Pipes Magazine Radio Show Episode 517
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Kevin Godbee - Aug 9, 2022
- 1 min read
Welcome to The Pipes Magazine Radio Show Episode 517! Our featured interview tonight is with pipe maker Robert Amundson. Robert might be the most northern pipe maker in the world. He lives in Alaska, and there is a town named North Pole, and it’s south of him. Like many pipe makers he has a background in carpentry. He was inspired to explore pipe making while buying a pipe in a store in 2014 and seeing a block of briar, which he also bought. Robert is a member of The Seattle Pipe Club, and he made their Pipe of the Year in 2021. In Pipe Parts, we will have an Ask the Tobacco Blender segment with Jeremy Reeves. Jeremy is the Head Blender at Cornell & Diehl, which is one of the most popular boutique pipe tobacco companies in the USA. Sit back, relax with your pipe, and enjoy The Pipes Magazine Radio Show!
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The Pipes Magazine Radio Show features interviews with pipe makers, tobacco blenders, pipe and tobacco aficionados, collectors, and more. Episodes air every Tuesday.
Our show is sponsored by SmokingPipes.com, Cornell & Diehl, Missouri Meerschaum, Savinelli Pipes and Tobaccos, and Peterson Pipes. Please give them some consideration when making your next pipe or tobacco purchase.
We hope you enjoy our 1-hour show produced just for you—the pipe smoker and collector.
Written by Kevin Godbee
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Great question, Dan, and a terrific explanation by Jeremy of the different presentations of the same tobacco formula and how it might affect the taste.
The conversation with Robert was so insightful in terms of how a pipe maker learns and grows in the craft. He seems so personable, thoughtful, and genuine.
Amazing music choice! This is from one of my “desert island” discs, “Ella And Louis” – an absolute masterpiece.
Thanks for answering our question on whether Bayou Morning is the same blend as Bayou Morning Flake. The answer explained why people are so split over the issue. Yes, it is the same but they are prepared differently is a very cogent answer. So in a sense both groups of people are “right”.
Nice interview with Robert. I guess I need to get out of the house more because I have never heard of him. Only in Alaska would they say that the North Pole is south of them. Very nice of Joe Langford to invite him to his house to see his collection of Danish Pipes. I’d give my first born to get such an invitation.
The KC Pipe Show that was mentioned in the interview was the one where carvers were asked to submit “their best pipe” for the Carving Contest. We were expecting some very creative and unusual pipes but the carvers crossed us up and simply sent what they had on hand. Very disappointing.
I tried explaining to Jon David why the McClellands closed shop but he had his mind made up so there was no use talking to him. As the old saying goes “you can lead a pig to the trough but you can’t make him eat”. The guy has a stubborn streak.
Ella and Satchmo were, as expected, simply terrific.