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Artists tend to be a commonly misunderstood bunch. By and large, they keep odd hours, enjoy solitude, and rigorously follow their hearts — all attributes which can set them apart from the vast majority of society. For visual artist James Brown — also a Sommelier, adventure traveler, and Range Rover enthusiast — his heart took him to the mountains of Nicaragua. ... Read More

In this episode of All Pipes Considered, Shane and I discuss the great Kurt Balleby, covering everything from his introduction into pipemaking and various influences to his nuanced and meticulous approach to the craft. Learn more about Balleby and his incredible work today. ... Read More

In this episode of Briar to Binder, Shane and Kaz tackle RoMa Craft's Intemperance BAXXI A.W.S. IV Lonsdale. Watch the video above for a complete review of the stick, as well as a really interesting comparison between it and some favorite pipe tobaccos out there. ... Read More

Chad Terpstra held a special screening of his pipesmoking documentary Father the Flame at the 2017 Chicagoland Pipe Show. But many of you have wondered what's going on with this project? When will it be released? ... Read More

Are you a pipe smoker looking to get into the diverse and wild world of cigars? Don't miss this first episode in our brand new video series Briar to Binder, where Shane & Kaz discuss Crowned Heads cigars. ... Read More

Except for the beginning of pipe sandblasting more than 100 years ago, when curing techniques, softer Algerian briar (if that story is not a fable) and early, unsophisticated procedures launched deeply craggy sandblasts, sandblasted pipes have been mainly low profile in texture. Even today, in Denmark, the heart of artisan pipemaking ... Read More

We have continued to update you in other blog posts as to the specific situation as it pertains to basic services such as shipping and customer service. Many of you have asked what the wider situation looks like, or knowing that Cornell & Diehl is in a different building, how it has fared. We very much appreciate your concern ... Read More

Update for 11:00am, Friday September 21st: We were once again able to reach the building this morning and are working at a mostly normal capacity. We are expecting both the Post Office and UPS to pick up this afternoon. ... Read More

Hurricane Florence has come and gone, leaving quite the swathe of destruction in her extremely wet path. Given the severity and duration of the storm, Smokingpipes—and its sister companies LDG and Cornell & Diehl—in the northeastern corner of South Carolina have fared remarkably well ... Read More

In this episode of All Pipes Considered, Kaz and I revisit some of the latest batches we've received from Michail Kyriazanos, in which the Greek carver returns to his roots with a range of stunning, artisanal renditions of classic English shapes. ... Read More