Their maker is just 33, and he only recently went pro after six years of testing the water and learning his tools.
I went to Google to find some pics of his work for this thread and discovered that someone else got there first. Neill Roan did a blog article about his stuff a year ago. (Thank you Neill!
) Keep in mind as you read it and look at the photos that Chris was still an amateur when it was written, and the pipes shown had been made some time before that, because what he is producing today is better still. Some specimens I saw the other day were jaw dropping. Easily the best I've ever seen of their style/class/type (whatever you want to call it).If you are a new carver or a Whippersnapper who feels conflicted because you are drawn to the classics but think you must produce cutting-edge designs to make a living in the 21st century, there is MUCH to be learned here: 1) Like tuxedos, conservative, brilliantly-well-cut-and-finished pipes never go out of style; and 2) It isn't just old guys like me who appreciate them in print and that's it... they sell. Chris sold all but four of his fifteen pipes by noon Friday, and there were only two left by noon on Sunday. (I'd be surprised if they lasted the rest of the day, but I don't know. I had to leave the show a bit early.)
http://www.apassionforpipes.com/neills- ... pipes.html
