A Word For Machine Pipes

[mso489]

Here's a good word for machine pipes, or that part of pipe making that involves machines. As we know,

there are incremental aspects of machining of pipes. Some are turned out almost entirely by machine,

on assembly lines. Some are machined for the basic drilling and shaping but then hand finished. And

there are different levels that run from assembly line to the entirely handmade pipes where power tools

are only used at the workbench by an entirely artisan craftsman. But I say, machine pipes can have distinct

qualities. When pipes are turned out by the hundreds, the design, drilling of the airway, matching of the

stem, and other details can be carefully quality controlled. In order to sell pipes in volume, the maker must

have them turn out smokable and handsome looking. Whereas, every artisan pipe has to be thought through

endlessly and is entirely reliant on the skill of the crafts person and on him or her having a good day, a good

afternoon. That is why, I think, many machine pipes deliver surprisingly good design and smoking characteristics.

A Dr. Grabow Royalton bulldog is a marvelous pipe, beautifully and subtly shaped, and carefully engineered for

a great smoke. The Benton's that Iwan Ries sells as "Exclusives," house pipes, are other examples. These are

not artisan pipes and don't pretend to be, but they are great smokers and will never let you down.

 

[woodsroad]

A machine made pipe, in theory, can be darned near perfect. If it is designed well, then the manufacturing can be a non-event, just an execution of the design, provided the materials are up to the job.
All theoretical, but very possible.
A handmade pipe, though, can be aethetically far superior, as the caraftsman lets the wood lead him to a complimentary form.
But not neccesarily.....

 

[ssjones]

Older, British made machine pipes are my favorites (GBD, Comoys). I would believe my recent Peterson acquisition is a machine made pipe (I'm fairly certain).

 

[woodsroad]

Yes, I bought a new Peterson's 317 recently and after looking over several of them, it was obvious that the cut was identical on all of them.
Nonetheless, a good pipe.

 

[mso489]

I think many of the people who work on the assembly lines making machine pipes are crafts people nonetheless.

They care a lot about the product and apply the same kind of care and attention to it as if they were at the workbench

turning out the whole pipe from beginning to end. Many of these people have been producing pipes for decades and

know what they're doing and would take it none too kindly if anyone on the line didn't live up to the high standards.

Work pride can be quite fierce.

 

[ssjones]

I agree, for GBD and others to produce so many thousand pipes of identical shape is amazing.