Stephen Downie explains how to make classy smoking pipes

 

SPP: To get this interview started, please describe your pipes with one word.

Eclectic

SPP : A very classic question : How did you start the pipe making

I started by making tampers in my spare time. At one point I worked in the film industry in Vancouver as a PA. Being a PA means that you quite often have jobs like watching the crew cars in parking lots to make sure they aren't broken in to or making sure that people aren't walking off the street onto the set. Really exciting things like that. Having something to do to break the monotony is a necessity. I used to bring bits of wood to work and make tampers.

I just finished working on the cinematic masterpiece that was “Catwoman,” and there was a lull in work. My wife and I had a baby on the way, and being on set usually meant a lot of 15-18 hour days. Decent pay, but not really a family-friendly sort of thing. So, I decided to give pipe making a full-time shot.

SPP: What makes you create the unusual pipe shapes, why not the classic models?

Gaaah! Alright. First off, I need to say that I love classic shapes. There is a balance and flow to them that can be gorgeous. I like smoking them and I like making them. I like an em a bunch.

I think I'm known as the weird pipe guy because I like making weird pipes too. Furthermore, I'm a bit of a Geek and when someone asks me to make a Lovecraftian Horror or a Steampunk Spider or a sonic screwdriver, I jump at the chance. I don't think there are all that many other pipe makers who would be willing to take on a pipe based on Cthulhu or Quetzalcoatl, so I've become the go-to guy for unconventional pipes.

SPP :We all have heard very good things about your pipes. Your use had wonderful creations, and how do you decide on a shape?

Do you know what shape you will be making when you see the briar blocks? 

Sometimes. There are some blocks of wood that you can look at and there really isn't any choice, it needs to be a certain shape. On the other hand, flip a Dublin over, and you have a Volcano, so some blocks give you room to be a bit more creative.

SPP: What are the other pipe brands that you smoke other than your pipes?

I really like to be able to smoke pipes from people I know. My collection isn't huge, but I love my Talberts and Rad Davis makes an absolutely awesome smoking instrument. I also have a soft spot in my heart for Stanwell pipes. I think their designs were some of the first that really tried to reach beyond conventional shapes.

SPP: What's details make a pipe a high-end pipe?

This is a tough one because pipes are a really subjective thing. What some people look for in a pipe might turn another person off completely.

What I would look for in a high-end pipe though is a list of things. A high-end pipe needs to combine a whole pile of small details to make it high end in my mind.

First off, the carver needs to pay attention to the grain. Going against the grain is an immediate fail. This counts for blasts and smooths, but not rusticated models.

The finish shouldn't have any tool marks or scratches.

The airway should be open and there should be no space at the end of the stem tenon and the face of the mortise in the shank.

The bit and button should be comfortable.

The last and perhaps one of the most difficult things is that the pipe should be balanced. There is a ratio of bowl to shank to stem that needs to be followed. This changes from pipe to pipe, but there is a symmetry that is pleasing to the eye.

SPP: What is your price range and how many pipes you carve in a year?

My pipes range anywhere from around $300 and up. Some big project pipes can take a lot of time.

SPP: Is there anything about the public image of your pipes  that you dislike? 

That's a tough one. On one hand, I love being the strange pipe guy because it's just so fun to be able to get up and make zombie dentures for the latest creation. On the other hand, I'd like to make a few more classic shapes. I like making them, and from a strictly business side of things, I make a fair bit more money making classic shapes than I do the Creature-feature pipes. If anything, I wish more people though of me when they want a billiard, not just a dragon to smoke.

SPP: Do you have a goal for your brand?

It's funny, I was thinking about this the other day. I like making many things other than pipes. Last summer I got into bow making, I've been slowly working on knife making, and I've lately started to get into fountain pens. It struck me that I might be just a tiny bit anachronistic in my interests. I've been thinking about how I might introduce more of that into the business. I can see it now: Downie Pipes, your complete Renaissance Fair supplier! Maybe not, but I'd like to expand. tıklayın.