Saturday at the Hut - 4/20/13

Saturday at The Tobacco Hut was marked by my new pipe's inaugural smoke. I purchased a monster of a pipe from David Jones, a master carver and true artist located in Texas. He's noted for shaping large chunks of wood and for aging his briar more than 15 years. His craftsmanship is evident and the smoking quality of his pipes are outstanding. I owned two of his already and when I saw this one his eBay shop, I just had to have it.

My new David Jones pipe (click to enlarge).

I filled the bowl with some of McClelland's Wilderness tobacco, and kept filling! It's a gigantic bowl surrounded by so much briar that I barely felt the heat. The pipe measures 6-1/2" long and the bowl stands a full 2" high and about the same in diameter. For all the wood, it's surprisingly light, although I definitely won't be clenching it between my teeth.

The pipe provided an excellent, cool, dry smoke. It's definitely an all-day pipe: I fired it up around 9:15 and dumped the last bit of ash out around 2:30. But what a smoke! It's definitely in the rotation. Of course, Paula objected just a bit when I announced that I needed a new pipe. "You have so many, plus they all look the same!" I explained that she had so many shoes and they all looked the same too. Then I ducked.

Apparently last week, Joe's son James made a rare appearance at The Hut. From what the other guys told me, I pulled in about thirty seconds after they had left. Thank you Joe and James for letting me know you were going to be there. I guess I'll have to wait another several years before I see James again. I think the last time I saw him he was still drying vodka out of his ear after swimming across a retention pond. This week Joe was attending some family function out of town, but hopefully he'll be at the shop this coming Saturday.

Today's attendance included Pete and myself, of course, and Rob, Paul, Lou, Ed F, and Aaron. Something interesting came to light as one of the aforementioned regulars came in and stocked up on cigars. I won't mention names, but while another regular has been away this particular person has been raiding his neighbor's humidor. Now I don't know any details, and far be it from me to engage in gossip or throw anyone under the proverbial bus, but I just thought it shouldn't go unmentioned.

There have been quite a few entries in the Name The New Tobacco Contest. Whoever wins gets a free pound of their favorite tobacco (or the equivalent value in other merchandise - $62 worth). The winner will be announced at, appropriately enough...Pipe Night! That's right, as mentioned in this space in the last blog post, The Tobacco Hut introduces its first Pipe Night.

Pipe Night will be held Friday, May 3rd, from 6-8 PM at the store. Pete will provide food and beverage, and there will be discounts on selected pipes, plus buy one/get one on tobacco up to 4 ounces. And, as always, you can fill up your pipe with a new tobacco to give it a try. And the best part, everyone who walks in receives a raffle ticket for a chance to win a $50 store gift card! Even if you're not a pipe smoker, you can still show up and have fun!

And if you're reading this Tom L, I've converted another one! That's right, Rob has gone from cigars to pipes! And they keep coming! Jimmy is a newcomer who has been in a couple times now. Pete and I helped him pick out his first pipe last week and he came back to try some other tobaccos this week. Hopefully we'll see more of him in the future. See, it's my diabolical plan to convert everyone to pipes. You're next Tom!

Speaking of upcoming events, Pete is looking at holding the official Grand Re-Opening the third week in May, so probably Saturday, May 18th. More details to come on that, but hold that date and plan to attend. It promises to be quite the blow-out!

If you haven't already, please surf on over to The Tobacco Hut's Facebook page and click "Like". The community of Tobacco Hut fans is growing and there's always something brewing there, like exclusive weekly Facebook specials.

See you next time!

Saturday at the Hut - 6/4/11

A few of the regulars were missing today at The Tobacco Hut. Joe K told us in advance that he wasn't going to make it and Scott R is stomping around the bayous of Louisiana, taking the scenic route to New York. I don't know the whereabouts of anybody else, but Peter G showed up as promised. 


Peter was close to never showing up again as he had a harrowing car accident a couple days ago. He was on I-75 coming home from work on Thursday when someone cut him off, causing him to swerve off the road. After a couple barrel rolls, he ended up on his roof but - thank you Jesus!* - he was okay. Just a couple minor cuts on his arm. Glad he's still among us and not one of Tom Dobies' customers just yet. *The "thank you Jesus" line was for you, Joe!


Peter and I had a good conversation about marketing, advertising, and the wholesale food business. Peter's back in the industry that he knows inside and out and just a few weeks from being cut loose from the training program. As a former restaurant owner and food service account executive, Peter's knowledge of restaurant operations, marketing, and food service in general is impressive. More importantly, you can tell he's passionate about the business. 


Today found me smoking a David Jones rusticated Canadian. From the first light of the Tinder Box Reserve 1928 to finally dumping out the fine gray ash, it was an incredible smoke. I've raved about this tobacco before, but I continue to enjoy it. I was getting a little low on it, so recently purchased a replacement can from my former manager, Mike Spicer, at the Tinder Box in Dublin, Ohio. 


A few weeks ago I decided to start properly storing the half-opened tins of various tobaccos I had laying around. I went to Ace Hardware and purchased a dozen 4-oz. Mason jars. Once home, I carefully poured the contents of each tobacco tin into a jar. Some of the tobaccos were a little dry, so I filled a humistat with water and placed it in with the tobacco. Put the lids on and screwed them on tightly. I should have done this a long time ago, because all my tobaccos are now fresh and don't dry out as they did with just a plastic lid on the original tin.


Lou reports that several of his cigar vendors have supplied him with prizes to raffle off at the Father's Day celebration on Saturday, June 18th. The party starts at 1 PM and will feature food, beverage, and the aforementioned prizes. There will also be a wet t-shirt contest. Okay, I made that last part up. But mark the date and make sure to tell a friend. Hope to see lots of people there!

Paper Bead Bracelet
crafted by Paula
(Click to enlarge)

Time for a shameless plug...as many of you know, my wife Paula makes jewelry in her spare time. She has recently discovered a unique kind of bead, made of paper from recycled magazines by women in Uganda. The beads are imported by a company out of Colorado and made available to beaders throughout the U.S. Each bead is different and Paula has started making bracelets out of the beads. The women who make the beads have raised themselves out of abject poverty through the sale of their beads, and Paula has sold quite a few so far. They're only $5 apiece, and if you're interested in one, just let me know, and I can bring it next week to the Hut.


One more shameless plug, if you're a small business owner interested in maximizing your marketing efforts, surf on over to a blog I've started recently titled Bullseye Marketing Tips. Its mission is to provide marketing tips and strategies especially for small businesses. Take a look and let me know what you think!


Thank you!
 - Bob

Saturday at the Hut - 12/4/10

Last week at The Tobacco Hut saw a lot of political discussion, sometimes a bit more heated than usual. So in the spirit of friendship, I brought a peace offering to Joe K. I presented him with a much-coveted coffee mug sporting the name of my favorite NPR program, All Things Considered. I'm quite sure that "liberal" portions of coffee would taste much better coming from an NPR mug rather than a backward-looking, bitter conservative cup.


I returned again to Lou's Baker Street tobacco, this time in a David Jones Canadian sandblast. I've had problems before with this pipe smoking a little wet sometimes, but I think this was the first time I had tried Baker Street in it, and it wasn't wet at all. It was a very pleasant, cool and dry smoke, and burnt completely down to a fine gray ash. This Canadian is one of two David Jones pipes I have, both obtained on the recommendation of my old manager at The Tinder Box. I've never met a more knowledgeable pipe guy in my life, and am glad to say that we are still in touch many years after I worked for him.


In addition to Joe, Peter and Adrian were in attendance. We talked a little politics, but not nearly to the extent of last week, and with scarcely the same ferocity. We watched some little college football team beat up another on TV, something called the University of Central Florida. I guess Joe's son James called in long distance demanding that we switch the channel. Lou was in an accommodating mood, so instead of the ice dancing we were all set to watch, we watched James' alma mater. Sigh...

Click to enlarge

My wife and I celebrated my birthday this weekend and she was kind enough to give me a new camera as a gift. It is a compact Canon PowerShot SX30IS with an amazing 35x zoom lens. It also shoots HD video and will be perfect for our upcoming cruise in January. She bought it at Pasco Camera as we always try to buy local. Jim and Annette Smetzer opened Pasco Camera Exchange fifteen years ago and if you're looking for anything photography related, check with them first. They have a large inventory of cameras, from point & shoots to dSLR's, and tons of accessories. I also used them to have some old 8mm movies converted to video and they did a wonderful job. At right is one of the first shots I took with the camera. For those of you who are into photography, here's the exposure info: 1/100 sec, f/4.0, ISO 80, evaluative metering. I was really impressed with the dynamic range of the camera, holding a lot of detail in both light and dark areas. I'll post some more pictures in the weeks to come.

Speaking of shopping local, Christmas is right around the corner and if you're looking for some great gift ideas, check out my online t-shirt shop. I realize that sounds like a contradiction, but I've been using a "print-on-demand" outfit called CafePress for several years now to sell my graphic designs. Here's the link to my shop, The Erudite Outlet. There's t-shirts for the cigar and pipe lover, and lots of other designs as well, plus coffee mugs and other fun stuff.


Finally, Adrian and I will be having a meeting of the minds next Saturday over the chessboard. He is an avid player as am I and we've talked a few times about playing, and we have decided to do battle at last. I don't think I've ever smoked a pipe and played chess at the same time, but it seems like a natural combination and maybe it will intimidate my opponent into thinking I'm smarter than I actually am!


Until next week...
 - Bob

Saturday at the Hut - 9/11/10

Today at The Tobacco Hut I brought one of my David Jones handmade creations, a dark tan colored sandblasted billiard that always smokes nice and cool. I loaded it up with Tinder Box Reserve 1928 and settled in for a relaxing afternoon of pure tobacco delight.

Lou and I were joined late in the day by Barry and Steve. Steve and I discussed finishing up the website I'm re-designing for him. Shouldn't be long 'til it's ready to go - I'll make sure to announce it here when it's live. In case nobody was aware, Steve owns his own landscaping business, S&B Lawn Care. In the spring, Steve and his crew did a fantastic makeover of our front and back yard, installing new sod, plants, and hardscaping. We've had numerous comments from neighbors about the resulting transformation. Thanks Steve!

Joe took the week off as he had a dental procedure done a couple days ago and the dentist advised against smoking for a few days. Having had a tooth pulled several weeks ago, I can understand why he decided to skip this Saturday. Peter was AWOL, but he was probably DJ'ing at the local Greek radio station, or doing a live remote from Tarpon Springs or something. Now that he's back on the air, we'll probably never see the guy anymore.

Barry paid a visit, and he came bearing gifts. Well, a gift. For me. He had traveled to Ohio recently and picked up an Ohio State cap for me. His timing was perfect as he entered the store right at the opening kick-off between Ohio State and Miami. I immediately put on the hat and I'm sure it brought the Buckeyes good luck as they went on to beat the Hurricanes (no real surprise, of course, as OSU was ranked #2). Thanks for the hat, Barry. I appreciate it!

A shout-out to Scott who's on his way to upstate New York for a high-school reunion. Safe travels, my friend. Also, speaking of the Empire State, we're expecting a visit soon from New York Vic who recently sold his house and moved to the Bradenton area. I guess we can't call him "New York Vic" any longer. Barry said he called him "Cracker" as he's now a Florida resident. I think I'll just call him "Vic."

Until next week!

 - Bob

Larrysson Pipes

Now that I've freed up some room in my office, I can add to my pipe collection (see previous post). I only buy two to four new pipes a year (probably two to four too many for my wife), but I've found a pipe carver who has definitely made it to the top of my short list.

I was reading through some posts on Smokers Forums and came across member Paul Hubartt's name and his pipe carving business, Larrysson Pipes, based in Cornwall, England. I clicked on his link and discovered some fantastic looking pipes, at very reasonable prices.

It's very apparent in the photos how much care, craftsmanship and pride goes into Paul's work. His philosophy on his work, taken from his website, describes it best:

I believe in using top quality materials, and putting those materials together with precision and care, creating a high quality smoking instrument. The aesthetics of a pipe are equally important. A pipe should have grace, balance and flow, with wonderful tactile feel and a comfortable mouthpiece. The finish and color, whether smooth, rusticated or sandblasted, should visually stimulate and please its owner. All of these qualities I strive to realize in every Larrysson Pipe.

I haven't really delved into artisan pipe carvers, sticking mostly with brands like Peterson, Ascorti, Crown, etc. I do have two pipes from American pipe carver, David Jones, and I would like to explore further the smaller maker who puts out a small number of pipes each year. With prices from $175 to $300, Larrysson Pipes look to be an oustanding value, and I'm looking forward to adding one to my collection soon.

Cheers!
- Bob

Saturday at the Hut - 2/28/09

We had another great gathering at The Tobacco Hut today. In attendance today were Lou (of course), Joe K, Peter G, Barry C, Paul V, and myself as well as friends we haven't seen in awhile like Scott R and Darryl G.

Cigars were fired up and the discussion turned to, well, proctology. Okay, enough said.

Lou did want to clarify that he now is a firm believer that his mobile phone is a cell phone and not a satellite phone. Just had to get that out of the way.

While I enjoyed my David Jones rough finish billiard with a bowl of Tinder Box Reserve 1928, Scott R and I talked a little about how to avoid tongue bite when smoking a pipe - it's all in the packing and "sipping" the smoke from the pipe. If it's smoked fast, it builds up heat and moisture which causes the stinging sensation on the tongue. I also gave Scott a sample of the Reserve 1928, which is a delightfully mild aromatic tobacco with a nice room note. Good luck with it Scott!

While Scott was still there we also talked a little about trap shooting, where he and Paul had just come from. I'm admittedly a newbie when it comes to guns, but one of these days I'll take them up on their invitation to go out to the Silver Dollar Gun Club in Odessa and try my hand at it. I am pretty good at the Wii version!

The afternoon wouldn't be complete without the Peter/Barry sports rivalry emerging. Paul joined the fray as well with his disdain for "America's Team", the Dallas Cowboys, of which Barry is a fan in the truest sense of the word (fan being short for fanatic). As Peter pointed out, it is puzzling why Barry wasn't a fan of the Jets, Giants, or Bills since he was born and raised in upstate New York. But Barry's loyalty to his team doesn't waver, nor does Peter's for his beloved Patriots and Red Sox.

Paul and I got into a spirited yet friendly political debate. He and I are probably at completely opposite ends of the political spectrum. Paul is close to become a libertarian, and I'm more of an NPR-loving, tree-hugging, godless Commie liberal. Paul does make some interesting points, especially about the Federal Reserve its history. He recommended a book which I've forgotten the title to, but maybe he'll leave a comment on the blog with the title, as it sounds like a fascinating read.

The beauty of the Hut is that it brings people together with a common interest, and as Lou likes to say we sit around solving the world's problems and maybe create a few more along the way. But I wouldn't have it any other way.

I'm certainly not looking to convert people to my way of thinking, but I wouldn't mind if more people took up the pipe!

Based on a comment left on the last posting, it looks like Joe's son James K will be coming into town. Hopefully he'll make at least a brief stop at the Hut so we can tell him what we really think of him!

Until next time - cheers!

- Bob

P.S. Comments are now available. Operator error (that would be me) was responsible for only allowing comments from people who had established accounts. Now they're available to anyone - just click on Anonymous in the profile list.

The Canadian

As far as pipe shapes go, the Canadian has long been one of my favorites. Characterized by its long, straight shank and short stem, the Canadian provides a dry, cool smoke. Why? Well, the smoke passes through a lot more briar before it reaches the mouth compared to other pipes. Consequently, more of the heat and moisture is absorbed by the pipe offering, at least in my opinion, a very satisfying smoking experience.

Where does the name come from? Ah, now the mystery of it. I have no earthly idea why pipes of this particular shape are called Canadian. The names of many other shapes often describe loosely what the pipe looks like, e.g. apple, volcano, brandy glass, etc. But why Canadian? If any reader can supply an answer, I would be most grateful.

I have several Canadians in my collection, my favorite probably bein an Ascorti I picked up years ago when I worked at a Tinder Box. I also have a Ser Jacopo, a David Jones, and a Bjarne. I prefer straight pipes in general, so to me the Canadian is kind of the "ultimate" straight pipe. Beyond the quality of the smoke, maybe I like the image it projects. To me, it has a bit of a nostalgic look to it, a throwback to the 1940s.

I like the shape so much, I designed a t-shirt promoting it available at The Erudite Outlet (see photo above). I tried to attract Canadian pipe smokers as well as...Canadian pipe smokers. In other words, those of us who smoke Canadian pipes, and Canadians who smoke pipes. Time will tell if my little pun is a selling point!

Cheers!
- Bob

Saturday at the Hut - 1/17/09

Well. Today was a strange day at the Tobacco Hut, as evidenced by the picture that accompanies this post. What does the "Lollipop Guild" have to do with enjoying a good pipe and cigar? Nothing, until I walked into the Hut this afternoon. See, I'm used to showing up around 12:30 or so every Saturday, opening the door and seeing Lou in his throne - I mean chair - with a cigar firmly clenched between his teeth, smoke streaming from the foot, filling the room with the aroma of a quality cigar.

But today I walked in and Lou had some strange white stick hanging out of his mouth. I did the proverbial double-take and, with shaky hand, pointed to it and asked, "What the heck is that?" Lou proceeded to take a lollipop out of his mouth and said, "It's See's Candy, what else?"

Now I've been coming into the Tobacco Hut for about twelve years, and I've never seen anything but a good old fashioned cigar, or the occasional pipe, hanging out of Lou's mouth. Was Lou giving them up for Lent? Was it even Lent? Did he lose a bet? Where was the real Lou? Lou explained that his wife and daughter had gone to the mall and brought him back some See's, that was all.

Well I didn't like it, so as soon as he was done with it, he lit up a Padron 1964, the old Lou was back, and all was right with the universe again.

Joe and Peter were there today, each enjoying a cigar, and Paul V came in later. Sue Ann arrived later in the afternoon and I proudly showed her my new Cavicchi pipe (see earlier posts).

I smoked a bowl of Tinder Box Reserve 1928 in it and it was as good as the first pipeful I smoked a couple weeks ago, reducing the tobacco to a fine gray ash and requiring few relights. I continue to be impressed by this pipe and how, like any good pipe, it doesn't interfere with the taste of the tobacco at all. It just gets out of the way and lets me enjoy the full bowl of tobacco, absorbing the moisture and heat very nicely.

Not sure what I'll be smoking next week, but I might go to one of my favorite straight pipes, a David Jones billiard.

Cheers!
- Bob