NASPC 2008: show report

[KurtHuhn]

I got to the Ramada at around 6:30 Friday night with the wife and kids in tow. We unwound for a bit, then decided to grab some dinner. This was slightly hampered by my oldest daughter being severely allergic to soy products in all it's forms - even the oil. We ended up not being able to eat at the Ramada restaurant (seems everything is made with or fried in soy oil), so we had to venture out into Columbus to find someplace to eat. There's no real story there, we ended up at Longhorn where only a minority of menu items featured soy products. By the time we got back, I was exhausted by the 12-hour road trip, and we decided to put the kids to sleep and get to bed. No room roaming for me....

The next morning the kids and I headed down to the convention room to set up the table and get things organized. If you have kids, you know that at the ages of 10 and 9, they have no patience, and want to do everything right now. Well, despite my help, I managed to get setup before the doors opened, and even visit with my table neighbors a little. I was lucky enough to be on an end, with Lena from King's Rook 4 on one side, and Jeff Knoll and Eddie Fliess on the other. I brought a good selection of pipes from all grades, a bunch of pipe kits, and a few good knives.

The busiest times were right at opening and right before and after lunchtime. There was a minor spurt of activity right at about 3:30 as well, but then activity started to peter off. By about 4:15, it was relatively quiet in the back half of the room.

Right off the bat, I got a lot of interest in the knives and pipe kits. The pipe kits sold out early - who knew? The next show I go to (possibly Richmond), I'll take even more of those with me. And for some reason, people really wanted to know more about my knives. I spent a lot of time talking knives at a pipe show, and I'm really pleased that people were genuinely excited about them. I even sold two knives, and one of them went home with a pipe to keep it company.

One thing I did find at the NASPC show, is that there are still plenty of folks interested in magnum-sized pipes. Note to self, take bigass pipes the next time. I showed up with a selection of mid-sized pipes, and despite that came home several shy of what I arrived with. I have the feeling that I could have sold about that many more if I had 1-inch chambers deep enough to swallow my index finger. Food for thought, no doubt.

I had a good conversation with Premal from Smokers Haven. I'm still disappointed I didn't get to Columbus on Thursday night so that I could hang out at Smokers Haven on Friday, but that's the turn of the card, I guess. Next year I'll plan thing differently. Late in the day I stopped by their table and grabbed a tin of Krumble Kake - I've good stuff about this blend, and I can't wait to try it.

Bob Oakley stopped by and showed me one of his pipes. I liked it a lot, and found the shape very interesting. Hopefully he'll post an image or two here. We talked for a little while about pipe making, and had a couple laughs.

I didn't get out to roam until the end of the day, so I'm sure I missed a bunch of stuff, but even so there was still plenty of good stuff left for me to see. Paul Bonaquisti's table was full of goodies, and I had to pry myself away forcibly so that I had time to go look at other stuff.

I had a short visit with Tim West and bought a couple wellington caps from him so that I could try my hand with a batch of stems I picked up. Always a pleasure to talk to, Tim is a fountain of knowledge about pipe making, and always seems willing to share what he knows.

The guys at the Cornell & Diehl table were very gracious with the samples. I got there too late to get anything but a single tin of Maltese Falcon. I have yet to taste it, but the tin aroma sold me on it right away. I also picked up a tin of Key Largo which I have smoked exactly one bowl of so far. It's a wonderful smoke that is well balanced and has a robust cigar quality without the strong cigar odor that my wife runs from. In fact, she was sitting next to me most of the time I was smoking it, and didn't utter a single word about the smoke. I also was given a tin of Westminster that I intend to dip into tomorrow. Reviews to follow. I also found at the C&D table, on my way out the door, something that reminds me of Hines Mixture, but I can't recall the name. I've sent an email in hopes they can help me identify it since I didn't get a chance to purchase a tin.

I surprised the ever loving crap out of Brad Pohlmann by walking up and introducing myself. Man, what a laugh that was. My belly still aches from that incident. I think I should count myself lucky that we were both sober at the time - someone would have ended up on the floor! We had a good conversation, and Brad has something planned that you guys need to watch for. I won't spoil it, but be sure you catch his announcement. I also got some very good info from Brad about some pipe shapes that will help me out immensely. I owe you a beer, or coffee, or whatever, Brad.

Don Kesling stopped by and was surprised by seeing what I look like, and I was constantly checking out his table. Little did he know who that big bald guy was that kept touching that pipe on the end was!

That was the common theme for the day - "YOU are Kurt Huhn?!?!!". As Brad said, you get a picture of what someone looks like in your mind's eye, and sometimes you're seriously taken aback by the reality. So, to avoid further incident, and to help reduce my liability in beer/coffee/tea/water spray when someone find out what I look like, I had Karin take some photos of me today. I'll find one that's especially decent (as decent as I get, anyway) and put it up on my site.

Unfortunately, I didn't get to roam out much. I know I missed a bunch, and hopefully someone who was there but not displaying can give an accounting of the day through a customer's eyes.

All in all, the show was an unmitigated success this year. I'm definitely going back next year, and I'm trying to find a way to get to Richmond in October as well.

[Charl]

Jeez Kurt, you made me drool! Wish I could just be a fly on the wall! Should maybe start warning friends and family about what I want for my 50th!

[Bob Oakley]

I, too, had a great time in Columbus at the show. It was great meeting Kurt. Thank you for saying such nice things about the pipe I showed. Kurt had a pipe that I drooled over - a long shanked bamboo shield shape. It sold quickly.

The reception at Smokers Haven was also a nice event. Premal showed me his workshop and we talked pipemaking - what else?

The "room crawl" Friday night was also a blast. Great estate pipes, tobacco and other accessories were displayed. I was sure to hit David's room for the Cuban Coffee. and Jim Wagner had a retort demo in his room.

I got to spend some time with Lee Von Erck. I learned alot.

All in all, a great weekend. Hope to see you all next year.

[Alan L]

And for some reason, people really wanted to know more about my knives. I spent a lot of time talking knives at a pipe show, and I'm really pleased that people were genuinely excited about them. I even sold two knives, and one of them went home with a pipe to keep it company.

Oddly enough, I seem to spend a lot of time at knife shows talking about pipes, and that's where I've sold all the ones I've sold to date...

[Tyler]

Thanks for the run-through Kurt.

I miss pipe shows.

Tyler

[sethile]

Thanks for the report, Kurt. Oh gosh, I really missed being there at the show, and at the Smoker's Haven Open House!

I'm likely going to miss Richmond too (my wife's birthday weekend), and I'm afraid a surprise birthday trip to Richmond may not quite be the gift she'll be looking for .

[Källman]

Going to shows like this must be a real good source of inspiration. Thanks for sharing!

[ArtGuy]

I really wish I could have made it. My daughter's first soccer game of the season was that day and I am the coach so I had to be there. I love reading show reports like this. It is good to hear the show still went well despite the smoking prohibition.

[wdteipen]

I really enjoyed the show. It was my first pipe show to attend and I learned a great deal. Unfortunately, I didn't have much cash to spend so I walked away with a nice peice of bamboo from Tim and a few tins of tobacco and samples from C&D. I, too, was amazed at the size of many of the pipes on display. Not my cup of tea but I guess if that's what's selling... I'm a bit of an introvert so I didn't introduce myself to many folks I recognized. Maybe a future show. Amazingly enough, Kurt didn't look anything like I pictured but Jack did.

[Smitty]

Nice report Kurt. I have never been to a show, would love too check one out, but they are way too far for me to make it.
I picture Kurt as a 6'7" 290lb Norse Viking type with a braided beard.

[KurtHuhn]

Jeez, you're close!

Only 7 inches shy and a handful of pounds. Much to my wife's dismay, I also have a habit of braiding my beard.

http://www.pipecrafter.com/about.php

My beard is now the shortest it's been in about 5 years. I'm itching to grow it all back now.

[Frank]

HOLY CRAP! No more mouthing off from me to that oversized Ostro Goth. So just why did you shave the noggin?

[KurtHuhn]

HOLY CRAP! No more mouthing off from me to that oversized Ostro Goth. So just why did you shave the noggin?

One day I got pissed off with my hair, and off it came. As I recall, it was some time in July or August one year, and I was hot, sweaty, and irritated about my soaking wet head. I went inside, grabbed the trimmers, and cut that crap right off. It's really very convenient too, and saves me money on buying shampoo and stuff, and there's no visits to the barber. I just run the 'ultra-close' trimmers over my head and face (no razor, thanks) two or three times a week depending on my mood.

[Vermont Freehand]

funny topic this has turned into!!

I used to have hair down to my waist until a few years ago. It was straight and easy, I never had to cut it. I liked the low maintenence hair, all I had to do was put it in a pony tail (or a bun while I was using power tools), but now mine is short and needs maintenence every couple months.

I like the shampoo comment, I used to use more than my girlfriend, but now I use a dot the size of a penny. A big bottle lasts me almost a year.


It's always interesting seeing pictures of people after hearing so much about them on chat forums. I'da thought Kurt was the professor type guy with glasses, and thought he would be much older than he is. I guess a lot of people think I'm different than I really am. I'm 29, but lots of pipe makers over the years are blown away to hear that, they had thought I was much older.

[Frank]

I used to have hair down to my waist until a few years ago. It was straight and easy, I never had to cut it. I liked the low maintenence hair, all I had to do was put it in a pony tail (or a bun while I was using power tools), but now mine is short and needs maintenence every couple months.

It's always interesting seeing pictures of people after hearing so much about them on chat forums. I'da thought Kurt was the professor type guy with glasses, and thought he would be much older than he is. I guess a lot of people think I'm different than I really am. I'm 29, but lots of pipe makers over the years are blown away to hear that, they had thought I was much older.

Same here with the ponytail thing, except mine never grows longer than 1/3 way down the back. Probably splits at the ends and breaks off. I daren't cut it short, or THE BOSS would cut the rest off, at the neck.

Before seeing his picture, I also assumed Kurt was a bespectacled 'puter nerd, bleached pale from sitting indoors all day. Amazing how those Goth barbarians clambered over the other barbarians into the 21st century. Oh crap, I just mouthed off again. Now I'm in for it .

I certainly pictured you as much older than 29. I sure hope I don't come across as an old fart (dang, no smiley of an old fart puffing a pipe)..

[KurtHuhn]

oversized Ostro Goth

By the way, I'm taking this label and using it. That had me laughing so hard I almost fell out of my chair.

[Frank]

oversized Ostro Goth

By the way, I'm taking this label and using it. That had me laughing so hard I almost fell out of my chair.

Henceforth you shall be known as "That Oversized Ostrogoth"