Sorry for the lengthy post but here it goes,
I have mentioned the custom Mark Tinsky poker i commissioned around a month or so ago numerous times, anxiously awaiting its arrival. Well, yesterday the USPS man presented me with the best piece of mail he has ever delivered. First of all, i just want to say that working with Mark through email was effortless and easy, to say the least. He is very prompt, though a very busy man, in answering emails and has a lot of patience with answering questions and being thorough to make sure he makes the perfect pipe for the customer's hard earned dollar. He kept me informed every step of the way and i was never left in the dark about what was going on with the pipe making process. The only reason he even took as long as he did with making this pipe for me was the fact that he was simultaneously making 22 identical pipes for the 2014 Pipe of the Year for the Smokers Forum organization. I didn't mind at all and still think he was more than punctual on making the pipe, as some shapers can take many months to even start on a custom order. I would HIGHLY recommend that you email Mark if you are thinking about commissioning a pipe. In terms of bang for your buck, i would challenge you to find many shapers that provide his level of skill and precision for much less of a price than he charges and at his level of customer service and highly respected reputation in the pipe community. I told him he should stop by the pipes magazine forums and post sometime, as there were some fine and generous folks on here as well as some well known pipe makers he probably knows. I told him that everyone on here talks very highly of him and that there have been a few posts about new Tinsky acquisitions and custom orders recently (all with great positive comments and praise). He said thanks to me for the heads up and that he would try and stop by. It surely would be great to have him as a member here, as he could contribute a lot from his extensive knowledge and skillset.
As for the pipe, it is a fantastic looking poker. I gave him fairly specific details with what i wanted with dimensions, bore size, length, chamber depth, amount of bend, finish and etc. I also told him i still wanted him to provide his own artistic touch and surprise me with how he went about carrying out my requests. The pipe is a take on his black and tan finish, but since i already have a coral finished pipe by him, i wanted a sandblast instead of the rustication. This turned out to be a good decision, as Michael Lindner, the sandblasting master himself, ended up blasting the pipe. Mark told me that Michael informed him that he "spent quite a while on it and it was a pleasure to bring out such deep blasting and good grain". I couldn't agree more, lol. The dimensions of the pipe are 2.4"H x 1.7W x 5.25"L. Chamber depth is around 1 5/8" and the inner bowl diameter is .9'. The stem work is on point and the drilling is dead center asis the position it exits into the bowl, merging with the bottom as it is supposed to do. I haven 't smoked it yet, but the unfilled draw feels fantastic. It also has a Masur Birch insert, which i feel really enhances the dark stain and bast.
The tamper i had Mark make was the last of his Xmas pipe stock. He told me he was saving it because of the great grain it contained; lucky me! It was a natural finish, but he stained it to match the pipe. I'll let the pics do the talking, but to say i am satisfied with both is an understatement and it is everything and more than i could have asked for. Especially for the price i paid. Mark deserves every penny of it.
These first pics are the ones Mark took and sent to me as well as posting on his FB page. I will take more as soon as i get a chance of both the pipe and some of the tamper as well (Mark didn't get a chance to snap any of the tamper as you can see). I will post them up here as soon as i get this done. I'll also let y'all know how she smokes. I'm thinking ODF for the initial smoke and i have a TAD order coming in today from SPC with about a pound and a half of great tobacco. What do y'all think i should break her in with??? I'd love to hear some recommendations!!
Let me know what you guys think of the pipe. Mark, if you stop by and read this....THANKS A TON FOR EVERYTHING, YOU'RE THE MAN!!!
I have mentioned the custom Mark Tinsky poker i commissioned around a month or so ago numerous times, anxiously awaiting its arrival. Well, yesterday the USPS man presented me with the best piece of mail he has ever delivered. First of all, i just want to say that working with Mark through email was effortless and easy, to say the least. He is very prompt, though a very busy man, in answering emails and has a lot of patience with answering questions and being thorough to make sure he makes the perfect pipe for the customer's hard earned dollar. He kept me informed every step of the way and i was never left in the dark about what was going on with the pipe making process. The only reason he even took as long as he did with making this pipe for me was the fact that he was simultaneously making 22 identical pipes for the 2014 Pipe of the Year for the Smokers Forum organization. I didn't mind at all and still think he was more than punctual on making the pipe, as some shapers can take many months to even start on a custom order. I would HIGHLY recommend that you email Mark if you are thinking about commissioning a pipe. In terms of bang for your buck, i would challenge you to find many shapers that provide his level of skill and precision for much less of a price than he charges and at his level of customer service and highly respected reputation in the pipe community. I told him he should stop by the pipes magazine forums and post sometime, as there were some fine and generous folks on here as well as some well known pipe makers he probably knows. I told him that everyone on here talks very highly of him and that there have been a few posts about new Tinsky acquisitions and custom orders recently (all with great positive comments and praise). He said thanks to me for the heads up and that he would try and stop by. It surely would be great to have him as a member here, as he could contribute a lot from his extensive knowledge and skillset.
As for the pipe, it is a fantastic looking poker. I gave him fairly specific details with what i wanted with dimensions, bore size, length, chamber depth, amount of bend, finish and etc. I also told him i still wanted him to provide his own artistic touch and surprise me with how he went about carrying out my requests. The pipe is a take on his black and tan finish, but since i already have a coral finished pipe by him, i wanted a sandblast instead of the rustication. This turned out to be a good decision, as Michael Lindner, the sandblasting master himself, ended up blasting the pipe. Mark told me that Michael informed him that he "spent quite a while on it and it was a pleasure to bring out such deep blasting and good grain". I couldn't agree more, lol. The dimensions of the pipe are 2.4"H x 1.7W x 5.25"L. Chamber depth is around 1 5/8" and the inner bowl diameter is .9'. The stem work is on point and the drilling is dead center asis the position it exits into the bowl, merging with the bottom as it is supposed to do. I haven 't smoked it yet, but the unfilled draw feels fantastic. It also has a Masur Birch insert, which i feel really enhances the dark stain and bast.
The tamper i had Mark make was the last of his Xmas pipe stock. He told me he was saving it because of the great grain it contained; lucky me! It was a natural finish, but he stained it to match the pipe. I'll let the pics do the talking, but to say i am satisfied with both is an understatement and it is everything and more than i could have asked for. Especially for the price i paid. Mark deserves every penny of it.
These first pics are the ones Mark took and sent to me as well as posting on his FB page. I will take more as soon as i get a chance of both the pipe and some of the tamper as well (Mark didn't get a chance to snap any of the tamper as you can see). I will post them up here as soon as i get this done. I'll also let y'all know how she smokes. I'm thinking ODF for the initial smoke and i have a TAD order coming in today from SPC with about a pound and a half of great tobacco. What do y'all think i should break her in with??? I'd love to hear some recommendations!!
Let me know what you guys think of the pipe. Mark, if you stop by and read this....THANKS A TON FOR EVERYTHING, YOU'RE THE MAN!!!
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