The pipes I reach for first

[zanthal]

alright, so I wanted to show you guys pics of my new mousepad. ::

I recently sent my Leonessa Artistica and some sample tobacco to my old high school buddy who is just starting a year's tour in Afghanistan. He's got young kids so, even if he's got a year to think about it, I'd be willing to bet he doesn't take to pipe tobacco like I have. I hope to see him on these forums sometime soon, actually, I think he could use the encouragement. ::
But anyhow I've still got 11 pipes, and these are the three I routinely smoke (I'd be tickled pink to see others post pics of their "favorites")
The Erik Nording FS, which I recently put a new pearlized green lucite stem on. The Dr. Grabow Royalton, which is a fine smoking pipe for what it cost, it's my old reliable. And the Ukrainian Pearwood sitter, that I also recently put a new lucite stem on.
Believe it or not, last year I sent a message to the Ebay seller I bought that Ukrainian pearwood pipe from, asking the name of the carver. I got a reply along the lines of "You would not know him, if you try, you will never find him" :rofl: And I really did just want to be able to put his name on a forum post. Ah well.
Also, if anyone is doubting whether pearwood root is a worthy pipe material, be assured it makes a very good pipe. Briar is superior, but not by too terribly much. Pearwood can quite handle the heat, and they're almost always cheaper than briar pipes.

 

[instymp]

Very nice! Where did you get the pearlized green lucite stem

 

[lordofthepiperings]

+1 on the pipes and wondering where you got the lucite stems.

 

[tbradsim1]

I love my pear wood pipes, got 5 of them, and yes zanthal they smoke very good, love the stems on your pipes. The old cajun

 

[zanthal]

Pipe Maker's Emporium for the amber pearlized, and I actually plucked the green one off my Smoking Dragon St Patty's Day cob that I don't really smoke any more.
It's not the cob, it's the way it's made, it's hard to clean. No offense SD, you know I love your work.
And I'll tell you, it's not easy whittling down Lucite to where it will fit well in a pipe, and still look pretty.
I've used 100 grit sand paper and various Dremel tools to make both of those fit, and it's over an hours work just to do it the sloppy way I did.
I would send them out to Norwood's, but I get impatient. ::

 

[johncorosz]

A heat gun can help with that! But I had to resort to Dremel work myself more than once to bore out holes, fit different stems and sometimes to loosen stem work that was too tight on a new pipe. Love those lucite stems, great work you did in adding some pizzaz to those old pipes.

 

[cigrmaster]

Cool looking pipes, I really like the stems, very colorful.