Turner Pipes

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Turner Pipes Website

About The Pipemaker (from Simeon's website)

I purchased my first pipe at Davidoff of London on Saint James Street when I was 17. I was visiting England, and I wanted to take home a memento that was "English." In my mind authors like Tolkien and C.S. Lewis, along with characters like Sherlock Holmes, all represented my idea of "English," and all seemed inextricably linked with pipe smoking, so I grabbed an "English" looking pipe from the seconds basket in the Davidoff showroom, paid 15 pounds sterling for it, and went on my merry way.

I was not a smoker, and I had no intention of ever actually using the pipe, but at a friend's insistence I decided to give it a try. That first smoke was a lesson in humility, but I was stubborn enough to keep pursuing it. My stubborness paid off as I came to understand the simple pleasure a pipe can provide.

Years later, my pipe collection has grown dramatically (as has my understanding of the British), but I still treasure my first pipe with great fondness. It is a Willmer economy-line pipe, and it makes regular appearances in my normal smoking rotation, as well as inspiring my Traveler Series of pipes, as I always bring it with me whenever I travel abroad.

While working as a high school English teacher I began to dabble in pipe making for the first time. As a teacher I had access to the school's extensive woodshop, and I began to learn the basics. I started with a pre-drilled pipe kit, and over time I acquired a rudimentary understanding of the craft.

I am no longer a teacher and no longer have access to the equipment of the school's facility. Instead, I now use the tools I have collected in my own workshop, nestled in the basement of my home in Denver, Colorado. As my shop has expanded, so have my crafting skills, and now I produce pipes that I am confident to stamp my name on and offer to my clients.

I truly believe that a fine pipe is special; it is an heirloom that can be passed down with a story that lasts beyond ourselves. I do not take for granted the opportunity I have to share my work with my customers. Whether my pipe is a minor addition to an already impressive collection, or a first pipe to be treasured above all others, I am grateful for the opportunity to play a part in my clients' stories.

Of Briar and Ashes The Turner Pipes Blog

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Of Briar and Ashes serves a combination of purposes: a news source for current happenings in the Turner Pipes workshop, an archive of pipes previously sold to clients around the world, and a place to read thoughts and musings bouncing around in Simeon's head as he works in the shop.


Contact information:

Simeon's Website
 Blog:  Of Briar And Ashes
 Email: simeon@turnerpipes.com
 Twitter: Follow me on Twitter