Why Kaywoodie?
As a pipe smoker, I was introduced to vintage Kaywoodie pipes by a fellow collector. I began to collect pre-war Kaywoodie pipes. Soon thereafter I was invited to a Regional Slow Smoke Competition (give one a shot if you have not) which used new Kaywoodie pipes as the competition pipe. Like many, I was unaware that Kaywoodie pipes were still in production. I was fortunate enough to meet the current S. M. Frank President, Bill Feuerbach, and develop a friendship with him. As I discovered that the new Kaywoodie pipes were of far higher quality than the price seemed to imply, I began collecting new Kaywoodie pipes along with the pre-war pipes.
During this time, I began making handmade pipes myself, which only made me gain a further appreciation for the Kaywoodie brand, as well as the other S. M. Frank products. In trying to learn the craft, I studied under and observed multiple pipe makers. However, upon traveling to New Windsor to observe Bill, I discovered something unexpected. The experience of running a company rather than an artisan pipe shop had taught Bill to batch process, and his custom built equipment was why Kaywoodie were so fairly priced. The speed and efficiency at which Kaywoodie pipes are produced allows them to remain so low priced, but at such a high quality. I still make pipes, but having witnessed the S. M. Frank speed and skill, I bought more and more Kaywoodie pipes rather than make my own.
After many years in the Intellectual Property profession, I decided that I needed a change, and I was tired of hearing that people did not know that Kaywoodie pipes were currently produced, much less that they had stopped using a screw in tenon (which so many modern pipe smokers dislike). So I formed this company to increase awareness and availability of Kaywoodie pipes, with the idea that I will continue to add other underrepresented quality companies and their goods over time.