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Cooke, James T.: Difference between revisions
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After Levin’s untimely death, J. T. continued restoring pipes on his own. The repetitive operations involved and sheer amount of work led to severe carpal tunnel syndrome. “I came very close to losing my pipe making career,” he recalled. His fans and friends in the hobby, knowing of his plight, took up a fund and, unbeknownst to Cooke, collected enough money to allow him to have the operations he needed in January of 2000, which didn’t cure the problem. Knowing he would have to make a change, J. T. gave up restorations in favor of full-time pipe making. <ref>Chuck Stanion, “Master Blaster,” ''Pipes & Tobaccos,'' Spring 2008, 14-19.</ref> | After Levin’s untimely death, J. T. continued restoring pipes on his own. The repetitive operations involved and sheer amount of work led to severe carpal tunnel syndrome. “I came very close to losing my pipe making career,” he recalled. His fans and friends in the hobby, knowing of his plight, took up a fund and, unbeknownst to Cooke, collected enough money to allow him to have the operations he needed in January of 2000, which didn’t cure the problem. Knowing he would have to make a change, J. T. gave up restorations in favor of full-time pipe making. <ref>Chuck Stanion, “Master Blaster,” ''Pipes & Tobaccos,'' Spring 2008, 14-19.</ref> | ||
[[File:C17 P&T2008 01.jpg|thumb|At the blasting cabinet in 2008 (courtesy ''P&T'')]] | [[File:C17 P&T2008 01.jpg|thumb|At the blasting cabinet in 2008 (courtesy ''P&T'')]] | ||
While Cooke’s earliest sandblasts involved a two-stage sandblasting process, as his career has progressed the blasting has evolved to three and then four or five stages, depending on the density of the wood and size of the bowl. Since the 1990’s, J. T. has supported many pipe shows by taking a table and always has enjoyed talking to attendees and working with collectors. Listening to his customers has led him to develop certain shapes like his classic bent bulldog. In 2010, working with Rich Esserman, Cooke utilized the lines of old Dunhill magnums and made his own style of Magnum bents and billiards. <ref>Rich Esserman, email to Doctor of Pipes, March 19, 2022.</ref> | While Cooke’s earliest sandblasts involved a two-stage sandblasting process, as his career has progressed the blasting has evolved to three and then four or five stages, depending on the density of the wood and size of the bowl. Since the 1990’s, J. T. has supported many pipe shows by taking a table and always has enjoyed talking to attendees and working with collectors. Listening to his customers has led him to develop certain shapes like his classic bent bulldog. In 2010, working with Rich Esserman, Cooke utilized the lines of old Dunhill magnums and made his own style of Magnum bents and billiards. <ref>Rich Esserman, email to Doctor of Pipes, March 19, 2022.</ref> Since that time Cooke has been immersed in the continuing pursuit of excellence in his blasting and engineering, continuing to refine and perfect his pipes. | ||
== Achievement and Legacy == | == Achievement and Legacy == | ||