S.E. Thile Pipes: Difference between revisions

For many years I dreamed of making my own pipe one day, and I finally did. It was christened in February of 2006 as Etude #1, The Piano Tuner's Pipe. Many flaws and mistakes of course, but a wonderful and rewarding experience. I was hooked! New to pipe making, but loving it with a passion, and dedicating nearly every spare moment to either making pipes of my own, or studying the techniques and artistry of master pipe makers. My hope is to one day be among that elite group. For now, I'm hoping to soon be considered amongst the up and coming.  

While, in theory, it’s the interviewer’s job to rapidly establish a sense of ease, from the start it was Scott’s geniality and enthusiasm that set the tone for relaxed conversation. Scott began smoking a pipe because an older colleague whom he admired, Charles Wheeler, smoked one and it seemed ‘incredibly cool’. Mr. Wheeler smoked Dunhill's 'My Mixture 965' and (thus) so did Scott, and '965' is still a staple in Thile's tobacco rotation today. It wasn't until 2004 that the idea of carving a pipe started to have some appeal; being an adroit woodworker, pipe carving seemed like a natural extension of already present talents. Having said, it wasn't until 2006 that Thile actually sat down and carved his first pipe. In the tradition of most aspiring American carvers, he started with a kit, and (again) like most first time carvers, he was horrified with the outcome. Scott, as I would soon come to find out, is a man who understands where his strengths lie, and he had little doubt that those strengths would eventually produce fine smoking instruments. Though his training has been largely autodidactic, Thile has spent time with Todd Johnson and Bruce Weaver and cites Todd and Adam Davidson as influences. When asked what overarching aesthetic holds the most influence/fascination for his inner artist, Scott's answer was as interesting as it was succinct, "The Danish neo-classics as interpreted by the North American greats."