Pipes

Michal Novak is a pipe maker from Prague, Czech Republic. Born in 1954, his profession was a journalist and photographer. In the 1990s he ventured more toward pipe and tobacco media and spends some time working for Cigar and Pipe Cocktail magazine. During this work experience, he was fortunate to visit many of the pipe companies and workshops in Italy, Denmark, and Germany. Naturally his enthusiasm grew. He first got the impulse to make pipes after visiting a friend of his in Italy only a few years ago. He was given a pipe by his friend, and later accepted an invitation to visit Jan Kloucek - another pipe maker from the Czech Republic. Michael took well to briar, and learned from Jan, though the natural desire to create something different developed into his liberal use of facets, lines, and curved planes - edges, he calls them. After retiring from his profession, Michal still works closely with Jan to make pipes in his mind's eye for friends and customers.

Michal's pipe production is typical for an artisan; lower volume to allow extra time for the design process. As of the writing of this brief biography, we've only seen smooth pipes from the maker, though some utilize the natural plateau. His pipes are sometimes lightly stained, sometimes pieces will have a darker finish, but the majority are simply smooth pieces of briar with only wax; no stain at all. This shows off the natural beauty of the wood, and pipes that are only waxed will color to a beautiful patina when smoked. His stems are either vulcanite or acrylic and can occasionally be drilled to accept a 9-millimeter filter.