit.

The tenon fits excellently with a secure fit that it not too tight. But on this Chubby pipe, the end of the stem actually inserts inside the end of the shank, with the shank forming a thin lip of about .045" of blasted briar that wraps around the stem receiving it like a firm and loving handshake to a depth just shy of 1/4".

Some people will look at a pipe that has a stem fitted to a smaller size than the shank and see it as a cop-out, a poor man’s fit as if to say the crafter did not have the skills to match the sizes of the diameter of the shank and the stem to fit seamlessly. Granted, this is a difficult task as any crafter will tell you, but creating a recessed fit of the stem such as Mr. Huhn did on this Chubby is no inexperienced, poor-man’s way of fitting a stem. This design requires even more skilled craftsmanship than a standard seamless fit. The mortise must be right, and the inside of the shank recess must be precise. The outside diameter of the stem must still match perfectly to the inside of that shank. When looking at the end of the shank without the stem inserted, one can see that the walls of the recessed hood are thin, but perfectly cut. This is an utterly amazing feature, and it was done to perfection.

As part of the completion of each pipe made by M. Huhn, the bowl is finished with a home recipe bowl treatment. The purpose of the bowl coating is in Kurt’s own words, to …

"…aid in cake buildup in a new pipe. The rough surface gives the ash and resins something to cling to, and speeds up the formation of cake. It can protect the pipe during break-in, a period where it is most vulnerable to the hot burning tobacco inside it."

This particular recipe is made up of a thin mixture of activated charcoal, pumice and waterglass, and is spread very thinly on the inside of the bowl.

Another reason for the bowl coating as Kurt points out, is that "it also evens out the experience of the first smokes. Every time someone buys a pipe from me, I know it will taste exactly the same - a neutral flavor that lets the tobacco shine (note, this is also a function of using good wood as well)."

Finishing his comments on this issue, he includes the purpose is, in his mind, cosmetic as well.

"I like that a coated bowl looks more "finished" than an uncoated one - though this is purely subjective."

When I asked Kurt about the nay-sayers, those that do not appreciate, support or recommend bowl coatings, he assured me that this is his personal preference, and that he realizes there are those who will not want it on their pipes. For pipes that are commissioned, or for repeat customers, Kurt will be happy to make the pipe without a bowl coating, or remove the coating from any pipe he has available for sale.

While there is little argument in the practical concept that the bowl coating aids in building cake (which in turn protects the briar itself), as Mr. Huhn stated, the aesthetic is subjective. I happen to like the appearance of a naked bowl. Something about seeing the raw briar is stimulating - there is real beauty in that wood, and some people really appreciate that. I may not share Kurt’s view on the aesthetics, but agree with his practical assessment of the value of a quality bowl coating.

Simply put, this pipe feels good in my hands. It has ‘heft’, but is fairly lightweight and does not pull on my jaw. The lines are fantastic and am a big fan of Mr. Huhn’s blasting techniques.

This Chubby Billiard is a fantastic variation on a classic theme. Bit to bowl, this custom hand-made briar pipe is masterful in its simplicity setting it above a plethora of more expensive pipes from more well known crafters. Then again, ‘well known’, much like the aesthetics of bowl coating is subjective. This will make an excellent addition to my collection, and one just like it will make an excellent addition to yours. The Chubby Billiard is a regular model available for sale on Mr. Huhn’s web site for around $225.00.

Those two Kentucky tobacco stalks hung in our Pennsylvania garage for years. Nothing ever became of them because, well, we had no idea what to do with them. They’d dry, and then get damp. We’d nibble in it a little. Smell it, sometimes in passing, but eventually they got moldy and we threw them away. I only share this part of the story because I’m confident that old man has since passed on. Good thing too - or else I know he be spittin’ mad my Dad wasted that tobacco. More than anything I am grateful to my father for exposing me to such adventures such as that as a child. Now, 40 years later, I get to sit on the back porch and share these stories with my children. Thanks to fine crafters like Kurt Huhn, I can do it with some world class pipes in my hand too - just like that old farmer in Kentucky.

Tom Spithaler is an Award Winning PSEA writer and member of the American Press Association who has cut his professional teeth in the outdoor and firearms media. Tom currently operates Born Again Briar, a small pipe sale and restoration business, blogs at www.briarmeditations.blogspot.com, and operates Spithaler Media Services, a dba of Paraklete Consulting Services, LLC. A husband of 20 years and father of three, Tom currently resides in Bonney Lake, WA. Contact: tom@bornagainbriar.com.

Adam J. Smith
Liner Notes: A product of the House of Samuel Gawith & Co. Ltd - Kendal, Cumbria, England.

Normally when I set out to review a tobacco, I choose a blend that is new to me. The reason for this is two-fold. First and foremost, I like to approach the blend with no pre-conceived notions or ideas…or, at least as few as possible. The other reason is that I take a clinical, almost sterile approach to reviewing tobaccos; something that doesn’t lend itself readily to the peaceful bliss I seek when smoking an "old friend" as it were. That said, blends that I review often do end up finding a home either in my active rotation or in my cellar - however there are a few blends that I smoke regularly that I keep for just that - smoking.

Often, the process starts with communications between myself and Kevin Godbee; discussing which blenders have recently been featured, what types of blends have recently been featured, and what blends we would like to look to next. At times, he will send me off in search of something specific, at others I am given free-run to pick something at will.

A week to ten days after the afore mentioned conversation takes place, a package arrives at my door, containing a lone tin of tobacco (and perhaps a few bundles of pipe-cleaners - one can never have to many pipe-cleaners). But before I can delve into the package, there are a few things that I must prepare…so, despite my excitement, I set the package aside and head to the kitchen for a mug of tea (Orange Pekot, steeped ten minutes, no sugar or milk), a tall glass of cool (distilled) water and a few slices of English cucumber.

With my palate cleansers ready, it’s finally time to free my new acquisition from it’s cardboard home. For a moment, all care is lost, and with a flurry of packing peanuts, my prize is revealed. And now the fun begins….

If I am lucky, Kevin has secured himself a tin of the same - but, more often than not (particularly when I choose the blend at hand), he has not. Now, I never made any claims about my talents as a photographer; but of course, the column does require some sort of visual stimuli…so I haul out my camera, and spend the next couple of hours shooting the exterior of the tin in different lights…followed by a few shots with the cell-phone for good measure. As I shoot, I’ll jot down any notes that pop into my mind in regards to presentation and tin-art; starting the formal reviewing process.

Next, I carefully crack the seal - inhaling deeply and noting what my olfactory senses detect. I’ll handle the tobacco (replacing it in the tin), feeling it’s general humidity. I also visually inspect the tobacco at this time, noting both cut and colouring. Then, it’s back to the camera (and cell-phone), with another hour spent shooting the tobacco itself.

With my photographs taken, I can finally select a pipe. Over the course of the tin I will smoke the blend through Briar, Meerschaum, Clay, and corn-cob, in addition to utilizing a variety of bowl shapes. I will also vary my packing methods, utilizing at times the "cannon-ball", "three-stage", "Frank", and "pinch" methods…but, for simplicities sake (and to create a "fresh" baseline); the first bowl is always smoked through a medium sized briar of unremarkable chamber proportions, which I am very familiar with the smoking qualities of, packed with the "pinch" method (my preferred load). I also perform a full charring light; however as I smoke through the tin, I will simply load and go with a couple of bowls.

Before I can ply flame, however, there are notes to be taken. Did the blend require additional time to dry before smoking? Did the aroma of the blend change during said drying time? What about the colouring? How does the tobacco "handle" during packing - is it a bear to load a bowl, or does the blend seem to jump into the chamber? If you sip at the pipe prior to lighting, is there a flavour? Not until I’ve answered these questions can I reach for my lighter…or can I?

Now that I have selected my weapons, I must select my battlefield. If the day is nice, I may head to one of the many local green-belts to find a quiet place in the shade. If the weather is inclement (as it often is in Vancouver, Canada), I will squirrel myself away in my "man-cave". Most importantly, the location I choose should be devoid of too much external stimuli - while I don’t demand the absolute absence of visceral stimulation some evaluators do, I prefer to work in a quiet, secluded location - affording me the opportunity to give my full attention to the task at hand.

With charring light, the real note taking starts. I look at how the blend takes the flame; I look at the mouth feel of the smoke, and, most importantly, I look at the flavour profile and room-note.

From true light through heel, I note changes not only to the room-note, flavour profile and mouth feel, but on the burning qualities. Do I have to relight every five minutes (relights, by the way, are when I sip some tea and munch some cucumber; followed by a big drink of water to cleanse my palate)? How often am I tamping?

I also look at the physical properties of the tobacco whilst burning - does it produce an abundance of moisture? If I lift the bowl to my nose, do I detect ammonic hints? If I swab with a pipe-cleaner, how much grime do I pull out? Of course, these factors can vary due to the pipe, hence why I smoke the entire tin before putting pen to paper (or fingers to keys) with my final work.

With the bowl finished, I will carefully inspect the ash and dottle remnants. Is there an over-abundance of the latter? Is the former so fine it clogs the draw? I then inspect the inside of the burning chamber of the pipe - is there any wet sludge left behind? Did the tobacco burn well, or are there lots of "bits" stuck to the walls? I ruminate for a moment on the personal satisfaction level of the blend - do I crave a cigarette? I then make notes on the after-taste and mouth-feel post smoke, before calling my wife over to comment on the room-note and latent aroma on my facial hair and clothing.

Finally, I note things like smoking time, time of day, temperature and relative humidity, time of last meal, and external stimuli that may have skewed my perceptions. This ensures that I sample the blend in varying environments; providing a more complete evaluation of the product.

Of course, this is just the first bowl of many…and, as I am striving to create a baseline, this bowl is smoked very slowly. Over the next four or five days, I will push the blend to it’s limits; literally forcing myself to smoke too fast, tamp too hard, and generally ignore all pipe-smokers wisdom. I will smoke the bowl in small enclosed spaces (for example, a vehicle), and in wide open spaces (read: the great outdoors). I will smoke the blend in sun, wind, hail, sleet and snow (when available). And through it all, I take pages and pages of notes.

That’s the easy part…

Next, I go over the literally hundreds of photographs, selecting the best dozen or so to forward to Kevin (surprise; the cell-phone pics usually make the final cut…) - who then spends hours working his editing magic to make the subject recognizable (I really am a terrible photographer…). I compile the pages of notes, seeking similarities between the bowls smoked into one master sheet, from which my final review will be created. Then, I sit down at the computer and spend hours staring at the wall while I try and turn the technical notes I’ve compiled into something you might want to read.

This is submitted to Kevin as an unformatted block of text. Once again, he works his editorial magic, filtering out errors as he catches them, and creating some sort of flow out of my run-on sentences.

But to every rule there is an exception, and this article would be just that. Samuel Gawith Chocolate Flake is a regular in my rotation for special occasions - in fact it’s the blend I usually reward myself with upon completion of a review.

The presentation of this blend like most of the Samuel Gawith line, is quite simple and harkens back to a simpler time where fancy graphics and slick copy weren’t the norm. Featuring the standard Samuel Gawith rectangular tin, the tobacco is beautifully presented in two parallel rows of flakes, one slightly shorter than the next, stacked carefully within the heavy cardstock liner.

As with all Samuel Gawith blends, Chocolate Flake ships wet. Not moist, not damp, but wet. Un-burn-ably so. I find that four hours drying time is about perfect when the tobacco is kept in flake form, or two hours if rubbed out. Visual inspection of the flakes will reveal two things - first, the motley of chocolate and dark browns, interspersed with black leaf and the occasional fleck of tan. Second; it will reveal bloom. I don’t know what it is about the blends from the house of Samuel Gawith, but they almost seem to age before ones eyes. The tin in the photograph was purchased at Christmas 2011, and by Easter 2012 was already showing crystals.

The tin note of this blend is something of a chameleon - when first opened, the prevalent aroma is very rich and earthy, akin to musty, wet-leaves with a slight peat-like note. However, as the blend drys, the mustiness grows ever weaker, with a mild cocoa aroma growing in strength.

When it comes to packing Samuel Gawith Flakes, I find the method that produces the best results for me is to lightly rub them (or, more correctly, break them up) into strips approximately three-quarters of an inch long, and an eight to a quarter of an inch wide, which I then simply stuff into the chamber; using any remaining small pieces as kindling. That said, the flake does rub out very nicely into a coarse ribbon, and responds well to the "cannon-ball" method of packing in this form, although I did find the flavour profile was somewhat diminished in strength when rubbed. A pre-light sip brings a very mild cocoa flavour, underpinned with a slight hint of camphor.

Like many of the Samuel Gawith offerings, it can take a few matches (or flicks of the lighter) to bring Chocolate Flake to an even burn (particularly when smoked as a broken flake, or "folded and stuffed"). Depending on the relative humidity of the leaf, care should be taken to ensure you don’t scorch the underlying leaf when applying the charring light.

That said, the flavour profile at this point feels rather thin, and undeveloped - a mishmash of grassy brights and earthy dark fired, with the slightest hint of Latakia on the back of the palate. A mild, almost nutty cocoa flavour, underpinned by a slight floral note is barely detectable in the somewhat thin smoke stream.

True-light, however, brings the full potential of this tobacco to light (pardon the pun). The seemingly thin, underwhelming smoke-stream of charring-light grows bold and creamy, while the flavours begin to develop from a washed out mish-mash into something with body and presence. The earthy sweetness of the dark-fired leaf takes precedence, while the Latakia and dark cocoa casing fight in a strange interplay, at times growing almost bold, while at others being next to undetectable.

As you progress through the mid-way point, the bold, earthy flavours continue to provide the main body of the flavour profile, while a sweetness that is reminiscent of molasses candies begins to take hold. The cocoa casing grows somewhat bolder, however, it remains in the background. The smoky Latakia notes continue to weave in and out of the flavour profile, providing subtle depth and complexity.

To me, the bottom third of the bowl provides the most reward, flavour-wise. The earthy notes remain bold, however by this time, the caramel note has taken the forefront. The cocoa flavour continues to grow more pronounced, taking on a wonderful nuttiness, which, combined with the caramel sweet flavours brings a flavour not unlike hazelnut truffle. The Latakia continues to provide subtle moky notes, however, by the heel it has all but disappeared. This is underpinned by a mild floral note, barely detectable deep in the background.

Although the smoke starts out rather thin, by the end of the bowl it has taken on a creamy mouth-feel. If care is given to drying and loading, Chocolate Flake can be pushed very hard before it bites back - but be warned, when it does decide to bite, it does so with a vengeance!

The burning qualities are exceptional - in fact, almost too good. The ash remnants are so fine that one must be extremely careful when tamping so as not to clog the airway.

When it comes to nicotine, this blend is no slouch. I would suggest you smoke this blend on a full stomach if you have any concerns about nicotine levels.

There seems to be some argument about the room-note this blend leaves behind. My wife regards it as foul, while my vehement anti-smoking mother-in-law sidles up beside me full of positive comments, whenever this blend is out. The latent smoke on my moustache, however, wins full points from my wife. Slightly nutty, and very cocoa-esque, one would never know there was Latakia involved.

My first experience with this tobacco came through a sampler trade - I sent off a few baggies of various blends, and received a healthy bag of these wonderful flakes, glistening with sugary-bloom. From the moment flame touched tobacco, I was hooked - mildly aromatic, yet full of body, with just enough Latakia to keep me interested.

If you’re looking for a blend that will bombard your taste buds with sweet chocolate flavours, you would be well served to keep looking. Very lightly cased, Samuel Gawith Chocolate Flake offers a very pleasant tobacco flavour, with a room-note that seemingly doesn’t drive anyone away (my wife being the exception). Great "fresh" from production, Chocolate Flake ages exceptionally; with the sweetness seemingly growing exponentially. While a little too full-bodied for all day smoking, this is a wonderful blend - particularly after a large meal.

I highly recommend it!

SPONSORED LINK: Samuel Gawith Chocolate Flake - Click Here to Order Now!

SPONSORED LINK: Samuel Gawith Chocolate Flake - Click Here to Order Now!

The pipe Cynthia is smoking is from the Aaron Spelling Estate, and from my personal collection. It is a 1961 Root Briar in the classic Dublin shape. I vow to never clean the bit of this Dunhill again. - Kevin Godbee

Check out the full gallery here.

Ethan Brandt
How to describe the Chicago Pipe Show?

Officially, the show is known as The 2012 Chicagoland International Pipe and Tobacciana Show, but if everyone said that every time their talked about it, it would be too much of a mouthful, so it is lovingly known as the "Chicago Pipe Show". This year, just as in past years, it was held at the Pheasant Run Resort in St. Charles, IL, a little less than an hour from Chicago proper. The show itself took place on Saturday, May 5th, and Sunday, May 6th; there were however, plenty of fantastic events going on for a lot of the week beforehand!

Before getting into the show itself, I have to give credit for their choice of locale. The Pheasant Run Resort is a great place to stay and an even better choice for a pipe show. Not only is the resort itself beautiful, equipped with both an indoor and outdoor pool, a golf course, and a fully-functioning spa, but the accommodations that they made to support us pipe smokers were really outstanding. I’m really glad that such a fantastic show has the support of the community that benefits from it.

I arrived at the resort late Thursday night, which, despite the fact that the show did not officially start until two days later, made me one of the late ones. As soon as we arrived—my girlfriend, Lauren, was kind enough to come to the show with me—we checked in, dropped our things off in our beautiful room, and set out to discover where the smoking tent was. I had been getting phone calls for the last hour from Dustin Babitzke, Nick Miller, and Adam Davidson wondering what was taking me so long, so I knew I shouldn’t delay.

By the time I got there, it was after eleven in the evening and I expected the place to be deserted: O, ye of little faith! At my estimate, I would say there were still over sixty people in the tent, some smoking cigars, most smoking pipes, but everyone was smiling. That night I was able to meet people whose work I had long admired, like Michail Revyagin, Alex Florov, Adam Remington, Steve Morrisette, and Brad Pohlmann.

As soon as I sat down next to Dustin B., I was hauled up from the table by Adam Davidson, literally by my ponytail, as he took me around the tent introducing me to more people and showing me a plethora of beautiful pipes, contained in metal cases, which made me feel like I should be delivering the pipes to some country’s ambassador through the cover of darkness. I ended up spending the rest of Thursday evening in the smoking tent with Lauren, Nick Miller, Steve Morrisette, Adam Remington, and John Crosby, and a number of others, sharing laughs, drinks, and pipes.

Friday morning is the unofficial start of the Chicago Pipe Show. From 9:00 AM until 4:00 PM that day is what was previously known as the "Pre-Show", but is now called the Smoke and Swap. Let me tell you, there was a lot of both going on in the smoking tent that morning!

The way the Smoke and Swap worked this year was that anyone, even if you were not an official vendor, could sign up for use of a half-table to show your wares, make and receive offers, and trade. From what I saw, there was a lot of buying going on during the Smoke and Swap, as there had been the previous evening. By the time I got down to the tent, which was just half-an-hour after all the fun had started, Steve Liskey already had two pipes with a SOLD sign below them. "People saw the bamboo and just went crazy," he told me. After seeing the bamboo myself, I can’t say that I blame them.

Adam Remington’s table was right next to Steve’s, with Bruce Weaver’s right next to Adam’s. With the three of these incredibly talented and fun guys in such close proximity, it was difficult to drag myself anywhere else in the tent. I did, though, and I saw a lot of great pipes for sale and met a lot of class acts. One group of people that I ran into was the Order of Collegiate Pipe Smokers, a group of younger guys all with matching t-shirts and a common interest in pipes. It did my heart proud.

Also that evening, the Chicago Pipe Show had a first ever occurrence: a wedding. The beautiful wedding ceremony brought together Seattle Pipe Club member Tom Wolfe and his lovely bride, Lennea. I know everyone at the show and everyone reading this now wishes them both continued happiness (and many more pipe shows)!

After getting cleaned up that evening, it was time to head down to the Welcome Buffet Dinner, a seven-course dinner topped off with a complementary tin of Sutliff Private Stock. There were a couple brief welcome speeches, shortly after which our table was joined by five gentlemen from Sweden, including Martin Vollmer and Anders Nilsson.

After dinner and some bottles of a nice red wine, we headed over to the smoking tent to listen to a talk given by none-other than Kevin Godbee, the man behind this very magazine. Jokingly, but very accurately, he said that he initially thought about titling his speech, "Ask not what the pipe hobby can do for you, ask what you can do for the pipe hobby". Kevin discussed, in-depth, the state of the pipe hobby today, including the resurgence of the younger pipe smoker, and the legislative challenges that it faces with RYO cigarette tobacco, the FDA and flavoring issues. Mr. Godbee also discussed what we as pipe smokers can do to help our beloved hobby flourish and survive for generations to come.

After testing out the blends for this year’s John Cotton Throwdown, of which there is separate coverage, and having a deep discussion with Martin Vollmer over gin and tonic, it was around one in the morning and time to get some rest for what I expected would be a very full day.

I was right.

There was so much going on at the show that it is difficult to convey through just words and pictures. The energy that took place in the Mega Center was palpable; the sounds of excitement were everywhere. Even making it down into the Mega Center early, as I was helping Dustin set up his incredible collection of blowfish pipes, it was still difficult to get everywhere and see everything. As Kevin has specifically instructed me to be brief, no easy task for me, especially when describing such a mind-bogglingly incredible event, I will do my best to describe a select few exhibitors present at the 2012 Chicagoland International Pipe and Tobacciana Show.

Educational Displays

Right when you walk through the door of the Mega Center, you are greeted by four glass cases filled with pipes. Above each one is a sign reading, "Education Display", followed by the name of the collector responsible for amassing such an amazing agglomeration.

Two of the cases were devoted to Bobby Eichorn’s collection of Charatan pipes, which contained a variety that was a true pleasure to behold. Sadly, I was unable to speak to him, as he was constantly surrounded by such a flock of admirers that Gene Simmons would have been envious.

On the other side of the aisle were two collections: the first was entirely devoted to the bulldog and rhodesian shapes. When I spoke to Paige Simms, the gentleman who had spent so much time collecting one of my favorite shapes, he pulled out one of the pipes and said, "This is the one that started it all." It was a perfect Dunhill that had clearly been loved and appreciated for many years. "It really doesn’t get much better," he said.

The last collection was Dustin Babitzke’s aquarium of blowfish. While helping set up this display, I was able to see exactly what it takes to pull together a collection like his and like those belong to the other men: the variety of shape and size, the intricate details captured perfectly by different pipes, the way one pipe would complement another. It was truly a treat to see these collections up close.

Cornell & Diehl New Blend - Crooked Lane

At this year’s show, Cornell and Diehl officially introduced Crooked Lane to the world, a tobacco that sung beautifully in my Rubens Rhodesian and did everything a good English should do. According to the tin, "Cornell and Diehl harkens back to Old London with Crooked Lane, a rich and full English blend of Virginias, Latakia, a dose of Oriental and a whisper of Perique. We like to think something similar was a favorite of the artisans who for centuries have made Crooked Lane a world-wide destination for their fishing gear and bird cages. Fill your bowl and join us for a stroll!" A walk down a London market place with this in my pipe sounds like heaven.

Also officially introduced at the show, though some of you might have gotten your mitts on it beforehand, was G.L. Pease’s Sextant. You can read the pre-release teaser for Sextant here, but Mr. Pease himself describes the new blend as something that "defies categorization somewhat. While it has many similarities to a conventional, traditional mixture, the infusion of dark rum, and the addition of fire-cured Kentucky, especially when combined with the pressing and fermentation that occurs as a result, give it a unique sweetness and aroma." [Source:http://glpease.com/Tobacco/OldLondon/ - follow the link for more info.]

Neat Pipes

Hailing all the way from Rozzano, a municipality in the Province of Milan in the Italian region of Lombardy, is Neat Pipes, the brain-child of Luca Di Piazza. Along with displaying a phenomenal collection of pipes, from carvers all around the world, the table also featured Luciano Pipes, another creation of Luca’s. The display was lovely and it was really a pleasure to see so many people dedicated to the pipe from around the world in one place at one time.

Lee Von Erck - Von Erck Pipes

I also got the chance to talk with Lee while at the Chicago Pipe Show, though it took me a little hunting to find him; he always seemed to be off somewhere, shaking hands and sharing a laugh.

Being a pipe smoker himself for over fifty years, Lee knows exactly what a pipe smoker is looking for in a pipe and aims to deliver every time. He told me that he now makes around a hundred pipes a year, mostly because his oil curing and blasting process are both extremely time consuming. "It takes a long time," Lee said, "I could do a lot more pipes if I used a simpler blasting technique. But just look at it." Lee gestures towards one of the few remaining pipes on his table. "It’s worth it."

I couldn’t help but agree with him. Lee also told me that he is now closely working with Tsuge pipes on a collaborative project, for which he provides his oil curing and shaping expertise. Of the over a dozen pipes he brought with him to the show, all but a couple were gone by Sunday morning. Lee told me that he had even sold one pipe that had not been finished yet.

SmokingPipes.com

A presence very difficult to miss at almost any pipe show is the SmokingPipes.com table. This year, as in years past, they came out with a sizeable staff that was both knowledgeable and helpful. staff, including Tony Saintiague who came back just to help with the show and share his passion. [Editor's note: Tony is "Vice Chairman, VP Emeritus" at SPC. He left daily operations to pursue his studies"]. Master Pipe carver Hiroyuki Tokutomi was at the table, as well, along with fellow master Kei-ichi Gotoh. Through the help of a translator, I was able speak with both of these men and, with Tokutomi’s assistance, found a pipe of his the perfect size for Lauren to enjoy: a beautiful, black, sandblasted pipe with a bamboo stem that weighs about as much as a feather.

PipesAndCigars.com

PipesAndCigars was represented by the owner of the company, Scott Bendett, E-Commerce Manager, Bob Gates and other staff. Russ Ouellette was unable to attend the show due to illness, but a huge free sampling of his plethora of delicious Hearth & Home tobacco blends were available for smoking. They told me that the new Cerberus blend (that came out for International Pipe Smoking Day) was so popular that it sold out, but will soon be back in stock. The new New York Pipe Club Tobacco Blends were also being sampled, and a very impressive brand new print catalog was being handed out.

Maxim Engel - Pipes2Smoke.com

With a name like Pipes2Smoke, it’s pretty easy to figure what Maxim Engel is selling, but when I saw the pipes he brought with them, all I could do was stare. Clearly noticing my drool, Maxim approached me with a smile and took the time out of his clearly busy routine to talk pipes and ask me which ones I liked in particular. It was honestly hard for me to pick one and luckily I didn’t have to, as I would have just politely asked to be able to take them all home with me for a little test.

Mac Baren Tobacco Co.

Following in their recent tradition of releasing a new blend at the Chicago Pipe Show, Mac Baren Tobacco introduced HH Old Dark Fired. Much like everything this company releases, Old Dark Fired has been highly anticipated and will surely be just as appreciated. After snagging one of the first tins of this new blend, I got a chance to look at the back label: A bold flake of dark-fired burleys in a well balanced unity with Flue-cured Virginias. This flake is Hot Pressed, meaning that during the pressing, heat is added by steam to the tobaccos which causes the tobacco to intensify the marrying process giving us a bolder tobacco. The robust, earthly flavour of the dark-fired burleys shines through in the taste, and you will experience a deeply satisfying smoke indeed.

One of the most fascinating parts about this tobacco that will be sure to confuse a lot of American pipe smokers is that, despite the fact that HH Old Dark Fired contains zero Latakia, Mac Baren still considers it an English because of the method used in its production, specifically the steam press. According to Per Jensen, Mac Baren Product Manager, the steam press makes it so that the "tobaccos marry faster and in a completely different way than what we normally produce. In short, they alter the taste. This blend is a heavy/strong tobacco with a lot of vitamin N."

The 2012 Chicago Show was a stupendous, exhilarating, and unbelievably fun time. Leaving was a downer, but I am already looking forward to the next pipe show and next year in Chicago.

Photos by Ethan Brandt and Kevin Godbee

Ethan Brandt is a senior at Washington University in St. Louis, majoring in Religious Studies and English with a Pre-Law focus. He picked up his first pipe his Freshman year in college and never looked back. Recently, he has start up a pipe-focused blog called Pipe School.

2011 Chicago Show Report

Welcome to our 4th monthly Cartoon Caption Contest. PipesMagazine.com has signed a contract with Jerry King for the production of four exclusive Pipe Cartoons each month, starting in February 2012. (Jerry has been drawing cartoons for Playboy Magazine for the past 17-years.) One of the four monthly cartoons will be published without a caption so contest entrants can submit their own entries.

SmokingPipes.com is the exclusive sponsor of the monthly contest. PipesMagazine.com Editorial Staff will judge the entries and SmokingPipes.com will award the prizes. The 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners will each receive a Sebastien Beo Pipe with a retail value of $85, $80, and $75, respectively.

For legal and logistical reasons, the contest is only open to residents of North America, excluding Quebec.

Read the Contest Rules Here :: Enter the Contest Here
See More Cartoons Here :: See the April 2012 Winners Here

1st Place - Rick Bedor, Merrickville, Ontario
2nd Place - Tim Hawkins, Mackville, KY
3rd Place - Russell Shay, Toms River, NJ

Captions are shown below -

Chris P. Bacon
In the fall of 2005, a post on the Pipe and Tobacco Collector’s Blog sounded an alarm about the “demise of the pipe show” which, in the context of a somewhat standard gripe session about the state of pipe shows as a whole, made a provocative and impressive claim that predicted a coming storm accurately. The post stated that pipe shows, in overemphasizing the retail aspect of their gatherings, had become mere marketplaces, and this transformation dissolved the important yet somewhat intangible communal aspect upon which, at least anecdotally, the entire pipe community was based. Aside from striking gold in the mid-2000’s with a substantial lucrative boom in high-end pipe sales brought about by an influx of artisan carvers earlier in the decade, the pipe shows had nothing to show for decades of development and were in danger of becoming unexciting flea-markets, its visitors disengaged from the fact that, beyond the buying and selling, there was something missing, something important and communal and real.

I re-read this 2005 blog post prior to attending Chicago’s 2012 show this past week and threw it against the wall all weekend as I contemplated the state of the Chicago show, and the pipe shows in general, as we enter a new era brought about by smoking banishment and the deflation of the “pipe bubble” that had sustained many an investor years ago, setting the stage for the blog post in question.

The Smoking Tent

For what took place in Chicago last weekend was a genuine attempt to bring back elements of pipe shows as a whole that had somehow disappeared from view in the rush to emphasize the retail aspect of the show, as the caveat from 2005 bannered, and the successes in doing so were not solely evident from the vantage point of one single subgroup—the carver, the retailer, the pipe guy, all with their disparate interests. But if one examines the pipe show as an opportunity to engage, to bond, to fellowship with other pipe enthusiasts, it was a rousing success, unquestionably the best Chicago show in years. It wasn’t that sort of show for everyone, mind you; if you attended looking to strike gold but didn’t, or find a buyer for your such-and-such and left disappointed, then you may not agree. But the fact that such diverse agendas exist under one roof is critical: we have arrived at the point where the fragmentation and diffusion of the pipe community is so vast that it isn’t possible to label an entire gathering a “success” based upon one dimension. This diffusion is, in itself, an indication of success.

I witnessed at Chicago this year the rebirth of the pipe show in multiple ways: as a barometer of the health of something called the “pipe community”, it was apparent now there were multiple “pipe communities”—diverse yet intertwined, each relying on the other as a sort of mutual admiration society in flux, the old school (which I have come to affectionately call “The Charatan Generation”) watching as the New Pipe Community becomes fragmented into an array of subgroups. These subgroups are not infinite: they appear to be centered around many possible vortices, such as by interest in one type or shape of pipe, or a singular theme (even the phrase “retailers” appears limited in scope at this point), or political, social, or religious affiliation (there really is something called Christian Pipe Smokers, and their representative numbers are pretty impressive), and so on. It’s an exciting moment to have attended this show, subplots and all.

The pipe show as a barometer of a “pipe community”.

I don’t recall a time when I have ever thought that there was a singular thing called a “pipe community”, but that phrase has almost no validity anymore. Nowadays, there are so many pipe “communities” that are brought to rule that I don’t think you can go to the Chicago show anymore and experience it all. Diversity is key, and anything goes at Chicago, as evidenced by the almost overloaded schedule of events, workshops, meetings, and presentations which were more than window dressing. They were substantial opportunities to tune in and communicate, to believe and behold and make sense of the deeper meaning of the art that entrances us. This was the closest the Chicago (or any) show has come to a full-blown trade show in my memory, a blur of ideas and quick-tempo events stretching until well past bedtime in the tent and elsewhere, so that those preferring to smoke may not feel left out of the action because they retreated to the tent to escape and retire. It was a nice touch to use the tent as an opportunity to include people.

I developed a feeling that the show, in its efforts to be inclusive of the diversity of the New Pipe Communities, had finally acknowledged the independent, almost rebellious nature of the act of smoking that binds us as fans, and as free spirited persons. As we are confronted with social ostracism elsewhere, and an occasional feeling that pipes are possibly simultaneously “hip” and anachronistic, the CPCC answered this dilemma by crafting an event, a happening which allowed us to find and indulge and share. The fragmentation of the community has allowed for this shift in attention to detail at the show itself, and I certainly hope the other pipe shows took good notes. It appears that the CPCC has learned the lessons of the aforementioned blog post about how simply allowing for a retail exchange isn’t going to be a sufficient draw to get people to want to come to a pipe show. Chicago’s show this year upped the ante by placing these diverse communities into context: the subgroups of the New Pipe Community are not hidden from view, or simply asterisks on a show program, they are front-and-center.

Olie Sylvester Pipe

The Tent.

For those who recall the first tent show at Chicago years ago, you likely remember that there was a degree of skepticism surrounding the effect of the indoor smoking ban on the pipe show itself. It’s safe to say that by now this skepticism has been replaced by an almost anticipatory expectation that the same tent which may have inspired initial ridicule has now morphed into one of the most unique social venues associated with pipe smoking anywhere. The tent has become the visible core of the entire Chicago show, where the camaraderie of the unique interest that binds us is permitted and on full display, and where the show itself is essentially formed: novices and experts, hagglers and dealers, the interested and the curious, and old friends and strangers meet, drink (quite a bit, actually), and gather. In addition to being a social venue again this year, the CPCC reaffirmed the tent as a formal opportunity for the retail aspect of the show by moving its pre-show and swap into the tent to allow for smoking. What resulted was the literal (and one imagines, from here on out, irreversible) expansion of the showcase itself into a three-day showcase with quite a bit of validation of the concept of a “smoking show”. This decision resolves the interesting problem noted by show-goers here and elsewhere as to which “type” of show they prefer, smoking or not. In Chicago 2012’s case, they’ve got both. As always, the tent provided show-goers the opportunity to make long-lasting memories. Or, you could just disconnect from even those who come to disconnect. For those who have never attended, the tent itself is one of those huge industrial jobs that takes quite a while to assemble, and as the 2012 Chicago Pipe Show crowd found out Friday, can also get pretty humid and sultry if the conditions are right. No matter—it’s endearing itself in ways that are unexpected and fun.

Beyond its utility as a place for smoking respite, the tent is a metaphor for the community itself. Given this generation’s endless opportunities to connect without actually connecting (from message boards, to Skype chats, to other rituals), the tent is a scene, a haven to combat the loneliness resulting from the inherent disconnectedness of the YouTube era. I sensed this when I randomly spent time in the tent early on Sunday morning when it was empty. It struck me as a sort of landscape; the only sounds were the distant buzz of golf course maintenance equipment and the occasional “clink” of ashtrays placed on tables by the janitorial staff. I didn’t ever think that this tent, which was such an expensive risk, could take on so much meaning, but it has become a special place. What goes on in that tent on any given day at the pipe show is an almost spiritual and communal thing, something far greater than its physical space, something far more important than an electronic communication can encapsulate. Virtual pipe communities constitute superficial attempts to replicate connectedness, a human element to what is a very human art; this is the double-edged blade of responsibility assumed by the New Pipe Community. The opportunity provided by the tent cannot be replaced by any virtual community, however important those virtual worlds may be to sustaining things in other ways. It’s up to the ones who assume the leadership role to realize the essential importance of the tent and the show which has embraced it.

Russ Cook Pipe

The Charatan Generation welcomes The New Pipe Communities.

Collegiate Pipe Smokers

I guess it’s no surprise that we live in an era where a group of young college-age men and women feel excited enough about an opportunity to engage in an literal (as opposed to a virtual) communal gathering that they appear in customized t-shirts proclaiming themselves the “Collegiate Pipe Smokers” (with a Latin phrase, naturally, indecipherable as it may have been to me). Similarly, I counted no less than 6 pipe carvers who were attending their very first show, and they appeared to be doing quite well. I mean that ideologically as well as financially; some of the new pipe carvers really have something to say in their work that is challenging and exhilarating. The evolution of the pipe community into distinct but interrelated subgroups is now at its visible extreme: the Charatan Generation gives way to a group of young enthusiasts who may never smoke a Charatan at all, but are genuinely respectful of those who do, as they propel the pipe community toward the outer limits of creativity and individuality. A collegiate pipe t-shirt-wearer told me, “I’d like to join UPCA, they do a lot of cool stuff”, a somewhat blanket statement but one which was said in the most earnest enthusiasm, as if the organization itself had enough of an imagination and energy to contain this crew hell-bent on not allowing the New Pipe Community to be ignored, intent on taking the Charatan Generation on the ride with them. This realization was important and exciting to me, as I can’t recall a pipe show at Chicago in the past decade where I saw so many younger pipe enthusiasts whose hearts were in the right place.

It dawned on me that, roughly a decade ago, a new group of exciting pipe carvers emerged who gave the pipe community a good-natured kick in the pants, which led inexorably to the highs of the mid-00’s and the inevitable letdown experienced by the author of the pipe blog post I recollected. Now, it seems the same thing is happening again: we may be in a post-something era where the Crosbys and Johnsons are the standard-bearers, and the pipe carvers and fans of the newest sort are speaking not to the conservative clang of Charatan and Parker and Radice, but to their heroes who emerged in the 2000’s. This happens a lot, and it’s interesting to see we’re at that point now. I’m reminded of the fact that there are musicians today for whom something recorded in the 1990’s represents “classic rock”.

Is there room at this table?

Saturday, I held a pipe in my hand by a pipe carver who was attending his very first show. He was eager and excited to have anyone stop by and admire his stuff—it didn’t seem to matter if I wasn’t going to make a purchase or not (although I am certain that the fact that I did was appreciated). I thought of this: his pipes weren’t “his take on a bulldog”, or “his version of so-and-so’s billiard”, or any other responsorial name-drop. In fact, he never mentioned to me who he was admiring, studying under, or biting. It seems acceptable, finally, that a “bulldog-looking pipe” can now be called whatever its craftsman wishes to call it, no matter the name of the shape it best resembles. In other words, we’re at a liberating moment, and I saw this everywhere in the past weekend at Chicago.

If we truly feel that the real cannot be removed, and that pipe shows themselves play some sort of role aside from providing a sales venue, then we should welcome the challenge posed by this year’s show at Chicago to make good on the impressive opportunity to expand the New Pipe Communities by even more diverse persons and interests. There’s a forlorn but anticipatory undercurrent at the Chicago Pipe Show that the arrival of Monday represents the closing of a door, the end of an opportunity to retreat and learn and fellowship, and the resumption of the routines of life, as it were. This year, I took something hopeful back, a sense that the pipe show and the community it drew together were both robust and headed towards new ideas while taking the older ones along. I used to gauge the show by what sort of loot I took back home, but doing so this year almost seemed inadequate in explaining how strongly the show has come back from the dualities of an economic recession and a smoking ban. It looks like those two challenges have been stared down, and the New Pipe Community that has emerged from the changes promises to keep the flame.

Wayne Teipen Pipe