Pipe Line

J.R.R. Tolkien: Builder of Pipe-Centric Worlds

August 27, 2021 by Chuck Stanion

50 Comments

The influence of John Ronald Reuel Tolkien on modern literature, culture, and even pipe smoking, is immeasurable. He supercharged the fantasy genre and made it more accessible to millions. Enormously popular games like Dungeons and Dragons are loosely based on his literary inventiveness. Because of Tolkien, cultural understanding of classically imaginary creatures like elves and ... Read More

P.G. Wodehouse: World-Class Pipe Smoking Humorist

August 20, 2021 by Chuck Stanion

11 Comments

P.G. Wodehouse was a craftsman of the English language, his grasp of humor evident in flawlessly constructed sentences and hilarious, character-driven plots. Perhaps the most admired humorist of the 20th century, he experienced challenging times but brought delight to millions, all while maintaining a childlike glee, his goal always to bring happiness into the lives of his readers. ... Read More

Top 10 Best-Selling Peterson Pipes

August 19, 2021 by Truett Smith

5 Comments

Kapp & Peterson of Dublin is the world's longest-operating pipe workshop, and while the Irish marque's techniques and processes have evolved with modern technologies, its foundational shaping style, quality craftsmanship, and iconic innovations have remained stalwart for over 120 years. ... Read More

J.B. Priestley: Literary Giant, Enthusiastic Pipe Smoker

August 13, 2021 by Chuck Stanion

17 Comments

A prolific writer, dramatist, poet, novelist, critic, political theorist, and pipe smoker, John Boynton Priestley is among the most highly regarded names in English literature. He wrote 26 novels, 39 plays, and multiple volumes of criticism and essays for a total of almost 200 works. He reinvented himself as a writer ... Read More

Flake and Tamper

August 11, 2021 by Truett Smith

8 Comments

We pipe smokers are like everyone else: We put our pants on one leg at a time, or not at all if we work from home. We have jobs, and families, and weird idiosyncrasies like eating only the orange Skittles or refusing to set the TV volume at anything other than a multiple of five. Some of us prefer toilet paper to roll over; others argue that under is the only acceptable option; and still others laugh at such primitivity by using bidets. ... Read More

Robert Service: Yukon Pipe Smoker and Poet

August 6, 2021 by Chuck Stanion

34 Comments

Poets seldom achieve widespread popularity and wealth, but Robert William Service did. His humorous and accessible poetry reaped a worldwide audience and made him famous — so famous that the Yukon cabin he lived in from 1909-1912 is a tourist attraction and historical site, preserved to this day. Movies and animated films have been made from the yarns he wove throughout his poetry and novels. ... Read More

Johan Wolfgang Dobereiner, Inventor of the First Lighter

August 4, 2021 by Chuck Stanion

7 Comments

The first friction match was invented in 1826. Obviously, matches were a quantum leap in technology for smokers, who before that time used tongs to hold small coals against the tobacco in their pipes, or carried flint and steel, or used "spills," which were shavings of wood specifically used for lighting one's pipe or cigar. So popular were spills that a number of woodworking planes were ... Read More

Pipe Smoking Desktop Backgrounds: August 2021

July 29, 2021 by Andrew Wike

2 Comments

It's time for another round of beautiful pipe smoking desktop backgrounds! As in previous months, we've compiled some of our favorite shots and artwork to share with you. Below you'll find eleven unique images, split between desktop and mobile orientations and available for download in two high-resolution formats. They're ready for you to use however you'd like. Feel free to download and set them as your desktop or phone background, or print them out and hang 'em on your wall. ... Read More

Origins of the Calabash Pipe

July 22, 2021 by Jeffery Sitts

13 Comments

The Calabash is one of the most iconic and timeless pipe shapes of all time, becoming a significant and historical design within pipe making as well as appearing in multiple forms of media. It's a whimsical and distinctive shape that's immediately recognizable, with the archetypal gourd Calabash being perhaps the most famous and well known version, which is named after the hard- ... Read More

The Fascinating Development of Sun Bear: Black Locust

July 16, 2021 by Chuck Stanion

22 Comments

Sun Bear, among Cornell & Diehl's most popular Small Batch compositions, is returning. It's a blend of Bright and Red Virginias balanced by Basma from 2014 and Izmir from 2013, with the subtle, whispered notes of silver tequila, elderflower, and honey. The original Sun Bear featured honey harvested from the hives of ... Read More