Black Blast and Rusticated Finish

mso489 · Jul 27, 2018

I like colorful pipes, some of the brighter stains and lighter color stems. However, I have always had an attraction to black finished blast and rusticated. I have about nine, in Johs blasts Dublin, diplomat, and Canadian; a Parker poker/cherrywood shape; a blast billiard Tusge; and a Stanwell brushed black Canadian. Also a Kaywoodie billiard panel, a Rossi prince, and a BC bent billiard Caprice. Something about the black briar and stem make the shapes flow. The brim doesn't show the slight charring that most other finishes do, and they have a sort of solid traditional look that pleases me. I suspect some don't like a black finish at all, but for me and others, it has a lot of appeal. How about you?

crashthegrey · Jul 27, 2018

While I love beautiful grain and colors, all black is nice, and good for taking places where charring the rim can happen, or looking good despite possible charring. They come off as fancy when you want to look nice, but are equally utilitarian. I've also thrown an accent ring on the stem to add color to an otherwise all black pipe. Kind of a best of both worlds.

autumnfog · Jul 27, 2018

I like sandblasted pipes, even prefer them before smooth pipes when smoking.

The tactical feel is one reason.

Grain structure showed in relief is just beautiful, it looks sort of organic and very classic. Right now I smoke only blasted Stanwell billiards and canadians.

Rusticated pipes are great too.

Castello Sea Rock and Savinelli Capri Root for instance, fantastic rustications.
Black sandblasts with vulcanite stems are one of my pipe favourites, when there is little or no embellishments, like Dunhill shell briars.

I like a clean and classic design.

Chasing Embers · Jul 27, 2018

I like blasts, but never liked the color black on a pipe.

jaytex1969 · Jul 27, 2018

More than once, I have found myself staring too long at one of those glossy, all black "dress" style finishes.
I've not yet found "the one", especially since I've self diagnosed myself as "cured" of "PAD" :rofl:
As I now feel I have what I need for smoking hardware, it's just a slow matter of gently replacing some with better as I go along.
The morta I picked up a while ago filled my black pipe niche for now.

mountainman · Jul 27, 2018

I love sandblasted pipes that are stained black for some of the same reasons you listed MSO. I am not a big fan of smooth black pipes though, for aesthetic reasons.

voorhees · Jul 27, 2018

I don't own any black stained pipes. I feel the grain of a black blasted pipe disappears. Now if we are talking morta, black is the only color I like. Shows the "woven" look to the blasted grain better than other colors

mso489 · Jul 27, 2018

I do own one smooth finish Peterson ebony with two thin bands, a bent brandy dress pipe B11. It's my only purely dress pipe, and I like the shape so much, I own two, but the other is brown and has no bands.

mountainman · Jul 27, 2018

Here are my last two pipes that I have picked up.
chris askwith Morta Cutty

Grant Batson Sport Fish

workman · Jul 27, 2018

I like black, blasted pipes. I have three. All billiards, but very diferent in size and style. I want a bulldog or two with that finish, but I am in no hurry, as I have more or less the pipes I need and am not severely PAD'ed.

scloyd · Jul 27, 2018

I have a black Savinelli Trevi Rustic 904KS, it's my only black pipe and it has become my favorite. I also like colored stems. I like the caramel colored stem on my Savinelli Clark's Favorite. Also I like the Savinelli Alligator pipes (?) especially in green.

irishearl · Jul 27, 2018

Probably half my pipes are blasted or rusticated. While I prefer a brown stain, nearly all of mine are black. Never did care for smooth pipes stained black-or green, or red, or blue, or whatever other color.

thomasw · Jul 27, 2018

I suspect some don't like a black finish at all, but for me and others, it has a lot of appeal. How about you?

I like them as black blasts or rusticated tend to look rather rugged, and also they are easier to keep looking pristine as their rims do not show much on them.

cigrmaster · Jul 27, 2018

I like the looks of a black blasted pipe. I have many in my collection and many have shank adornments and Cumberland stems. A classic black blasted billiard says this is what a pipe is supposed to look like. I have a 7 day set of black blasted pipes from Rad Davis and I love how they look.

sasquatch · Jul 27, 2018

Most of my pipes are black or very dark and most of them are blasted or rusticated.
A pretty indicative sampling....

metalheadycigarguy · Jul 27, 2018

I like certain pipes with a black sandblast/rusticated finish, but others not so much. Just depends on the pipe. Certain pipes really pop with that finish.

npod · Jul 28, 2018

Grant Batson Sport Fish

Mountainman! That Batsin is georgeous! Danish inspire all the way.

mso489 · Jul 28, 2018

Thanks for all the photos of great black finish pipes, all admirable. Now look at my avatar; I forgot to mention my lovely Sav 601 billiard churchwarden with the classic arched stem. I knew I'd forget something. There's probably another black-finish pipe hiding in the racks somewhere. Also, I should mention, the BC Caprice has a bright raspberry stem and narrow silver-tone band; I bought it when the Peterson Dracula pipes were a big item, but I did't like the blood red stem. The black briar really sets off the band and raspberry stem. My churchwarden is one of my wife's excellent pipe gifts for Christmas and birthday, the churchwarden a Christmas gift.

aquadoc · Jul 28, 2018

Here are my black pipes with 2 that are dark brown to black thrown in. All are blasts.
Pipes: Tesch/Tehaco, Owl Pipes, Big Ben, Everyman, Buckeye

mso489 · Jul 28, 2018

These pipes just look so purposeful for smoking a good bowl of leaf. No drama, just utility, even while they are quite handsome in their way.

Black Blast and Rusticated Finish

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