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After finishing “Hauptschule”, he visited the vocational school for wood and stone sculpturing in Innsbruck (“Fachschule für Holz und Steinbildhauerei in Innsbruck”) for 4 years, where he graduated with a journeyman’s certificate.
2 years experience in the parental enterprise
1985 he passed the examination for the master craftsman's diploma as a wood and stone sculptor, and took over his father’s position as a pipe maker
Since 1985: enthusiastic and self-employed pipe designer
Married, 3 children, 1 dog, about 5 guitars
Hobbies: his wife, his children, pipe making, pipe smoking, playing the guitar, and his dog… roughly in this order.
Ludwig Lorenz Freehand Pyramid
Sitting back, pondering, smelling his favourite tobacco, and relaxing.
Ludwig Lorenz Freehand Cocoon
From an early age on, Ludwig Lorenz was surrounded by briar wood, ebonite, and acrylic. One of his most memorable childhood memories is blending tobacco for his father. Now, Ludwig Lorenz is the third generation of his family to work as a pipe maker.
Because pipe making is no apprenticed trade, he refined his creative talent during his education as a sculptor. After graduation, Ludwig Lorenz immediately used his knowledge to design modern pipes in the enterprise of his father. He was the one who lovingly and patiently showed him the technical tricks that are needed to produce an aesthetic pipe – a practical knowledge acquired through many years of experience.
Ludwig Lorenz Freehand A
Ludwig Lorenz is grateful to his father for unconditionally supporting his creative ambitions and thus providing the opportunity to push the limits in the field of pipe design.
He not only wants his unique pipes to be great companions for the leisure smoking hours of his customers, but they should also mirror each customer’s personality. Each pipe smoker chooses a singular pipe, and Ludwig Lorenz hopes to inspire each suitor with the special style of the pipes from his workshop.
Grading
Up to 300 handmade and unique pipes are sold per year through specialized stores, mainly in Austria and Germany. Because Ludwig Lorenz custom makes pipes for many of his customers, he is considered an all-round talent.
Of course, only the best raw materials are used. Briar wood, mainly from Italy and Greece, becomes a unique pipe in the course of about thirty skillfully executed production steps from the layout to the finish. He uses bands made of silver, gold, horn, wood, and many other materials. The mouthpieces are handcut from acrylic or ebonite, and available in either filter or non-filter versions – everything according to the customer’s requirements.
By using a grading system with five categories precious handmade uniques can be had at very reasonable prices, because it is not the absence of putty alone which is a decisive factor for the beauty of a pipe: shape and smoking capabilities are just as important.
Ludwig Lorenz pipes are stamped „Lorenz Innsbruck“ Then „Freehand“, and the grading of the pipe as follows:
D= arbitrary grain with little putty fills
C= arbitrary grain without putty fills
B= selected grain (straight or bird’s eyes) with small sand pits/entrapments
A= selected grain without putty fills
AA = very rare
Specialized stores are without exception supplied with putty-free pipes (grade A), which come in a wooden box (object pipes) or in a synthetic leather pouch (smaller free-standing pipes).
The pipes come with a six months guarantee against defects from either the production or the material itself. Thus, the customer is assured that his dream pipe is of high quality and great workmanship.
