four new revamped estates (pic heavy)

these are the most recent four estates i have attacked with my Dremel. sorry about the bad pictures, but i am happy to say i think i am getting a better understanding of finishing and using stains. all of these had their smooth sections sanded up to a 1200 grit.
this is a Medico VFQ that Romeowood sent me when i did another bent bulldog for him. love the lines on this pipe, and kept it pretty simple. smoked my first bowl in it last night (Mac Barren Mixture Flake) and it smoked wonderfully. I can understand why RW misses it.














these two straight bulldogs are nameless basket pipes i got from bootleg in a trade. both smoke great. just had a lot of fills and needed a facelift for my tastes. tried something a little different on these. do you see it?






















this is a lovet that lonestar sent me a as a bonus in our last trade. was a very dark shiny pipe, and once i started stripping it down and saw the grain on it i was very excited. haven't smoked it yet, but based on appearance it is one of my favorites i have redone thus far.

thanks for the kind words and encouragement guys. you rock.

i have definitely become alot more comfortable with this. i do think the tattooing for the last 14 years has helped in some ways... being used to using an electric tool that is vibrating. that's somewhat similar, but i think more so the act of working on a 3 dimensional object and using it's shape for an advantage in the overall design. i think that has helped somewhat.

ohin3 - i really fell in love with the grain on the bowl of the Lovet. there have been a sprials turning up in my partial-rustifications lately, and there was no way i could pass it up there. i had my first bowl in the pipe tonight after work, and it smoked amazingly well.

i am starting to think i am just very easily pleased with pipes.

clanobucklin - that is very doable sir. i'll send you a pm on the subject sir.

bornagain... it has amazing grain in spots. i kept all the pieces of real grain on that guy. where i rusticated was a dull birdseye that didn't stand out much at all. the rust, with it's texture and darkness also does a really nice job of creating alot of contrast and making what grain is left come out more visually.