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"I did it my way"

Former police South African detective Johan Slabbert turned to woodwork upon retiring in 1992. Eight years later, he decided to apply his well-honed skills to pipes. Though his reasons were pragmatic, rather than adventurous, he hit an eternally searching nerve in the smoking world by initially avoiding briar and concentrating on alternative materials. Since then, the African woods he discovered for his 'Jobert' pipes have pleasantly surprised many smokers.

In a Pfeifenbox interview, Slabbert talks about his choices of material. He says that non-briars have become his favourite pipes for smoking, as well as carving.

What made you look for alternatives to briar and which woods do you use?

JS: To import briar would have been expensive - about 90 US dollars per block delivered here… which is the price of a finished pipe. After some research, I tried out Wild Olive, Lead, Mopane, Black Hookthorne and African Black (Ebony). All of these wood types were suitable for pipes, but I decided to focus on Wild Olive, Lead and Black Hookthorne, since African Black is also too expensive. I have since obtained some briar, which was supplied by a very good German friend, Lothar Winands. Like Wild Olive, it's a pleasure to work with.

Can you describe the smoking qualities of these materials, compared to briar?

JS: Well, to be short and sweet, I have a large collection of briar pipes, including two that I made myself. These pipes are now collection items and show pieces. Wild Olive, Lead and Black Hookthorne are my smoking favourites. Some tend to get a bit hot around the top of the bowl as a result of the density of the wood, but that does not pose a problem for myself or others.

What about lifespan? Will an olive wood pipe last as long as one made of briar?

JS: In my opinion, Wild Olive will last longer than briar. Again, it's the density of the wood. A Wild Olive pipe need not to be broken in. Just light up and puff until your lungs are crying for help!

You make freehands as well as standard shapes, meaning that you work with the grain of the material. Is there a big difference between carving with tight grained briar and the looser patterns in olive wood?

JS: It is a pleasure working with both briar and Wild Olive. I can read the flow of the grain beforehand and decide on a shape to fit the grain. There is no big difference between the two - one can work 'magic' with both types of wood.

How about flaws? Briar is notorious for containing many. Does olive wood do better?

JS: Wild Olive does not have the sand pits that briar has. Sometimes small knots are visible, but to me that's just 'character'. Another problem with Wild Olive are hairline cracks. Pipes with this kind of flaw are waste-bin jobs - though I sometimes repair them and donate them to the needy. I now use a special method to prevent such cracks developing after the pipe has been smoked for a while. This method seems to work, but all my Wild Olive pipes have a guaranty and will be replaced free of charge if any hairline cracks develop.

You are the best known South African pipe maker in the world today. Are there other promising carvers in your country?

JS: Best known South African pipe maker? Well, I don't know about that. There are two other pipe carvers. One is Ebenhart Botha from Calitzdorp in the Karoo region. He was the only pipe maker until I entered the scene. Then there's my 'protégé' and friend, Leon du Preez, who is a very promising artisan.

If you had the choice of spending six weeks working with any carver in the world, who would you select and why?

JS: All pipe carvers are artists, so without detracting from others' performance, I'll say this: If I had the honour to work with a carver, it would be Rolando Negoita. He is a master and his pipes are out of the ordinary. I like to do something unusual myself. When some of my friends query me on certain shapes, I answer with Frank Sinatra, ole Blues Eyes: "I Did It My Way."

You can see Johan's pipes here:http://www.jobertpipes.co.za/

(December 2, 2003)

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