There are some perks to working in a pipe shop. Yesterday, I was gifted this GBD-esque pipe by my boss, Premal Chheda, while he was giving his locker a belated Spring Cleaning:
The perspex stem is probably GBD stock that he hand-finished (the slot resembles his artisan pipes) and the briar portion is hand-made.
Like the old English pipes this one resembles, it is very light and easy to clench. I have dedicated it to Virginia blends and the first few bowls I have had from it have been marvelous.
Now, those familiar with my pipe smoking habits know that I am very meticulous when it comes to caring for my pipe. I use many pipe cleaners and I ream the chamber with a paper towel after every smoke. I do not keep any cake in the chamber. All of my pipes, aside from coloring and teeth marks (I clench), look almost new all of time. With many of them, particularly the higher-end pipes, I am very mindful when I handle them because I don't want them to get scratched, dinged, burned, or broken.
I have customers who come in sporting pipes that look like they have been dragged through a Moroccan bazaar by a motorcycle and salvaged from the furnace of a steam locomotive. I quietly envy them and their venerable, battle-scarred smoking companions. It's like seeing a chipped up decades-old guitar or rusted old rat-rod - so much character!
So this pipe, this dashing nameless Canadian, is going to be my care-free pipe. I'm going to bang it against ashtrays, let the cake go, and smoke hard it until the briar begs for death. I want a pipe that someone will take notice of and say, "Man, that guy is a rough-ridin' hardcore pipe smoker". I'll post a photo with progress in a month or so.
Wish me luck,
Benjamin
The perspex stem is probably GBD stock that he hand-finished (the slot resembles his artisan pipes) and the briar portion is hand-made.
Like the old English pipes this one resembles, it is very light and easy to clench. I have dedicated it to Virginia blends and the first few bowls I have had from it have been marvelous.
Now, those familiar with my pipe smoking habits know that I am very meticulous when it comes to caring for my pipe. I use many pipe cleaners and I ream the chamber with a paper towel after every smoke. I do not keep any cake in the chamber. All of my pipes, aside from coloring and teeth marks (I clench), look almost new all of time. With many of them, particularly the higher-end pipes, I am very mindful when I handle them because I don't want them to get scratched, dinged, burned, or broken.
I have customers who come in sporting pipes that look like they have been dragged through a Moroccan bazaar by a motorcycle and salvaged from the furnace of a steam locomotive. I quietly envy them and their venerable, battle-scarred smoking companions. It's like seeing a chipped up decades-old guitar or rusted old rat-rod - so much character!
So this pipe, this dashing nameless Canadian, is going to be my care-free pipe. I'm going to bang it against ashtrays, let the cake go, and smoke hard it until the briar begs for death. I want a pipe that someone will take notice of and say, "Man, that guy is a rough-ridin' hardcore pipe smoker". I'll post a photo with progress in a month or so.
Wish me luck,
Benjamin
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