Tine Pipes
From Martin Steinthaler's Webpage
It was only a short time ago, in December 1997, that I decided to try smoking a Pipe. I realy got hooked on PIPES and PIPE TOBACCO the day after. I'm not a professional right now because of lack of experience, but I keep on working on that. I love the relaxation of smoking a Pipe after hours of stress at work or even sport. I like to look at my Pipes and to search for others. Exploring new tobaccos and tastes. Since I am an Architect, I like the design and what's possible in workmanship. During a smoke I like to play with the Pipe and feel the surface and shape of it. That keeps me happy and gives me time to think about my new plans.
How it all started:
I have to blame it all on Peter Matzhold! He is the one that made me think about carving. So I have no guilt. Or maybe just a little. Okay, okay it was I who took the first step. I went to visit Peter sometime in april 1999. It all started at this time when I first met Peter in his workshop. He gave me the chance to design his homepage. Since that time we became good friends. He was the one who offered me the use of his tools and his workshop to make my first attempts at pipemaking. Under his supervision I shaped my first pipes and I call myself lucky to be able to profit from his experience. He sometimes calls me his student and I think I feel like this too :-)
For me, forms and experimenting with shapes, lines and proportions is the real challenge. I am an achitect and I shape pipes to exercise my creative feelings in form and design. If the result is useable and looks and tastes good, my mission is fulfilled! Not forgetting all the fun during the making and the designing. Sure, my ideas as to how a pipe should look differ from Peter's, but that is the thrill of pipemaking. And I see how beautiful this work can be.
All the ideas, the feelings and the fun should be seen and should be tasted in my pipes. I can't wait to see how my next pipe will look and what the future will bring.
Editor's Note: Martin is a professional architect as well as an avid competitive sportsman. He swims, sailboats, runs, rides motocross motorcyles & bicycles.
Martin Steinthaler Bahnhofstrasse 6 A-9020 Klagenfurt, Austria Phone: +43 (0) 463 594889 Fax: +43 (0) 463 594890 Mobile: +43 (0) 664 3263538 e-mail: mailto:tine@tine.at Website: Tine Pipes