Kalnitz, Brian
Quoted from Brian Kalnitz' website:
"Please be patient with us as this site is a work in progress. Our hope is to showcase a very talented, but rather unknown pipemaker based in Buffalo, NY. Further information on Brian will be provided as this site grows."
"I just want to take a few minutes to explain the process Brian uses in the making of all of his pipes. None, I repeat, none of Brian's pipes are machined or turned on a lathe and as such, no two are alike. Brian starts with choice pieces of Mediterranean Plateau Briar. After cutting the rough shape on a band saw, Brian sands and grinds the pipes into the desired shapes. The bore hole and airways are hand drilled and finished and fitted with vulcanite stems. Rough sanding is followed by fine hand sanding and in certain cases carving. There are no fills in Brians pipes, what is there is the wood in its natural form. Sanding if followed either by staining, waxing and polishing, or just applying a coat of caranuba wax and allowing the natural color and grain to show through.
Brian's pipes are truly pieces of art, and he is one of the few carvers left that does not use a lathe to shape his pieces. I have watched Brian carve pipes and it is truly and enjoyable experience seeing a pipe develop out of a plain block of wood."
Brian Kalnitz is also the owner of Smoker's Haven pipe & tobacco shop in West Seneca, NY. (Smoker's Haven, 1167 Union Road, West Seneca, NY 14224, phone 716-675-6195)
Also mentioned as a pipemaker was Milton Brian Kalnitz (father of the current artist), who is said to have worked for / with Michael Angelo Bellezia (Buffalo, New York), and now owns Bellezia Tobacco Shops.
Brian Kalnitz Buffalo, New York USA Website: Brian Kalnitz E-mail: info@BrianKalnitz.com