If you are new to the pipe world, you have probably encountered some words and terms you don’t yet understand. We’re going to attempt to aid you on your journey. If this were an adventure story, we would be the wizened old hag who gives you a loaf of bread for the road, a cackle, and a warning to avoid the Ravine of Doom. You’ll walk away thinking, “Crazy old hag, I don’t even like bread, let alone ravines.” Joke’s on you, punk.
Shall we proceed? In this post we will show you examples of different pipe finishes. Rusticated, sandblasted, smooth… What does it all mean?
We’ll start with “smooth” since it’s the most popular finish, and also self-explanatory. Smooth pipes have no carving or rustication of any kind. That’s it.
Here’s where the fun starts: Rusticated, rough finishes. Rustication is a surface treatment of a wood pipe to give it a rough texture. It is basically a blanket term that covers all types of rough finishes. All of the following finishes will fall under the “rusticated” category.
The two pipes in this photo have a carved finish. The maker used a small carving tool to create patterns and rivulets on the briar. Pipe makers will frequently use this finishing technique on pieces of briar that do not have a particularly attractive grain.
Panel pipes display a combination of finishes. In the photo, the stunning Matt Roussell pipe (top) features sandblasting and a smooth finish. The bottom pipe is smooth and carved.
For whatever reason, I have a soft spot for sandblasted pipes. Sandblasting is a technique that involves spraying the bowl and shank with sand to add texture. Sand is not the only material that can be used – glass beads and other such substances work too.
Freehand pipes are fun. These are created for a number of reasons – to fit nicely in your hand; to emphasize the beautiful wood grain; to look awesome… No two are alike, which is an added bonus. The pipe we used as our example is by a local pipe carver, Bear’s Den. Erik Nording is a big name in freehand styles, so give his pipes a look if you are interested.
We’ll stop there for now. Obviously there is so much more that we could cover, but we’ll save that for later. Expect a post on Meerschaum pipes soon, as well as an interview with Matt Roussell! Anything else you want us to talk about? We love talking.
