Articles by Chuck Stanion | Smokingpipes Daily Reader

The Devil's Pipe

October 28, 2022 by Chuck Stanion

24 Comments

Kenan was a neighbor, but I didn't know him well or like him much. We'd mutually attended a couple of neighborhood barbecues, and this was the second time I'd been in his house. The first time, I decided not to make it habitual because Kenan was a little too weird. He was a professor specializing in medieval artifacts who collected occult items and displayed them in his home, and they were disturbing: ugly dolls, ouija boards, ... Read More

Low Country Atalaya: Blending The Familiar And The Exotic

October 14, 2022 by Chuck Stanion

8 Comments

Great pipe shops through the years have furnished their clientele with proprietary smoking mixtures of impressive quality. Consider, for example, Drucquer & Sons, Astley's, Kramer's, or W.Ø. Larsen, whose blends have maintained legendary popularity long after the originating shops closed their doors. ... Read More

Airflow in Peterson System Pipes: A Conversation with Dr. Dunn

September 23, 2022 by Chuck Stanion

15 Comments

In physics and engineering, fluid dynamics is the field that describes and measures the flow of fluids, including air and other gasses, as they move through various environments. One such environment is that found inside of a tobacco pipe. Air must move efficiently from the bowl, through the shank and stem, and out of ... Read More

The Many Shapes and Styles of Tobacco Pipes

September 9, 2022 by Chuck Stanion

23 Comments

You may have noticed that pipes appear in a large number of different shapes. One might even say that the number is infinite, especially when accounting for variations. Most traditional shapes, for example, can be straight or bent, with varying proportions, different stem configurations, different capacities, different balance, rounded or flat rims, varying curvature of bowl, length of stem ... Read More

Joe Lankford Passes, Blender of Seattle Pipe Club Tobaccos

September 8, 2022 by Chuck Stanion

14 Comments

There are people in our hobby who may seem like ordinary folks but whose quiet contributions provide influential advancements. Joe Lankford was such an individual. He passed away on September 3, leaving behind many appreciative pipe smokers who will continue enjoying the pipe tobaccos that he originated for the Seattle Pipe Club, tobaccos like Plum Pudding and Mississippi River, two particular favorites among pipe smokers. ... Read More

How to Break In a Briar Tobacco Pipe

September 2, 2022 by Chuck Stanion

31 Comments

Few satisfactions in life equal that of obtaining a new pipe. Of the hundreds of thousands available, we chose this particular briar. Its lines and proportions, grain, and shape resonate with a yearning inside of us, harmonizing with our tastes and experiences and personal artistic appreciation. It's perfect, a pleasure to turn over in ... Read More

Tongue Bite: A Comprehensive Guide for Pipe Smokers

August 19, 2022 by Chuck Stanion

35 Comments

Tongue bite is perhaps the most insidious impediment to good smoking that newer pipe smokers experience and can surprise even seasoned veterans. "Tongue bite" is an accurate descriptor for the condition, which can feel like clamping your tongue in super-heated, coil-spring wolf trap. Tongue bite is the condition ... Read More

Sun Bear 2022: A Return to the Roots of Cornell & Diehl

July 29, 2022 by Chuck Stanion

10 Comments

Tobacco blends can be elevated by the smallest details. An imperceptible, untasteable quantity of Perique, for example, can help activate fermentation and reduce the acidity of high-sugar Virginias. A whisper of molasses or various subtle top notes and casings may be unidentifiable but can balance a blend's pH and flavor profile for a ... Read More

Innovation Squared: Werner Mummert

July 22, 2022 by Chuck Stanion

3 Comments

Unless already achieved, the ambition of every pipe carver is to develop a style that is easily recognizable, something widely admired and theirs alone. That's the saying at pipe shows: "You can recognize it from across the room." If a style is easy to identify, then it has already attracted attention. ... Read More

Anthology 1992-2022: 30 Years of Tobacco Excellence

July 8, 2022 by Chuck Stanion

9 Comments

Much can be achieved in 30 years: the mastering of an instrument, expertise in a complex profession, or even the perfection of an artisan craft. Cornell & Diehl, celebrating its 30-year anniversary in 2022, has achieved much as well, studying, practicing, performing, and becoming one of the premier pipe tobacco companies in the ... Read More

Chuck Stanion