Articles by Chuck Stanion | Smokingpipes Daily Reader

The Evolution of Two Friends Pipe Tobaccos

February 2, 2024 by Chuck Stanion

2 Comments

People start smoking pipes for any number of reasons. Some remember a grandfather, parent, or favorite uncle who smoked a pipe and, evoking the comforting aroma and the satisfaction it nourished, revisit those significant experiences. Others may switch from cigarettes or seek only nicotine delivery. Still others ... Read More

Admiral Richard E. Byrd: Ice-Cold Explorer

January 19, 2024 by Chuck Stanion

6 Comments

A graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy in 1912, Richard Evelyn Byrd first experienced flying over glaciers and sea ice after his distinguished service in WWI. An aviator, he helped design navigational equipment for the NC-4, the first aircraft to fly over the Atlantic Ocean (1919). Commanding a naval aviation ... Read More

One Christmas Tradition's Odd Origin

December 22, 2023 by Chuck Stanion

19 Comments

For a time when I was eight or nine, in the mid-'60s, my friends Jawbone and Mothman shared my wary concern for the Middaugh brothers, who were ancient old men, the two remaining brothers, it was said, of identical triplets. Only a handful of people in our village knew the brothers' first names, and those people didn't talk ... Read More

Anthology 2023: A Compendium of Virginias

December 8, 2023 by Chuck Stanion

2 Comments

Most of us, when hearing the term "anthology," are likely transported to high-school English and the Norton Anthology of World Literature or Best Poems of the English Language. Others may gravitate to thoughts of music anthologies, and still others may think of collections of films, artwork, podcasts, or TV shows. ... Read More

J. Robert Oppenheimer: Destroyer of Worlds; Smoker of Pipes

November 17, 2023 by Chuck Stanion

10 Comments

Robert Oppenheimer was an unusual genius. Unlike others of similar intellectual aptitude, who are often socially awkward, he was engaging, charismatic, and endlessly interesting. Of slight build with piercing blue eyes, he was popular with women and in his youth would maintain four or five relationships at a time. ... Read More

The Renaissance of Caminetto Pipes

November 3, 2023 by Chuck Stanion

3 Comments

Caminetto is a one-man pipe company run by Tommi Ascorti, whose grandfather, Peppino, launched the brand in 1968. Tommi now designs and makes all of the pipes, and when he can find the time, he travels the world promoting them. He's tireless, working 12-16 hours a day, often seven days a week, and he loves what he does. ... Read More

The Return of From Beyond

October 20, 2023 by Chuck Stanion

8 Comments

When I learned that Jeremy Reeves of Cornell & Diehl was resurrecting a Small Batch blend, The Old Ones: From Beyond, I immediately dashed for my car. It's been two years since Jeremy last attempted to domesticate this blend and I thought, with good reason, that he would have destroyed the recipe and done his best to forget it. What could he be thinking? We were lucky to escape with our lives the last time. ... Read More

Niels Bohr: The Pipe Smoker Who Fathered Quantum Mechanics

October 5, 2023 by Chuck Stanion

10 Comments

Denmark has brought some remarkable advancements to the world, including moving-coil loudspeakers, insulin, dry-cell batteries, and, yes, LEGO. Danish pastries are great, too, though they originated with Austrian bakers working in Denmark who modified their previous recipes, and the new ones found their ... Read More

Introducing Peterson's Pipe of the Year 2023: The X160

August 4, 2023 by Chuck Stanion

12 Comments

The most premium of all Peterson annual limited editions, the Pipe of the Year has become a window into the company's storied past, renewing iconic shapes from earlier epochs of Peterson history and reinvigorating the lost designs that our great-grandfathers enjoyed. ... Read More

Introducing Small Batch: Sun Bear Tupelo, The Latest Iteration of C&D's Most Popular Summertime Blend

July 21, 2023 by Chuck Stanion

16 Comments

What often differentiates good tobaccos from great tobaccos is nuance. It's the subtle alterations that commend a particular mixture, perhaps through a well-aged component, the minimalist addition of a proprietary top note, or the application of long-term pressure. It doesn't take much to modify a blend in interesting and ... Read More

Chuck Stanion