Tom Eltang Sailor

[ssjones]

This was a gift from a friend in PA. It's a Tom Eltang "Sailor". I found the tubes (one short, one long) are made of carbon fiber. It's a svelte 21 grams.

He also gave me this tiny (also 21 grams)Northern Briars Regal Rox Cut, but it has a crack on the shank. I guess it could be banded.

 

[wyfbane]

Holy crap, Al. You have some good friends. heh heh.
I like the Eltang and LOVE the popeye stamp.
That NB is a nice looking pipe. I would band that if I could.
Congrats!!

 

[pagan]

The popeye stamp make the pipe, love it

 

[tbradsim1]

That Sailor looks to be a good traveling pipe Al, good Friend he is.

 

[bigpond]

I have a thing for Duke and Don have pipes, so that Sailor is up my alley. How's the draw? Does the shank protrude in to the bowl?

 

[lawmax3]

Both are very nice.

 

[ssjones]

@bigpond & guyrox:
I haven't smoked it yet. The draw seems slightly more open then I'm used to with my Brits. The stem does not protude into the bowl. The button is quite comfortable and a shape that is in my wheelhouse.

 

[blueeyedogre]

Looks like it would be a great clencher. I've hmmm'ed and haw'ed about getting one for a while now.

 

[jefff]

I am interested in how it smokes. Not to be a dick, but it feels a little like a cash grab.
"Can't afford an Eltang? We can get you one for 100.00"

 

[bigpond]

Thanks Al. Most of my english pipes have a 3mm airway so I'll take a flying leap and assume this puts the Sailor in 4mm hot zone. Do post back when you have a chance to fire it up. BTW the Northern Briar is really lovely! It's the perfect size.
Jeff said:

I am interested in how it smokes. Not to be a dick, but it feels a little like a cash grab.

"Can't afford an Eltang? We can get you one for 100.00"
When I think of a cash grab, I think of LL Bean's signature line of Chamois Shirts which are "skinny" by design and meant for "urban lumberjacks".
Sure, turning the leftover bits of briar in to cash rather than kindling could be viewed as a cash grab but the pipes were not marketed as "real Eltangs". The are still called "project" pipes. Look at the original design, tiny, unfinished, inexpensive...but still cut from a block that went to make an awesome pipe.
I think it makes more sense to compare these with other 100 buck pipes. In that company I think they really stand out as being more interesting and flat out cool. I am sucker for the shape though.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Love the Eltang.

 

[jefff]

Bigpond, that's a fair point.

 

[lestrout]

Yo Al - you can put your fly rod making skills to work to 'band' that shank crack.
hp and tl

les

 

[ssjones]

I'm pretty impressed with the construction, compared to the similar, but much more expensive Tsuge.
4 mm draught sounds right.

 

[jefff]

Have you smoked it yet?

 

[iamn8]

I LOVE modern materials in utilitarian objects!! Beautiful pipe!! Congrats!!

 

[ssjones]

No, I have a back-log of pipes to smoke!

 

[graydawn]

I believe that this is the larger new version. I bought mine a couple of years ago and it has the same rustification as my Eltang signature poker, i.e. the indentations running horizontal across the front and back. In speaking with Tom, these pipes are made by one of his employees but with wood taken from blocks used to make his branded pipes. The Popeye stamp can't be used for items sold in the USA, so mine was purchased from the Danish pipe shop, which Tom is a partner. All that said, these are remarkable pipes and like all my Eltang pieces, smoke wonderfully.

 

[jefff]

It's 128.00 delivered as of this afternoon. If it smokes as well as my cutty it's fairly priced.

 

[ssjones]

@graydawn - yes, it came in a Danish pipe shop box.