BighornBriar

[BighornBriar]

Real Name: Alex
Location: Northern Alberta
Age:32
Years a pipe smoker: 10

How I got into pipe making: one of my best friends gave me my first pipe before I got married. Sadly, he took his own life in April 2021. I took up pipe making as a way to commemorate him. I don't sell any of my pipes. I give them as gifts, just as I received my first.

Because pipes are a very personal item, I also decided to do something personal with them. I'm a pilot in the Royal Canadian Air Force, and every year, there are a few people moving in and out of the squadron. You develop pretty significant friendships over even short periods of time so, over a year or two, you get to know a person pretty well. When they are sent somewhere else, I give each of them a pipe inspired by some significant aspect of their personality, character, or experience. My pipes also come with a promise. Life is full of up and downs, amd there are points in everyone's lives that straight up suck. When you find yourself in the midst of one, you have someone who will listen.

I have been making pipes for around 8 months now, and completed about 8-10 of them. More than anything, I've enjoyed the lessons that have come with learning this specific application of woodworking. Planning, precision, and patience, are 3 big things I've learned so far, and I'm looking forward to learning a lot more from the forums.

[UnderShade]

Welcome to the forum! Lots of info to find. Most questions have been asked and answered. Read all you can!