News & Featured Pipes

The time of the year when we start looking for Christmas present is drawing closer and closer by the day and just in case you have not bought yourself that special present which will be addressed as comming from Santa himself, I have a few very special pipes for you :-)

During the last month I've been very lucky and had a good run, with briar of excelent grain and quality. Therefore I was able to carve few very nice pipes and all in time to be posted for Christmas delivery.

I am listing few bellow for you to look at and I hope you will like what you'll see...

There are still few Hodula's available and some, such as this small Bulldog are well priced gems. So if you are looking for reasonably priced pipe which will provide you with good smoke, then look no further...

The time is running fast and if you would like to receive pipe from me in time for Christmas you'll need to place your order no later then 10th of December. There is still chance you might get your order in time but you will have to take your chance as post office will be very busy few days before the holidays...

As we all know there are people who love Vulcanite stems for their comfort, and there are people who hate them for their ability to discolor. The oposite can be said about the Acrylic stems and the camp is divided to almost 50/50%, so what is the best solution to this problem?

I was thinking about it for some time and finaly it occured to me that there could be fairly simple answer to this...why not cut the stem with Acrylic body and soft Vulcanite bit at the end.

Well after some experimenting, I have applied this to the stem on "Rotunda", nice sandblasted Blowfisf pipe. The stem is cut from black Acrylic and the bit at the end is from Cumberland material, which is soft and will not dicolor as fast as Vulcanite. It also provides interesting color contrast between the black body of the stem and the tip.

I must say I like the idea myself, I've been smoking one pipe with the new stem for more then two months now, and there is no problem. Since then the "Rotunda" also have a new owner and he is pleased with it and will let me know how it will perform in the long term.

I do plan to develop this idea further and you should see more pipes leaving my workshop with this new "Combo" stems fitted...

Join me on the trip around north of Europe, staring with pipe show in Cuxhaven. We continue our travel stoping at well known master craftsmen such as Rainer Barbi in Germany, Hans (Former) Neilsen and Tom Eltang in Denmark and finaly Bo Nordh in Sweden.

See how the famous hand crafted pipes are created by these very individual artisans, and along the way visit the famous W.O.Larsen pipes shop, and museum in Copemhagen, and witness the finish of the Tall Ship race in Cuxhaven as an extra bonus.

This 52 min DVD is a joy to watch and if you own pipe or two crafted by the above artists you will have an even better understanding and appreciation of it.

Filmed in an easy and relaxed style... and I guarantee you'll enjoy it!

After bit of a delay, I did finished editing my second pipe DVD called "Masters of the North". As it was the case with the first one, I did enjoyed both parts, the filming and editing it.

Join me on the trip around north of Europe, starting with pipe show in Cuxhaven. We continue our travel stopping at well known master craftsmen such as Rainer Barbi in Germany, Hans (Former) Neilsen and Tom Eltang in Denmark and finally Bo Nordh in Sweden.

See how the famous hand crafted pipes are created by these very individual artisans, and along the way visit the famous W.O.Larsen pipes shop, and museum in Copemhagen, and witness the finish of the Tall Ship race in Cuxhaven as an extra bonus.

This 52 min DVD is a joy to watch and if you own pipe or two crafted by the above artists you will have an even better understanding and appreciation of it.

You can order your copy of this unique DVD from the videos section.

You may ask why do I go to all the trouble of making these DVD's? Well there are two reasons for it, first is that I do enjoy meeting the people involved in pipe making and the second is that I do feel it is important to record today's activity for further reference.

The first DVD was filmed in 2001 and the second one in 2004 and even in such a short time there events which can not be recorded today and are already part of our pipe history. Less and less people harvest the briar, more shops are closing and our great hobby is for ever more threatened by "politically correct" individuals, forcing us more and more into obscurity.

Since my last visit to Copenhagen, the unique pipe store and museum of W.O.Larsen closed its door and master pipe maker Bo Nordh passed away. As I can not afford to write a book, making a DVD is within my capability and I hope that this way I can pass on and make our great hobby available to wider audience and to record some of it for our younger generations...

I think every one of us, being pipe maker or pipe smoker who firmly believe in our hobby, have responsibility to educate and inform as wide audience as possible, that what we are involved in is not a criminal activity to be outlawed at the earlier opportunity. That pipe smoking can be and is beneficial to our health being if practise in moderation and that in our high stressed society the pipe smoking has a unique place as a relaxation tool and should be treated with respect it deserves.

So if you own one or more pipes from carver mentioned in "Masters of the North" and would like to find out how and what went into creating pipe like yours, please buy one or both copies from me, and you can be sure you'll enjoy them both and at the same time your contribution will help me to carry on and keep filming and recording our unique history of pipes and tobacco, thank you...

Another Classic, 1/2 bent with top of the bowl smooth and the bottom halve rusticated. Nice elegant pipe...

I love this pipe, the shape grain and color. It is very nice madiom size apple bulldog shape pipe with square Vulcanite stem. The grain is possibly the best I've seen on any Pavel's pipe and there is only one small fill on the bottom of the shank. Great pipe at a great price...

Let me add my thoughts to the recent discussion on one of the forums about ability of briar to "breathe" and see if I can help in clearing this complex issue...

In my opinion when we talk about ability of briar to “breathe”, most of us would really mean if, and by how much is briar able to “absorb” the moisture generated by burning tobacco and its ability to dry out and recover to the same moisture level where we started from.

Now all wood absorbs moisture over the time, briar included, and the pipe in Hawaii would have different moisture content from the one in Alaska. The briar will expend or shrink depending on the moisture level inside the wood, and that is mostly noticed when your stem become either too tight or too loose. During this “living process” we can say to some degree that the briar is “breathing”, as the wood is absorbing or letting out the moisture not only from its tobacco chamber, but also from it outer skin of the bowl itself. If the bowl was lacquered or varnished, this would placed an barrier to the movement of air trough the outside skin and the pipe would rely purely on its tobacco chamber for its ability to dry out after each smoke. This is the reason why most of pipe smokers prefer their pipes without any lacquer, as they believe they will dry out faster. We must also bare in mind that even application of Carnuaba wax will to some degree limit the passage of air trough the outer skin of the briar.

The absorption quality of briar depends on its density. The hard, heavy block will absorb the moisture much slower then soft and light block would. This is best seen when we pipe makers apply the spirit based stain of dark color and it seeps or penetrate the wall of the bowl in seconds, and will show up as dark spots inside the tobacco chamber. Mind you in my opinion this is more of a case of extremely soft and loose grain rather then overall density of the block.

Depending on one tastes and believes, some people would prefer pipes carved from lighter briar as they believe they will absorb moisture much faster and therefore provide them with drier smoke. They also believe the bowl will recover and dry faster after each smoke. Yet some others will prefer pipes from harder briar. In my own opinion, I believe that the dryness of smoke is linked directly to the quality and amount of cake, rather then density of briar, and to ability to smoke at correct pace, use tobacco with correct moisture level, ability to stop saliva entering the stem and dripping down, and good pipe maintenance.

The briar not only absorbs moisture, it also absorbs heat. The cake is thin layer of carbon formed by residues from burning tobacco and burning wood. If one is to smoke too fast it is possible to turn inside of the pipe into charcoal. Have a close look at the above photo and you’ll see the heat absorption and heavy layer of charcoaled wood. If the pipe was not dropped and broken in the process, this will continue until the entire bowl would become large chunk of charcoal and would disintegrated completely. This is an extreme case of fast and hot smoking which should be avoided at all cost.

So what is my final conclusion…
I think when we talk about briars ability to “breathe” we are talking more about its ability to absorb moisture and its ability to dry again, and the pipe’s ability to provide dry smoke. I think the healthy amount of good cake will do more for us in terms of providing dry smoke then any amount of “breathing” by it self will ever do. The amount of air which is able to pass trough even the untreated briar is so small, that its effect on pipes ability to dry is minimal. Even the lacquered pipe, if well maintained ,and with well formed layer of cake, can be a good smoker. My advice to all of you would be to smoke slowly, do not overheat your pipes and smoke tobacco with correct level of moisture, and most of all, clean and maintain your pipes well. There is nothing worse then grubby pipe to take away your smoking enjoyment…

Call it what you like, whether you choose the term "breathe" or ability to absorb moisture, the fact remains that all pipes need time to shed accumulated moisture and need to dry out between smokes. If you will give your pipes well earned rest, they will reward you with pleasant and dry smoke and if you think that the ability of briar to "breathe" played small part of it, so be it, it's OK as long as you enjoy the experiance :-)

From time to time I try to create pipe with elegant lines, and I think the "Capri" falls into that group. I tried to keep the lines gentle and flowing in nice curve from the tip of the stem to the top of the bowl. I believe the simple design will add to the visual balance of the pipe.

The briar has nice grain and is very clean with no visible pits. The pipe will provide you with good, clean smoke and the inside of the bowl is coated with Charcoal/Pumice formula...

Nice medium size freehand pipe, this Hodula has interesting lines and its finished in light yellow/gold stain. Light and well balanced pipe.
I think Pavel's carving is getting better and better and his pipes are good smokers and great value for your money. There are still some others available from my site and if you have time, check them out...

If you want large pipe then this one is for you. Great freehand with very nice grain. It is what I would call medium large in size. Finished in dark walnut color with natural Plateaux top, this pipe has plenty of character and I did originaly select it for me, but then decided my own collection is bigger egnough so you can be the lucky owner if it will call your name...

This is possibly one of the best grained pipe I've seen comming from Pavel's workshop. Very nice grain all around the bowl and ther is only small fill at the base of the shank. The price is reduced becouse of that and the small fill does not reduce the enjoyment of this fine pipe. Nice shape is complimented by square shank and the stem...

Again I did managed to pull one of the smooth Club Pipes out of me sleave. This time it is the 2003 model and it is a real beauty with nice grain and spotleslly clean.

So if you are collecting higher grade Club Pipes then this one is for you...I am sure you'll love it...

The questions… How do you see the pipe and tobacco scene trough your eyes? Is the pipe just a vessel to burn tobacco, or are you also interested in a pipe as a collectible item or perhaps even art form? Is pipe smoking and pipe collecting hobby or life style for you, or do you just need the nicotine intake?

My view…Well I certainly love my pipe and everything associated with it. I don’t think I would smoke if the pipe would not be around, and I would have to roll my own smokes, even using the same tobacco. The pipe for me has feelings which do change with my moods, sometimes warm and cuddly, sometimes cool and bit distant, allowing me to explore my thoughts, but always available and friendly. Trusted friend on which I can call at any time need arises.

I love the different shapes of pipes, and I enjoy my pipe collection. I love to spent time few times a year to clean them all, and say hello to some which I had no time to smoke in my latest rotation, just to assure them I know they are there and that they are loved as much as the others. I love the smell of well maintained pipe, to feel and see nice patina developing over time, and pipe developing character of its own. And every pipe is so different.

I love to collect and read all the books and magazines on the subject, and being one who also carve pipes for living, I must say that I can’t honestly imagine my life without the pipe, good tobacco, book or magazine. There is something almost magical in our world of pipes, and you my friends are part of it as well…and I would hate to be without your company and without warm pipe in my pocket…but that’s me, what’s your view...?

This is a first "Old Sea Dog" which I've sand blasted just last week, to see if I would like the blast finish, and to find out what the clients reaction would be like.

I must say I like it, but the overall look and feel is bit smoother and more gentleman like, rather then like the old sailor look of havy rusticated pipe...so perhaps the sand blast would feel more welcome in today's captain hand then 100 year's ago :-)

Some of you commented on "Latitude's" being available only in sand blast finish. It got me thinking what else I can do with them, so I had a little play, and this is a result.

I realy got heavy handed and must say that the rustication have nice character to it and it did recieved some positive feed back on one of the forums.

It certainly changes the look of the pipe in dramatic way and I think there might be an opening for this finish in the "Latitude" line after all.

I will call this rough finish "Sea Rock" and will still work on the finish color combination. So far this is a first pipe which I've carved and it is available from me site...

There are still few very nice pipes from Pavel Hodula available on my site and this halve rusticated bent bulldog is only one of them.

If you are after affordable pipe, please take time and check Pavel's range. I am sure you'll find one or two for you. They are all great smokers at great prices...

This is a medium size pipe finished in atractive "Aligator" finish. It's the second pipe I've received from Pavel in this finish and the first one sold very fast.

It has a nice grain, is vell balanced and light. Together with very reasonable price it is a winning combination...

Close in shape to No 01, this pipe has some nice grain on the upper part of the bowl and well done hand rustication on the bottom. The rustication is contrasting nicely with the smooth grain and I like the pleasing balance and look.

The pipe is fitted with black Vulcanite stem sporting the "One Dot" which looks great, but I need to ask Pavel what it means. Some other pipes in the past had one or more dots, but I do not wish to speculate on their meaning until I'll hear from Pavel...but they sure do look great...

Now this is a stunning pipe. Beautiful shape, grain and look all in one, and the price to match.

It is a medium size pipe by my standard and will provide you with an hour smoke if you are not fast puffer. Custom cut stem looks great and I think this is certainly one of the nicer pipes in this batch, and I would not hesitate to add it into my collection...

This pipe is a rather unique sculptured Freehand. It's the first pipe I received from Pavel carved in this style, and I hope he will continue and that I will see more pipes in this style comming my way.

The photos don't do justice to this pipe and you need to hold it and feel it in your hand to appreciate it fully. Nice pipe, and unique one between the Hodula's range, that's for sure...

As soon as the orders for this year Club Pipe arrive I can see myself to have very little time to fly my kites...but the winter is starting here anyway, and there's not much wind about...so I am sure I'll be happy carving away in my workshop.

I need to carve some nice one off pipes as well, the stock in my shop is rather on the low side and I should attend to that before I get busy with the Club Pipes.

In any case I will keep you informed about my progress and of any news from this part of the world...

I had sold all of Hodula's pipes and was awaiting a new batch with interest. Pavel is carving better and better pipes and all attract great customer comments. And this new batch has some very nice pipes in it and I am sure they will be snaped up fast as all the previous ones.

The #08 is possibly the best straight grained freehand pipe I've seen comming out of Pavel's workshop. It is reasonably large pipe and the grain is excelent and even all around the bowl. It is fitted with orange Acrylic stem and has no filter...

I like this pipe. Pavel came up with a new and unique hand rustic finish which looks really nice when finished in light color.

This pipe is finished in orange/yellow color and it contrast well with the black stem. The shape is interesting and the fit in my hand is perfect. It is what I would call a medium sized pipe, but very light and well balanced one. All Pavel's pipes are very reasonably priced and this one at US$110 is not exception...

A large chubby "bulldog" shaped pipes are one of my favorites and when they come in cobination of smooth and rusticated finish I like them even better.

This pipe has smooth top with nice grain all around and the bottom is rusticated. The rustication is nice and corse which adds to feeling of balance and earthy apperance of the pipe.

Despite its size and shape the pipe is light and will smoke like a charm.

These are just a few samples from the latest Hodula's addition to my site and I now have 15 pipes ready for imediate delivery to lucky new owners. Please feel free to go and explore the full range at your leasure...I am sure you'll find one or two pipes which will speak to you...

Well we are home from our trip, had a great time, but it feels good to be carving again.

All my orders are out of the way and I am working on this year Club Pipe which is going to be a Apple shaped pipe with a Zeman twist :-)

While we traveled up North I had come across a timber mill which is extracting great Kauri trees from the local bog. The trees have been under the combination of water and mud for over 35,000 years and the wood is looking terrific, like it was cut today. I did secured few nice samples and plan to make a few pipes from it if at all possible. If not, then the wood will be great for tampers. Just imagine to hold a 35,000 year old pipe in your hand...so watch this space for further news...

I also have to get busy and carve some more of one off pipes as my stock is rather on the low side. So as you can see I'll be busy during the next couple of months, but it all be fun and I'll enjoy myself.

Hope you all had a great Easter and I look forward your company again...

I have a couple of YPSC 2004 Club Pipes in sandblasted finish. Great looking pipes with nice deep sandblast and very good smokers. One is #22 and the other #23, so if you missed out on last year Club Pipe here is your chance to grab nice cool smoking blast for very reasonable price. I will guarantee you will not regret the decision to purchase one of them...

To avoid sending my Newsletter to people who don't want it any more, or being accused of sending SPAM, my son Mark helped to set up the proper software so you can subscribe and receive my Newsletter and news from my workshop as soon as one is available online.

And when you no longer want it, you can delete yourself from the list. This is the first time I am sending the Newsletter mail out using the new software and if you have any problems, please let me know.

Anyone who wish to receive the Newsletter, which is free, can subscribe to it by clicking on the link displayed at the top and bottom of this Newsletter or at the bottom of any of my e-mails. Please note that even if you did received the Newsletter in past, you need to subscribe again to be on the current list. I thank you for renewing your subscription and looking forward informing you of latest happenings from my workshop...