BENGT CARLSON

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bengt Carlson is now later in his 60ies and started about 12  years ago to make pipes. He was always very interested manually and, of course,  always a pipe smoker. About the reason to try himself as a pipe maker, Bengt writes:

"The trigger was, when we intended to write an article on Bo Nordh in "Rökringar" ("Smoking Rings"). This is the magazine of the Swedish pipe club. I paid a visit to Bo for the first time* and we´ve spoken a much. When I asked him for his briar, he told me that he bought jute bags which contained about 200 blocks of briar of the highest quality. Of those he selects approximately about 50 best ones to make pipes.

I asked him "and the remaining briar?". "I burn it in my fireplace!" told Bo Nordh as if this is the most natural thing of the world.

My thoughts at this moment were, that even if Bo rejected a piece of briar at the disposal, this wood is probably of higher quality than the wood which most other pipe makers would ever have . Therefore, I bought some of these blocks from him. I think, this was in 1994 ".

* Bengt lives in Lund and Bo near Landskrona, this is a distance of approx. 20 miles only!

 

Within the first years Bengt  made only 4-5 pipes per annum, mainly for the personal use. In 1998 he became a pensioner and makes approx. 20 -30 pipes since then each year. Therefore Bengt Carlson doesn't consider himself a professional pipe maker, although his pipes are of outstanding quality. He invests the small income in material and workshop equipement. Who would like to have a Bengt-Carlson pipe shouldn't shun himself to contact Bengt directly.

The pipes of Bengt, who is an communicative and kind fellow and likes to talk about pipes, are influenced naturally by Bo Nordh, whom Bengt also describes as his strictest critic.

Pipes in an unstained, smooth finish ("Virgin") or "Golden Contrast" stained pipes are very characteristic for Bengt. He also makes rustic pipes of great beauty, but I never saw balsted pipes. Bengt itself prefers slightly bented, stouter pipes, which can be formed of the mouth easily without problems for some time.

The prices are between 250.- and 450.- Euro. This investment is worthwhile. The pipes have a perfect processing and good-natured smoking qualities. Bengt spends the summer with his family in his summer house. Far away from Internet and pipe workshop he follows his second passion: He is a golfer. Bengt is a vice-president of the Swedish pipe club. One can see more pictures of his beautiful pipe on the web-site of this club.

  Pictures by Bengt Carlson, with kind permission

 

Any copying, publication or reproduction of the papers and / or pictures published herein in printed or electronic media is strictly prohibited without the explicit written consent of these pages' owner. (c) Pipendoge, 2009

 

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