Bear with me, Gentlemen, this here's a biggun'. We'll laugh, we'll cry--hell, we might even learn something. But mostly we'll just look at some pictures--lots and lots of pictures. You see, I happen to be a proud owner of a Sorringowl and Sons Signature Pipe and Tobacco Pouch. I've posted here before about my admiration for Frank's work, and I stand by that--its really one of the nicest things I own. I'd recommend him to anyone.
But lately I've realized that there's one part of my life where the Sorringowl pouch doesn't quite fit the bill. I'm an outdoorsy kind of guy, and I need a pipe pouch that matches that lifestyle. I had a pretty particular thing in mind going into this--so, naturally, I had to end up making it myself! And thus began my descent into the rabbit hole of leatherworking. Its been a remarkable journey (there's about a third of a cowhide sprawled across my kitchen table as we speak), but I hope you agree that the end product was worth it.
Ta-Da! Its been a labor of love, but I finally finished it. If you're familiar with the Sorringowl Pouch, you'll notice I took most of the design cues from Frank's work--its a thin, full-grained vegetable-tanned leather, hand-cut, -dyed, and -stitched, with a flannel lining for the two pockets, and nickel hardware.
It holds all the essentials for a day out in the woods or a camping trip in the mountains, and I managed to cram it all into a significantly smaller package.
And I do mean cram. This being my first project, I didn't quite realize how tight it would be when it was stitched together.
But if the pipe is right, everything fits fine. The pipe has its own slot, and the Zippo and Czech tool buddy up. Pipe cleaners can go with either. Tobacco rides in those teeny Ziplock bags in the upper pocket.
And in this picture you can see my other new acquisition--a Peterson Belgique (rusticated) that arrived from the U.K. this Morning. With a small bowl, similar to a Cutty, this will be perfect for that 20 minute smoke at the top of a Ridgeline, gazing over the country I've just hiked through.
If we're being honest, the fishtail stem is a bit overbuilt for me, and it sort of disrupts the nice lines of the pipe. But that's a quibble. I packed it with some SWRA this afternoon, and thoroughly enjoyed it. I originally intended for this to be my VaPer pipe, but I've decided it will instead be my 'anything' pipe. My Virginia pipe will handle VaPer's fine enough for my palate.
Comparison--Stanwell De Luxe.
I tried to match the leather color. Its close enough.
The Whole family.
The Belgique is a better fit than the Stanwell.
As you can see, the design is rather more utilitarian on this pouch than on Frank's--which means its also a good deal less luxurious. But sitting around the campfire, it'll be a little slice of civilization.
A nice little packing surface. The real test comes in August on my annual backpacking trip in the Rockies outside of Denver, which I'm sure you'll hear about! I must say, leatherworking is the most rewarding handicraft I've ever dabbled in. When I see some of you post pictures of your artisan briars, it makes me wish I had a woodworking shop--but this is something I can do pretty well with minimal tools (and very patient roommates).
And if anyone has actually read this far--well, thanks for your interest. I'm very proud of it! :D
-Josh
But lately I've realized that there's one part of my life where the Sorringowl pouch doesn't quite fit the bill. I'm an outdoorsy kind of guy, and I need a pipe pouch that matches that lifestyle. I had a pretty particular thing in mind going into this--so, naturally, I had to end up making it myself! And thus began my descent into the rabbit hole of leatherworking. Its been a remarkable journey (there's about a third of a cowhide sprawled across my kitchen table as we speak), but I hope you agree that the end product was worth it.
Ta-Da! Its been a labor of love, but I finally finished it. If you're familiar with the Sorringowl Pouch, you'll notice I took most of the design cues from Frank's work--its a thin, full-grained vegetable-tanned leather, hand-cut, -dyed, and -stitched, with a flannel lining for the two pockets, and nickel hardware.
It holds all the essentials for a day out in the woods or a camping trip in the mountains, and I managed to cram it all into a significantly smaller package.
And I do mean cram. This being my first project, I didn't quite realize how tight it would be when it was stitched together.
But if the pipe is right, everything fits fine. The pipe has its own slot, and the Zippo and Czech tool buddy up. Pipe cleaners can go with either. Tobacco rides in those teeny Ziplock bags in the upper pocket.
And in this picture you can see my other new acquisition--a Peterson Belgique (rusticated) that arrived from the U.K. this Morning. With a small bowl, similar to a Cutty, this will be perfect for that 20 minute smoke at the top of a Ridgeline, gazing over the country I've just hiked through.
If we're being honest, the fishtail stem is a bit overbuilt for me, and it sort of disrupts the nice lines of the pipe. But that's a quibble. I packed it with some SWRA this afternoon, and thoroughly enjoyed it. I originally intended for this to be my VaPer pipe, but I've decided it will instead be my 'anything' pipe. My Virginia pipe will handle VaPer's fine enough for my palate.
Comparison--Stanwell De Luxe.
I tried to match the leather color. Its close enough.
The Whole family.
The Belgique is a better fit than the Stanwell.
As you can see, the design is rather more utilitarian on this pouch than on Frank's--which means its also a good deal less luxurious. But sitting around the campfire, it'll be a little slice of civilization.
A nice little packing surface. The real test comes in August on my annual backpacking trip in the Rockies outside of Denver, which I'm sure you'll hear about! I must say, leatherworking is the most rewarding handicraft I've ever dabbled in. When I see some of you post pictures of your artisan briars, it makes me wish I had a woodworking shop--but this is something I can do pretty well with minimal tools (and very patient roommates).
And if anyone has actually read this far--well, thanks for your interest. I'm very proud of it! :D
-Josh
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