Who is the Greatest Living Artisan Pipe Maker?

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Jun 9, 2018
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Chris from Cigarworld

Might Stick Around
Nov 21, 2022
73
173
Lübeck, Germany
www.cigarworld.de
Tom Eltang and Former, no doubt about it.
Both had and still have the biggest influence on various pipemakers wordwide.
They still make awesome pipes that are very very close to perfect..
And both taking care of the training and education of new and young pipemakers.

Another one that came to my Mind is Mimmo Romeo.
He is a genius pipemaker, but before all the No.1 source for absolutely top notch briar.
So he has a big influence to artisan pipemaking for years.
 

ssjones

Moderator
Staff member
May 11, 2011
18,561
11,616
Maryland
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Couple of Greek makers have incredible talent.

Chris Asteriou makes freehands and terrific traditional shapes.


Mikhail Kyriazanos is also still making pipes I believe (and now furniture)

 

Egg Shen

Lifer
Nov 26, 2021
1,077
3,585
Pennsylvania
Just goes to show how subjective a question like this is.
I've never liked those Yiannos pipes.

Funny story - Columbus Pipe Show, 2018 I think. Was doing a "one final lap" around the show room before leaving. One of the vendors (some older gentleman with a beard and fishing vest amirite) (jk sort of) said hello whilst my lady friend and I had stopped to look at a pipe on his table.

This horrific pipe was a rather large, long shanked number with random splotches of rustication and blue-green stain. In my mind I was thinking "what a nightmare".

The vendor (whose name I know not - wish I could remember precisely what he looked like) says, "If you can tell me the maker of that pipe, you can have it".
In my mind I was thinking "no thanks", but free is free right?

Just so happens a couple months prior I had begun following a pipe maker who often showed such monstrosities. I blurted out, "That guy from Greece, Yiannos Kookynose?"

The look on the vendors face was priceless. He quickly backtracked and stammered his way into muttering something like "so I'll give it to you at a 50% discount".

I was so taken aback by his blatant lie that I just said "no thanks", grabbed my girls hand, and walked away.
50% because he lives in Cyprus, not Greece. Many people in Cyprus are of Greek ethnicity
 

RudyG

Starting to Get Obsessed
Aug 25, 2023
100
270
71
New York
"there are just so many great pipe makers out there. I appreciate all of them that put their time, dedication and heart into their craft for others to enjoy this great hobby/lifestyle."
Well said!! I agree!
 

HeavyLeadBelly

Part of the Furniture Now
Dec 9, 2023
542
5,293
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
This sounds like an advert disguised as an honest post but I’ll play. The greatest living pipe maker would of course be the honorable Dr Grabow. You may think he passed away a long time ago but you’d be ignoring his immortality.
 
Apr 26, 2012
3,396
5,783
Washington State
Strambach (Austria) still does
Be mindful that Strambach uses "cultured"(ie pressed) meerschaum. Not block.

As do a few Turkish carvers

Just do a Google search for gourd calabash pipes
PS If you are going to get into pipes (as with any hobby), Google can be your best aid

Per Strambach's website they use cultured meerschaum, and indicate that they grow their own meerschaum. Not sure what that process entails, but it's not pressed. Pressed meerschaum comes from chips, shavings, etc. from blocks that are carved and then ground up and held together with a resin.

I have a Strambach meer, and it's one of my favorite pipes. It smokes just like my other meers, and it has colored well over the years.
 
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OzPiper

Lifer
Nov 30, 2020
5,931
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Sydney, Australia
Per Strambach's website they use cultured meerschaum, and indicate that they grow their own meerschaum. Not sure what that process entails, but it's not pressed. Pressed meerschaum comes from chips, shavings, etc. from blocks that are carved and then ground up and held together with a resin.

I have a Strambach meer, and it's one of my favorite pipes. It smokes just like my other meers, and it has colored well over the years.
Meerschaum is inorganic.
Not sure how you can "grow" an inorganic substance, unless it's like "growing" crystals (as in children's crystal kits) or salt crystals from salt pans
It is a process Strambach has been using for years. In any case the meerschaum is not mined, unlike Turkish or African meers
 
Apr 26, 2012
3,396
5,783
Washington State
Meerschaum is inorganic.
Not sure how you can "grow" an inorganic substance, unless it's like "growing" crystals (as in children's crystal kits) or salt crystals from salt pans
It is a process Strambach has been using for years. In any case the meerschaum is not mined, unlike Turkish or African meers

I don't know how you grow meerschaum, but that was Strambach's claim, and that they used some proprietary process to do so. What I do know is my pipe is not pressed meerschaum, and it smokes great and colors like my other meers. I'm happy with it and that works for me.
 
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OzPiper

Lifer
Nov 30, 2020
5,931
31,689
71
Sydney, Australia
I don't know how you grow meerschaum, but that was Strambach's claim, and that they used some proprietary process to do so. What I do know is my pipe is not pressed meerschaum, and it smokes great and colors like my other meers. I'm happy with it and that works for me.
I’m not suggesting that Strambach meers are inferior
Just that they are not mined (as are Turkish or African meers)

I am very fond of my African meers (a Peterson and 2 Kikos) and smoke them far more frequently than my Turkish ones
 
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