Warm up - ISS Pipe 2012

Greetings to all !.

As you already know, at the Saloon we had to create one symbol of our friendship brotherhood.

For that reason on 2011 we prepared the ISS pipe 2011 that was a really sucess.

As a goal and as all members were very happy we decide to keep with the same GOAL for this year as well.

As it was announced yesterday the pipe that will be the ISS PIPE 2012, I will comment the way we come to that decision.

We ask within the Saloon, to pipe makers, which of them wants to participate in this project.

We created a document, some pipe makers add the name and the proposal pipe and we had a tuff and hard task to elect THE ONE.

When we decide in Majority, the elected pipe maker was suppouse to be Georgi Todorov and a prototype was send for one of the members of the Saloon who had the task to test, taste and try it at any ways and circustances. :)

The Man is FRITZ SCHROTER.

He tested and comment the process,

Next words and comments are from him.

I take the opportunity to send him a great THANKs for all work he had until we finnaly decide to this pipe.

Also a Big Hug of Pure Friendship to Georgi Todorov and to all "Round Table" friends!

So, let's read about the ISS PIPE 2012 - "The CONUS" final report.

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Final report after 10 smokes and hard testing the „Conus“.

Dear friends of the “round table”!

First, you must know, that I´m usually a fan of the classic shapes and at the beginning of our discussion for the ISS pipe 2012, my vote was going more to another pipe maker.
But after the proposal, that Georgi would make a “test pipe”, it was finally me, who was “elected” to test it.

Now I want to give you my experiences:

After opening the parcel, it was a great surprise, what I could hold in my hands.
It was a really well handcrafted pipe of a new design and a system, I never saw before.

(The first photo shows the brand new pipe on my desk)

I was very

curious of course and took apart the whole pieces. Now I understood the system!
(Second photo)

But I wondered what function the little metal button on the opposite side of the mouthpiece had? I took it away, also the mouthpiece – and now it was clear! You can use this pipe in a changeable shape (Photo 3)

In my opinion, that´s a very nice idea of Georgi and the little chain protects from loosing this button and it looks very nice, too J

Well, after analyzing, it was time for the first smoke!

Even though, it was my part, to test this pipe hard, I wanted to treat it right and as all my new pipes I smoked the first bowls very slowly and with a neutral Virginia Mixture.

Already during the first bowl, I ´ve found a very dry and cool smoke! The taste was good, too, but this fact I wanted to vote after some more bowls, because first the coal layer has to increase

After some bowls with the VA Mixture, I wanted to test, whether the pipe will keep “dry”, when smoking a flake tobacco, of whom I know, that it makes a lot of condensate.
The result was the same – an absolute dry smoke - and where the condensate stays, you can see on photo N° 4.

All moisture collects in the concave bottom!

At this point I want to tell you my doubts, that the Calabash System could have a problem, with getting a bad taste time by time, because the condensate collects in the cooling chamber.

Dear friends, in this case and to provoke it, I treated the pipe during 5 bowls very bad (with full intention!) and let it on the table without cleaning it until the next smoke.

Before the next smoke I took apart the pipe, wiped the bottom cap and the cooling chamber with a kitchen paper with alcohol – and the result: No bad taste and absolute clean!
BTW:  This is the easiest “clean up pipe” I know until now!
See Photo N°5

Well, the “facts” were tested and finally I want to know, whether the “Conus” will stand the comparison with my best briar or Meerschaum pipes and filled it for 9^th and 10^th bowl with MOB N° 43, which I like very much and which has an incredible fine taste.
Result: The “Conus” stand it and the taste was as good as in my favourite pipes!

Well dear friends, what will finally be my vote?

In my opinion, the “Conus” is a very well handycrafted pipe, with a well thought out “system” and will bring a good, cool and dry smoke and I´ve found absolutely no fault during the ten smokes.

At last the shape?

The shape is always a thing of personal taste and nevertheless I will remain faithfully to the classic shapes, I find the shape of the “Conus” very unique (especially the possibility to change it) and during the last weeks I began to love it J

Now it´s your turn to vote yes or no ?

Please comment and give your vote!
Best regards
Fritz

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Well these were the words of a great friend Fritz who express a "pure and clear" explanation about the tests he made.
We all had give opinions, and the decision were taken,
It's Official , "The CONUS" from Georgi Todorov it wil be the ISS PIPE 2012