I'm not sure what shape to classify this Lorenzo Ravenna Lancia, I guess it's a Liverpool, although the stem is longer than typical. I need to get some longer pipe cleaners, the 6" cleaners are about an inch and a half too short.
The Canadian, Lovat, Lumberman and Liverpool designs typically have shanks roughly twice as long as the bowl is high, with a short stem. The Canadians and Lumberman having oval shanks, while the Lovat and Liverpool have round shanks. The Canadian and Liverpool have standard bits, while the Lovat and Lumberman have saddle bits. This pipe does defy standard classification, which isn't altogether unusual. The shank fits the Liverpool profile, while the bowl resembles something I saw one time classified as a Yacht, if I remember correctly. I guess I would be inclined to call it a modified Liverpool, since it does have the long round shank. Not that it really matters! The most important thing is that you like it, and it smokes well!
Saturday morning POTD, a Missouri Meerschaum Missouri Pride natural finish cob with Brigham Acadian Blend, a typical somewhat mild VaPer. This cob has a medium size bowl, and is very lightweight, ideal for clenching while working around the garage or checking tire inflation, which is what I was doing while smoking this. Colorado Rockies poncho in the background, obtained while I was in The Graduate School of Banking at The University of Colorado in Boulder back in the 90's.
Sunday afternoon pipe, my very first pipe, a Charaton second (has small putty fill), purchased in 1978 from my good friend Skip when he had a Tinderbox store. Now he is the proprietor of The Briary. Enjoying a bowl of Gatsby Flake, courtesy of @Bama Samurai.
I went with a MM today because I thought the rain might start and I would have to abort partway through, and I was right. I'm not sure what to think about the Irish Oak, the perique may be a little strong for me.
OGS in my homemade brass stemmed maple pipe while read Fellowship of the Ring. It tastes better in maple. Sweet and nutty. I also have a large can of Arizona energy tonic. I'm recovering from over caffination yesterday. It's mild on the energy scale. Like a small drink to help recover from a bad drunk.
I've only had one bowl of Irish Oak, and I felt much the same, not sure what to think of it. I don't remember it being the Perique so much as just not impressed.
The reason it may have been so inexpensive is that it is not ACTUAL meerschaum. There are 3 types of meerschaum pipes: made from Turkish meerschaum, made from African meerschaum and made from meerschaum powder. The inexpensive ones are made of meerschaum powder, which is the left overs when a block is carved. Kind of like saw dust from a briar pipe. They then mix it with water and a binding agent and mold it rather than carve it. Due to this, they have a much different density and a completely different molecular make up; as well as a huge difference in craftsmanship; and are less likely to last. Turkish and African meerschaum are both good, but Turkish is considered more desireable due to it's lower density, which leads to better coloring. The most sought after Meers will be German carved Turkish meerschaum. The Germans were known to make much better, more intricate and detailed carvings as opposed to the now Turkish carved ones.
Bowl of Mac Baren Vanilla Creme in my Dr. Grabow Royal Duke (straight brandy), with a hot cup of Hazelnut coffee. Watching Supernatural and doing paperwork, not a bad morning. =)
No, the AND pipes are block meerschaum, but I see this one is cheap due to the size, it falls in their "mini" category. It was still cheaper than buying direct due to the shipping costs. I like the way meerschaum smokes though, I'll be tempted to order an estate Ismet Bekler I've got my eye on on my birthday.
OGS in a Celtic pipe from West Germany. I guess this is a bent apple shape. This is a nice smoker, but I can't find much info on Celtic pipes (except for bagpipes having no relation to smoking).
Strange that a German pipe would be called Celtic, but I certainly like it! Being of Irish descent, I got excited over the Celtic stamp!
The molded meerschaums would be, I suspect, why you see the sultan head, mermaid, etc. "carved" pipes for relatively low prices, and they all look identical, which I highly doubt you would get in a block meerschaum carved pipe. They also tend to be smaller. My Meerschuam is a block, and has no fancy carving, just a straightforward Dublin shape. My speculation, anyway, regarding the molded pipes.
Peterson University Flake, rubbed out, in my straight bulldog, a counter pipe from The Tinderbox in the early 80's. Smoking my pipe while grilling some smoked sausage for an office party tomorrow. Seared the sausages first, then moved to the side, and partially closed the top vent to continue cooking. The University Flake is okay, but I doubt this becomes part of my regular rotation. Has anyone tried the Newminister #403 Superior Round Slices? I'm thinking of getting a half pound to try.
Southern Germany and Austria are part of the Hallstatt region, the center of pre roman Celtic culture.
I had forgotten about that. Also, part, if not all of France was also part of the original Celtic culture.
I can handle University Flake, but the flavor profile approaches cigarette territory, imho, about mid-bowl. No idea about the Newminster coins, or brand in general. I've been smoking a pile of OGS and aged Burley lately, and haven't strayed much from VaPer. I suppose OGS became my signature tobacco this year. You're right, I should get, as a minimum, a Xmas card from Orlik for my posts on this thread. I am thinking of going more Burley in 2016. If anyone from Solani or Wessex is reading this... Send us Burley, we'll take pics and talk about it! It's too bad that, sadly, all the OGS came from P&C via my bank, and I haven't gotten a card so far... Thanks to your samples and a tin of Pebblecut, I detect a distinct McClelland style. Their tobacco has the most forward cider/vinegar fermented tin note I've ever experienced. It doesn't persist past the char,and I really like what I've tried from the brand so far.
Viprati in a Kaywoodie white briar. The pipe smokes well, but it's not going to make it into my top 12 keepers. It's an ugly pipe, with a thick coating of white paint, and the protrusions on the pipe are a little sharp so it doesn't feel comfortable to hold. I see I need to clean my fingernails.
