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March 27th, 2010 in Pipe News by Mate
I have always been a loner, but of late I find myself going more and more into Hermit Mode
All the company I need is my iPod, my Neerup Pipes and my Lancer’s Slices
It has become a habit for me to go down in the afternoons to what is know as “The Temple by the Sea” (Image Below) which is just 3 miles away from home.
For some unknown reason, people keep wanting to talk to me when I have my earphones on.
BUT TODAY WAS THE BEST
I am sitting down listening to a Comedy, enjoying a delicious bowl of Latakia Laced Lancer Slices.
A woman comes up to me and starts talking, so I take out my ear buds and look at her.
She take this as an invitation to starts to lecture me, “Don’t you know smoking is unhealthy.”
I respond with “Thank you I was unaware of that, but I think its actually very healthy.”
With a puzzled look o her face she inquires “How is that?”
Serious as a judge I respond “It keeps away pest like sandflies, mosquitoes and people I don’t want to talk to.”
I put back the earbuds in my ears. I saw her talking away, but the words were mercifully drowned out by my favorite podcast Keith & the Girl. She eventually wondered off.
Stupid cow, she would be lucky is a drunk homeless man paid her any attention, so why is she trying to pick me up, since she obviously is a holier than thou anti-smoker.
Next time a woman like that approaches me, I’ll say “Lady all the Viagra in the universe could not make me hard for you, so I need something else like smoking to occupy my time.”
August 20th, 2009 in Pipe News by Mate
Must be that 80% Latakia / 20% Perique homegrown blend, I’m overdosing on
August 19th, 2009 in Pipe News by Mate
First Off, let me say that the term “Poor Mans” is in no way derogatory to theses pipes.
They are excellent smokers, I in fact own 14 of these, so I guess you could say I own a 2 week set.
I purchased mine in Holland and in UK, but I do see one or two in this series, on US Web Sites, but not the full compliment.
In England they cost around £37.00 or US$47.00 (England is the little island west of Europe that is America’s favorite colony)….Sorry Pommies, but I had to put that little dig in as the Yanks are usually Geographically Challenged
Here are some sources for them:
They come in 6 shapes and 5 different finishes.
The first one I bought was Shape 648 in a Rusticated Finish, but the Rusticated Finish seems to be discontinued.
The Largest Bowls are 647 & 649, Smallest Bowl is 651. I would guess that the 647 & 649 are mid size by US Standards.
I don’t use the filters, and the smoke flow is easy. A doubled up Pipe Cleaner easily goes through the stem into the bowl. They require little or no break in.
They are light weight and extremely comfortable in your mouth with nice wide Lucite Stems. Seems to me they would be ideal for smoking when working with your hands or doing some arduous task which occupy both hands such as fly-fishing, card playing, playing pool or nintendo games for the younger pipe smokers. They are my preferred pipes when typing on the computer.
They smoke better than some of my Brand Name Pipes that cost 10 times as much.
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In fact as a testament to what good smokers these are, I was recently visiting a friend and left my pipe on the table in the porch when I went to get something out of the car.
On my return, I could not find my pipe. My friend has two Beetham Hounds
The main garbage dump in Trinidad is located on the Beetham Highway, so any canines of no specific parentage, are referred to as Beetham Hounds.
Any way despite their lack of aristocratic lineage, the two beast obviously have decent taste and a sweet tooth. They were enjoying my BigBen, Natural Finish, Shape 649 with MacBarens Navy Flake on the lawn.
The bit was in multiple pieces, and the bowl had some nasty bites. I sent it off to England, and the bit was replaced sans logo, but all the digs bar one were nicely buffed out.
It cost me £30.00, for the repairs, but as an animal lover I could not be vexed.
I have never tried “Barking Dog” tobacco, but I should get some and reserve this pipe for it.
August 18th, 2009 in Pipe Smoking by Mate
If you live in large cities, Sydney, New York, London etc, there are many stores that specialize in these
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Here are two sources that I use to buy Tapestries Online:
#1)
https://www.friendly-services.com/index.phtml
Ask for Jeanette, extremely helpful and friendly lady , 805-562-9922 in California
This store is in Sydney, Morris & Sons, but they ship worldwide. They stock 1000’s of different tapestries
When checking both stores you will usally find pics of Pipes in pages that contain Ships and Nautical Themes
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This one I have, and plan to start someday
Some Sample of Tapestry Pipe Images that are available
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I will send Kevin / Admin a document that he can post as a “pdf” with instructions of how to do these
There are 3 different stitches:
- Continental
- Half Cross Stitch
- Basket-weave
I strongly recommend using the “Congenital Stitch” , it uses a little more wool, but the results are better in that the picture looks fuller with less gaps and spaces showig canvas.
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Custom made.
You can buy blank tapestry canvass and have someone paint a custom image on it for you to stitch from a picture etc. The Aussies love to do this with a favorite dog. Morris and Sons offers this service.
So you could make a pic of:
- your father / grandfather with his pipe
- your favorite pipe
- even some of the graphics on the tins would make a good subject, like Samuel Gawiths Squadron Leader, Skiff)
There is also software available in England from Royal Tapestries, which take an normal image on your computer (jpg, tiff, giff, pgn, psd) and will create a tapestry design for you. You can control it complexity as to size, amount of colour shades, and stitch size.
If as Kevin, you don’t want to make your own, many tapestry shops have people who will actually do the sewing for you.
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Here are some other sites
Search Tapestry, Tapestries, Tapestry Kits, etc
August 16th, 2009 in Pipe Smoking by Mate
I made these Tapestries, and there is a bit of a story about how that came about, so light up a very large bowl………..
I was about to relocate these two to my Smoking Den, but the wife said they looked so nice in the Living Room that she wanted them left there.
So I took phage74 father’s advice
I was smoking with my dad last night. My dad was telling me about how my mother wouldn’t let him smoke in the house. He is usually compulsive about cleanliness and neatness so this surprised me. I asked him if he really wanted to smoke in the house. He said “No, but sometimes you have to make them feel like they have won something so they feel like they owe you something later.”
The Story:
My mothers made 100’s of tapestries. Every seat in the house had a tapestry cover and a tapestry cushion. The coffee table had a tapestry, covered in glass. We used to tease her that she was trying to tapestry the toilet seat.
Any way she had made a few for me with Pipes or Sailing Ships, unfortunately they got destroyed in a house fire. At the same time my mother became terminally ill and could not do any more.
During this period I was living in a town called Nowra, which is about 190 kms. south of Sydney in Australia. I used to do 9 hours of commuting a day to Sydney to work. This was before the days of iPods, and reading on the train became tiresome.
As I used to sit with my mother and talk while she was doing her tapestry, so I saw how she made them. So I decided to try my hand at doing tapestries, and these were the first two I completed.
I only do ones of Pipes or Nautical Themes.
What may surprise you is that many men do tapestry, and its often recommended for people for therapy, and I have even heard of an American Football Player taking it up to occupy his time while doing a long injury convalesce.
Speaking to people in Tapestry shops, I was informed that the men who do it, usually stay in the closet, well personally I enjoy seeing a woman smoking a pipe (A Rarity) so why can’t I do Tapestry in public. I used to get some odd looks on the train, but who gives a ****.
I was also told that men actually do neater tapestry work than women.
I would also get odd looks but I can kind of sympathize with the gawkers, when a 230 lb man with a full beard got off a huge motorcycle at the beach, stripped down to trunks and pulled out a tapestry to do. It was actually funny to see the looks on faces of people who knew me, and my un-deserved reputation for being a skirt chaser, wondering if I had switched camps.
In the next post, I’ll give you some:
- Samples from catalogues of Tapestry with Pipes
- Where you can buy them on the internet
- Instructions on how to make them yourself
And if you don’t want to make them yourself, you could possibly buy the wife a kit which would probally earn some brownie points towards you and your mistresses (Ms. Savanelli, Ms. Dunhill, Ms. Nording, Ms. Barling, etc.)
Here are some instructions on stitching:
August 16th, 2009 in Pipe Smoking by Mate
I love images of Pipes and Related Items
I get the impression that more and more smokers are restricted in their own home to a specific area.
While I am not restricted, I have set up my pipe den within the last two weeks. Its the best decision I ever made, but that’s a whole other story.
Here is a Post Card that I picked up in Australia in the 1990’s for a few cents.
Unfortunately, £37.00, today could not buy you:
1) A ticket to Australia
2) A cheap pipe
3) or even 1lb. of decent baccy
*** NB Post Pipe Art # 002 and 003, will tell you how to make your own pipe art to decorate your Pipe & Tobacco Den
Pipe Art
August 14th, 2009 in Pipe News by Mate
No its not a typo
- “Briar” and not Meershaum is what I meant
- “Colouring” is correct spelling, but lets not get into an English Debate
Any way I had received a nice Bjarne from Iwan Ries, Price, it was my first Bjarne, and it smoked fantastic from the onset. As I would classify its price at Low Mid Range or High Low Range, ok it was $80.00.
As it was such a great smoker, I decided to order another.
Exactly a month later I got the new one.
I had only smoked 2 or 3 bowls in the new one and only ⅓ full, when I realised how much of a difference there was in the colour of the original pipe, considering they originally started off the same.
Here is the comparison
Tobaccos smoked in them would have been SG (Squadron Leader, Skiff and Commonwealth Mixture)
It just goes to show the patina that develops in a well loved and often smoked Briar Companion
Sorry for the Image quality, it shot from built in camera on my MacBook, I am weighting on a Light Tent that Kevin Recommended to put up what I hope will be some great pics.
If you want to see the work I do with a camera, non pipe related (Sports, Weddings, Portraits, Wildlife etc) you can have a peek at. http://www.jpgmag.com/people/johngioannetti
Below is a reference to “Patina” and how they develop or are induced. Note a reference to using liver to create a patina.
If any of you guys decide to put liver in your pipes to smoke, please post the results. I am certain that the rest of us would be interested in the “Liver Review.” We would also be interested on the wife’s comments on your attempting to cellar raw liver in bell jars for later use.
And they way the Anti-Smoking Nazis are going we may all have to smoke that soon. Just don’t tell them or they will ban cows, pigs, goats etc from having livers, or at least tax them heavily for it.
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patina |pəˈtēnə|nouna green or brown film on the surface of bronze or similar metals, produced by oxidation over a long period.• a gloss or sheen on wooden furniture produced by age and polishing.• an acquired change in the appearance of a surface : plankton added a golden patina to the shallow, slowly moving water.• figurative an impression or appearance of something : he carries the patina of old money and good breeding.DERIVATIVESpatinated |ˈpatnˌātid| |ˈpødəˈneɪd1d| |-neɪtɪd| adjectivepatination |ˌpatnˈā sh ən| |ˈpødəˈneɪʃən| |-ˈneɪʃ(ə)n| nounORIGIN mid 18th cent.: from Italian, from Latin patina ‘shallow dish.’
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Patina
A bronze coin of the Han Dynasty - circa 1st century BC with green patina.
Patina (pronounced /ˈpætənə/ or /pəˈtiːnə/) is a film on the surface of bronze or similar metals(produced by oxidation over a long period); a sheen on wooden furniture produced by age, wear, and polishing; or any such acquired change of a surface through age and exposure. On metal, patina is a coating of various chemical compounds such as oxides or carbonates formed on the surface during exposure to the elements (weathering). Patina also refers to accumulated changes in surface texture and colour that result from normal use of an object such as a coin or a piece of furniture over time.[1]
Advantages
Patinas are restricted to exposed surfaces and are fragile (that is, they can flake off). One reason bronze is so highly valued in statuary is that its patina protects or passivates it against further corrosion. This natural patina is solid and seldom shows a tendency to flake.Brass is also resistant to corrosion, but it is, in the long run, not as attractive since local pitting shows against the shiny background.
Etymology
The word “patina” comes from the Latin for “shallow dish”. Figuratively, patina can refer to any fading, darkening or other signs of age, which are felt to be natural and/or unavoidable.
The chemical process by which a patina forms is called patination, and a work of art coated by a patina is said to be patinated.
Acquired patina
The green patina that forms naturally on copper and bronze is often mis-named verdigris and usually consists of a mixture of chlorides, sulphides and carbonates. copper carbonate or copper chloride. Atacamite is another name for the patina compounds.Verdigris can be produced on copper by addition of vinegar (acetic acid) - such a verdigris is water-soluble and will not last on the outside of a building like a “true” patina.
One example of a patina is a green surface texture created by slow chemical alteration of copper, producing a basic carbonate. It can form on pure copper objects as well as alloys which contain copper, such as bronze or brass.
The Statue of Liberty gets its green color from the natural patina formed on its copper surface.
A Patina layer takes many years to develop under natural weathering. A copper roof will patinate faster than a copper facade, due to the longer dwell time of water on the surface. Buildings in coastal / marine locations will weather and develop a patina layer faster than ones in inland areas. For example, a new copper facade in central London will most likely not develop a “typical” green patina until after 50 years!
Facade cladding (copper cladding) with alloys of copper, eg Brass or Bronze, will weather differently to “pure” copper cladding. Even a lasting gold colour is possible with copper-alloy cladding. Look at Colston Hall in Bristol, or the Novotel at Paddington Central, London. There you can see some colours that one might not have expected from copper / copper-alloy cladding.
Applied patina
Artists and metalworkers often deliberately add patinas as a part of the original design and decoration of art and furniture, or to simulate antiquity in newly-made objects.
A wide range of chemicals, both household and commercial, can give a variety of patinas. They are often used by artists as surface embellishments either for color, texture, or both. Patination composition varies with the reacted elements and these will determine the color of the patina. For copper alloys, such as bronze, exposure to chlorides leads to green, while sulfur compounds (such as “liver of sulfur“) tend to brown. The basic pallet for patinas on copper alloys includes chemicals like ammonium sulfide(blue-black), liver of sulfur(brown-black), cupric nitrate(blue-green) and ferric nitrate(yellow-brown). For artworks, patination is often deliberately accelerated by applying chemicals with heat. Colors range from matte sandstone yellow to deep blues, greens, whites, reds and various blacks. Some patina colors are achieved by the mixing of colors from the reaction with the metal surface with pigments added to the chemicals. Sometimes the surface is enhanced by waxing, oiling, or other types of lacquers or clear-coats. More simply, the French sculptor Auguste Rodin used to instruct assistants at his studio to urinate over bronzes stored in the outside yard.
Patina is also found on slip rings and commutators. This type of patina is formed by corrosion, what elements the air might hold, residue from the wear of the carbon brush and moisture; thus, the patina need special conditions to work as intended.
Patinas can also be found in woks or other metal baking dishes, which form when properly seasoned. The patina on a wok is a dark coating of oils that have been burned onto it to prevent food sticking and to enhance the flavor of the foods cooked in it. Steaming foods or using soap on a wok or other dish ware could damage the patina and possibly allow rust.
Value
Apart from the aesthetic appearance and practical protection of patination, antique experts confirm that an object’s value increases when its patination is intact because it is an important effect of the ageing process and this evidential history is reflected in the value of the piece.[2]
In terms of antiques then,
Patina is everything that happens to an object over the course of time. The nick in the leg of a table, a scratch on a table top, the loss of moisture in the paint, the crackling of a finish or a glaze in ceramics, the gentle wear patterns on the edge of a plate. All these things add up to create a softer look, subtle color changes, a character. Patina is built from all the effects, natural and man-made, that create a true antique.
Repatination
In the case of antiques, several views are held on the value of patination and its replacement if damaged: repatination.
Preserving a piece’s look and character is important and removal or reduction may dramatically reduce its value though if patination has flaked off repatination may be recommended.[2]
Appraiser, Reyne Haines notes that “a repatinated metal piece will be worth more than one with major imperfections in the patina,” but less than a piece still with its original finish.[2]
August 12th, 2009 in Pipe News by Mate
Neerup Easy Cut Smoothe Bent Brandy
IMP Meerschaum: Medium Smooth Freehand Sitter
The thing is I have tried Meershaums a few times before, and I was not overly impressed with the taste. In fact I did not like it
However at the time due to my “Latakia Allergy”, I was smoking Captain Black Royal and MacBarens.
As I am now smoking only English and Balkan Blends, I am hoping for some great epiphany.
One of the things that always turned me off about Meerschaums was also the ornate figures, that I can only describe as something from the “Grotesque Era”.
Many of the faces are actually hideous, why would you want to have a pipe that is an effigy of your mother-in-law.
ps. Its customary to give newborns gifts so I’ll make it easy for you guys, you don’t even have to leave your house and go to the Mall, full of obnoxious Anti-Smoking Nazis with their badly behaved ankle biters running around. You can purchase the necessary items over the internet, from the comfort of your own home from any good Tobacconist
100 gms. Each of McLellands Bombay Extra and Frog Morton on the Bayou
August 12th, 2009 in Pipe News by Mate
I love pictures of Pipes.
This one came with a Nording, I had it framed and its hanging in my Smoking Den aka Bedroom
August 10th, 2009 in Pipe News by Mate
Some time ago, I was warned not to smoke straight perique
As Recent as last week phage74 said
Well as usual I just did not listen.
From what I understand the results were what I hear from people who eat Magic Mushrooms………
Any way I experienced some sort of Time Travel, Back to the Future and met this gentleman
I just cant remember if this is Python’s Great, Great Grand Father or Python 60 years from now.
But you can see the definite resemblance
August 9th, 2009 in Pipe News by Mate
I hear or read about other men being harrased about:
- where they are allowed to smoke in the house
- the wife, significant other or children objecting to tobacco smells (seems to be usually latakia)
- spending too much money on pipes
- and a host of other complaints relating to pipe smoking
I am blessed, my wife only has one objection
MY BREATHING
August 8th, 2009 in Pipe News by Mate
In days of old when men were bold
And toilet paper wasn’t invented
They wiped their a** with razor grass
And they were quite contented
Song by the “Might Sparrow” Calypso King of the world http://www.mightysparrow.com/
Razor Grass: This is a 6′ or 7′ grass that grows wild in the tropics. It inflicts cuts like paper cuts, but deeper and more painful. As Boys there would be challenges to run through this with out shoes and wearing only short pants.
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But more relevant to us was that back then Dunhill used to put out a nice little sampler, with an assortment of about 6 or 8 tins of their most popular blends.
The Tins were miniatures of the actual tins sold. They each hell about a ½ oz or less. Think of them as the mini bottles like they have on Aircraft or Mini Bars in Hotel Rooms.
Wouldn’t it be nice if the Tobacco Companies did the same thing today?
Here is the Dunhill Brochure from that era.
August 4th, 2009 in Pipe of the Week by Mate
I only discover Latakia about 2 months ago, and I have become a Latakia Junkie……..
Please don’t try to save me
July 31st, 2009 in Pipe Smoking by Mate
movie-43-iphone-cell4
I found this Tin of Orlik today.
You see the date August 2002, and the rusty can from the pics.
But because the contents were wrapped in cellophane, the tobacco is perfect even though it was opened years ago. It did not even need Rehydrating.
HOW TO:
As I open a new tin of baccy, I carefully lift out the entire contents in its original wrapper. I normally use two standard cutlery knives (blunt and dull) to prize out the original contents.
Then I line the inside of the tin with normal cellophane wrap from kitchen. Leaving enough to fold over as shown in movie above.
Then reinsert the baccy in its original wrapper on top the new cellophane lining.
It also has the added benefit of keeping the baccy in place, especially ½ used tins, if you carry them around in your pocket etc.
NOTE, I wont apologize for my lack of clothing, It 2:00 am and I am sitting on an open deck, and I am sweating
July 21st, 2009 in Pipe News by Mate
Actually my wife says she is my only friend as no one else can put up with me.
Now Cathy and her significant other Robert, own a beach house, that we often spend weekends at.
Sometime Cathy and I will go up a day or two before the others and we are there alone. It make people wonder but as neither my wife or Robert object, who gives a dam.
Any way tomorrow is Cathy’s Birthday, she is the easiest woman to buy presents for as she will smoke anything from Captain Black to Copes Escudo. If only all women were so easy to please.
But here is the big thing, I just called Cathy and told her that we only had a few hours to get up to any hanky panky that we had missed out on before when we were unchaperoned at the beach house.
She obviously wanted to know why.
So I told her, that as she was aware I don’t have many scruples, but one of my strict rules was that I would only hit on women between 16 to 60. So she has until midnight to take me up on my offer.
Link
July 20th, 2009 in Pipe Smoking by Mate
Here is a funny story about English Tobacco.
I always loved the smell of it, but every time I tried to smoke it (Latakia seemed to be the offender) I got terrible hiccups that lasted hours.
About 6 weeks ago, I was giving a friend about 8 tins of Dunhill, which were unopened and ranged from 6 to 9 yrs old. I was telling her how the latakia affected me.
She proceeded to open an Early Morning Pipe Tin, and the Tarry Aroma got the better of me and I tried a bowlful telling her that she would see hiccups come on.
To my surprise, I did not get hiccup attack.
I had already given her the tobacco and so I could not take it back.
I rushed home to order some on the internet. To my dismay Dunhill was no longer available.
I ordered S&G Squadron Leader and Skiff and it was love at first puff and no Hiccups.
I have now gone Latakia / Oriental crazy, thrown out all my Aromatic Rubbish, Enjoy my pipes more and can smoke more in a day, with out my tongue feeling like an neglected outhouse.
I live in the Caribbean, so all pipe and tobacco purchases are internet, shipped to Miami then shipped to Trinidad. I have to pay Duties & Taxes again.
But with my new found love, I have being buying S&G to cellar, I currently have about a years supply of S&G (SQ, Commonwealth, Skiff, Balkan Flake). I have depleted Payless Pipes stock in these.
I have also bought various (10 Tins) of McLelland and GL Pease to try. So far the only one I actually smoked was Frog Morton on the Bayou. SUPER STUFF
Not many people smoke pipes here, I only know about 4 people. They Think Captain Black is Good Stuff.
I am like a recently converted sinner, and trying to convert them and push English Baccy down their pipes.
Hope you enjoyed this babble
Try S&G Balkan Flake, its fantastic
July 20th, 2009 in Pipe Smoking by Mate
I live in Trinidad and Tobago, the most southernly island in the Caribbean with a population of about 1.4 million people.
There probably are not more than a dozen or so pipe smokers, and the knowledge of pipes and tobaccos is extremely limited.
The few people that sell pipes and tobaccos, know nothing about them.
For example
1) They buy basket pipes, call them high grade and sell them for around US$100. I think the arrive at the price based on the amount of Very Conspicuous Fills. About $10 per fill
2) They think Captain Black and Borkum Riff are the best. These sell for over US$10.00 per 1.5 ounce pack. And even this has problems for pipe smokers as they are often out of stock for 3 to 6 months.
I was lucky that my father was a pipe smoker and knew something about Pipes and Tobaccos. His favorite tobacco was Copes Escudo, so he was at least more informed than the other philistines.
I was also lucky that I lived in LA / Hollywood area for a year, and I became friendly with Jerry Lustig, who taught me a lot and Introduced me to more knowledge people at the South West Pipe and Cigar Club (Joel Farr, Steve Johnson) who were a wealth of knowledge.
Unfortunately, I now live back amongst the heathens, and I do my best to educate the few. But when I talk about P&T, I can see the look of “Lets humor him” on their faces.
Thankfully, I have the Internet for ordering P&T, and other sources of information such as P&T Magazine.
I came across this site about 2 weeks ago and thought, it would be a great avenue to make some P&T friends, and get some invaluable knowledge from people like yourselves.
“No actually that a lie, I just come here to look at the pipe smoking babes”
But as the new boy on the block, I’ll be pestering you good folks with lots of questions.
John
