Heding

Courtesy of Svenska Pipklubben

Image Courtesy of Lars Kiel

My journey towards full-time pipe-making began during the summer of 2003.

At that time I worked as molecular biologist (Ph.D.) aiming to develop new and potent treatment strategies for people suffering from Type 1 Diabetes.

Although my profession was indeed interesting and contained obvious career possibilities, I was sequentially attracted to artistic and handcraft-like disciplines and the urge for creating things by “hand” kept on puzzling my mind.

Image Courtesy of Lars Kiel

Image Courtesy of Lars Kiel

Image Courtesy of Lars Kiel

Image Courtesy of Lars Kiel

By coincidence (or destiny), I watched an interview with Anne Julie on TV (2003). I was blinded by the beautiful and artistic pipes she made and I instantly felt convinced that pipe-making contained exactly the creative elements I was looking for; the combination of functionality and design. Simply, I had to do something about it – and a hobby was born.

Shortly thereafter I bought my first briars from Tom Eltang and my first pipes were “truly handmade” – most of them in the evening on my kitchen floor – strictly by use of simple tools like a knife and files.

Tom generously invited me to his workshop where he, during the first 2 years, taught me many important aspects of free-hand pipe-making, and equally important, introduced me to a very interesting world of pipe-enthusiasts.

Tom and Pia Eltang introduced my pipes at the Chicago Pipe Show 2004 and 2005, and I slightly began to get an idea about the whole concept of doing pipe-making business – and it appealed to me a lot.

By spring of 2006, after 3 years of hobby pipe-making, my best kept secret was exposed for the first time to my employer at the Research Institute, including a letter of resignation.

My pipes: I have, from day 1, been dedicated to producing only pipes of the highest quality, and much time is spent exploring the possibilities of every single piece of briar that passes my hand. I highly enjoy the “designing-phase”, and when a new model is close to being “born”, I have a grin on my face, when providing the pipe its final shine.

Thus, my pipes are all high-grade, 100% freehand made, from only the best Briar, and the stems are hand-made from solid German ebonite. Further, I often integrate exotic woods, bamboo, ivory and similar in the pipes.

The designs are strictly my own, but with inspiration caught from Teddy Knudsen, Kent Rasmussen, Tom Eltang and other "great" Danes.

My grading system contains 4 gradings; bronze, silver and gold (a small circular bronze/silver/gold spot is integrated in the pipe near the stamp) and finally a diamond (a small Zirconia diamond is integrated in the pipe near the stamp).

Like my research results used to be, the result of my pipe-making is today distributed around the world via a limited number of pipe-shops.

:

• The following photos are courtesy of Richard Friedman (Yachtexplorer)
• 

  Snail, Silver Grade

• 

  Skaagerak, Diamond Grade

• 

  Skaagerak, Gold Grade (very early)

• 

  Volcano, Diamond Grade

• 

  Ramses, Diamond Grade

• 

  Porpoise, Diamond Grade

• 

  Blowfish, Diamond Grade

• Diamond Grade with Boxwood Accent. Courtesy Dennis Dreyer Collection
• 
• 
• 
• 

Peter Heding 
Skovbrinken 1a, Englerup
4060 Kirke Saaby
Denmark

Email: mailto:peter@hedingpipes.com 
Website Heding