Welcome back folks! Part 2 of my ongoing commission project, an homage to some of my favorite shapes by carvers who no longer make pipes, has arrived! If you missed part 1, or need more explanation of the idea, find both here: Pipe Clones Part 1
I have long been a fan of the great Rad Davis. From his unique shaping, to often eye popping sandblasts, every pipe I have held of his has been a champion smoker, aesthetically unrivaled, and always dependable for great construction. Unfortunately, Rad retired from carving pipes in 2015. While mostly known for his epic sandblasting, he also made some very beautiful smooth pipes in his time. I am fortunate to own a piece of Rad's that features both finishes, in what I would call (at least for me) one of his signature shapes, a bent Rhodesian. I have always loved the juxtaposition between the beautifully blasted lower stummel, and contrast stained Rim on this and many of his other Rhodesian pipes. Nowadays, every time I smoke one (or a Jack Howell for that matter) I am reminded of the late, great, good friend of the forum Harris (cigrmaster) who also had a great affinity for Rad's pieces. Here it is:
When deciding on an appropriate carver to take on the challenge of creating their own interpretation of this piece, the choice was basically placed right into my lap, for they share a moniker! Jody Davis also shares many of the skills that made Rad's pipes so popular. His incredibly craggy sandblasts are widely revered, he is quite skilled in producing smooth pipes as well, and the design and functionality of his pipe simply cannot be argued against. He is a hell of a guitar player, too! Jody also completed a piece for my Cutty Madness project, a piece which I (along with many others) believe should have won it! So, it was natural for me to go back to this, for lack of a better term, People's Choice Champion for this project as well. Jody did a brilliant job in creating an homage that not only reflects the character of the original piece, but shows off his own style as well. Replacing the hardwood inlay with a cocobolo shank cap displaying similar hues was a stroke of genius, and Jody also trimmed the shaping down a bit to give the pipe a little more of a unique, and compact shape, slightly reddening the stain as well to give that signature craggy blast a little more pop! I could not be happier with the result! Here it is!
I have long been a fan of the great Rad Davis. From his unique shaping, to often eye popping sandblasts, every pipe I have held of his has been a champion smoker, aesthetically unrivaled, and always dependable for great construction. Unfortunately, Rad retired from carving pipes in 2015. While mostly known for his epic sandblasting, he also made some very beautiful smooth pipes in his time. I am fortunate to own a piece of Rad's that features both finishes, in what I would call (at least for me) one of his signature shapes, a bent Rhodesian. I have always loved the juxtaposition between the beautifully blasted lower stummel, and contrast stained Rim on this and many of his other Rhodesian pipes. Nowadays, every time I smoke one (or a Jack Howell for that matter) I am reminded of the late, great, good friend of the forum Harris (cigrmaster) who also had a great affinity for Rad's pieces. Here it is:
When deciding on an appropriate carver to take on the challenge of creating their own interpretation of this piece, the choice was basically placed right into my lap, for they share a moniker! Jody Davis also shares many of the skills that made Rad's pipes so popular. His incredibly craggy sandblasts are widely revered, he is quite skilled in producing smooth pipes as well, and the design and functionality of his pipe simply cannot be argued against. He is a hell of a guitar player, too! Jody also completed a piece for my Cutty Madness project, a piece which I (along with many others) believe should have won it! So, it was natural for me to go back to this, for lack of a better term, People's Choice Champion for this project as well. Jody did a brilliant job in creating an homage that not only reflects the character of the original piece, but shows off his own style as well. Replacing the hardwood inlay with a cocobolo shank cap displaying similar hues was a stroke of genius, and Jody also trimmed the shaping down a bit to give the pipe a little more of a unique, and compact shape, slightly reddening the stain as well to give that signature craggy blast a little more pop! I could not be happier with the result! Here it is!
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