(24 Oct 2020) LEAD IN
A 78 year old from Ukraine is the country's oldest pipe maker.
Although his pipes are smoked all around the world, the Pipe Club in his home city of Lviv has his most loyal fans.
STORY-LINE:
At 78 Zenon Palchevsky is the oldest pipe maker in Ukraine. He inherited the craft from his grandfather who died in 1941 and left him his tools and even samples of wood.
Palchevsky's handmade wooden smoking pipes are very popular. But he says he's more interested in producing a pipe which works well than one which looks stylish:
"Some people use pipes to show off. But for me it's a tool for smoking," says Palchevsky.
"The main thing for me is its engineering, so that it pulls well, so that moisture does not collect there, this is the main thing for me. And not the shape."
He uses cherry and pear wood amongst others for his works and gets inspiration for new designs from his surroundings such as nature:
"My wife planted flowers in the garden and there was a tulip. I looked at the tulip and said what a beautiful model of a (pipe) cup," he says.
Since all of Palchevsky's pipes are handmade you won't find an identical one. He produces around 70 to 80 pipes a year and each is thought out down to the smallest detail.
Palchevsky's pipes are smoked all around the world, but some of the most loyal buyers of his works are the members of Lviv Pipe Club.
Lviv Pipe Club is the oldest club in Ukraine and was established 120 years ago. Members come from many different backgrounds and professions but are united by their love of tobacco.
They gather for a pipe smoking ceremony once a week. Here members taste different tobaccos and test new pipes. They also check out the latest styles of pipe tamper.
"The tamper is used to stuff tobacco and it is also used during smoking. When you smoke, the ash is on top, and to get more oxygen you have to press," says Lviv Pipe Club member Egor Tsymbalyuk.
Members even compete at local or international tournaments. During the tournament, each participant gets a pipe, tamper, two matches and one minute for lighting the pipe. The winner is the one who smokes 3 grams of tobacco during the longest period of time.
And they all remain loyal to their local and national pipe makers:
"Factory pipes are not interesting. The work of our craftsmen, Ukrainian craftsmen is interesting because they make wonderful works. I would say their work is beyond the competition," says Lviv Pipe Club President Taras Duma.
COVID-19 restrictions have interfered with the schedule of events planned within the club. But after easing restrictions club members have now resumed their pipe smoking rituals.
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