OK. I'll commission a Gallup Poll. In the meantime, as JPBerg suggested to you above, "Give it a rest." Lol.
Tom Eltang Celebrates 50 Years of Pipe Making
- Thread starter Mike N
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I want to absorb all the talent that's been in that bed. To be clear, I mean pipe making talent.
Alright, I'll play.
Being really good at something which is based on function (a pipe has to "work"), AND based on artistry (imagination, fit, finish, and so forth) means neither of those things can be neglected.
At least someone who knowingly and willingly does can't be considered the "best ever", imo.
Tom's signature models, though---his pencil shank cherrywood/poker and cutty with the "barbershop pole" rustication & sandblast---have a baked-in flaw that's never been addressed.
They are small pipes to start with, and the spiral grooving plus the blasting plus the airway means the shank cross sectional area is wiwwy wiwwy small. (Thank you Elmer Fudd) Add the stress riser component created by the surface etching & grooving, and you have an overly delicate shank.
Not arguable. I've seen, handled, and fixed more of them than I can remember over many years. Sometimes the shank has snapped simply from the torque of stem insertion, no drop involved.
The fix is simple: Put it back together with a properly incorporated stainless steel tube. Done right, it's invisible, and the pipe is literally better than new because it won't break again.
It can be done as part of the original creation process if desired, in fact.
(Scottie Piersel is smiling)
But it never has been, even though that weak-shanked namesake finish and model pair of pipes has been in production for decades.
My point? Tom sure is one hell of a devoted, experienced creator of artistic pipes, and has been for half a century.
But in my mind, terms like "best ever" or "greatest ever" automatically include things like making evolutionary improvements to your output/products when weaknesses in their design are discovered.
Being really good at something which is based on function (a pipe has to "work"), AND based on artistry (imagination, fit, finish, and so forth) means neither of those things can be neglected.
At least someone who knowingly and willingly does can't be considered the "best ever", imo.
Tom's signature models, though---his pencil shank cherrywood/poker and cutty with the "barbershop pole" rustication & sandblast---have a baked-in flaw that's never been addressed.
They are small pipes to start with, and the spiral grooving plus the blasting plus the airway means the shank cross sectional area is wiwwy wiwwy small. (Thank you Elmer Fudd) Add the stress riser component created by the surface etching & grooving, and you have an overly delicate shank.
Not arguable. I've seen, handled, and fixed more of them than I can remember over many years. Sometimes the shank has snapped simply from the torque of stem insertion, no drop involved.
The fix is simple: Put it back together with a properly incorporated stainless steel tube. Done right, it's invisible, and the pipe is literally better than new because it won't break again.
It can be done as part of the original creation process if desired, in fact.
(Scottie Piersel is smiling)
But it never has been, even though that weak-shanked namesake finish and model pair of pipes has been in production for decades.
My point? Tom sure is one hell of a devoted, experienced creator of artistic pipes, and has been for half a century.
But in my mind, terms like "best ever" or "greatest ever" automatically include things like making evolutionary improvements to your output/products when weaknesses in their design are discovered.
Hmmmm. “Never” (your term) means at no time, past or future, i.e., not ever.
Below are two new, unsmoked Tom Eltang pipes I purchased directly from the SmokingPipes table in Columbus two weeks ago. Those sure look like stainless steel tubes to me. What am I missing here or did you mean to write “almost never?”
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I was referring to his briar-shanked signature shape pipes, not the bamboo shanked variations. The one attached below and its Cutty sister.
Lining bamboo connections with ss tubing is the only way those have ever been done by anyone. (Actually, a few have tried carbon fiber, but it's a disaster)
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georged wrote: “Lining bamboo connections with ss tubing is the only way those have ever been done by anyone.”
Hmmmm. I think you meant “almost only” way. Below is another bamboo pipe I have from Tom with a carbon tenon that has held up just fine. In fact, it’s my best smoker of over 200 pipes.
Hmmmm. I think you meant “almost only” way. Below is another bamboo pipe I have from Tom with a carbon tenon that has held up just fine. In fact, it’s my best smoker of over 200 pipes.
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This is becoming a bit silly.
THIS is what I said. Copied and pasted to make further selective interpretation impossible:
As for the material, good luck with it long-term.
Carbon fiber tubing starts unraveling with the first scratch---something pipe cleaner wire and cleaning in general excels at doing---and the fuzz bloom of glass fibers never stops growing.
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PS to the board ---
I thought this thread had a familiar aroma, so did a search.
Didn't take long to find exactly the same pointless/endless churn (five pages worth) over exactly the same issue was started a year ago by exactly the same guy:
I thought this thread had a familiar aroma, so did a search.
Didn't take long to find exactly the same pointless/endless churn (five pages worth) over exactly the same issue was started a year ago by exactly the same guy:
Who is the Greatest Living Artisan Pipe Maker? :: General Pipe Smoking Discussion
New edit: Thread locked by me prematurely; now open. Mike N.: Have you introduced yourself? Not required, but often helpful. Also, location is "a good thing". Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder, but I’m interested in who the pipe smokers here believe is the greatest living artisan pipe...
pipesmagazine.com
Yep. That’s what a forum is about: cordial debate and discussion. How else we will learn? The occasion of Tom Eltang’s 50th anniversary of pipe making seemed like a good time to discuss his pipes, too, which is exactly what we are doing. I’m learning something here and I trust others of good will and open-mindedness are, too.
Riiiiight...
FWIW, the courtroom lawyer schtick, especially when done by cherry picking text and projecting intent, is not "cordial debate and discussion".
I always smile when I see any group try and offer a 10's best of anything. Pipe makers, watch brands, guitar players etc.
I applaud Tom's 50 years. Tom has helped a great number of pipe makers over the years. Some might be on a list of those "top 10", for some.
As far as bamboo shank connections ...... aaahhhh George ...... there are some that do not have ss or carbon fiber. Some are done with Ebonite or acrylic tenon's at bowl and stem junctions. On these the bamboo is drilled and interior air passage is left raw, which aids in absorption.
I applaud Tom's 50 years. Tom has helped a great number of pipe makers over the years. Some might be on a list of those "top 10", for some.
As far as bamboo shank connections ...... aaahhhh George ...... there are some that do not have ss or carbon fiber. Some are done with Ebonite or acrylic tenon's at bowl and stem junctions. On these the bamboo is drilled and interior air passage is left raw, which aids in absorption.
LOL Indeed. I even own a number of them, including Dunhills that use the staked pin method. [smacks forehead]
Not sure what I was thinking, other than I had ss tubing on the brain as it related to reinforcement for weak/thin shank designs.
In any event, my original point was that Tom makes standard models that need reinforcement, the technique and materials to do so are easily employed... but he doesn't. And that lack factors into assertions of "greatness".
Reading through this gives me a bit of a headache. Of course "The Best" is subjective. I like so many pipe brands and makers for various reasons, but the one thing that Tom managed to do that very few others have done is build a world wide following that are willing to pay in the thousands for their pipes. Now, if demand weren't high, these $5000 would just collect dust on the shelves, but they don't. They move fast.
For me, I rarely take durability into consideration. In ceramics, it is the more delicate pieces that bring in the bucks. Having a piece be light as air in the hand adds to the aesthetic appeal, otherwise big heavy bulky pots and mugs would bring in more money. But it doesn't.
But, as usual per this forum... anytime anyone mentions "best" of anything, our usual suspects come along and try to know them off their pedestal. Ha ha, it's also what i love about this forum.
For me, I rarely take durability into consideration. In ceramics, it is the more delicate pieces that bring in the bucks. Having a piece be light as air in the hand adds to the aesthetic appeal, otherwise big heavy bulky pots and mugs would bring in more money. But it doesn't.
But, as usual per this forum... anytime anyone mentions "best" of anything, our usual suspects come along and try to know them off their pedestal. Ha ha, it's also what i love about this forum.
If we look at the prices there is no difference between Tom Eltang, Lasse Skovgaard and Chris Asteriou.
They all are talented and expensive.
Here are three of Tom’s “Basic” pipes he developed so the average smoker has an affordable option. Tom can be seen smoking one at pipe shows he attends. The innovative design is being widely adopted by several other makers now.
These 3 are the only pipes I take on fishing and hunting trips. The carbon fiber stem smokes very cool and takes a lickin’ and keeps on tickin’.
PS. So as not to “trigger“ anyone further, I hereby amend my original post to “arguably one of the best living pipe makers.” OK?
These 3 are the only pipes I take on fishing and hunting trips. The carbon fiber stem smokes very cool and takes a lickin’ and keeps on tickin’.
PS. So as not to “trigger“ anyone further, I hereby amend my original post to “arguably one of the best living pipe makers.” OK?
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Hey, if you aren't willing to trigger people, your posts won't ever get much traction. Just jump into the frey and start swinging.
I've never been a fan when a luxury company made an "affordable option." It's like as if Lamborghini slapped their logo on a tiny smart car. It makes the cheaper option more expensive, and the only thing that makes it that brand is the logo.
All men are equal and nobody is better than anybody else.
That just sounds so... communistic. Sorry, but you mean that you could make a pipe as good as Tom Eltang?