George Boyadjiev (@gbpipes ) and my path crossed this September (check out the link below to find out more about that story). It did not take long for me to decide that I wanted to commission a pipe from him. Thankfully, it was not hard to decide on a shape because he and I both share a love for billiards. I was fortunate to be in his shop as he perused his selection of briar to find the right block for my pipe. It was awesome to be a part of this process! He was in the middle of finishing up a lot of pipes for our site sponsor Blue Room Briars (pic below), so he scribbled my name on the block of briar and said he would have it done by the end of the following week. He kindly kept me up to date on the pipe's progress. It really is exciting to get updated pics as the pipe is being made! True to his word he finished the pipe by the deadline he set and let me know I can stop by his shop anytime to pick it up.
(Pipes going to site sponsor Blue Room Briars, some of these are now available)
(Progress pic)
When George was shaping the pipe, he remarked that the grain was as “clean as a teardrop.” This traditional Bulgarian phrase meant that this was a really nice block of briar. The bowl displays a beautiful mixture of cross-grain and birdseye. The contrast stain really helps the grain pop. The stem was hand-cut from German ebonite. One of the first things I investigated when looking at his pipes was his button work. For me, this is one of the most crucial parts of the pipe. Bad button work can greatly detract from an otherwise wonderful pipe. Thankfully, George shared this same conviction. He clenches his pipes and keeps this in mind as he crafts each one by hand. The button must be comfortable. He certainly accomplished that with this pipe. While button work is important, drilling is even more so. And the drilling on this little billiard is spot on.
I’ve had the pipe now for a little over a month, and in that time I have smoked it and one other exclusively. I wanted to spend time with the pipe before jumping on here to share my thoughts. And it is pretty clear that I am very happy with my purchase. While the billiard may be a simple shape, I am not convinced it is so easy to shape one well. George knocked this pipe out of the park. I am confident that this will be the first of many pipes in my collection from George.
(Pipes going to site sponsor Blue Room Briars, some of these are now available)
(Progress pic)
When George was shaping the pipe, he remarked that the grain was as “clean as a teardrop.” This traditional Bulgarian phrase meant that this was a really nice block of briar. The bowl displays a beautiful mixture of cross-grain and birdseye. The contrast stain really helps the grain pop. The stem was hand-cut from German ebonite. One of the first things I investigated when looking at his pipes was his button work. For me, this is one of the most crucial parts of the pipe. Bad button work can greatly detract from an otherwise wonderful pipe. Thankfully, George shared this same conviction. He clenches his pipes and keeps this in mind as he crafts each one by hand. The button must be comfortable. He certainly accomplished that with this pipe. While button work is important, drilling is even more so. And the drilling on this little billiard is spot on.
I’ve had the pipe now for a little over a month, and in that time I have smoked it and one other exclusively. I wanted to spend time with the pipe before jumping on here to share my thoughts. And it is pretty clear that I am very happy with my purchase. While the billiard may be a simple shape, I am not convinced it is so easy to shape one well. George knocked this pipe out of the park. I am confident that this will be the first of many pipes in my collection from George.
A Serendipitous Encounter With Bulgarian Pipe Maker George Boyadjiev :: General Pipe Smoking Discussion
Earlier today I was in downtown Sofia, Bulgaria with Dal, @thepipesteward. We took a picture that he posted to a FB group. A short time later we were contacted by a Bulgarian man asking if we wanted to meet up for a pipe. Of course we did! Turns out that the man was George Boyadjiev, an artisan...
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