Favorite Pipe Makers...
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Castello because it is the best of the best. Reduce because it's comes in a distant second but still ahead of most
Tinsky & Jones because I know the engineering will be perfect. They are easy to work with to get exactly what you want and not takes months doing it!
Tinsky & Jones because I know the engineering will be perfect. They are easy to work with to get exactly what you want and not takes months doing it!
Italy:
I like Castellos but if you don't get a great estate deal, you always pay for that quality. Cavicchi pipes are a better deal imo.
I second Bruto Sordini's Don Carlos pipes. Great quality for the $
Mimmo is likely the best deal for the pipes he is turning out.
US:
I love the goners too. Rad Davis, Michael Butera, Steve Weiner, and Bruce Weaver all carve amazing pipes. They can be found on the estate markets for reasonable sums, but lately Rad and Butera pipes have jumped up a bit.
Walt Cannoy suede pipes are wonderful and remain one of the few pipes left on my bucket list.
If you like big pipes, Von Erck pipes are truly masterfully crafted.
I have 3 Clark Layton pipes, including a sloth and those are nice pipes. The sloth line is crazy cheap.
Lip service has been paid to our carvers, but I want to point out Zack Hamric in particular. I ordered my first commission from him and it was flawless.
I like Old Petes, Old Stanwells, and nearly all Savinelli pipes. Their Estella line (also need to get them as estates) are some of my all time favorite pipes.
I like Castellos but if you don't get a great estate deal, you always pay for that quality. Cavicchi pipes are a better deal imo.
I second Bruto Sordini's Don Carlos pipes. Great quality for the $
Mimmo is likely the best deal for the pipes he is turning out.
US:
I love the goners too. Rad Davis, Michael Butera, Steve Weiner, and Bruce Weaver all carve amazing pipes. They can be found on the estate markets for reasonable sums, but lately Rad and Butera pipes have jumped up a bit.
Walt Cannoy suede pipes are wonderful and remain one of the few pipes left on my bucket list.
If you like big pipes, Von Erck pipes are truly masterfully crafted.
I have 3 Clark Layton pipes, including a sloth and those are nice pipes. The sloth line is crazy cheap.
Lip service has been paid to our carvers, but I want to point out Zack Hamric in particular. I ordered my first commission from him and it was flawless.
I like Old Petes, Old Stanwells, and nearly all Savinelli pipes. Their Estella line (also need to get them as estates) are some of my all time favorite pipes.
Agree on all of the above, though not having had a Peterson I can't speak to those.
Definitely with wyf' on Estellas. As a second line I find them .5 of a red hair behind Savinelli's brand. They really are hard to beat, & as he said, the estate market shows it. Good draw, great designs, & as good a smoke as you'll find even among top lines. I only have two currently, & am always in the market for more.
Definitely with wyf' on Estellas. As a second line I find them .5 of a red hair behind Savinelli's brand. They really are hard to beat, & as he said, the estate market shows it. Good draw, great designs, & as good a smoke as you'll find even among top lines. I only have two currently, & am always in the market for more.
I'm on the verge of getting rid of 90% of the briars I own simply because I do not smoke them. The majority of them are sub standard and I'm tired of them taking up space. I smoke meers 90% of the time and MM Cobs the rest. What ever cash I get I will invest in tobacco...
"Great Britwood can't be beat and rarely equalled"
I agree with Sable,my small collection comprises of 2 new Micheal Kyriazanos pipes I commissioned as a 60th birthday present and 38 britwoods,split across Barling,GBD,Charatan,Comoy,s and 3 birth year Dunhills
I had and sold 3 Castello,s as I couldnt get on with the acrylic stems (too hard) all of mine have vulcanite ,but that is just me
as stated your pound/dollar/euro goes further with estates
I agree with Sable,my small collection comprises of 2 new Micheal Kyriazanos pipes I commissioned as a 60th birthday present and 38 britwoods,split across Barling,GBD,Charatan,Comoy,s and 3 birth year Dunhills
I had and sold 3 Castello,s as I couldnt get on with the acrylic stems (too hard) all of mine have vulcanite ,but that is just me
as stated your pound/dollar/euro goes further with estates
You can't go wrong with Larry Roush or Trever Talbert...and you can buy directly from them. Ardor has been a reliable brand for me...I purchased all mine from Steve Monjour.Rolando Negoita is probably not carving at the moment but I believe he may have a few pieces available. I think I saw one or two on smoking pipes as well.
Honestly, my best pipes are made by Tim Thorpe, Heisenberg Pipes (Jim Brown), and Bill Feuerbach (Kaywoodie Hand made line). But you need to look at maker's work and decide who carves in a style which you like.
In artisan pipes, personally, I'd look for medium to small pipes, Group 3 and 4, in light weights, since those are the ones I smoke the most. Artisans tend to move their large pipes up front because they show off more of their artistry and justifiably get a higher price. But I tend to use the medium and small more, especially with flake or plug, but with loose tobacco too. Sometimes smaller artisan pipes are done with a little more restraint and subtlety, but that's just me talking.
This is just such a subjective question.
I own a lot of pipes: British, Italian, Danish, German, American, Cobs.....you get the idea.
I want to say that J. M. Boswell, an American pipe maker in Chambersburg, Pa., makes one of the finest smoking pipes (IMHO) in the world.
Top quality briar, aged for years. Great hand-carved skill, innovative and imaginative designs.
Smokers complain that when they purchase a pipe, a cotton pipe cleaner won't go through stem, shank and to the bowl.
You will not ever have that problem with a Boswell pipe. They are drilled perfectly and they smoke great from the get-go.
In my experience, the pipes smoke like they should from the first bowl.
Break-in is not the dreaded tongue lashing experience of most other pipes.
Check out Boswell.com
I own a lot of pipes: British, Italian, Danish, German, American, Cobs.....you get the idea.
I want to say that J. M. Boswell, an American pipe maker in Chambersburg, Pa., makes one of the finest smoking pipes (IMHO) in the world.
Top quality briar, aged for years. Great hand-carved skill, innovative and imaginative designs.
Smokers complain that when they purchase a pipe, a cotton pipe cleaner won't go through stem, shank and to the bowl.
You will not ever have that problem with a Boswell pipe. They are drilled perfectly and they smoke great from the get-go.
In my experience, the pipes smoke like they should from the first bowl.
Break-in is not the dreaded tongue lashing experience of most other pipes.
Check out Boswell.com
Nobody mentions Ken Burns. I know, he may be dabbling in return to the craft, but interesting? ya.
North of the border are a couple of exceptional makers. One is a regular here on the forums. Not sure just how available a pipe is from these proven craftsmen, though.
North of the border are a couple of exceptional makers. One is a regular here on the forums. Not sure just how available a pipe is from these proven craftsmen, though.
The Blatter family in Montreal makes good, beautiful pipes and at a good price, especially for you guys in the U.S. with the exchange rate 
To be honest, I haven’t bought a pipe in 8 years.
Back in ‘97 I picked up a couple of pipes from Mark Tinsky. They smoked well and I locked in to buying his TanBlasts for years.
A few other brands were picked up over the years, but I like the smoking qualities and familiar aesthetics of Mark’s pipes the best.
Back in ‘97 I picked up a couple of pipes from Mark Tinsky. They smoked well and I locked in to buying his TanBlasts for years.
A few other brands were picked up over the years, but I like the smoking qualities and familiar aesthetics of Mark’s pipes the best.
I just picked up an unsmoked Tinsky lovat to add to my rack. I’m slowly building a 7 day set of lovats by American carvers.
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