Broken Pipe

Franco Coppo: Castello's Driving Force Passes

April 18, 2025 by Chuck Stanion

4 Comments

Castello pipes have represented innovation and quality since their inception by Carlo Scotti in 1947. Scotti's vision was to divert from the typical Italian pipe making of the time, which concentrated on inexpensive, high-volume factory pipes. Scotti transformed Italian pipe making ... Read More

The Pipe Community Grieves Vernon Vig

February 19, 2025 by Chuck Stanion

1 Comment

There are a lot of great pipes out there," commented Vernon Vig a few months ago. We had been chatting about his random pipe-smoking episode with Walter Cronkite in the '70s in New York City, but the conversation had drifted to the greater world of pipes, as it often did with Vernon. "A lot of great people are waiting to connect with them and each other. Pipe clubs and shows bring ... Read More

Bridging East and West: Hiroyuki Tokutomi Remembered

January 29, 2025 by Sykes Wilford

8 Comments

On Tuesday, January 28th, the great Japanese pipe maker Hiroyuki Tokutomi, 76, passed, following a weeklong hospitalization for pneumonia. He had been in poor health for much of the past 12 years, struggling with a variety of ailments. ... Read More

Remembering Bear Graves: Internet Pipe Community Pioneer

October 2, 2024 by Sykes Wilford

8 Comments

Ron "Bear" Graves, my friend of 25 years, internet pipe community pioneer, and an early voice of Smokingpipes, passed away on Saturday, September 28th, 2024, following a brave, protracted battle with liver cancer. ... Read More

A Legend Passes: Satou Smio

August 3, 2023 by Sykes Wilford

2 Comments

Satou Smio, pipe maker, aged 79, died on July 16th, 2023, following a prolonged illness. While not as prolific as in his earlier years, he continued to make pipes until a few months before his death.
I met him in Tokyo in 2002. It was my first time in Japan and my first serious trip for Smokingpipes. I was 21, but ... Read More

Dayton Matlick: Lifelong Tobacco Man

February 15, 2023 by Chuck Stanion

9 Comments

Dayton Matlick has passed at age 88. He was far more influential than most suspect, and no one can estimate his full contributions to our hobby. He was a quiet man who did not talk about his accomplishments, but I often lunched with him and heard some stories. ... Read More

A Giant Passes: Frank Burla

October 8, 2021 by Chuck Stanion

22 Comments

Some make ripples across the surface of their hobbies. These small precise waves radiate outward and intersect with other ripples, combining for new directions and more complex patterns that undulate across the entire pond. It's an impressive dynamic. Frank Burla cascaded onto the banks of the pipe-smoking pond with the ... Read More

A Farewell To Bruce

July 30, 2019 by Andrew Wike

4 Comments

Bruce Weaver passed away in his sleep on July 26th, 2019 at the age of 68. He was known all over the world for his laid-back, affable demeanor and unique, finely textured sandblasts. ... Read More

In Loving Memory: Chip Kushner

December 17, 2018 by Sykes Wilford

55 Comments

Chip Kushner, Customer Service Manager for Smokingpipes, died this morning in his home in Conway, SC. He was 53. His passing was a surprise. He was discovered this morning sitting in his chair in his bedroom by his roommate, colleague and friend, Nick Shane. While we don't yet have cause of death from the coroner's office ... Read More

Passing of a Giant

February 12, 2018 by Sykes Wilford