Artisan Showcase #7 –– Joe Unruh
TPLHistory
Enthusiast
Joe Unruh has come a long way since he made his first pipe at age 17, but he still remembers it fondly. He found “an old dried-out corn cob cooking in a field on a hot summer’s day” and fashioned a “rudimentary” pipe from it. When he turned 18, he purchased his first pipe tobacco, and that simple corn cob remained a staple in his rotation for many years.
Unruh says he became fascinated with pipes at a young age, partly to exposure to pipes in pop culture. He cites Little House on the Prairie and The Lord of the Rings as particular influences.
Now, at age 26, Unruh crafts some of the most eye-catching and uniquely colored and textured pipes you’ll find anywhere. What started as a simple hobby –– making pipes for himself and his friends –– has now become a full-fledged passion.
Unruh, who lives in northern California, says that much of his style is inspired by nature. The Blowfish, for instance, is one of his favorite pipes because of its captivating shape that can seem to suggest movement or even life. Some of his most popular pipes feature a striking tree-bark style rustication. Unruh says this look was heavily inspired by the “aggressive texture of the tree bark from the cedar trees I grew up around.” In his free time, Unruh backpacks in the mountains, fishes, and has recently taken up rock climbing (he also has a penchant for parkour!). So perhaps it is no wonder his pipes possess a strong natural feel.
Furthermore, as Unruh has developed his skills as a pipe maker, he’s come to appreciate all aspects of the pipe-making process –– including tasks he used to find tedious or mundane (such as perfecting the stem). “I think all in all what I enjoy the most about pipe making is the creativity and freedom to start a pipe and make it up as I go,” he said. “Sometimes I'll start with an idea, but as I work down through the briar, the grain will inspire a different direction. To me, this is always exciting, and I love it when this change of direction ends up resulting in something better than the original idea.” All told, it can take him anywhere from 7-15 hours to complete a single pipe and sometimes even longer to tackle an intricate project.
Unruh is not just a talented pipe maker; he’s clearly a massive pipe and smoking enthusiast. He has a deep appreciation for the incredible pipe makers in the market, and he regularly smokes pipe tobacco in his personal life. Some of his favorite tobaccos include Orlik Golden Sliced and Frog Morton On the Bayou, though he still loves trying out new tobaccos and discovering high-quality blends.
You can find examples of Unruh’s work here: https://www.instagram.com/sherwoodpipes/
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