You are currently viewing 299. Announcing the CPG Commemorative Pipe

299. Announcing the CPG Commemorative Pipe

The samples for the official Peterson Pipe Notes ‘Certified Pete Geek’ pipe are here. It seems like a long road, but it hasn’t been all that long since the Pete Geeks began asking about it. I’ll begin at the end with all the pertinent data you need to confirm you want one or wish to be placed on the alternate list, as I’m imagining there will be folks who don’t confirm and will open up some slots.

When. The PPN / CPG pipe will be ready around November 1st.

Price. $200 through SPC and €195 through SPEu.

How. You need to confirm to me at petegeek1896@gmail.com by Sunday, September 11th. After that, I’ll release any remaining slots to those on the alternate list.

YOU MUST INCLUDE which site you wish to order from and if you want the 9mm version.

9mm Filter Edition.  If everyone who asked for a 9mm edition commits, then 9mm will be available. We have to have a minimum of six for these to be made available. If we don’t have six commitments, I’ll notify those who asked for one to see whether or not they want the CPG pipe in the normal System configuration.

Payment. I’ll send the confirmation lists to Laudisi Enterprises. When your pipe is ready, you’ll receive an email at the address you gave me with a link to SPC or SPEu, whichever site you chose showing your pipe, to make payment.

What. As shown in this post, you’ll receive a Deluxe System sandblast D18 oom paul, sterling band with vulcanite P-Lip and tenon extension, stamped and number in a sequence of 80 pipes bearing the “PPN” stamp, the numbering and “2022.” As far as I know at the time of this post, there’s no choice regarding either the number or the individual pipe—the sandblasting will vary, of course, from one bowl to another.

The Certificate / Merit Badge. For those wanting their CPG certificate and those wanting the CPG / PPN merit badge on existing certificate, just send me “proof of purchase” after making payment for your pipe in November. A phone photo will do, as it won’t show any of your financial information, just the pipe and that it’s been paid.

 

 

 As I’ve related to some of you, well before the Peterson book was published I asked Tom Palmer, then CEO of K&P, whether a commemorative pipe might be issued to accompany the book. He agreed, although how to package and market it was going to be something of a challenge. In the event, Tom sold the company to Laudisi not long before the book was published.

I broached the subject with the new owners at the time, but—understandably—they seemed a bit preoccupied with just acquiring their first pipe company! So a few years have gone by and eventually I began dreaming we might do it for the 10th anniversary of the blog in 2014.

Irwin & Wilford at the SPC Peterson table (photo by Ted Swearingen)

While at the Chicago Pipe Show, Gary Hamilton and I happened on Sykes Wilford and Ted Swearingen around 5pm when things were slow. I think they’d had about all the espresso shots they could handle for one day and were glad the day was almost done. As I took some photos of their Petes for the blog, Sykes and I fell into a conversation about the really fun things that are happening at Peterson right now and somehow (!) the conversation veered into my hopes for a PPN pipe.

If you’ve never met Sykes, one of the things that I find most charming about him is his unbelievably infectious enthusiasm. As soon as I broached the subject, the fatigue of the day seemed to physically lift from his shoulders. With sparkling eyes (this is not sappy sentiment) he opened his laptop and began looking at inventory while telling me how a small batch is done, what can be done and what can’t and why. For my part, I was as nervous as a second-rate smuggler on Tatooine asking Sykes to build a hyperdrive so I could make the Kessel Run in under 12 parsecs. For his part, metaphorically, he replied “Twelve?” he said. “I can do it in ten.”

Better than his word, not two weeks later Sykes sent me a video of the very first CPG pipe being blasted which I will share with everyone asap.  In the meanwhile, here’s a photo of it he sent along:

Selecting which bowl took me a long while. I knew from the outset that I wanted something iconically Peterson yet eye-catchingly distinctive for the CPG. It had to be a System, but which shape? As you know, I’m quite partial to the straight-sided or dutch billiard for two reasons. First, because the 02 oom paul helped put K&P on the world map in all the politically-charged media coverage that surrounded a special edition of that pipe made for President Paul Kruger by his friends. More importantly, the 4S dutch billiard was used for the Thinking Man icon introduced in 1905. However—until the shape resurfaced as last year’s 4AB POY 2021—it wasn’t available, having left the catalog in 2013. (I did ask whether there were any POY 4AB bowls remaining but learned every single usable bowl was made up into a pipe. Josh Burgess told me that K&P would like to reissue the shape at some point in the future, there are no immediate plans of doing so.)

 

That left us with just the shape 8 and the D18/PUB. I do love the little 8, but quite selfishly I wanted a pipe to smoke for 2 ½ to 3 hrs. in the evening. Enter the D18, originally known as the 2015 Founder’s Edition POY.

The shape takes its inspiration for the FE from the magnum O [oversized] 2 shape seen in the 1896 and 1906 catalogs but scaled it down into a manageable size for daily use. It added a beautiful sterling Thinking Man soldered onto a double-beaded band. I really love this type of silverwork (done by retired silversmith David Blake) and hoped we might avail ourselves of it. Alas, after Laudisi bought K&P this type of work was abandoned.

We’ve got Glen to thank for so many great things at Peterson, and the D18 is one of them, as it’s his design. He told me recently, “My thought process at the time was simple, I wanted K&P to move into more ‘Classic Peterson’ shape aesthetics, especially for Pipe of the Year. Looking at the Peterson shape offerings around that time and before, the one thing that kept popping out to me was we are missing a true oom paul! That’s what brought the Patent O2 into my mind.” And it’s certainly been a great success, not only in limited release across a number of lines but eventually in Josh Burgess’s own design as the PUB Pipe, the first new System shape since the Darwin / B42 in 2009.

Before the PUB, the D18 appeared in a tiny number of Deluxe blasts with saddle wear-gap stem and Natural smooth with tapered stem.  Fellow CPG Jason Kannady is the only PG I know who has the fabled Natural smooth and has, I believe, written in his will to the effect that it be sent to me (or maybe I dreamed that).

If we couldn’t get a tapered B wear-gap stem, I was quite willing rethink the whole project and find another bowl. This was a challenge for K&P, but Giacomo Penzo came through and developed one for us with the same shorter wear-gap as that seen on this year’s 14B POY. This was important to Josh Burgess, Managing Director, who when the original PUB pipe appeared felt the wear gap of the tapered stem at that time was too wide to be aesthetically satisfactory.

The CPG / PPN also benefits by the new deeper, wider three-stage reservoir drilling we’ve seen on the last two POYs. This makes a difference, folks, especially when the chamber is as deep as the D18’s!

At first I thought black would work, but seeing the original sample I felt that it wasn’t as spectacular as I wanted it to be for the Pete Geeks, so I asked Josh for suggestions. He recommended I look at the Irish Harp sandblast stain, and no sooner had I read his email than the tiny 25 watt bulb in my head (commonly used in older refrigerators) lit up. I remembered thinking when the Irish Harp blast appeared in June 2021, wow that wouldn’t this make a cool System finish? The contrast staining like that used on the Rua and Iora wasn’t an option, as it is reserved for PSB-grade bowls, and waiting for 80 D18s in PSB grade would just never happen, not to mention escalating the cost.

Other small-batch pipes have been issued all through K&P’s long history, some quite small in number and some in editions of over a hundred pipes. Glen Whelan’s Pipe Smokers of Ireland Facebook group is the longest-running on the hobby side. We’re a very small crew in comparison with that illustrious group. As Eric B. wrote in a recent comment: “pipe smokers are a small niche, Peterson Pipe smokers an even smaller group and Pete Geeks a tiny one.”

On the stamps, I wanted the year and “CPG.” Ted Swearingen, Laudisi’s Chief Operating Officer, was also a big part of the design process there at the SPC tables in Chicago. He suggested that “PPN” would be a better identifying bowl stamp in the long run. “CPG,” Ted said, is the initialism for consumer packaged goods in the business world—things like food, beverages, cleaning products, cosmetics—and certainly a Peterson pipe is never, ever that. PPN is a much better identifier, as pipe smokers seeing the pipe would much more readily associate it with the blog, both now and after the blog is gone. Ted is such a smart guy, and not just because the 12 1/2 System is his favorite daily go-to System. The moment for me was just one of the many examples of serendipity (i.e., Grace) that seem to always be in attendance whenever I’m on official Pete Geek business.

Of course it has the aluminum tenon extension or “chimney” as the old hands used to call it back in the day. And the embedded aluminum P in the vulcanite P-Lip stem.

 

Many thanks to Sykes Wilford,
Josh Burgess, Ted Swearingen & Glen Whelan
for help on the CPG / PPN Commemorative.

 

SYSTEM DAY IS ALMOST HERE!
You can still enter the Seven-Day Challenge to qualify for your CPG certificate or add the new merit badge for the certificate you already earned.
For directions on entering see the end of the last post.

And here’s this year’s tobacco mat you can download and print.
PPN 2022 System Day Tobacco Mat

 

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John Schantz
John Schantz
2 years ago

I like the shape, the awesome tapered small gap stem, the silver (would look much better with double bead lines), the blast ehh, the stain “yuck”….the “Harp” stain just doesn’t cut it without the Cumberland stem ? I would have much preferred a bare bowl. Hey Mark, tell them to leave the stain off of one for me ?? I have been thinking about getting a D18 blast so I could grind the bottom flat for a sitter like Mark Hunt’s modification. I don’t like the current Pete bent sitters, they look like they were an afterthought. The D18 however… Read more »

Last edited 2 years ago by John Schantz
Chris Streeper
Chris Streeper
2 years ago
Reply to  John Schantz

I love the Harp stain but am a fan of bare wood bowls too.

Scott Forrest
Scott Forrest
2 years ago
Reply to  John Schantz

Sounds like this is all great news for someone on the alternate list!

John Schantz
John Schantz
2 years ago
Reply to  Scott Forrest

Sorry Scott, I keep my word (name on the original “yes I want one list”, sight unseen) and I wouldn’t be a CPG if I didn’t grab a first edition PPN pipe. No matter what it turned out to be, even a 4AB if that had been chosen?. Confirmation sent. P.S. Mark, I actually like the 4AB, I’m just sad that I did not get a beautiful smooth natural, or a Rua? I wonder if there is a way to knock the shine off of the blast, matte black or semi-matte would be cooler. Dare I get out my sandblaster… Read more »

Last edited 2 years ago by John Schantz
Scott Forrest
Scott Forrest
2 years ago
Reply to  John Schantz

John, I’ve thought about some of the same things you’ve described regarding the 2021 and 2022 POTY. The 2021 was NOT exactly what I thought they should have done, but to me it was still great;e.g-I couldn’t see the point in a blasted or rusticated version, since Rathbone smoked a smooth, no bell ferrule and the stem is too wide. But I’m happy. Similarly, I don’t see the point in a blasted or rusticated (yucch) 2022 POTY. But in each case they made the pipes they needed to, and I scored what I wanted. And people who wanted blasted or… Read more »

David F M
David F M
2 years ago
Reply to  John Schantz

John, my sentiments exactly.

“..,name on the original “yes I want one list”, sight unseen) and I wouldn’t be a CPG if I didn’t grab a first edition PPN pipe. No matter what it turned out to be”

I too would want one, no matter what, (well, price would be the one issue).

Let us hope this is so successful that it becomes an annual offering.

John Schantz
John Schantz
2 years ago
Reply to  Mark Irwin

Ha, I don’t even require a PSB, just blast one clean, we know there will be a pit. No need to hide it with stain ?

Last edited 2 years ago by John Schantz
Christopher Lauer
Christopher Lauer
2 years ago

What an awesome pipe!!! Thanks to everyone involved in this endeavor to make this a reality. And thank you Mark for sticking with this project through the years. I do have one question, as I am an ephemera kind of guy. Is the PPN going to be packaged in the old style box as pictured. If so that would be the icing on the cake to me.

John Schantz
John Schantz
2 years ago

I was wondering if it would come with a nice leather sock? Maybe even a leather Peterson Pipe rest and a Peterson combo pipe tool….can we get so lucky, Mark?

Last edited 2 years ago by John Schantz
Christopher Lauer
Christopher Lauer
2 years ago
Reply to  John Schantz

I would bet on the leather sock as even the estates that SP sells are packaged with them. I agree the leather stand would also be a really nice touch and a possibility. I’m not holding my breath for the pipe tool though.

David F M
David F M
2 years ago

Naturally, anything “free” in the box would increase the retail price. The pipe tools are available for sale anyway, so just add one to your cart and presto!

John Schantz
John Schantz
2 years ago
Reply to  David F M

The pipe tools are not at the US SPC sight. Kinda sucks…..by the way, why do they not have them?

David F M
David F M
2 years ago
Reply to  John Schantz

It’s frustrating. I see it all the time where something Peterson is available from one site but not the other.

David F M
David F M
2 years ago
Reply to  John Schantz

Here here! Yes! I vote for a leather pipe stand in a unique PPN color. I, for one, would be willing to pay for one as an addition.

John Schantz
John Schantz
2 years ago
Reply to  Mark Irwin

Mark, have you noticed that the sterling seems to tarnish much faster when stored in the new green suede leather socks. All of my pipes stored in these bags, the silver seems to tarnish overnight.

Chris Streeper
Chris Streeper
2 years ago

I love that box as well. How fantastic would that be?

David F M
David F M
2 years ago
Reply to  Chris Streeper

Perhaps Mark could make up a PDF file that would fit the standard shipping labels, so we can make our own PPN sleeve. How about it Mark?

Richard Roberts
Richard Roberts
2 years ago

At risk of contradicting John Schantz (see above) I really like this. To my eye, the bare bowl looks only partly finished, while the stained bowl seems to me better completed. I would agree with him, however, about the double beading on the band and ,yes, it could have been offered as a sitter.
One last thing: why do Peterson no longer cross drill the tenon extension? Is there some advantage to the smoker in not doing so?

Scott Forrest
Scott Forrest
2 years ago

I think it’s beautiful as designed, but no single design is going to make every single person happy. I don’t like sitters – probably the only design aspect that could have gotten me to not order one.

John Schantz
John Schantz
2 years ago

Richard, contradict away, we like (or don’t) like what we like. There is room for everybody. If I get left out, I’m ok with it….maybe next time. There is always another day, until there isn’t, then it doesn’t matter?

John Schantz
John Schantz
2 years ago

Cost savings & profitability. The extra machining was not worth the slight gain, if any, to the smoking experience. (My 10 cents, I have an inflated view of my opinions?).

Stephen Wilson
Stephen Wilson
2 years ago

Outstanding! You could not have picked a better pipe for all CPGs. Thanks for all the time and trouble. PPN will do just fine. Now, I have to be patient until November.

Chris Streeper
Chris Streeper
2 years ago
Reply to  Stephen Wilson

Yes, waiting until November will surely be difficult now. ?

Martin
Martin
2 years ago

I think this Natural smooth and the tapered stem are my holy grail.

Bob Cuccaro/TLIP
Bob Cuccaro/TLIP
2 years ago
Reply to  Martin

The Newgrange version is beautiful!

Harald Stoe.
Harald Stoe.
2 years ago

A wonderful pipe, that is all I can say.
Many thanks to Mark and everyone else involved in this project for their time, creativity and commitment to making this happen.

I can’t wait for November 🙂

Martin
Martin
2 years ago

Wow what a Pipe. I love the shape and blast. Stain is very good in my opinion but the tapered stem make this set up an “all in one” for me.
Thank´s Mark&every one involved in this project.

Mark Domingues
Mark Domingues
2 years ago

Can’t wait!

William Auld
William Auld
2 years ago

Unbelievable!! I’ve been searching for a good Oom Paul for months now. Even had vague hopes that Peterson would do a special run. I suppose they have. Thanks, Mark, for coming up with this one – outstanding – already a holy grail pipe!

Eric B
Eric B
2 years ago

I’m still in! I hope the stem/button is just like the recent POY, which I think are awesome. While I don’t typically lean toward such large bowls, I can imagine a time in the not too distant future where I’ll need a Pub pipe to sit around for a few hours with some fellow Pete Geeks. Thanks for putting this together Mark.

Erik R
Erik R
2 years ago

Looks great. I would love to get one for my Pete collection.

Chris Streeper
Chris Streeper
2 years ago

As you did, I will open with the business end of my comment; CONFIRMATION SENT!

My extreme gratitude goes out to you and everyone from Peterson who’s been involved in process of bringing the PPN from concept to reality. Thank you!

This truly looks to be a beautiful pipe. I look forward to enjoying it for years to come! Hopefully, maybe even with my fellow Pete Geeks at the Chicago Pipe Show next year!

Sláinte!

Joe
Joe
2 years ago

I don’t have nearly the experience and depth of knowledge you do on the subject of Peterson, but somehow we have a very closely aligned aesthetic appreciation. First the POY 2021, then this – I’m a very big fan of Oom Pauls, so I needed no prodding after the first picture, but your detailed explanation really drive it home. Confirmation sent!

Bob Cuccaro/TLIP
Bob Cuccaro/TLIP
2 years ago

Great collaborative effort Mark! I like the PPN designation because it recognizes all of the hard work you have put into this site 🙂

Scott
Scott
2 years ago

Great looking pipe. I’m so looking forward to adding this to my Pete collection.

Well done Mark and everyone involved.

Confirmation email sent.

Chris Tarman
Chris Tarman
2 years ago

Confirmation sent! It looks great! It’s absolutely NOT what I was expecting. I don’t really know what I had expected, but not anything that big. I guess I had kind of envisioned an 8s, but this is MUCH better! I love the shape of an 8s, and I have one, but it’s just too small for any sort of meaningful smoke (for me, at least). I like the stain. I don’t yet have an Irish Harp, but I’ve thought about getting one… if only they came in a System. I absolutely LOVE the tapered stem! Nice touch! I’ve already got… Read more »

Last edited 2 years ago by Chris Tarman
Dwain
Dwain
2 years ago

Very nice, and just when I thought I was done buying pipes this year! It has practically everything I wanted in my next pipe. Once I put some tobacco in it will have everything (:

Scott Forrest
Scott Forrest
2 years ago

Thanks Mark! Great pipe design, and thanks for all the work you put into it.

Michael Schroeder
Michael Schroeder
2 years ago

I like the shape of the pipe, but I hope that it will be drilled correctly, I have the Founder’s addition and the draft hole is 1/4″+ off the bottom of the bowl!

John Schantz
John Schantz
2 years ago

If you look at the chamber to airway to mortise alignments of the deep bend, it would be difficult if not impossible to “bottom center the airway”, 1/4” does seem excessive, I’ll have to look at mine to see how far off of the bottom it is. There is just not enough room for a straight drill to do that. Some bent pipes have a nick in the mortise at the 6 o’clock position from this severe angle drilling. I’m not sure at what angle it starts to be a problem, steep anyway. There are drills/burrs that can bend around… Read more »

Last edited 2 years ago by John Schantz
Sykes Wilford
2 years ago

Hey Mark, thanks so much for your kind words about the process figuring this out. I love doing stuff like this and it’s such a pleasure collaborating on things like this with you.

Chris Streeper
Chris Streeper
2 years ago
Reply to  Sykes Wilford

And we all thank you as well Sykes!

David F M
David F M
2 years ago
Reply to  Sykes Wilford

Yes, thank you Sykes!

William Auld
William Auld
2 years ago
Reply to  Sykes Wilford

Yes, thanks, Sykes, to yourself and all those involved! What a wonderful collaboration worthy of the PPN and Peterson stamps!

David F M
David F M
2 years ago

Mark,
Congratulations and thank you. You truly do deserve your own Peterson pipe. All the work you’ve put-in over the years makes you deserving of such an honor. And let’s not forget that your blog here has generated a not-insignificant amount of sales for Peterson.

I’m excited about this. Yes, I’ve already submitted my email reservation.

This is wonderful news all around!

David F M
David F M
2 years ago

Here is a link to an image of the 2018 Pipe Smokers of Ireland D-18. It’s a beautiful pipe, no doubt about it.

https://www.smokingpipes.eu/pipes/new/peterson/moreinfo.cfm?product_id=135960

John Schantz
John Schantz
2 years ago
Reply to  David F M

Yea, that’s what I’m talking about, Cumberland with this stain color, nice, although real Cumberland as opposed to acrylic fishtail would be better. They probably do not have easy access to acrylic system P-Lips in Cumberland, hence the black vulcanite P-Lip.

David F M
David F M
2 years ago

And the best part of all this is…..none of us will need to set our alarm clocks for 3 AM to log-in and put pipes into the online shopping carts, only to get emails later that the pipes we bought were already sold. Not this time.

John Schantz
John Schantz
2 years ago
Reply to  David F M

Well, hopefully not.

Nevaditude
Nevaditude
2 years ago

Many thanks to you Mark for spearheading this effort on the Pete Geeks behalf.
The PPN/CPG pipe looks great & my confirmation email has indeed been sent! I am really hoping for a 9MM but if not, will gladly take the traditional tenon.

be well…

Chris Streeper
Chris Streeper
2 years ago
Reply to  Nevaditude

Between you, me & the other guy we’re halfway there! ?

Kannady
Kannady
2 years ago

This is a great looking pipe. Thanks so much to Mark and everyone else who had a part in putting this together. I can’t imagine trying to narrow down the options and trying to appease 80 people with one product. This will be a pipe we all cherish from those who have collections in the tens of Petes to those who have hundreds. Also, thank you for keeping the price reasonable. The most recent drops have been a financial drain and that does not include the newly announced Christmas pipe and I assume something for Halloween. This looks to be… Read more »

David F M
David F M
2 years ago
Reply to  Kannady

Kannady, what “newly announced” Christmas pipe??? What? Where?

Kannady
Kannady
2 years ago
Reply to  David F M

K&P facebook page. It’s nice, but a little underwhelming. Of course the Christmas Pipes are not generally high end. Looks to be a smooth and a rusticated version with a copper accents.

David F M
David F M
2 years ago
Reply to  Kannady

I think I see a pic of the smooth version of this year’s Elf Army. I like it, but it’s a bit too much like Christmas 2019 and 2020. The army stem does look thicker. Interesting. Intriguing. I think I’ll like it. It also looks like this years Halloween might be a Dracula navy mount.

I can’t access anything more because I don’t do Facebook. Never have, never will. I’ll find out when Mark posts about them here, in due time.

Kannady
Kannady
2 years ago
Reply to  David F M

I have a FB page in case a client ever looks me up but I have never posted. I did join the Peterson group but I just lurk and read. The only thing on my page has been posted by friends and not by me. The picture on the K&P site is very deceptive. It looks like a heritage or possibly dark smooth finish with the copper accents. However, the picture covers up the top of the stem and it is unclear if it will be a fishtail or PLip. I’m sure Mark will fill us in soon enough. Where… Read more »

David F M
David F M
2 years ago
Reply to  Kannady

Per the Halloween: all I saw were the 2 photos–I cannot read anything else posted there, since I don’t have access. I noticed the 2 Dracula photos. The Dracula line doesn’t come with the red leather pipe stands. They only did that for the 2021 Halloween. Since the 05 pipe is not last year’s Halloween, but does have a Halloween stand, I thought that it might (just might) be this year’s pipe–in fishtail & navy mount. Just speculating. We’ll know soon enough.

Kannady
Kannady
2 years ago
Reply to  David F M

Oh, ok. I see it. I am not 100% sure, but I think that is the Dracula 125 anniversary release.

David F M
David F M
2 years ago
Reply to  Kannady

Elementary!

David F M
David F M
2 years ago
Reply to  Kannady

Per the 2022 Elf Army: is there such a thing as an army mount P-lip? Straightforward question. I’m no expert, but I’ve never seen one. Maybe I just never noticed.

David F M
David F M
2 years ago
Reply to  Mark Irwin

Sure enough, Mark, now that I know where to look, I see them. SPC has 1 sterling army, and it’s a Plip.

Joel Brandon
Joel Brandon
2 years ago
Reply to  David F M

Here you are, David – a link to that particular post on K&P’s facebook page
That link will take you to the post even if you have no Facebook account

Last edited 2 years ago by Joel Brandon
David F M
David F M
2 years ago
Reply to  Joel Brandon

Thank you.

Brian Heydn
Brian Heydn
2 years ago

Thank you! Looking forward to adding this to collection and building the Peterson Pipe “Pete Geek” Legacy… Cheers!

Note: I, too, am hopeful the box it comes in is as “advertised”. That will be ultra-classic! Nice work Mark!

David F M
David F M
2 years ago

So Mark, how are the numbers looking? Do you have 80 reservations yet? Can you give us an update on that?

Paul A Casillas
Paul A Casillas
2 years ago

Hello Mark

I sent a confirmation to the petegeek email address and want to be sure you received it.
Please let me know if you did not get it.

Regards, Paul Casillas

Andy McDowell
Andy McDowell
2 years ago

Looks good. Confirmation email sent!

David F M
David F M
2 years ago

There is an internet rumor that anyone who buys one of these inaugural PPN commemorative pipes from SPC will receive, gratis, a sterling pipe tamper cast as a bust of Mark Irwin smoking a D18 tapered stem.

I read that on the internet, so it must be true.

John Schantz
John Schantz
1 year ago
Reply to  David F M

Hey, the new thinking man tamper!!!
Maybe I will have to get one.

Neil B
Neil B
2 years ago

Fantastic. Love the Oom Paul shape (Probably my Boer ancestry on mum’s side)

I have a few…… the Founders Edition is a wonderful pipe! So yes, I’m up for this – absolutely!
Now I have to get my beard as long as Oom Paul’s was.

Paul Combs
Paul Combs
2 years ago

It’s a great looking pipe Mark, I hope I have the good luck to benefit from being on the Alternate list! I do notice that the P-Lip on this pipe has that ’rounded-over’ effect on the top of the button that I have seen on some newer pipes (but not all – for example POY 2022 does not have this), rather than the straight up 90ish-degree cut as in the catalog. Can you share any insights on this subtle difference?

Paul Combs
Paul Combs
2 years ago
Reply to  Mark Irwin

Thank you Mark – very instructive! The FE Blog was helpful, and I actually have an FE stashed away that I just gave a good looking over. I also have a couple of later-model System 31’s and by golly that change certainly did accompany the acrylic stems, although some made a better effort than others on the shaping and vertical cut. Good call on the CPG pipe.