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West: Difference between revisions
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→The Pipes: Typo in second paragraph: "Time Wes" > "Tim West"
m (→The Pipes: Typo in first paragraph: "staring" > "starting") |
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Today, Tim averages about 1,500 pipes a year. They tend to be medium large to big, with either a Lucite or vulcanite (hard rubber) stem. He does no sandblasting, but he does do needlepoint carving on some of the pipes. He continues to use the finest Grecian briar that he can obtain, although he notes that some good looking briar is starting to come out of Morocco that he might like to try some day. He fully air dries the wood for one year in his garage before using it. He employs no oil or other kids of curing processes. | Today, Tim averages about 1,500 pipes a year. They tend to be medium large to big, with either a Lucite or vulcanite (hard rubber) stem. He does no sandblasting, but he does do needlepoint carving on some of the pipes. He continues to use the finest Grecian briar that he can obtain, although he notes that some good looking briar is starting to come out of Morocco that he might like to try some day. He fully air dries the wood for one year in his garage before using it. He employs no oil or other kids of curing processes. | ||
A | A Tim West pipe will come in one of three alcohol-based aniline stains--a natural, a walnut and a dark or black walnut--with a Carnauba waz finish. He will use the Dunhill or European Red stain, but not often. "I guess I'm very influenced by GBDs and Charatans from my ealy days. Their naturals were their virgin quality--their flawless or nearly flawless grained pipes. So I teind to go with the natural color on pipes that are flawless. Maybe I shouldn't be saying this, because everybody will be thinking that my walnut pipes and my dark walnut pipes are the ones with the flaws. That's not necessarily true, but I don't think it's a secret either that pipemakers stain their pipes for a reason. They tend to stain because they're covering up or masking imperfections on the surface. Briar wood is not perfect. If it was, there wouldn't be the mystique about it there is. If every single briar pipe had the same grain, it would be like a piece of furniture. But since it's not and since it does have imperfections, that leads to perfect pipes. So what I consider to be a good-grained pipe tends to be a natural, virgin quality. | ||
During his five years at Monkey's Retreat, Tim signed his pipes T.M. West, Ltd. Since then, they have all been signed TIMWEST in block letter (with the same tool). Tim has never dated his pipes. Why not? "I don't know. Maybe I'll start next year. I've been telling myself I'll start for five years." Tim's pipes range in price from $50 to $150. The most expensive pipe he has ever sold was $350. [Dated info, of course-- Pipedia SYSOP] | During his five years at Monkey's Retreat, Tim signed his pipes T.M. West, Ltd. Since then, they have all been signed TIMWEST in block letter (with the same tool). Tim has never dated his pipes. Why not? "I don't know. Maybe I'll start next year. I've been telling myself I'll start for five years." Tim's pipes range in price from $50 to $150. The most expensive pipe he has ever sold was $350. [Dated info, of course-- Pipedia SYSOP] | ||