Tom Richard Mehret, as is his full name, has been making pipes since 2003. In Rainer Barbi's workshop he learned the most important steps necessary to make a pipe. However, Cornelius Mänz, Reiner Thilo, Paul Becker, and Peter Klein did not hold back their knowledge neither, but helped him jump over the first hurdles.

Applications made of exotic wood, horn, or bamboo impart a special character to various of Tom Richard's pipes. The stems are individually cut out of ebonite rods. Tom Richard is also well known for his bog oak (Morta) pipes, which he has been offering since April 2005. Bog oak is fossilized wood, 4,000 to 9,000 years old and lighter than briar. Colour and grain are left natural, and horn or boxwood are used with some pieces.

By Willi Albrecht