Artisan Showcase #6 –– Jason Patrick
TPLHistory
Enthusiast
For Jason Patrick, pipe-making is an act that can be equal parts incredibly satisfying and unbelievably frustrating. Yet, though he’s only been making pipes since 2019, he’s already on his way to becoming one of the most accomplished pipe-makers around. In fact, he recently finished his 200th pipe.
Patrick was first introduced to pipe smoking in the way that so many smokers are: through his grandfather. What’s more, as he got into the hobby, pipe-smoking became a more attractive alternative to cigars for a number of reasons––it was generally cheaper and produced a more pleasant room note, for starters.
In addition to making pipes, Patrick is a father of 6 and a pastor at a small church in the Chicagoland area. He says he’s still developing his pipe-making style, and that it took him a long time to earn the approval of more seasoned experts in the field. While he started focusing mostly on billiards to hone his skills and learn the craft, he’s shifted to making more Lovats (a billiard with a longer shank) recently.
“I’ve come to really enjoy the shape even though I didn’t start out that way,” he said. “My billiards are heavily influenced by the English style. I also love the Danish style. There’s something about taking a block of briar straight to the sanding wheel to see what it reveals.”
Patrick says that he doesn’t start with a shape in mind when he begins to form a pipe, but rather he follows the grain of the pipe and adapts as he cuts away at the block.
Depending on a number of factors, Patrick can knock out a pipe in a day of solid work. He estimates that the mouthpiece can be the trickiest part of the process––taking up to half of the time he requires to form a pipe.
“Every mouthpiece that’s done correctly is pushing engineering limits. It needs to be thin behind the button so it is comfortable in the mouth, but it also needs to accommodate for maximum airflow,” he said. “That requires a lot of little detailed work. The inside of the mouthpiece needs to be smooth so that there are no areas where grit and moisture can collect. The button needs to be comfortable with no sharp edges.”
Though Patrick has come to enjoy the detailed work of crafting a mouthpiece, he still says the most enjoyable part of the work is taking a block of briar, examining the grain, and discovering the pipe within the block.
Patrick prefers smoking blends like Lane BCA––in addition to English blends and the occasional Latakia. In the end, he has a philosophical take on pipe-making.
“There’s only so much that a pipe maker can control,” he said. “In a lot of ways, that reflects life. We do our best, and we adjust to make the best of whatever comes our way.”
You can find more of Patrick’s work here: https://www.instagram.com/bitofthatpipemaking/
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