One of the original American pipe-carvers , whose influences tend to lean toward the Italian schools rather than the Danish and Japanese, Mark Tinsky's fascination with pipes began in high school. Soon afterward, he and childhood friend Curt Rollar started working in a pipe factory, toured continental Europe and, after some time trying to break into the American market, finally started the "American Smoking Pipe Co" in 1980.

Mark Tinsky lives in Montana where he enjoys fly fishing (which is how he and Rad Davis met). His pipes come in a variety of shapes and finishes, though mainly follow classic forms. His finishing ranges from rusticated, sandblasted, to smooth-polished, with many having a combination of finishes while sporting acrylic stems and a variety of accent materials. Mark was also one of the first domestic pipe makers to grade his pipes.