| Frequently Asked Questions:
1 - What is a tamper?
2 - What is the difference between Briar, maple and ash
for a pipe material?
3 - Do you put any kind of finish on your pipes?
4 - What kind of stain do you use?
5 - From where does your briar originate?
6 - Do you do hand cut mouthpieces?
7 - How do you clean an 18" wooden pipe?
8 - I have jammed a pipe cleaner down the stem of my pipe.
How do I get it out?
1 - Q: What is a
tamper?
A: When tobacco is lit in a pipe
it expands and forms ash. When this happens the draw becomes lessened and
the pipe is harder to keep lit. Frequently pressing down the tobacco with
a tamper or pipe tool regulates the draw and keeps the fire burning. During
the duration of the smoke the tobacco will have to be tamped down several
times as needed.
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2 - Q: What is the
difference between Briar, maple and ash for a pipe material?
A: By far briar is the best wood
for making a pipe. The grain can be beautiful and complex. It is hard yet
can be very light in weight. It is durable, costly and will last several
lifetimes if properly cared for.
Maple is a close second. It is dense, polishes very well and carvings in
maple remain crisp for many years. It is a closed cell wood and will not
leak tobacco juices as an oak or ash pipe will.
Ash is inexpensive and smokeable. It’s grain is coarse and the wood is relatively
light in weight for it’s density. It’s drawbacks are the blotching from
the tobacco juices. Heat and capillary action will draw moisture and tars
out of the bowl and stain the outside of the pipe. If you want an "antiqued"
pipe ash will do just fine.
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3 - Q: Do you put
any kind of finish on your pipes?
A: Yes, normally a generous coating
is buffed on for a hard wax finish. Many pipe styles are not waxed and will
darken naturally over time. These are usually unstained rusticated or sand
blast finishes which can be left natural or waxed as well.
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4 - Q: What
kind of stain do you use?
A: Only alcohol based non-toxic stains
are used. Even after the pipe becomes warmed up there is no "off gassing"
such as petroleum based stains nor are there any spotting or leaking from
analine or water based dyes.
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5 - Q: From where
does your briar originate?
A: Greece, Tuscany, Corsica and occasionally
Algeria. Each smokes well and every batch from each country has great color
variation from dark red to blond.
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6 - Q: Do you do
hand cut mouthpieces?
A: Yes, by special order a mouthpiece
can be made to your exacting specs. Mouthpieces can be made from acrylic,
vulcanite, Cumberland as well as nontoxic wood species and other plastics.
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7 - Q: How do you
clean an 18" wooden pipe?
A: First, get a blowtorch. Just kidding.
Since there seems to be no 18" pipe cleaners on the market I came up with
a simple and effective solution. The pipe cleaning kit consists of a fitted
stainless steel rod and a plastic syringe.
Turn the pipe bowl down and trickle a few drops of potable alcohol down
the stem and run the cleaning rod down the stem turning the rod gently as
you go. This will loosen any built up gunk and clear any obstruction. Then
wipe out the inside of the bowl with a piece of tissue or cotton swab. Please
remember to do this outside over you lawn and not over your expensive Persian
rug.
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8 - Q: I have jammed
a pipe cleaner down the stem of my pipe. How do I get it out?
A: Send it back to me and I’ll either
extract the errant pipe cleaner or replace the stem for a small fee.
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