Andrew Wike

Many pipe tobacco blends are offered in both tinned and bulk varieties. But is there a difference between the two? The short answer is no, not really. It's the exact same blend, just packaged differently. Usually, it's even made at the same time; one portion of the batch gets tinned, while some of it goes into bags and is ... Read More

We talk a lot about pipes and pipe tobacco, but very rarely do we mention smoking competitions. It's actually a really interesting phenomenon, if you think about it — taking a generally solitary hobby, one most prefer to enjoy in the privacy of their own homes, and making it into a sport. ... Read More

Abe Herbaugh isn't just a talented pipe maker; he's an extremely skilled, multi-faceted craftsman in his own right. His background in guitar construction has given him an aptitude in working with various hardwoods and other mediums to achieve unique, stunning results. ... Read More

Several weeks ago we had the pleasure of hosting Smio Satou here at Smokingpipes headquarters. While good food and tobacco were all on the menu during Satou's trip, we also had the opportunity to sit down with the Japanese master and ask him a series of questions about everything from his unique tsuishu accents to ... Read More

A while back, we posted a number of high-resolution, pipe-smoking desktop backgrounds for you all to download for personal use, featuring some of the banners and advertisements we've created over the years. The response was overwhelmingly positive, and some of you even asked for more images. ... Read More

Morta pipes have become increasingly common in recent years, but what is morta, really? Essentially, it is semi-petrified oak found underground beneath large bodies of water. One of the best sources for morta is peat bogs, where the acidic and oxygen-poor environment ... Read More

Silver smithing is one of the more delicate and heavily guarded processes in pipe making. Whether the end result is a gleaming "wedding band" or a stout military mount, shaping and fitting the silver to fit flush with the briar is no easy task. Even if a pipe maker is using pre-cast rings, the medium still ... Read More

Long ago in Denmark, one marque introduced a precedent that would change the face of the serially produced pipe. This marque was Stanwell, and the precedent was simply that of asking skilled, independent pipe makers to design shapes for their standard lineup. It was a simple, yet ingenious idea ... Read More

Got any pipes you just don't smoke anymore? Well they're not doing you any good just sitting in your pipe rack collecting dust. Why not trade them in for something more attuned to your current tastes? We offer a great estate trade-in policy that many of you might not know about. Here's a quick look at what that process looks like. ... Read More

As we returned from Chicago, we had a very special guest accompanying us. Rather than flying directly back home to Japan, Smio Satou decided to join us here in Longs, SC to check out our new facility and learn more about the process every one of his pipes goes through before it hits the site. ... Read More