445. Happy IPSD (International Peterson Smoking Day) 2025!
The 2025 IPSD “Rack ’em Up!” Merit Badge: a Gate Rack sold by Peterson in the 1950s with three 02 “Slimline” oom pauls from the 1940s and 50s. Happy 2025 IPSD to all my fellow Pipers and Pete Geeks! When Mark reached out to me to write an intro for today, I was truly honored.
444. « C’est encore une fois un K&P ! » [“This is again a K&P!”]
PSA “Rack it Up!”–IPSD (International Pete Smokers Day) is almost here! “Watson, I’m not surprised you forgot. Be a good fellow and have a photograph of my pipe rack sent to our friend at Peterson Pipe Notes. You can have the Certified Pete Geek certificate made out to you, and perhaps Mrs. Hudson will quit
443. Coloring Natural Sandblast and Rusticated Pipes, Pt. 1: Talking to Prof. John Schantz and Peterson’s Glen Whelan, Josh Burgess & Austin Quinlan
Public Service Announcement International Pipe Smoking Day—or for us, International Pete Smoking Day—is just around the corner, on Thursday February 20th. As usual there will be a Merit Badge for everyone participating or a Certified Pete Geek certificate if you don’t already have yours. To enter, follow the directions at the bottom of this post.
442. SPECIAL BULLETIN: The 2025 St. Patrick’s Day Pipes Drop This Tuesday
PSAs The Chicago Pipe Show will be held May 1st – 4th. On Friday May 2nd, Glen Whelan, Managing Direction at Peterson, will join the Pete Geeks and Pipe Smokers of Ireland for a “Pete Geek Meet” from 12 to 2 in the secondary SMOKING tent. At 2pm I’ll be presenting “‘A Perfect Pipe’:
441. Peterson & Mac Baren Tobacco: A Memoir
Of course you’ve heard that Scandinavian Tobacco Group (STG) bought Mac Baren last summer and is dismantling the Mac Baren factory.* It’s been everywhere in the hobby news, on vlogs, forums, and passed by word-of-mouth. Anytime something like this happens to a community as small as ours, it causes some seismic tremors. I remember running
440. A Conversation with Steve Mawby, Pete Geek (and Director of Sales at Smokingpipes.com)
Banner: Two of Steve’s favorites, his beloved 53 and his 01 System DeLuxe This morning I’m in my full-on fanboy mode, so be prepared. Smoke strong tobacco. Drink strong coffee. Throw on your best Irish kilt & don’t be afraid of the breeze—Éirinn go Brách! Some believe the Irish invented the kilt. I’m always in
