Answer this, if you please

[LatakiaLover]

Pipes were originally made of stone or mud, which later became clay and metal.

Then came meerschaum and wood.

Stems started as reeds, then were improved over time with bird wing bones, horn, amber, and finally synthetics.

At each step of pipe evolution, materials improvements yielded an unarguable competitive advantage that could be easily demonstrated.

By the 20th Century, experimentation had proved that Vulcanite and Lucite made the best stems, and briar made the best bowls.

There was a period of internal gimmickry in the mid-20th century to try to improve on smoking quality, but none save Peterson's System pipes and a few filter models lasted for long.

After the basic design was finalized, the only thing left to distinguish one make from another was precision fit, finish, workmanship, and imaginative/dramatic shaping. At first, only a handful or Europeans could do those things impressively, today such pipes are easy to find anywhere in the Western world. Many pipemakers on this board routinely do work that would have been considered breathtaking a generation ago. Indeed, to be taken seriously (and have a chance of making a living at it), such a level of craftsmanship is required.

So... what's next?

The current trend plots asymptotically. There is little left to do that hasn't been thought of regarding materials, execution, or design. Some sort of "breakthrough" seems remote. Millions of man-years of smoking and making pipes seems to have zeroed in on how to do those things as best Planet Earth will allow.

Given that, what do YOU intend to pursue as YOUR competitive advantage? Indeed, in the 21st Century / Internet era, what can ANYONE claim as competitive advantage? You all use the same materials, tools, and techniques, you all provide good customer service, etc. etc.

To answer the question, imagine you are talking to potential heavyweight investor in your business. Why should he give you $250K for a state-of-the-art stand-alone shop instead of the next guy? What do you offer that he doesn't?

[scotties22]

Curved airways

[finster]

What a great question. I am new and have the highest aspirations. I think what brought me to pipe making and to have said aspirations are simply beautiful pipes; the increments of change have so gradual, IMO, because its hard to fix what ain't broke and its hard to hide an artisan pipe amongst a hundred Kaywoodies. I can tell what is a master's pipe and what is...not. I hope someday to make the former and allow that to distinguish me. I hope.

[mredmond]

This has been discussed in other threads recently, but I think all other things being equal the only thing any of us have to sell is ourselves. The connection between the consumer and the producer is an important one in most industries and probably more so in hand made art and craft fields. People want a personal connection to the item and the creator. Aesthetic/design choices factor in here, as do personality traits.

[wdteipen]

I intend for my competitive advantage to be endurance. I intend to keep making pipes when the fad dies, tobacco is outlawed, and everyone else up and quits. Then I'll be the only one. The supreme master pipemaker. Mwahahaha.

[scotties22]

I intend for my competitive advantage to be endurance. I intend to keep making pipes when the fad dies, tobacco is outlawed, and everyone else up and quits. Then I'll be the only one. The supreme master pipemaker. Mwahahaha.

Was your pinkie at the corner of your mouth as you said this?

[Alden]

Firstly of all, stop using words like asymptotically, it makes me nervous like theres going to be a test later.
Second, I think people *do* innovate occasionally, and they are promptly ripped off and what was unique yesterday is on everyones table at Chicago tomorrow. But since the innovator mostly makes pipes with other peoples ideas instead of his own whatever, I suppose it balances ?
The point is innovation is not dead, and somebody somewhere will surprise you all over again.
Third, I think what drives a lot of collectors to pick one guy (gal) over the next is the 5% that is unique about their work . Stem work that sits just right, some aesthetic value that screams their name.
For me personally, that is what I count on to keep me making pipes. A subtle aesthetic uniqueness coupled with fine detail in construction that appeals to my customers and brings them back for more. When they think of buying a new pipe, I want the next thought to be my email address.
Lastly, anyone who ever thought making pipes was a good investment is a flibbertigibbet.

[sandahlpipe]

I think we are already seeing what comes next. Just like Beethoven and Wagner paved the way with their bombastic music for 20th century abstract music, I think we are seeing a lot of abstract pipes. These might have other designations by some.

I expect to see similarly a return to the basics on the one hand, and abstraction of shapes on the other.

In terms of what I do different than anyone else, I haven't quite figured it all out yet. I'm sure the shapes will continue to evolve into a unique style when the proverbial dust settles. I think personality and a reputation for solid craftsmanship go a long way.

[Nate]

Space Shuttle Toilet Parts FTW

[bondarev]

Tobacco smoking has already progressed to cigarettes, will progress to electronic cigarettes.
Tobacco pipes now are for those who reject a progress. Such smokers will not search new technologies and follow innovations. They will love oldschool briar pipes even in 300 years, when mainstream nicotine users will just configure their sewn-in universal pharmaceutical processors to dose nicotine hourly

[Sasquatch]

Space Shuttle Toilet Parts FTW

Exactly. 6-speed auto, posi-track diff, and maybe a stem made from something that can take the heat of re-entry. Like, maybe, Ultem.

[WCannoy]

There are, of course, limitless shapes and variations thereof yet to be explored, and plenty of still to be defined genres to lump those shapes and styles in to. The steampunk art movement made waves in recent history, and was translated well by some into pipemaking. The same could be said of the wild freehands of the 70's, art deco pipes, and intricate Victorian era meerschaum carvings.

But then, we're not just talking about shapes, are we?

Sandblasting "technology" was invented in 1870, and (relatively) quickly found its uses in the pipemaking industry. The equipment I use for my suede-blasting was developed only twenty years after that, although it took this long for someone to use it on a pipe. Dremel rotary tools were introduced in the 1930's, and have also made a huge impact on pipe finishes.

But then, I suspect we're not really talking about finishes here either...

There are sill materials left to be explored. Some have been around for a while, and have either been tried and dismissed as failures, or have not been tried yet. Other materials are still very new and yet to be tried. I've had my eye on one particular material that, although first created in the 1930's) has only begun to make its way from the laboratory to practical applications within the past ten years or so. All of the available information tells me that it would be a great candidate for pipe stummel material, but a piece large enough to make a pipe would be very expensive right now. I guess only time will tell. What materials are still left to be discovered or created?

But still, variations in materials only just touches on what you are looking for.

The "reverse calabash", a packaged version of the traditional calabash engineering (don't ask me what's "reversed" about it, because I don't know), has found popularity recently. I can't say that it is a giant leap forward in the evolution of pipemaking, as the perceived improvement in the smoking experience is suspect, subjective, and debatable. I've had two "reverse calabash" pipes, one smoked only as well as the other pipes in my rotation, the other didn't smoke as well at all.

Maybe we pipemakers are out of new tricks? Of course, that's not a new idea either. Patent Office Commissioner Henry Ellsworth famously reported to congress in 1843, "The advancement of the arts, from year to year, taxes our credulity and seems to presage the arrival of that period when human improvement must end." Turns out, Henry was not quite on the mark with his assessment. It's quite silly to believe that we could imagine what has not yet been imagined... presenting the conundrum that we must continue to imagine before that which has not yet been imagined can be imagined. If you can understand that, I'll buy you a beer in Chicago! Poor Charles Holland Duell was tagged as the eternal pessimist when Ellsworth's sentiments were wrongly attributed to him. I prefer Duell's attitude, as expressed in his 1902 comment, "In my opinion, all previous advances in the various lines of invention will appear totally insignificant when compared with those which the present century will witness. I almost wish that I might live my life over again to see the wonders which are at the threshold." History has shown us exponential growth in technology from one century to the next, and we would be fools to think it will stop just because we cannot conceive of what comes next!

So there will be another breakthrough. Some "crazy idea" will prove not to be so crazy after all. It will stick, it will work, it will be an improvement, and it will become the new normal. It will likely not come today, or next week, or this year or decade. If I live to be a hundred years old, I hope I see it... but it will come.

So what do I intend to pursue as MY competitive advantage? Well, I, for one, will not stop looking for that next big breakthrough. At the same time, I will continue seeking out those small differences in style, shaping design, and finishing methods. My pursuit will be to always do something that nobody else is doing. Right now, I have a unique blast finish that nobody else can duplicate, and I will hold on to that edge as hard as I can. If, or when, the time comes when someone else figures out how to do it, my pursuit will still remain the same; To always do something that nobody else is doing. I can't imagine what that something will be right at this moment, but I never stop imagining.

[sakrin]

Sasha that people would still smoke briar pipes in 3000 years from now indicates one other thing, and that is sustainable and profitable business, because traditionalists are in fact good customers. And on the other part, nobody making a business plan involving manufacture and small scale production does not have that kind of time to plan for or is not forced to consider the progress of smoking and shit. As for materials there are tons of military or aerospace materials that are still off limits, and i sure would like a indestructible pipe that weights next to zero, that can be run over by an Armata or a Abrams tank or a train, bombed with nukes, submerged in acid, tossed in a volcano, dropped from space, and is easy and cheap to make.

[pipedreamer]

You got one part wrong George. The 9mm pipe is alive and well.No matter what you say, it is preferred by many in spite of the U.S. Bias, which is changing!
There may be some changes coming but only time will tell if they stick.Sakrin has it right. Most don't want their pipes to change.Tradition in general is here! This is an exciting time with too much to do.With the Gov. soon to be dictating what we can and cannot have I would not put 250,000 into a pipe manufacturing outfit, since they will all then truly be made one at a time by hand in the future.

[sakrin]

When the gov. start to rub you wrong way, outsource, its how the big guns do it. What is stopping somebody with a pipe business to move from US to some more perspective country, in some countries you even get money to move your production there. With 250K$ you can open a factory in some countries. For example Turkey, they have everything, a long standing piper population, insane amount of smokers percentage of population 90+, really good tobaccos, growing capacities, and laws that the gov. will change only if it wants a civil war to break out , and traditional materials in abundance, and has low tax trade with virtually everybody. That can be the edge if somebody wants to make lots of money, but not going to do much for innovation.

[Jos]

This:
http://www.vauen.de/en/novelties/diamon ... amond.aspx

3D printer pipe rulez !

[oklahoma red]

This:
http://www.vauen.de/en/novelties/diamon ... amond.aspx

3D printer pipe rulez !

Just another gimmick in my opinion. Remember "The Pipe"? Plastic shell with a "pyrolitic" graphite bowl/liner. Or the "upside-down" pipe? It was briar with a hash pipe screen over the bowl opening. The bowl was inverted and it had a screw-on cap so one could load it. Hold the flame under the screen to get it going. Nicotine hit was a killer. I doubt very much regular pipe tobacco was ever used in one. One did NOT want to touch the metal cap while the thing was fired up. I speak from experience.
I note this thing by vauen has briar in the shank as well as the bowl with a standard Lucite stem lest any 'baccy smoke should come it contact with God only knows what they used to make it. Ho-hum.

[Alden]

This:
http://www.vauen.de/en/novelties/diamon ... amond.aspx

3D printer pipe rulez !

Just another gimmick in my opinion. Remember "The Pipe"? Plastic shell with a "pyrolitic" graphite bowl/liner. Or the "upside-down" pipe? It was briar with a hash pipe screen over the bowl opening. The bowl was inverted and it had a screw-on cap so one could load it. Hold the flame under the screen to get it going. Nicotine hit was a killer. I doubt very much regular pipe tobacco was ever used in one. One did NOT want to touch the metal cap while the thing was fired up. I speak from experience.
I note this thing by vauen has briar in the shank as well as the bowl with a standard Lucite stem lest any 'baccy smoke should come it contact with God only knows what they used to make it. Ho-hum.

So I'm doing the math here... Nobody ever put tobacco in one, and you're speaking from experience...

[LatakiaLover]

So I'm doing the math here... Nobody ever put tobacco in one, and you're speaking from experience...

But he didn't inhale. Right, Bill? oops, I mean Red.

[sethile]

Walt, I love your post in this thread, and your passion for pipe making in general... So much of what you've stated rings true to me.

I recently heard an interview by a renown medical researcher that stated that 100 years from now medicine will look as different from medicine now as when we compare current state of the art medicine to the time of blood letting and using leches. That sort of profound difference is likely going to be more pronounced in medicine than we are likely to see in our little World of pipes, but we can't possibly see what the future holds in any discipline.

"it might just be the beer talking"

but... my personal strategy for staying competitive?

Keep trying to make the next pipe better than the one I just finished, and keep looking for ways to make the one I'm working on now better before I declare it finished and stamp it. That might amount to better fit and finish, more refined and/or innovative shaping, or perhaps better materials, should they become available.

My goal is not to be the best pipe maker, or the one selling the most or most expensive pipes, but to be the best pipe maker I can be with what I've been given to work with in terms of talent and time. My hope is I'll keep making pipes even if I'm the only one who smokes them, but I love being able to share them with other folks that seem to enjoy them.