The Pipes Magazine Radio Show – Episode 104

Kevin Godbee
Thank you for joining us for The Pipes Magazine Radio Show—the only radio talk show for pipe smokers and collectors. We broadcast weekly, every Tuesday at 8 pm eastern USA time and are available on nearly all podcast sites and apps. Listen on your computer, tablet, phone and even in the car! Our Featured Interview tonight is with Dr. Billy Taylor. Bill has a PhD. in Educational Computer Science, and he is the biggest collector of “The Pipe”. Dr. Taylor is also one of the first people to ever sign-up for an account on PipesMagazine.com back in 2009. He would only do it on the condition that I add “Plastic Pipes LIned with Pyrolytic Graphite” to the selection of “Type of Pipe Usually Smoked” that is on the sign-up form. In “Pipe Parts”, Brian will tell you about his own pipe collection. Sit back, relax with your pipe, and enjoy The Pipes Magazine Radio Show!

Tonight’s show is sponsored by Sutliff-Tobacco.com, CupOJoes.com, SmokingPipes.com, Missouri Meerschaum, 4noggins.com, MeerschaumStore.com, Cornell & Diehl, and Savinelli Pipes and Tobaccos. 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. The following link will launch a pop-up player. Alternatively, you can download the show in iTunes and other podcast sites and apps after the initial broadcast is complete here.

Listen & Download With These Apps as Well
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Dr. Billy Taylor’s Site: ThePipe.info

Rick Newcombe’s Article:
In Praise Of Pipe Show Organizers … And A Challenge To Pipe Makers




More Pipes and Tobaccos Articles


6 Responses

  • HI Brian,
    Thanks for the shout out. You are partly correct, My main collection is the Castello hawkbill, shape #84 pipes aka donkeynuts as well as hawkbills made by other pipe carvers. Bill’s collection, last count was 141 Micoli pipes, I believe it is about 10% of his total production. A collection is a group of pipes that gives one pleasure. It can have a focus, or maybe not. I think this is what you mean.
    I have met Dr. Taylor at a number of pipe shows. He may have even got a pipe from me either a ‘The Pipe’ or a ‘Venturi’ pipe at one time or another. You can tell from the discussion that he thoroughly enjoys his unique collection of pipes.
    I agree that all of the local pipe shops should help support any show in their local area. I also agree that the main pipe manufacturers should support the shows, and many do. The burden should not just be on the boutique pipe carvers. The costs of hotels, food, etc. apply to all of the attendees outside the local area. It is a complex analysis. I thank all of the pipe show supporters, manufacturers, suppliers, and attendees for supporting any pipe show they are able to attend. We are part of a small niche group and we need to support the shows for the hobby to continue.
    Rant/Rave – It all comes down to the $$$. Good luck on your hope to save White Collar!
    Another good one Brian. Have a good time in Europe!

  • Hi Brian!
    I really enjoyed the show, particularly the conversation with Dr. Taylor. I bought my first “the pipe” back in the late 1960s, an ebony bulldog. I have used it regularly for tasting new tobaccos, and savoring a few vintage tobaccos, without tasting the ghosts of other blends, in my briars. Many times, when fellow pipers would see me smoking this pipe, I’d watch as they’d roll their eyes, and utter a barely audible “tsk.” Snobs. I always say “smoke what you like; like what you smoke.” It ain’t a contest.
    My wife and I were privileged to have dinner with Dr. Taylor and his wife at a Chicago Show, a while ago. It was one of the times he had displayed his collection. What a thoroughly charming couple. He was visibly please to know I owned and enjoyed a “the pipe,” and we spoke for over an hour about pipes and tobacco. I even purchased an unsmoked, as new, ebony bent from him the next day.
    I echo your praise for Rick Newcombe’s terrific article. It is a must read for all who are part of our community.
    Again, thanks for an excellent show.
    Dino

  • Hi Brian,
    I hear you guys going on and on about how “nice” a particular pipe looks, but to me as a blind pipe smoker “looks” is a bonus And not one I particularly care about.
    I am more about what the pipe feels like, Smooth, sandblasted, rusticated etc. The weight of the pipe can also be a dealbreaker for me. Seeing that I only have one usable hand, A heavy pipe is not practical for me since I cannot hold it in one hand whilst lighting with the other.
    I am a perpetual clencher On top of all of that.
    I have to say, I have been enjoying your interviews Over the last two weeks, For I only discovered your podcast now. Here in south Africa, as far as I know, there are no pipe clubs, something I would find extremely useful for the pipe talk, As well as for the eyeballs that can describe pipes to me In an understandable fashion. The stupidest thing that can happen to you, is asking a sighted person who has absolutely no clue what they are talking about to describe a pipe. I will not even try to describe The experience.
    Again, thanks for your work and keep it up.

  • Dr. Taylor was an excellent interview. His detailed knowledge of his collection was impressive. I had to laugh about his early years in the computer industry. “Been there, Done That”.
    Rick Newcombe has stirred up some excellent conversation regarding pipe shows. Pipe shows are very fragile things and people just take them for granted. They require a ton of work and no small amount of funding. I believe the artisan carvers are doing their share to support these show. I don’t think they should donate a pipe but rather select a pipe that they are going to sell and split the proceeds with the host club. The reason in simple. Most donated pipes don’t realize 50 cents on the dollar. If a carver gives us a $300 pipe and we gain $150 it is nice for the hosting club but the carver is out $300 of income. If he sells it for $300 and gives the club $150 then we both gain $150. I am surprised at how poorly the artisan pipe community supports the Pipe Carving Contest held in KC every year. Several carvers really step up to support this event but the great majority just ignore it. Fully 2/3rds of the carvers that entered the contest didn’t buy a single raffle ticket.
    I really have no great complaint about the support we receive from manufacturers, distributors, shops, carvers, etc. I think most of them try to help us out and some of them are just amazing in the support they give.
    My quarrel is with the attending public. These are the people the shows are put on for and are the life blood of any show. And yet you hear some of the lamest excuses why they didn’t come to the show (“My wife was getting pregnant and I wanted to be there”), they give no support in either time and/or money.
    In a dream world every show would have one or more sponsors who would cover the complete cost of the show. This would get rid of all the aggravation of running auctions and raffles. This would get rid of half the work and all the begging associated with a show.

  • Another terrific show Brian, you’ve really been on a roll in the past several weeks! When I read the topic, “The Pipe”, I honestly though “ugh”. But, what a delightful interview with Dr. Taylor. Hearing that “Dr. Smith” ran Super Temp, I immediately thought of “Lost in Space” which somehow, seems fitting. Learning about the construction of “The Pipe” was fascinating. I was in the JB Hayes shop in VA last year, and a gentleman came in for a pound of an aromatic blend. He was smoking “The Pipe” that looks like it was used to apply asphalt sealant. He told me that the Pipe was bought new in 1970 and it was the only pipe he owned, and that he smoked a pound of tobacco per month!

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