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I am bitterly disappointed with the Summer 2013 issue of the P&T Magazine! There is an article inside about Joe Skoda, who is one of the finest pipe makers in the USA / World (in my view), yet the cover photo is of a "Gear Pump" / "Steam Punk" pipe !!!!! No offense to the artisan associated with the cover, but Joe Skoda is a long-time innovative craftsman, artist and superb pipe maker, and it should have been one of his pipes on the cover of the magazine. If P&T is now oriented to the "steam punk" crowd, then it has shifted from a focus on fine smoking pipes, and has probably lost me as one interested in what the magazine covers and writes about. Seems like true, established craftsmen are getting short shrift (at least in this issue)!

Why the double post?

Well.... I can see both sides of it.

I know who made that pipe, so I can't say I'm unbiased here, but I'll try to offer a defense for the magazine from the magazine's point of view, and I'll try to offer a defense from the artisan's point of view.

First, magazines don't exist as vehicles of altruism. Magazines exist to sell magazines at a profit. So if you have a choice of putting say, a brown oxford shoe or a picture of a half-naked girl.... it's a no brainer. And while it would be nice and good to have each and every artisan on the cover, a picture of ... basically any of us, is not going to sell a magazine. A pipe that is unique from a lesser known artisan... is a better bet. It's not a slight to anyone else.

From the Artisan's point of view, a guy who is following a passion of his own, who has extensive machine and machining training, and is producing unique pipes that fit with his own passions and which, I think more importantly, are not just a copy of a copy of a copy of a Chonowitch (something that this crowd IS guilty of in my opinion).

So I don't think you'll be hearing cries for anyone's head here. I'm hopeful Joe Skoda is happy to have the write up he got, and I think to criticize the magazine for putting something interesting and contemporary on the cover is pretty petty.

Joe skoda is a fine craftsman and artist and definitely deserves the cover, but Nate King is also very deserving of the cover. Nate has created something that is amazing unique to pipemaking / collecting. I may have to buy a few extra copies.

Wow,

I know this isn't what this thread is all about, but congrats Nate! I didn't know you were on the cover. I didn't renew my subscription this year. That's pretty cool.

Now to make my comment more in line with the post, I agree with Sas. Makes sense to me.

Oh please. The guy you admire more didn't get the cover story? Get over yourself.

Posting your disappointment here is unseemly. If I were Joe Skoda, I would be embarrassed by your post.

Rad

See my reply here: viewtopic.php?f=1&t=8683

Thanks Growley and Premal! I am truly honored. And as of note, I was floored to have received the cover. The article about Joe was fantastic. I love his work and am humbled to share an issue with him.

NeroWolfe wrote:I am bitterly disappointed with the Summer 2013 issue of the P&T Magazine! There is an article inside about Joe Skoda, who is one of the finest pipe makers in the USA / World (in my view), yet the cover photo is of a "Gear Pump" / "Steam Punk" pipe !!!!! No offense to the artisan associated with the cover, but Joe Skoda is a long-time innovative craftsman, artist and superb pipe maker, and it should have been one of his pipes on the cover of the magazine. If P&T is now oriented to the "steam punk" crowd, then it has shifted from a focus on fine smoking pipes, and has probably lost me as one interested in what the magazine covers and writes about. Seems like true, established craftsmen are getting short shrift (at least in this issue)!

First, congratulations are in order to Nate. He hs worked his butt off producing high quality products in every respect, smoking quality included.

Second, Mr. Skoda is also to be congratulated.

You can always unsubscribe if it makes you so unhappy.

It was the layout manager's choice.

Both carvers produce excellent pipes.

I respect everyone's view in responding to my original post. We all have views, and I have mine. "Top billing" on a Magazine cover is not trivial in impact in any case.

NeroWolfe wrote:I am bitterly disappointed with the Summer 2013 issue of the P&T Magazine! There is an article inside about Joe Skoda, who is one of the finest pipe makers in the USA / World (in my view), yet the cover photo is of a "Gear Pump" / "Steam Punk" pipe !!!!! No offense to the artisan associated with the cover, but Joe Skoda is a long-time innovative craftsman, artist and superb pipe maker, and it should have been one of his pipes on the cover of the magazine. If P&T is now oriented to the "steam punk" crowd, then it has shifted from a focus on fine smoking pipes, and has probably lost me as one interested in what the magazine covers and writes about. Seems like true, established craftsmen are getting short shrift (at least in this issue)!

Sigh.

Very little new stuff comes around in the PipeWorld. It's the nature of the beast. Wood + mouthpiece + tobacco isn't exactly wide-ranging, conceptually. Something previously unimagined (like steampunk design) creates a correspondingly large splash. And it will always be so.

As for championing your favorite pipemaker(s), that's what your wallet is for. Have at it. Interpreting a magazine editor's priorities and perspectives as a quasi-personal insult of some kind makes no sense at all.

Time to smoke a bowl of your favorite blend and pet your cat, I think.

*cough*

Awesome job Nate!!!!

I seriously doubt Joe is too put out by the cover photo.

Cheers!

Yeti

arrgghhh you young kids and your damned inventions, back in my day a man did the same as his dad did, and his dad afore him

good job Nate, you rock (from a crusty old curmudgeon)


rev

It ends up, about the money. I agree with SAS, except about not being pretty enough for the cover. Well, in a craggy, fire plug, sort of way. If the cover gets them in, then great! I'm open to new ways of seeing things.Sometimes, you need a departure from the norm, otherwise you stagnate. I made a beautiful pipe for a guy that calls me this morning to tell me he broke the stem. I asked him how it happened? He tells me he took the stem out while the pipe was real hot. He had been told not to do that by many. So I get to do this,today. I'll do the best I can and more,because this is the best profession in the world, and I can dream about the next pipe and perfect customer, while I fix it. Others are allowed to do the same! You go Nate!

I like this thread because now I know who Nate King is. Those steampunk pipes are weird and fascinating and I want one. Congratulations on making the cover, Nate!

ajpl wrote:I like this thread because now I know who Nate King is. Those steampunk pipes are weird and fascinating and I want one. Congratulations on making the cover, Nate!

Thank you! I am thrilled and honored!

Congrats Nate! I'll actually go get a subscription now, something I am normally way too thrifty to do

ajpl wrote:I like this thread because now I know who Nate King is. Those steampunk pipes are weird and fascinating and I want one. Congratulations on making the cover, Nate!

Mates weird and fascinating... Congrats Nate.. Can't wait for my copy to show up

James

Wait. Nate King was on the cover?

*cancels his subscription"

Sent from my GT-P3113 using Tapatalk 2

Kidding!

Sent from my GT-P3113 using Tapatalk 2

Haters gonna hate.

Let's think about this a bit. Who is the largest growing population of pipe smokers right now and the future of pipe smoking? Nate's steampunk and gearpunk style tends to attract that younger crowd. I think it's a risky but smart move by the magazine. Besides that, it's creating controversy which is good for the magazine and the pipemakers involved, IMHO. There are any number of pipemakers out there whose work is worthy of the cover. Because they aren't chosen for the cover isn't a reflection on the quality of their work. When I got my issue I imagined the editors spent a good deal of time deliberating whether to use Joe's work or Nate's work on the cover. I pictured them laying out the two potential covers side by side and toiling over it for a good while. I'm guessing it was a very difficult decision and a whole lot of thought was put into it.

Congrats, Nate. I'm proud of you!