The pipes looked like they were floating there.

I was walking down the lanes of the Chicago Pipe Show main room in May, 2012, with Lauren by my side. Near the table of Cornell & Diehl, there was a table with a number of drool-inducing pipe stands, with pipes held on by magnets. I won’t lie, I don’t remember much about the pipes on that table, nor do I remember much about the person behind the table.

Months later, I found the card for the artisan who created those stands and started hearing his name more and more: Grant Batson. Grant’s name wasn’t being mentioned because of his pipe stands, however, but because of his pipes. Since November, I have become enthralled with Grant’s work, gobbling up almost anything that he has to offer. I have also realized that he is an incredibly talented and kindhearted man. Even when he’s had a rough day in the workshop, I can always hear Grant smiling over the phone.

It was while in college that Grant was first introduced to pipes. “In 1995, I was in college, and thought pipe smoking would be a cool hobby.  I’m terrible with times and dates, but I do remember that one of the very first pipes I bought was during a missionary trip to Uganda.  It was a solid hand-carved pipe made exclusively from Gaboon Ebony.  I also began collecting (bordering on hoarding) pipes from ebay.  I had fun finding little gems in assortments of estate sales.”

After graduating with degrees in PR/Marketing and Spanish, Grant took his years of woodworking experience, combined it with his passion for music, and started the Batson Guitar Company with his brother, Cory. Grant and Cory not only created a successful company, but a highly innovative acoustic guitar that is extremely popular with many guitar enthusiasts.

Recently, Grant Batson changed his focus. He has turned the guitar company over to his brother and has started to hone his skills in pipe making. I was shocked to discover, after owning and being very pleased with three of his pipes, that he has only been making pipes since April, 2012. In less than a year, this man has learned the craft and has found incredible success, with his pipes being sold on some of the most esteemed high-end pipe websites around.

Though both guitars and and pipes involve woodworking, it might not seem like the most natural transition for a craftsman. When I asked Grant how guitars and pipes related, he mused that they are “very similar industries. Pipes and guitars are both ‘functional art’with huge collectibility.  The tooling for the manufacturing of these is vastly different, but both take both sides of your brain to pull off, if you know what I mean.  For me, pipe making is much more enjoyable, as the science is relatively simple.  The art portion leaves much more room for creativity.”

This room for creativity has led Grant to discover a signature shape within his first 100 pipes, even if he didn’t mean to. The blowfish is a shape that seems to be only increasing in popularity and allows for a great deal of artistic license. Grant Batson’s unique creation, however, is quite different from any other rendition that I have seen and I would imagine H.P. Lovecraft would have loved it.

He calls it a “Tormented Blowfish”. No, this is not a pipe that has many personal demons. Rather, the blowfish has more sharp edges than the typical, rounded shape, and features roughed, gnarly outlines. I find this rendition of the blowfish to be attractive and captivating, mostly because, much like the accentuated outlines in comic book art, the rusticated edges emphasize the flow of the lines that otherwise would be more difficult to appreciate.

When Grant was designing my individual TBF, he seemed ecstatic, yet anxious at the same time: ”The grain on this one makes me not want to rusticate it.” That had me a little nervous that the grain would be totally obscured, but my fears were unfounded; in actuality, I found that the rustication emphasized the splendid grain. Grant’s other last minute addition was the red stem: brilliant! I was also surprised by the incredible amount of tobacco that the bowl could hold. While smaller than my Ardor giant, the chamber is still enough to occupy me for a fortnight!

Now, the pipe might appear slightly cumbersome at first. Initially, I struggled to find the most comfortable grip, as a result of the little fin that sticks out on the side. Once I found the right hand position, however, it became a very comfortable pipe.

As a result, Grant has recently found himself overwhelmed with commissions for his Tormented Blowfish, or TBF. Grant seemed quite surprised by the shape’s recent popularity: “a good client of mine in Wisconsin, requested a blowfish that looked a little dark and evil.  So, I rusticated the edges or lines of it, stained it gray and black, added deer antler (Jim, the client, is a big hunter) as the shank ring and put a funky stem on it.  The Tormented Blowfish was born.  Since then, I’ve had more orders for the TBF than any other shape.  Crazy.”

As a testament to the high quality of Grant’s work as a whole, and his Tormented Blowfish specifically, Dustin Babitzke is one of the TBF’s biggest fans. As perhaps the world’s foremost blowfish collector, and one of my closest friends, I hold Dustin’s opinions on pipes and the blowfish shape in extremely high regard. Here are his comments on Grant’s work and his own Tormented Blowfish:

When I hear the word Tormented the last thing I tend to think about is Pipe Smoking. In general, our hobby is a fairly stress free one where we go to tear ourselves away from the torment and stress of day-to-day life. So when I heard that a pipe maker I’ve had my eye on since last May had made a “Tormented Blowfish”, I had to find out what was happening.

Grant Batson came on my radar last year at the Chicago show. Todd Johnson had been telling me for months that Grant was going to be the next big carver. I was intrigued and upon meeting Grant, instantly realized that this was a guy I could get along with. He’s a heck of a guy and an amazing Luthier. He showed me a guitar he had made and I was blown away. Then he pulled out a pipe stand that instantly captured my heart (and my pocketbook). The man obviously had skill as a wood worker, but as we all know, knowing how to work with wood does not a pipe maker make. With my limited budget at the pipe show I opted to just buy the pipe stand and not purchase any of Grant’s pipes (a mistake in hindsight, but read on).

So as the months went by I kept receiving updates from Grant on new pipes he had been working on and the pipe makers he was getting training from. I watched his carving skills emerge and his eye for grain was impeccable. And then, on a fateful day in Autumn, I saw the Tormented Blowfish, a combination of sandblasted and smooth briar with a gnarly finish around the shank. I had never seen someone capture the beauty and grain of a pipe with such a fearsome and rugged look.

(Photo by Dustin Babitzke)

Being a Blowfish fanatic, I find that many makers seem to think that any old crossgrain apple can be called a Blowfish, but Grant realized that the Blowfish needs an organic look and feel that captures the spirit of Lars Ivarsson’s original concept. It should look alive and almost ready to swim out of your hand. Grant captured that perspective perfectly. I was awe struck and on the phone the next morning to Grant. Within two weeks a package arrived at my door with the Tormented Fish ready to be lit.

Before I speak of its smoking characteristics I have to mention the pipes outward beauty. Weighing in at less than 60 grams, the first thing I was surprised by was the feel in the mouth. The button was comfortable to clench, the balance was perfect, and the awkward weight I usually feel from the bowl of a Blowfish was not apparent. Both side panels of the pipe feature gorgeous birdseye so he left both smooth to showoff the grain. He then blasted the rest of the pipe with a deep blast that brought out the crossgrain on the bowl and then amazing tight birdseye rings along the shank. He finishes the shank off with a deep black stained piece of briar Plateaux that has been made to look almost burned or charred. The overall appearance is a pipe that has been through the flames of Hell and back and survived the journey. But upon lighting a new story erupted.

I packed it with one of my favorite tobaccos, Blue Mountain, and struck the charring light. The draw was perfect, not too much but little to no resistance. The engineering could not have been better if Cornelius Manz himself finished the pipe. Through an entire 1 hours and 7 minute (yes I timed it) bowlful I was transported not through Hell, but through a Nirvanic bliss that words cannot do justice. No relights, no gurgling, no nasty pipe water in the mouth, nothing to ruin the enjoyment of this sweet pipe ever emerged. At the writing of this article I’ve probably enjoyed another 50 or so smokes with a similar experience. How could a pipe maker with less than a year of pipe making under his belt do something this wonderful? He’s damn good, that’s how.

I love to buy pipes from new makers and love to chat with them on things I would do to make the pipe better. I love watching new makers emerge and improve their skills. But with Grant Batson I have no critique, I have no tips, I have no requests except put me on your commissions list right away, I’m ready for the next one. For anyone considering what Artisan Pipemakers they should be putting their “must-buy-from” list this year, Grant needs to be #1.

Here’s another reason that I — Ethan again! — would add Grant to your list: plateau. Those of you that have read a few of my pieces might know that I absolutely love plateau on a pipe. When I first started inspecting Grant’s work, I noticed that many of his pipes featured a decent section of prominent plateau.

“I love plateau,” Grant said happily. “I’m a country boy and love things rustic, raw, and real.  Whenever I’m able to leave plateau on a pipe, I do.  Not only does it look great, in my opinion, but it serves as a reminder to me of where this shiny, expensive luxury item came from: dug out of the earth by hand and thrown into a wooden wheel-barrow.”

Grant’s appreciation of the rustic is clear in his work, but so is his experience with making musical instruments. The result must be functional just as much as it must be beautiful. “If it don’t smoke great, it ain’t a great pipe.  Grain Schmain.  And I love grain.  Shapes are fun, too, but smokability is the only real factor of importance, I think.  The stem should be comfortable and the draw should be open.” I can testify from personal experience, Grant’s opinion on the importance of engineering is clear in the smoking quality of his work.

This particular pipe that you see to the right is one that Grant made even before he made my Tormented Blowfish. It is a gorgeous sitter with a good deal of Japanese aesthetics. Slight asymmetrical, it leans to one side, as if it is attempting to burst out of its perpetual seated position.

I’ll admit, I kind of feel bad sharing this with you. Grant is a remarkable artist and I have no doubt that he will quickly become a universal name in the pipe world. Until then, however, I feel like being selfish and hiding this genius. But I can’t (dammit). If you have not checked out Grant’s work yet, I highly recommend you do and keep an eye on this guy.

Sitting down with your favorite tobacco and a trusted pipe is a wonderful experience. Sitting down with a good beer in a frosty mug is also a moment to savor. It’s only natural that we put the two together.

Before proceeding too far on the analysis of flavor pairings, let me explain that most scientific tests, studies, and respected papers involve pairing food and drink together. I cannot see a reason that the same analysis can be applied to the pairing of smoke and drink or food and smoke; it’s all about flavors and texture. And anyone who has smoked a good bowl of tobacco can say with absolutely certainty that tobacco has as much flavor and even body as a fine wine.

On the issue of pairing food and drink, or tobacco and drink, there are a number of different thoughts. The first and perhaps most common is that pairing food and drink is completely subjective and bogus, relying more upon the thoughts and expectations of a successful match than the flavors themselves.

This is a totally legitimate analysis, at least on its face. After all, studies have been done where people have been told that the food or drink or even water that they are having is high quality. Accordingly, the subjects raved about the superb taste, only to find out it was a $.99 microwave meal or tap water (See Penn & Teller’s “BS” for entertaining examples of this).

Even more damning of our perception of taste came from a double blind wine tasting at the University of Bordeaux. The exact same wine was served to 54 wine experts in two different bottles with two different labels: one a grand cru bottle (a highly respectable label) and the other bearing the title vin de table. The grand cru wine was reviewed a complex, balanced, and well-rounded, while the table wine was called “weak” and “flat”. Remember, the exact same wine was in both bottles. Does this mean that our impressions are entirely dependent on what we think will be good?

Yes and no.

Our mindset obviously has an impact, but it isn’t the end of it. Think of ice cream. We often add toppings, from chocolate to nuts to fruit to a little bit of salt. But would you ever add garlic? What about fish? Guacamole? Even if someone told you it would be delicious? Probably not. No matter how much someone managed to convince you that ice cream and sawdust would taste good, you’d still hate it. So taste pairings do matter, even beyond our impressions.

So, once we’ve decided that it’s worth the effort to pair a tobacco and a drink, there are still a number of philosophies to work through.

First philosophy: drink whatever drink you like. Well, that makes sense, but it’s not really worth an article of advice, is it? You didn’t need someone to tell you that. It’s like reading a self-help book that says you don’t need help. So, moving on.

The next of the major two philosophies is to pair complementary or similar flavors. To take an example, you’d pair a sweet dish with a sweet wine, a spicy Indian dish with a spicy beer. This method of pairing might help to draw out the hidden flavors or emphasize those already present. An example with tobacco might involve pairing an English “Lat-bomb” with a smoky Stout. One of my favorites is Founder’s “Breakfast Stout”. A lager and a Virginia is another classic combination, both relying heavily on the natural, sometimes subtle citrus flavors.

The other option is contrasting, where you try to pair flavors that aren’t present already. Sweet for a salty dish, mellow for a spicy dish, and so on. This, too, can help to emphasize the flavor in a different way.

Like so much in the pipe world, there isn’t a right or a wrong option, just the one that yields the best results for you.

But I’m not done! There’s more to consider when making these pairings than just flavor.

Let’s talk about body. No, not that kind of body! Everyone knows that different foods have different feelings in your mouth (called mouth-feel in the alcohol world), like a cream sauce versus a red sauce. The same is true for alcohol and tobacco. I’m sure many of you have lit up a new blend and felt it coating the inside of your mouth, resulting in a creamy, dense smoke, while others seem to release light wisps no matter how much fire is put to it.

If you’re wanting a drink to enhance the experience of your tobacco, general wisdom is that you don’t want one with a bigger body than your tobacco. So an oatmeal stout is probably not the best thing with a delicate blend, even if the flavors seem perfect on paper. The stout will simply overwhelm the smoke.

There’s also alcohol level to take into account. A light feeling yet high alcohol content drink, like vodka, might still overpower a light tobacco blend. There are a number of reasons for this. Alcohol can dull the sensitivity of your taste-buds, which would defeat the purpose of our exercise. Too much of a strong alcohol can also remove the protective coating on your tongue, leading to an increased sensation of tongue-bite. So, with a lighter blend consider a lower alcohol content beverage.

Another good thing to consider is what is known as “brightness”. This often refers to acidity, tartness, or sourness of the drink. With wine, it’s pretty obvious, with cocktails it’s often denoted by the presence of lemons or some other citrus, and hops in beer. This acidity is very good at cutting through coatings on your tongue caused by the smoke. So, if you find yourself smoking a blend that leaves a coat on your tongue, either through intense flavor or perhaps literally, as some smokers have discussed, then a bright drink might be your key to reawakening the flavor.

Another good weapon for cutting through those coatings is carbonation. I know some pipesters who put a slice of lemon in sparkling water to double up the effectiveness…but where’s the fun with no alcohol, right? So, maybe a gin and tonic with a slice of lime instead.

Again, these are all just suggestions, general theory to help guide your decision. You may find a combination that you love that goes against all conventional wisdom. Awesome! In fact, share it with us in the comments section below these piece. We’d love to hear it and share it so that more people can enjoy it, too.

Over time, we’ll be sharing some of our personal favorite things to pair with a particular tobacco, from food to drink to music. It’s our preference and maybe it will match yours. But the best pairing out there is the one you love the most.

Cheers,
Ethan

Violate this twice and it is a felony. That means it will take away your right to vote.

Let’s break this down.

First on how this impacts pipe smokers in Florida. I am grateful that the lawmakers were smart enough to include four of the major materials of tobacco pipe. Thank you. However, those certainly aren’t the only materials. I know people who do great work making metal pipes. What about olive-wood or cherry-wood? It seems to violate the law if it is sold in a retail shop. That’s absurd.

Now, let’s look at this from the “we’re supposed to be adults” perspective. This bill bans glass, metal, stone, ceramic pipes, and water pipes (which someone could easily extend to hookahs). Let me make this very clear: it is now (well, will be in July) illegal to sell a piece of glass with two holes on opposite sides. A piece of glass with no malicious intent in its creation is now illegal to sell.

Look, I’m not here to speak out in favor of selling, buying, or partaking in illegal drugs. But something that can be used for illegal purposes should not, vicariously, become illegal to sell. I could easily purchase a glass pipe simply because I think it is pretty or even to smoke tobacco out of because I’m strange.

What do law makers honestly think this will accomplish? Certainly they cannot think that it will lessen drug use. I promise you that there are other ways to accomplish their goals.

Personally, I think it is just the first step to being able to crack down on all devices for burning a burning substance. What is to stop a law maker from suddenly asserting, “These deviants are now using meerschaum pipes for their illegal hobbies”? That would be the end of meerschaum in Florida. After all, the only reason glass pipes got banned is people used it to smoke cannabis. Therefore, if people start using meerschaum for cannabis – or if a law maker even says that they do – there could easily be an amendment to this making meerschaum or clay illegal.

This law is as dangerous as it is pointless. I will repeat a call I made a while ago. It’s fine to become angry about something that you view as injustice, but it is important to actually make your voice heard. Don’t be a silent victim.

Read it for yourself. What do you think?

Every year on May 31^st, the World Health Organization (WHO) promotes World No Tobacco Day, a day where it encourages everyone to abstain from all forms of tobacco use for 24 hours. Why, you might ask? To draw attention to the “widespread prevalence of tobacco use and to the negative health effects of using tobacco products” (Euronews) and to attempt to limit the advertisement for tobacco. The WHO says that it wants to eliminate tobacco advertising, promotion, and sponsorship, or TAPS.

Among the reasons the WHO says that TAPS should be banned is second-hand smoke, evidence that lowering advertising reduces consumption, and the amount of deaths related to tobacco. I, however, have a problem with World No Tobacco Day, go figure.

Tobacco products currently lead to an approximated 5.4 million deaths annually worldwide. In 2011, however, the WHO also said that alcohol leads to around 2.5 million deaths each year. If 5.4 million gets tobacco a full day, 2.5 million should at least get half a day from the WHO where they encourage everyone to give up the sauce and try to prevent all advertisement and promotion on the part of alcohol companies. Oh, wait. That doesn’t happen.

Budweiser is one of the largest sponsors of sporting events in the world, but I haven’t heard a peep out of the WHO about stopping them from doing so. After all, if Budweiser weren’t able to sponsor anything, NASCAR would disappear…hey, I’m starting to like this idea.

It is frighteningly hypocritical for the WHO to say that tobacco is evil and must be snuffed out while happily sipping on their cosmos after a long day at work. Sure, many people say that second-hand smoke is what makes the difference. But what about drunk driving? Both second-hand smoke and drunk driving impact someone other than the user. Here’s the difference: inhaling second-hand smoke might have a negative repercussion one day; getting his by a drunk driver will have a negative repercussion today.

I am in no way encouraging banning alcohol advertisements or alcohol itself. After all, we tried doing that once. It worked wonderfully, only creating an underground crime scene and not reducing alcohol consumption by any significant margin.

Where are the people jumping in to support World No Alcohol Day? Where are the people crying foul when they see Budweiser advertised at their local ballpark? You want to know where they are? They’re drinking a beer. They’re drinking a beer responsibly because they are intelligent enough to see that there is a difference between alcohol abuse and alcohol consumption.

We are all, I would assume, against drunk driving and using alcohol enough to cause permanent damage and becoming dependent on it. But we also see the value of moderation and the difference between taking twelve shots at a bar and drinking a glass of wine with your wife.

That is the same difference between smoking three packs a day and enjoying the occasional cigar or pipe or even cigarette. Moderation.

Personally, though, I don’t care if you choose to take twelve shots at a bar or smoke three packs a day. Just don’t drive after you do it and don’t blow it in my face. Other than that, it’s your life. You’re an adult and I am going to treat you like one. I only ask that you afford me the same respect.

Like so many things, we sometimes like to make packing a pipe more complicated than it needs to be. After all, part of the fun of pipes is the ritual and the best rituals tend to be a little over the top.

Before talking about my four favorite methods, a couple of caveats:

1. These are not the only ways to pack a pipe.
2. These might not even be the best ways to pack a pipe. The best way is the way that works for you.
3. Keep experimenting. Some of these methods are relatively new, so never assume that there isn’t more to be discovered.

With that said, it is also important to keep one thing in mind that are widely agreed upon:Packing lighter is often packing better. When the pack is too tight, there isn’t enough oxygen for the flame to breathe and continue burning through the entirety of the bowl. Too light, however, means that the pipe might burn hot or there might not be enough tobacco touching for the flame to pass from one piece to the next. Springy, but not loose.

On to the methods! (All of these are intended for ribbon, shag, or rubbed out flakes)

Gravity Fill or Three Step Pack

1. Drizzle tobacco into your empty pipe until tobacco reaches the top of the bowl.
2. Push the tobacco down lightly using a tamper or your finger until it fills about 1/3 of the bowl. This tamp should be very light, some say like you would “shake a baby’s hand” as a way of remembering.
3. Repeat the drizzling until the tobacco reaches the top.
4. Again, tamp down the tobacco, this time until about 2/3 of the pipe is filled. This time, use a little more force, “like you should shake a lady’s hand”.
5. Drizzle more tobacco.
6. Tamp down the tobacco a little firmer still, like you were “shaking a man’s hand”. Keep in mind not to pack too tightly.

If this is done correctly, you should end up with a fully packed pipe. This is hands down the most common method of filling a pipe. That doesn’t mean it’s the best, it just means the most common.

There is a reason for the different pressures in packing. By having one layer packed more firmly than the previous, it actually continues to pack down the previous layer, meaning that, by the end, you should have three layers of tobacco that are fairly evenly packed. This means that if you packed the first layer too tight, you will end up with the bottom layer tighter than the other two, which will result in a tougher draw and a less pleasant smoke.

The Frank Method

This method, though I’m sure it had been used previously by someone, gained fame from Achim Frank, apparently for competitive use. It is, however, wonderful for everyday pipe smoking and, for me at least, requires fewer relights than the previously mentioned method.

The basic premise is this. You follow step one from about, drizzling tobacco into the bowl until it reaches the lip, but you don’t push it down. Instead, you then form a plug of tobacco that is gently, but firmly, packed into the top of the bowl using your thumbs. The tobacco is pressed in from the sides of the plug, not forced in from the top; it is massaged into the bowl.

While it might appear, at first, to make the draw impossibly tight, due to the large wad of tobacco loaded into the top, this is not the case. You have, in fact, created a loosely packed area at the bottom of the bowl, followed by a tightly packed layer. This is the same goal as in the Gravity Fill Method, just achieved differently.

While a picture might be worth a thousand words, this series of videos by Mr. Frank himself is even better. Below you will find a link to the first of three videos. They are lengthy, but thorough. I will say one thing, however: I cannot recommend strongly enough against using a torch lighter for your pipes. It makes the tobacco hotter and runs a very high risk of scorching the top of your pipe, which is not a fun experience at all.

Frank Method, Part I

The Air Pocket Method

Fred Hanna has many claims to fame: he’s an incredibly intelligent and well-spoken member of the pipe community, has written countless articles, and has advocated the value of moderation. Perhaps more than anything is his advocacy of the Air Pocket Method, which is extremely similar to the Frank Method with a few differences.

1. Create a plug of tobacco using your thumb, index, and middle finger.

2. Without filling the bottom of the bowl with any tobacco, place the plug on top of the bowl and hold in place with your other thumb.

3. Firmly push the tobacco into the bowl, making sure not to put put pressure on the center of it.

4. Once a decent amount of the plug is into the bowl, start “screwing” the plug into the bowl as you push it down. This serves to entangle the tobacco further, purportedly making it easier for the burning embers to ignate more tobacco strands.

To make this a true air pocket method, you need to make sure not to have tobacco in the bottom half of the bowl. This empty half is the “air pocket” from which it gets its name.

The Palm Pack

This one is pretty new to me, but I am falling more and more in love with it. It follows a similar principle to The Frank Method and The Air Pocket Method, but the actual means of packing the pipe is unique, bizarre, and strangely effective.

1. (Optional) Drizzle in a small layer of tobacco into the bowl. This can be skipped to simulated the effect of the Air Pocket Method. I choose to do it for no other reason than I am used to it.
2. Loosen a fair amount of tobacco (enough to fill the rest of your pipe and a little bit more for safety’s sake) and rest it in the palm of your non-dominant hand.
3. Take your pipe in your other hand and turn it, bowl-side down, on top of the tobacco.
4. Now move your pipe around on your hand in a circular motion whenever there is tobacco. No need to do this quickly; take your time. If done while applying a slight amount of pressure, you will notice less and less tobacco in your hand as it is being loaded into the pipe. Do this long enough until you see that enough tobacco is missing from your hand. Return the remainder to the tin/bag/jar (waste not, want not).
5. Now gently push down on the tobacco in the bowl. This is not to actually pack down the tobacco more, but just to make sure it is not overflowing.
6. Take a test draw. If done correctly, you might be amazed to find that it is packed damn near perfectly.

This method has delivered fantastic results for me. I’ve shown it to a few of my friends and witnessed nothing but utter shock on their faces when they take a test draw to find the perfect resistance.

Beware: This method is not good for people with sweaty hands. The reason should be obvious.

For all of these methods, and every method, in fact, it is important to remember a few keys:

• The draw prior to lighting the pipe should have only a slight resistance. If there is too much difficulty drawing, dump out and start again. There’s no shame in that.
• Some people like to add a little bit more loose tobacco on top after the final step to encourage an easy lighting.
• Experiment. Experiment. Experiment. There is a missing element to all of these methods and that is you. You have to learn what is right for you or it won’t be right at all. Theory is great, but if it doesn’t work in practice, who cares?

So, what’s your favorite method? What have you found works best for you?

However, I have a number of pieces in the bullpen and an exciting new phase of my pipe-career getting worked on with Big D Babitzke. Check back soon for more updates and many new pieces!

The Chicago Pipe Show only comes once a year…but my little brother’s bar mitzvah only comes once in a lifetime. Thus, I knew that no matter how much I tried and whined and kvetched when I found out that Devon’s bar mitzvah was on May 4^th, I would be heading to Kentucky this weekend instead of the Chicago Pipe Show.

Though I like to consider myself mature, I will admit that I am still not 100% over having to miss the show, and this last week has been rough. Everywhere I look online I see plans for meet-ups, events, and good times to be had by all.

I started thinking about what makes missing this show so rough for me. I’ve missed several other shows, having never been to the Kansas City, Richmond, or Las Vegas shows before. It’s not the ability to ogle and buy incredible pipes; I spend far too much of my time ogling pipes online as it is (and I’ve already made a few Chicago Show purchases, anyway, to be displayed later!) So what’s the problem?

The problem is that pipe shows, especially one as large and wide-ranging as the Chicago Show, offer you something that cannot be purchased online: a true feeling of brotherhood. I use this term with no sexist implications, for there are many female members of this club. However, what I get most out of shows like this is a feeling of acceptance, the realization that, no matter what direction you look, there is someone who understands and appreciates your hobby. This is the same feeling that many geeks find at Comic Conventions or Renaissance Faires (Not that I have any experience with either, of course…right…).

When I step onto the floor of a pipe show, I feel a metaphorical weight lifting off of my shoulders and that weight’s name is isolation. While there is a small and wonderful pipe club here in St. Louis, it is rare that I get to be around many other people who appreciate pipes to the same degree that I do, or even more so.

Last year, when Lauren and I finally arrived in Chicago after much anticipation and preparation, it was difficult to really describe the way that I felt. I am not saying this in an attempt to overly Romanticize the experience, but rather to explain. The smell of the room, the sight of the tables, the din of people wandering around discussing pipes…it was beautiful to me. I will miss that feeling this year.

On the up side, I hope to be attending the Kansas City show this year and see my friends that I will desperately miss seeing this year in Chicago. To all of you able to attend the show, I am undyingly envious and hope you have an incredible time. Be sure to take pictures for me! And to any of my pipe maker friends out there…save something good for me! J

While you all are in the show room and in the smoking tent, I will be at a temple watching my little brother read from the Torah and enter in the realm of manhood. All in all, it’s not a bad trade off

Do you have a friend that is almost like a brother or sister to you? And isn’t it true that siblings often compete with one another? I guess it’s no surprise that Dustin and I, who call each other “brother”, are a tad competitive with our pipes. Both of us are collectors and we have very similar tastes: American artisans, Russian pipes, reverse and regular calabashes.

Maybe it was this competitiveness that spurred me into action upon seeing one of Dustin’s recent acquisitions, or maybe it was just a phenomenal pipe by a phenomenal artist.

I remember quite clearly that it was a Wednesday evening when I was scrolling through Facebook on my phone, waiting for Lauren to get done writing a paper. Suddenly, a bizarre calabash popped across my screen: enormous of proportions, distinctive wood choice for the bowl, fantastic bamboo, beautiful sanding.

I instantly pulled up the artisan’s number on my phone and sent him a text message.

“Hey, Steve. I know it’s probably pointless, but is that calabash available?”

Mr. Liskey quickly replied, “Sorry, dude. That one is going to Dustin. ”

Of course! My old adversary, Big D. Babitzke, had struck again! Quickly, I made my move:

“Think you can make its twin?”

“Yeah! We can even do a few things to outdo Dustin’s!”

Well, Big D., prepare to meet your match!

The pipe that Steve Liskey created as the twin to Dustin’s “ice cream cone calabash” takes the calabash system to a level that has been experimented with by only a few people. I recently wrote a piece all about reverse calabashes, a technique that is growing in popularity because of its cool and tasty smoke. The regular calabash system has been around for much longer and delivers similar – though, I would argue, slightly lesser – results.

Dustin’s ice cream cone is a conventional calabash with an enormous frontal expansion chamber. What arrived in the post for me, however, truly lived up to Steve’s promise. Not only does this piece feature the conventional frontal calabash system, adorned with a fashionable cap of spalted tamarind, but the rear area has also been hallowed out, making this pipe both a traditional and reverse calabash: a double calabash.

I know that few people have messed around with this concept, but it hasn’t really caught on as of yet. However, I see no reason why a double calabash should not deliver increased results. Let’s look at the reasons behind the success of the calabash. A conventional calabash features a front chamber where the smoke can expand, mix, and, most importantly, cool before traveling to the mouth. The reverse calabash system does the same thing, just closer to the stem of the pipe. Theoretically, a double calabash should cool the smoke in the front (like a conventional calabash) and then further cool the smoke in the rear (like a reverse calabash), allowing for the coolest, driest possible smoke. And let me tell you, this pipe smokes like a dream: low maintenance, flavorful, cool, dry…perfect.

Another upside of this system is that is damned near impossible for any dottle to make it to the stem. If it somehow made it through the front system, it would surely be caught in the rear. That means one should never have to fear smoking a bowl down to the very bottom, even before the pipe is broken in.

With the recent explosion of reverse calabash pipes, from artisans to factories, I wouldn’t be surprised if we see this type of experimentation start to flourish. People often think that something as old as the pipe has been perfected already. Surely Einstein, Twain, and Russell couldn’t have been wrong. Well, they might not have been wrong, but they might not have been perfect. The reverse calabash is proof of that.

I am inspired to see young artisans continue to push the boundaries of the pipe, from engineering to shaping. Much like in nature, when an organism is threatened with extinction, it evolves or it dies. Though the pipe is no longer as close to extinction as it once was, it is still an endangered species. With no pipe-zoos to keep it thriving and protected, we must rely on evolution. Thank you, Steve, for pushing us one step further away from going extinct and one closer to flourishing once more.

I remember seeing my first reverse calabash: a bee by Michail Revyagin, one of the forerunners of the design. It was bizarre in appearance, but somehow entrancing at the same time. Then I read the description and saw a term that I hadn’t seen before – reverse calabash. What the heck is that?

Well, I knew what a calabash was, aside from the shape. Strictly speaking, a calabash is a vine which produces a remarkable fruit. This can be harvested young and eaten, or it can be aged and dried and used as a utensil or even a pipe.

When turned into a pipe, it is hollowed out and fitted with a bowl insert, typically meerschaum. What makes the calabash so remarkable is the empty space between the bowl and the stem. There is a large, hollow space where the smoke travels before passing through the stem. This space is called an expansion chamber and allows the smoke to cool, an effect that many believe enhances the flavor and experience of the smoke.

So, that’s a calabash. What’s a reverse calabash? I’m glad you asked!

It takes the principle of the calabash – ie. Having a built in expansion chamber – and simply moves the chamber towards the back of the pipe, immediately in front of the bit and stem. Thus, the smoke is still cooled without the restriction of designing a pipe fitted with a removable bowl. As Rolando Negoita says on his website, “This is the new generation of pipes… I have engineered these pipes so that the smoke from the tobacco chamber will pass through the cooling chamber in the shank before being delivered to the stem. In addition to cooling, this chamber will act to decant and filter the smoke as well.”

Rick Newcombe is a popular figure in the world of pipe-writings. One of his claims-to-fame is his contention that widening up the air-flow will increase the enjoyment of one’s smoke. Rick encourages opening it a couple of millimeters; a reverse calabash design takes that to much greater magnitudes.

Now that you know what it is, let’s dig a little deeper into why exactly this style has exploded in popularity. And it has. Over two years ago, a well-known blogger predicted that this design would spark great interest in the pipe world. I cannot describe how right he was.

It used to be that only a few people, such as Rolando Negoita, Michail Revyagin, and Tom Eltang used this technique. Now, however, it’s getting more and more common. To prove this, Radice recently introduced a billiard that features a reverse calabash system. As far as I know, this is the first company with such a large annual production (around 1,200 pipes) to try their hand at a reverse calabash in such numbers.

In terms of why they’re growing in popularity, a reverse calabash allows for more variety in terms of aesthetics than does a typical calabash. You can tell this simply by looking at the great conglomeration of pipes pictured in this piece. With that freedom that it allows, however, is one difficulty that sometimes proves too much for carvers. In order to put the expansion chamber in the shank, you need a fatter shank than most pipes. To account for this, most artisans avoid the shapes that require a skinny shank, like a Canadian or a Prince. But difficulty breeds invention. Revyagin, for example, created a brand new shape for with the Bee calabash. Negoita and Eltang went with a shape that looks more like a piece of plumbing, but they make it beautiful. The similarity in their design makes sense, as the two are good friends.

Many collectors have flocked to the shape because it delivers the same, high-quality smoke as a true calabash, without the visual restrictions. Let me tell you from first-hand experience, a reverse calabash gives a truly incredible experience, whether it is the bee from Revyagin or the Conducta by Negoita. I have found that the design works well with every type of tobacco, but it is particularly effective with blends that typically burn hot or wet, as the expansion chamber mitigates these effects. For example, straight Virginia blends and Burleys. A reverse calabash helps to emphasize the sweetness of a given blend.

Personally, I see little to no downside to this design. Sure, there are aesthetic difficulties to get around and some shapes will never work with the reverse calabash, without looking bloated. Despite this, I would not be surprised if we still have only seen the tip of the iceberg with this design. I, for one, will be continuing my appreciation of this design and hope to see more and more artisans applying this technique.

If you want to see more beautiful examples of the reverse calabash, check out this story’s incarnation over at www.thebriarportraitgallery.com

There are a number of very well-known pipe collectors: Rick Newcombe, Neill Archer Roan, Greg Pease, and more. These collectors are respected for their keen eyes, writing, and devotion to the hobby. I have no intention of disparaging any of these men (in fact, I admire them all), but I want to mention that these are far from the only impressive collectors out there that should be heeded.

Many of you have heard me mention Dustin Babitzke many times. Not only is he one of my closet friends, but he is one of the most passionate, intelligent, and impressive pipe collectors in the world, in my opinion. Aside from having possibly the largest, and certainly most impressive, blowfish collection in the world, Dustin has a nearly omniscient perception of pipes and is a great photographer.

Recently, Dustin put his passion into action and created The Briar Portrait Gallery. While the website is new, the project has been in the works for some time.

“The Briar Portrait Gallery was founded by Dustin “Big D” Babitzke in 2012 to help promote the beauty and artistic expression that has emerged from the modern pipe making movement.   Starting with the release of his “Pipe Field Guide: Blowfish Edition” pamphlet at the Chicagoland Pipe Collectors Club Show in May of 2012, Dustin has been working with Pipe Makers and Pipe Clubs from around the world to showcase the talent and skill currently displayed by today’s artisans.  The company’s main goal is to show the world that our hobby is not just about a “quick nicotine hit” but about a fine appreciation of the nuances of materials, craftsmanship, and true woodworking mastery that goes into the creation of a pipe.”

Last year at the Chicago Pipe Show, Dustin had a table where he sold some prints he had done of his pipes. The price was more than reasonable and the prints themselves were gorgeous. I could not resist but take home one of each piece and they are now the center-piece of my office / pipe-room.

So, what exactly is the idea of The Briar Portrait Gallery? Well, I don’t know about you guys, but I think pipes are beautiful (or can be). Now, I have spent countless hours sifting through the archives of Quality Briar and other websites looking at some drool-inducing photos of fantastic pipes. Every now and then, however, I want a bit more of an artistic twist. That’s where Dustin’s website comes in.

The photos of pipes that Dustin features are not your everyday photos, but are stylized to emphasize their beauty. Let me acknowledge: these photos do not give the “pure” depiction of the pipe’s grain and appearance, since most of the photos have been made to look almost like paintings. If you want a perfect example, click on the picture of the Geiger Yggdrasil Blowfish immediately above and enlarge it. You’ll notice that the grain is wavy in a way that briar simply doesn’t grow. But if you want to see the pure, unaltered photo, Dustin is working on adding an option where you can also view the original. If you want to see art that features pipes, you should bookmark, favorite, create an alter to The Briar Portrait Gallery.

I think that the goals of BPG are quite noble. After all, a simple picture of a cigar or of a cigarette, no matter how stylized, is nothing compared to the beauty of a pipe. The next time someone questions you when you say that a particular pipe is lovely or artistic, when they get that flabbergasted look, as if to say, “How can you really think that?”, just click on over to Dustin’s site and watch the disbelife fade and appreciation appear.

Since these pieces truly are art, Dustin didn’t just stop at putting the photos online. No, no! You can actually purchase the majority of these photos and let them bring some style to your home, office, garage, or anywhere you want.

I don’t know about you, but I couldn’t wait long after I saw the prints that Dustin already has available on The Briar Portrait Gallery. So, go! Don’t wait! Show that you’re not only a pipe smoker, but a pipe smoker with class. Visit www.briarportraitgallery.com . Thank me later.