| May 22, 2026, 5:17 am |
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 Above is a picture of me smoking a new pipe, and relaxing in front of my tobacco garden. Yes, I cut off all my hair on purpose. The shirt is from a dot-com that went bust some time in 2000 or 2001, I have tons of these shirts from all different dot-bombs. It's the same story - "I slaved here for 10 months, and all I got was this crappy t-shirt before the joint imploded.". I used to be an amature bodybuilder, and I still lift weights on a regular basis, though I'm no longer as concerned about my waistline as I once was. About six or so years ago, I got an interest in making knives. I went out and bought a big belt grinder, a drill press, and a few other odds and ends. After ruining about twelve running feet perfectly good steel, I decided to stake stock of what I had, and find something else to do with my tools. As I sat in my workshop, smoking a pipe, and considering my options, I had a moment of serendipity where I looked at my pipe and decided to try and make one. That first pipe wasn't much, but it was smokable and it didn't look half bad, so off I went to find out more. I started off where a lot of new pipe makers start learning, finishing pipe kits. I also read and re-read the PIMO booklet on pipe making, and eventually placed my first order for a batch of briar and stems. After operating in a relative vacuum for a couple years, I stumbled upon Tyler Beard's site where he maintained forums for pipe makers. Participating there I learned loads of information from Tyler, Todd Johnson, Trever Talbert, and others. Today, things have come full circle, and now I maintain the forums on a separate site at The Pipe Makers' Forums. By day I work in Information Technology, making sure that bank networks are secure and your private info is safe. It's a rat race, however, so at night and on the weekends I escape to my workshop and make pipes. The goal is to eventually leave the rat race, and focus on pipe making and even knife smithing. It's a goal that I've recently felt very comfortable persuing given the success of some recent shows. |