My first Pipe Rack

Welcome back!

Spring is in full swing but we are still stuck inside. In my melancholy, two weekends ago, I started thinking about the time I purchased my first tobacco pipe. I decided to give all my pipes a cleaning to reward them for the years they served me faithfully.

I fondly remembered walking into the Walper Tobacco Shop in Kitchener, Ontario and looking at their inspiring collection. Unfortunately most their pipes were out of my price range. As a brand new entrepreneur at age 22, I knew where my priorities were so I informed the gentleman at the counter that I had about $50 to spend but I did want a pipe that would last me a good while. I expected him to turn me away or try to sell me something from a cheap basket at the end of the counter. Instead he said he had the exact pipe for me. 

Of course, I was skeptical. How can a man that has never even talked to me have something perfect for me? He opened the window with expensive pipes and lifted one off its stand. He showed it to me, let me hold it in my hands and admire it. The salesman explained that it was a Canadian made pipe, a Brigham 147 in a Dublin shape, and on the lower price range from that company. Picking up a pipe cleaner from behind the counter, it was explained to me that for a pipe to smoke properly the pipe cleaner must pass through the stem and show up in the bowl without too much hassle. This makes sure the holes were aligned between the stem and the briar bowl. He showed me the imperfections in the bowl and told me how to build up cake inside it using honey to make sure it doesn't crack.

I ended up purchasing that Brigham 147 and it has served me faithfully for ten years now. Still smokes like the first day and I still love it like that first day. What could I do to "reward" it, in a sense? I picked up a scrap skid from work and set myself to build my first pipe rack, inspired by the internet of course. In the first picture, on the top rack, the second pipe from the left is my Brigham 147.

Normally these skids get burned at work. I only used three boards for the pipe rack leaving me plenty to build a few other projects. While I am no master woodworker, I am proud of the fact that I was able to put this condemned material to use for a purpose dear to me.

Thanks for visiting. Feel free to leave comments.

Dan

PS> The Walper Tobacco Shop is the "Oldest Tobacco Shop in Canada". I encourage you to visit and marvel at their "manly" items. You can also visit them online at www.walpertobacco.com