A Tamper Obsession

There is a vine which grows from the deepest internal interests of a mans soul. This vine engulfs the man, twisting and turning around his very being. The vine is fruit bearing, be it a healthy obsession, the vine bears good fruit, and unhealthy one bears its more evil counterpart. I have many an obsession. Long entangled by the mysteries of travel, adventure, far away lands, exotic peoples, unusual customs, and unique artistry. My dreams have always been filled with remote islands, pirates, jungles, and the wild.

I hold a simple doctrine, design what you love, utilize the absolute best materials, and seek out the finest talent to reach the prize.

I love pipe tampers, just as much as I love pipes. The tamper is a peculiar tool in the smokers arsenal, an essential little item that usually goes unnoticed. It has always been my notion that the tamper could, and should be loved and adored as much as the pipe itself. Its faithful companionship to the pipe lends it to the conversation, be it social, or the solace of personal ritual. The tamper is a character in the story, a timepiece, to which ages gracefully along side the pipe, along side the man.

For years I used a 50 cent, nickel plated tamper, that can be purchased from a bucket at any pipe shop. It did the job, was purely functional, and was often neglected. It shared no common interest with my collection, it was a simple servant. One day I discovered the joy of holding a tamper that held the stories and mysterious as great as some of my fine pipes. The unlocking of those stories are drawn up in those magical moments of the pipe smoking ritual, the contemplative practice of deep wonderment that comes from enjoying your favorite pipe, and favorite blend of tobacco. There is a third partner to which I have welcomed into and along side the pipe and blend, a delectable luxurious tamper, which is held and loved during the entire ritual. As the years turn, the pipe ages, the tamper ages, the man ages. It takes on a new character, the smoke and oils dig deep into the grain of the bone and settle there. From vine to old wine, the finest things in life only get better with age.

Today, I find great joy in holding a tamper that is as fine as the pipe I am smoking. They compliment each other, they are conversational, they envelope the whole experience. Today my tampers take an honored seat within my pipe cabinet, they stand brilliant along side the most cherished of my pipes. The very process of tamper and pipe selection has become a endearing moment for any pipe smoke. Pipe, tobacco, tamper…this is the pipe smokers trinity. This is ancient living.

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Ryan James is a Bali based silver designer with a passion for pipe smoking and collecting. He makes a limited number of pipe tampers annually from some of the rarest materials on earth. His work can be seen at ryanjamessilver.com

ryanjamesjewelry@yahoo.com

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