Craft Piper interview with Frank Johnson of Thunder Pipes USA.

Craft Piper: Tell us a little about yourself…
Johnson: I am a proud father to some wonderful kids and husband to a supportive and loving wife. I have been known to smoke a pipe or five daily and love working with my hands. That is how I got into pipe crafting since those 2 hobbies are my favorite 🙂

Q: What got you interested in the pipe making hobby?
A: Since I have always loved making things out of wood, and since I love my pipes…. I found crafting pipes at home was right up my alley.

Q: How long have you been making pipes?
A: I have been making pipes for about a year, so I am relatively new to the craft.

Q: Do you have a favorite shape or “style” that you really enjoy making?
A: My favorite shape of pipe to make has got to be the cherrywood poker shape.

Q: Where did you learn to make pipes? Did you have a mentor? Youtube, Google, etc.?
A: When I first was interested in the craft, Sean Reum of Reum Pipes really took me under his wing and layed out the materials and tools I would need to get going. Learning the craft is more practice and finding your way as yougo kind of thing. Every now and then I will have a question and Sean will be there with an answer. :). Another pipe carver by the name of Dustin Franc has been a tremendous help and mentor as well. They both make wonderful pipes and have the patience to help a new crafter get his bearings. They rock! Check them out on Facebook.

Q: Assuming you smoke a pipe..what is your favorite pipe(s) to smoke? Why?
A: I really can’t say I have a favorite pipe. I know what smokes best out of the pipes I have and that’s how I choose the pipe or pipes I will smoke… by the baccy 🙂

Q: Favorite type of briar/cobb to use? Why?
A: All of my cobs are Missouri Meerschaum, I like the way they smoke. I have pipes made from Grecian briar, Algerian briar, and Italian briar. They all work for me.

Q: How did you get into pipe smoking?
A: I honestly don’t remember who smoked a pipe when I was in my youth but The prospect of smoking a pipe always appealed to me and so one day I took the plunge and have been staying smoky ever since.

Q: What investment(s), if any, have you made in equipment, materials, etc.
A: I have invested over 3000 in equipment and tools to craft pipes

Q: What are your favorite tobaccos at the moment? Which brands, blends?
A: I am really digging anything with burley at the moment. When I smoke while I work, I tend to puff and puff and the burley smokes cooler than Virginia. However if I have time to relax…. VaPer all the way.

Q: What’s the most frustrating thing about making a pipe?
A: The most frustrating thing in making a pipe is finding blemishes, sand pits, or cracks inside the bowl chamber. I will not sell a pipe that contains those things as I want to put out a good long lasting product. So the blocks go to waste or I will make a “shop pipe” out of it to get beat up around the shop. The frustrating part is spending so much time on a block to find an issue and have to start over.

Q: What do you want your customers or potential customers to know about your work that you don’t always get to tell them?
A: I put 100% of myself into making a tobacco pipe that smokes great above anything else. I do not want to make something that just looks good and sits on a shelf. My pipes are my legacy and it is humbling to know they will be around long after I’m gone.

Q: Do you have any particular ritual when you’re working? Music, bourbon..TV??
A: When I’m carving pipes I have to have my music… I listen to anything from bluegrass to metal 🙂

Q: How do you market your pipes? Social media, pipe shows, friends, etc.?
A: Currently Facebook and MeWe are my only sources for marketing my pipes

Q: What are your future plans for the pipe making hobby? Get big? Just a hobby?
A: My Long term plan for pipe carving is to do it until I can’t.

Q: What do you want us to know that we havent asked?
A: Although the majority of my business is when I am commissioned to make a custom pipe for a client. I started out by just making a pipe and putting it out as available. That is still my favorite thing to do. It is exciting to put a pipe out there and see if anyone likes what I have decided to make from my own imagination.