The Pipe Maker

Craftsmanship out of passion. A life for the wood.

How it all began... or the story behind OWS Pipes

Even in my early childhood, my father brought me into direct contact with craftsmanship, especially with wood, but also with art. One of the most formative moments was when he built a bunk bed for my sister and me. For him, it was never a question of buying something like that. It was natural for him to make it himself. As a young boy, I was allowed to stand beside him in a friend’s workshop and watch how rough-cut pine boards slowly became a real bed.

When it was finished, we children were proud of our father, and he was proud of what he had created. That moment left a deep impression on me. It was the first time I felt a spark inside me, the wish to make things myself and not only admire the work of others.

I still remember how a classmate once asked why my father had built the bed himself instead of just buying one. My answer was simple: “Because he can.” Looking back, this might have been one of the first small signs of the direction my own life would take, even if I didn’t realize it at the time.

My father also opened the door to art for me. His drawings of landscapes, animals, and portraits sharpened my eye, and together with my mother he encouraged me to draw as well. It fascinated me how he could bring life to paper with only a few lines, and how much joy and calmness this gave him and anyone who looked at his drawings. This feeling, that something handmade can touch another person, has shaped me strongly.

And so my own professional journey began - like my father's - as a carpenter. We both later moved into very different fields, but one thing never changed: once a carpenter, always a carpenter. With this background, it was almost inevitable that craftsmanship and art would one day find their shared place in my life.

How the Pipe Came to Be... and How OWS Pipes Began

The idea came to me when I was looking for a special birthday gift for my father. I remembered that I had wanted to make a tobacco pipe myself for a long time. So I decided to try it, keeping a small “Plan B” in mind, buying a pipe if my own attempt failed.

But it didn’t. The pipe turned out well, and from that one piece came more and more, simply because it brought me joy. I never expected that a true passion would grow from it.

With every pipe I made, I felt how everything I had learned over many years came together: my creativity, my skills, and a deep sense of calm while working. Each new pipe became a pleasant experience, a moment of focus and relaxation at the same time. And at some point, I realized that I had found my own craft, my own form of art.

From family and friends I often heard encouraging words like “Do it!” Combined with my own attitude of “If I do it, I want to do it right,” the decision eventually grew to make my pipe making official: OWS Pipes.

And I love it. The ideas still haven’t stopped coming. ;)

The name OWS Pipes is a deliberate reference to my initials - Oliver Walter Storz - and to the personal signature that each of my pipes carries.