Adam Davidson: Smooth Freehand (Gotoh Shop) Tobacco Pipe

When Adam Davidson visited Kei-ichi Gotoh in Japan he was really, really hoping for a chance to watch Gotoh at work. He (very happily) was given that chance, witnessing Gotoh's technique as he took a block of briar through the fundamental stages of transforming it into a Gotoh design. This alone was an opportunity that Adam considers an item checked off his "bucket list": watching a master of his craft at work in his own shop.

Then when things couldn't get any better, they did. Gotoh asked Adam (through Ryota, our Man in Japan, as translator) if he wouldn't begin shaping a pipe as well, there in Gotoh's own shop, there with Gotoh's own briar. Adam was a little nervous about this, call it stage fright - and call it really not wanting to make a mistake that might waste a piece of Gotoh's beautiful briar. Adam also knew this was another bucket-list opportunity he could not let pass.

The pipe he began in 2014 with Gotoh as witness is the pipe you see here. Adam brought it home to America for completion; drilling, final shaping, finishing and the cutting of the stem. Completed, the big question came. Adam contacted Ryota and Gotoh to show them the final result, and to ask for Gotoh's permission that he might give it a special stamp to indicate the special circumstances surrounding its creation. Everything about this briar, especially the opportunities that led to its making, are prized by Adam. If he was a little nervous waiting for the answer, he wasn't nervous for long. Within the hour, Ryota came back with Gotoh's response: not only would he allow it, but he, too, was very happy with the work Adam had done.