Pipe Spotlight No. 1
Hey Everybody, I decided to start a new little series for these posts. Let’s call it “Pipe Spotlight”. My aim is to highlight a few pipes that have caught my eye recently that I think deserve some attention. No Particular order. Here are this week’s picks.
I’m honestly not a huge fan of what happened to pipes after the 40s. It’s the same thing that happened to watches: they just got way too big.
That’s why this billiard feels so right—the proportions are perfect. It’s modeled after the original "Bing’s Favorite," and the folks at Merchant Service really nailed that classic balance. I love how the sandblast runs perpendicular to the flame grain, and they left just enough of a smooth stamp panel on that slim pencil shank to break up the texture.
It’s got that silver ferrule that sits just a bit proud, which adds a nice pairing to the rusticated finish. Even with that bit of texture, the whole silhouette feels solid but restrained—it doesn’t try too hard. It’s a dead ringer for the pipes Bing Crosby used to carry around in White Christmas and Holiday Inn. Honestly, it’s just a great, classic pipe.
I don’t think it gets more American than this pipe. It feels like the tobacco version of worn-in overalls, a beat-up stake-body truck, or a lazy afternoon picking apples—the kind of classic, Huckleberry Finn vibe that just paints its own picture.
I love everything this pipe is, and frankly, everything it isn't. You won’t find any plastic here, no fancy traditional mortise-and-tenon joints, and no briar. It’s made from honest corncob, making it almost entirely biodegradable—the only thing that isn't is the little brand sticker on the bottom.
With this pipe, you know exactly what you’re getting, and you know what you’re not getting. This design is simple, repeatable, and completely unpretentious. And at $15, it’s replaceable.
3. Tim Beaumont Smooth Bent Billiard with Mammoth Tooth
This pipe really reminds me of the “Alethia” from my Founder’s Series, but it’s quite a bit more refined and smooth around the edges. The way the flared-out ferrule transitions into that bent shank is seamless, and the gentle bend of the stem rounds out the silhouette into something incredibly balanced and satisfying.
I love that it sits right on the fence between a few classic categories. It’s a bent billiard, sure, but it has the curves of an apple, and at first glance, the proportions even lean toward an author. There’s an eclectic quality to the shape that plays nicely against the straightforward, honest grain of the bowl.
It honestly reminds me of a Rolex Oyster Perpetual—it’s refined and slightly adventurous, but even while it dances around the boundaries of traditional shapes, it still manages to stay understated. It’s genuinely impressive work.
Thanks for reading, everyone. I’m not sure exactly when the next batch will drop, but I’m sure there will be more down the road. If you’re into this kind of stuff, you might want to join my waitlist. You’ll get emails about upcoming pipe launches and a heads-up whenever I put out a new newsletter post.
