The inventories on Kaywoodie, Medico, and Yello-Bole are getting thin. Better get them while you can. I somewhat have the idea that it is now essentially a one-man operation, maybe with some part-time assistants.
The ones I have bought new in the last six or eight years have been well made pipes, thin-walled but good insulators while being light weight.
The great American (U.S.) briar pipe industry has really faded. I think the highest volume factory in the U.S. now is Dr. Grabow in Sparta, N.C., and it is not a large factory. Second only to Missouri Meerschaum that does not make briar pipes, mostly corncob and some hardwood (maple).
Edwards seems to have ceased producing pipes. I have some beauties in the Benton series sold as Iwan Ries house pipes, Algerian oil-cured briar, that I bought about 30 years ago that are fine pipes and still going strong.
As a footnote, I don't believe Kaywoodie makes stinger pipes anymore since they stopped making the Drinkless series with the screw-in stems combined with the stingers. The most recent Drinkless pipes were push bits, and I'm not sure they are still in production.
