Below you will find musings from the TRG workshop regarding pipes, pipemaking, or most anything else of possible interest to brothers of the briar:

For the first post on this blog, I give you some pictures of the TRG workshop, set amid the fields and streams of the Texas prairie, where inspiration is never far at hand:

It occurred to me today that many brothers of the briar may be attracted to pipesmoking, in part, because it harks back to a simpler time, and its chief tool is a piece of wood that, if properly cared for, can be handed down from one generation to another.  I feel this way as well, so I thought I would share with you a perfect companion I have found to your favorite pipe -- listening to old time radio broadcasts.  No doubt many men were smoking pipes as they gathered around the family radio and listened to these excellent stories.  These old shows from the 40s and 50s are available today, for free, and easily downloadable to your iPod or iPhone.  To get you started, Adam Graham and Andrew Rhynes put out daily podcasts featuring, respectively, great detective shows and great western shows.  Check these out.  They are better than most television shows today, and also perfect if you have a long commute like I do.

Every pipesmoker needs to read the following link, which is to a speech made by Rick Newcombe in which he makes the point that a pipesmoker is today "a quiet revolutionary" in which our goal "is not to topple governments" but to be "left alone by those governments so we can enjoy our pipes together in peace."  An excellent statement of first principals for many of us:

I have just posted a photo essay showing at least part of the extremely labor-intensive process that goes into a TRG Handcrafted Pipe.  Check this out if you are interested:

July 1 is only four months since this website went live, but TRG Handcrafted Pipes has made amazing progress.  I am most proud of the review page.  Since I do have a real job -- and this is just a passion -- my production is not high.  Those pipes that have left the workshop and have found a home, however, have been well recieved.  Thanks to all of you, especially the SOB board of which I am a proud member. 

Just a quick thank you to my friends over at the excellent pipe forum -- www.pipechat.info.  Today they were kind enough to add a logo and link to this website at the bottom of each of their pages.  This is a great group of people who appreciate pipes, and many other of the finer things in life, and I appreciate it.  Lots of quality information.  Things are moving right along ....  

Well, it is finally time for a new blog post, the first of 2011.  2010 was an amazing opening year.  TRG pipes have been well accepted, and are being smoked around the country.  I have found some amazing customers, some of whom have also become good friends.  The final count for 2010 was 24 pipes, all of which were sold and found good homes.  I am especially pleased with the wide variety of pipes produced.  It would be easy to make the same pipe over and over again, but not much fun.  I enjoy the collaborative process, and working with the designs suggested to me.  2011 is off to a strong start.  Commissions are rolling in, I have begun ordering briar directly from the cutters, and things are going well.  Thank you to everyone!