Articles by Truett Smith | Smokingpipes Daily Reader

Cigar-Smoking Holiday Gift Guide 2021

December 2, 2021 by Truett Smith

As someone who enjoys cigars, I grow somewhat nervous and hesitant around the holidays, not because I'm worried someone won't tailor a gift according to my hobby but, rather, because they might. We cigar smokers are a fickle bunch. We've narrowed our preferences through years of trial and error, and whether we like to admit it, we're often quite picky. ... Read More

StillWell Star Cigars: Bridging the Gap

November 5, 2021 by Truett Smith

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Steve Saka, founder and head blender of cigar company Dunbarton Tobacco and Trust, shocked the industry when he announced earlier this year that he'd been a clandestine pipe smoker for most of his life. He assured cigar aficionados that he's still first and foremost devoted to cigars, but he extended his hand to pipe smokers with this declaration. The controversy, to even call ... Read More

Authenticity Prioritized: Jon Huber and Crowned Heads Cigars

October 29, 2021 by Truett Smith

From working at a temp agency to co-founding Crowned Heads Cigars, Jon Huber's journey is one marked by authenticity, inspiration, and borderline obsession. He's the type of person who's all-in on his interests; there's no such thing as mid-range, 50% devotion. "That's just me," he says. "I've never done anything half-ass." Over the years, Jon's learned to channel his ... Read More

The Hygge of Danish Pipe Making

September 24, 2021 by Truett Smith

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Widely considered the Mecca of pipe making, Denmark is home to some of the most illustrious and prolific pipe makers in the world. The Danes are credited with pioneering artisan pipe making, and they've both contributed a distinctive pipe design aesthetic and developed engineering techniques and standards that have elevated the craft. ... Read More

Top 10 Best-Selling Savinelli Pipes

September 9, 2021 by Truett Smith

7 Comments

In 1876, Achille Savinelli opened one of Italy's first shops dedicated solely to tobacco and smoking accessories, located near Piazza Duomo in Milan and still in operation to this day. Soon after opening the shop, Achille began designing his own pipes and sourcing their manufacture to local makers in Varese, with some even exhibited in the 1881 Italian Industrial Exposition ... Read More

Top 10 Best-Selling Peterson Pipes

August 19, 2021 by Truett Smith

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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

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

7th Annual American Pipe-Making Exposition

July 16, 2021 by Truett Smith

Introduced in 2015, the American Pipe-Making Exposition is an annual Smokingpipes tradition that showcases the work of U.S.-based artisan carvers, the style of each pipe united by a specific theme. Past years have highlighted the use of bamboo, certain finishing techniques, and aesthetic influences, and for 2021 — the 7th edition of the Expo — we return to 2017's theme: accent stems. ... Read More

Introducing Andrey Grigoriev

June 3, 2021 by Truett Smith

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An engineer by trade, Andrey Grigoriev has been fascinated with creative processes and with understanding the inner workings behind an object's function ever since his father gave him a carving knife at eight years old. As a student, Andrey began smoking a pipe in the early 2000s and was immediately drawn to the inherent balance of function and art in pipe making, carving ... Read More

Introducing Luiz Lavos

May 6, 2021 by Truett Smith