Italian acrylic rod vs other acrylic rod

[Sasquatch]

Giant Death Moose and Drone Geese Bombers, yessir.

[JJL]

I don't recall seeing the thread here but I did see it mentioned on facebook that Baldo Baldi had died, I don't remember seeing much of a response there.

This is primarily an English speak forum, I doubt many here would have had much/any interaction with Baldi or possibly even known the name? I met him once at a pipe show, he was incredibly rude to me which as a young and aspiring pipe maker at the time I found very upsetting. Some of the other more friendly pipemakers there told me to ignore it, he was rude to anyone that wasn't buying a pipe from him and none of the pipemakers there seemed to like him, only the collectors and dealers seemed to speak with him. Could be a factor? Dunno.

Lots of people know Baldi. He is even put into the American story of high grade pipes, influencing Mike Butera. Then, there was the website "Owned & Run by Tarek Manadily" which still exists in its original form, many years after Tarek's business idea failed to bring him the fortune he might have desired:

http://www.theitalianpipe.com/

It was an influential website...and the one that housed the well known photo of Claudio Cavicchi's rustication tool.

[JJL]

So, I went and did something here, I looked through my lists on facebook, to see if I could find you, Josh. And I have done, and what this allows, what this helps with, is it personalized things - it makes it so it's not just usernames and a keyboard. It's people. You obviously know who I am too, so that's cool, although basically all the personal info I have on facebook is garbage (to the extent that there's a picture of Clark Layton tagged as me and I've left it, because that's pretty funny). It's easy for me to type out vitriol to some faceless stranger. And I don't want to, I actually have been trying very hard this year to engage the "person" side in these kinds of interactions.

Hi Sasquatch,

I noticed the name Chris Kelly....he's my friend on facebook, too!!! I also heard that J.T. Cooke makes his own rod, too. It makes me think that I can make my own rod. But, I don't want to, because I just plan on using black....and also that I'll probably be using more vulcanite than acrylic.

But, do you know what I really like about all this??? It's that I'm finally in a position so that I can compete with you guys. I was not in a good enough situation at the time to get properly started, when you guys got started. But now, I'm in a better position! I'm really looking forward to catching up to you, and Chris, and maybe even Michael Parks!

Let's get it on!

[UnderShade]

I wouldn’t come here to compete if I were you. To learn? Sure. To get brutally honest criticism? Definitely. However, you’ve already given the impression that you won’t handle the advice that’s FREELY given here very well. The closest thing to a competition here is the PITH. Do that.

So, you wanna start over? Show some humility and make a billiard.

[Sasquatch]

Chi Hsing Tzu was a trainer of
fighting roosters for King Hsuan.
He was training a fine bird.
The king kept asking
if the bird was ready for combat.

“Not yet”, said the trainer.
“He is full of fire.
He is ready to pick a fight
with every other bird.
He is vain and confident
of his own strength.”

After ten days he answered again,
“Not yet. He flares up
when he hears another bird crow.”

After ten more days,
“Not yet. He still gets that angry look
and ruffles his feathers.”

Again ten days.
The trainer said,
“Now he is nearly ready.
When another bird crows,
his eyes don’t even flicker.
He stands immobile like a block of wood.
He is a mature fighter.
Other birds will take one look at him and run.”

[UnderShade]

Exactly, Sas. Well said.

[NPS]

Wow....I've only ever had good FREE advice on this forum........from some very experienced pipemakers....who take the time and trouble to help.

It's a strange post this one!

[UnderShade]

Wow....I've only ever had good FREE advice on this forum........from some very experienced pipemakers....who take the time and trouble to help.

It's a strange post this one!

Yeah... Not the first nor the last I'm sure!

[Charl]

Hhahha! Jeez, you guys are funny!