Greetings from Italy

[Tech]

Hiya folks, My name's Matt, and I'm currently working for the US Navy in Italy. I've been here about 3 years and have really started to become interested in making my own pipes. Those of you on ASP know me as "Matteo in Italy."

I'm a certified Motorcycle technician (Hence my Nickname for the forum.) I know my way around tools and machines, I do some computer work (Such as web and database design) and I also really enjoy cooking. I've had a blast living here and learning the traditional Italian ways of cooking - especially since every Italian LOVES to talk about food.

Unfortunately, I live in Naples which has about ZERO pipe culture. Almost all tobacco shops here sell cigarettes and toscano cigars exclusively. Some of the higher class shops sell nice cigars and even some pipes, but those shops tend to be overpriced as they are in tourist areas. Fortunately, tobacco sales are under a government monopoly so tobacco prices are more or less uniform throughout the country. I still wind up buying most of my tobacco from online distributors though. Because of the aforementioned lack of pipe culture, pipe tobacco selection tends to be pretty slim.

Other thing that is in short supply here is decent tool supply stores. You have the big box home-depot type of places and then you have the mom and pop hardware stores, but neither one sells anything like an x-y table or a 3-way vise for a drill press - Heck I can't even get flannel or muslin polishing buffs here - I've had to get them from online. My workshop (garage) currently has a belt/disc sander, a floor column drill press and a small band saw.

I plan on exploring a bit around here and seeing if there are any briar suppliers. The closest well-known pipemakers to me are the Fratelli Quattrociocchi. http://www.fratelliquattrociocchi.it/ (sorry, Italian only) They are about 2 hours away by car. Some of their pipes can be seen at http://www.lepipe.it I have been trying to set up an appointment to visit their shop (Laboratoio in Italian) but as of yet have been unsuccessful.

Thanks to all, especially Kurt, for a great forum. I look forward to sharing with you folks as I grow in my attempts to make some pipes!

Here is a link to my first pipe, which I finished about a week ago. http://www.maditalia.info/pipe/pipe.html Those of you on ASP have already seen this link. I think it's a decent first attempt - especially since I did the drilling by eye. I've since destroyed 2 pieces of briar attempting to get another straight draft hole by eye. I got too excited by my first attempt and lost my patience!! I would like to set up an X-Y table and a 3-way machinists vise on my drill press, but the costs associated mean I'm going to have to be a little more patient than I am...

[Tano]

Hi Matt,

Here are the only briar suppliers I was able to find:

http://www.segheriemaremmane.com/uk/measures.html

http://www.laradicasrl.it/

http://www.calabriapipe.com/eng/prodotti.html

http://www.briar-pipe.it/uk/sommario.htm

http://www.romeobriar.com/main.html?mai ... story.html

CIAO!

[Nick]

Hi bud! Welcome.