Lv Zelong Pipes

Chinese pipe maker Lv Zelong (approximately pronounced LIU THEE-long), came to pipe making through his love for pipe smoking. He entered the hobby in 2009, and while he appreciated pipes for their smoking practicality, Lv was especially drawn to their artistic shaping and the natural beauty of briar's grain patterns. Living in Dalian in China's Liaoning Province, Lv sought advice and tutelage from Ping Zhan, as well as Lan Zhenjun, and began crafting his own handmade pipes, drawing inspiration from those more seasoned Chinese artisans as well as Danish icons like Tom Eltang. As such, Lv's pipes reflect design cues championed by the Danish artisan pipe-making tradition, with Lv's own creative vision combining to create distinctive art forms of exceptional engineering.

As a craftsman, Lv pays particular attention to his staining and airway-funneling techniques, prioritizing stunning aesthetics alongside reliable smoking properties and comfort. His pipes utilize briar from Italy, Greece, or Algeria — with bamboo and horn used most often as accents — and his stems are all hand-cut from German vulcanite. When not crafting handmade pipes, Lv enjoys spending time with his family in the mountains, especially skiing, and still an avid pipe smoker, he enjoys Virginia-based blends, including Orlik Golden Sliced and Samuel Gawith Full Virginia Flake.