Ryan Alden Cutty (Pictures)

My Alden Lovat is an astounding pipe, both in its smoking characteristics and its aesthetic appeal. Ryan just makes fantastic pipes, so when I started getting cutty-curious he was the only option.
Working with Ryan on a pipe is always a gratifying process. I had some ideas about how I wanted this pipe to come together, even produced some sketches describing some of the specifics. The great thing about Ryan's work is that you can give him final cut and retain piece of mind, knowing that he will produce a fantastic pipe.
It's all done and looks amazing! I simply can not wait to have this cutty in my hand.








Images care of lonestar

What did he use for the shank extension? It's hard to tell in the photos.

Click to expand...

It's horn to match the band on the lovat he made me. This particular section has very subtle variegation of colour which Ryan said hasn't photographed very well. He said the same of the stain so I am anxious to get this pipe in hand. When my lovat came in I was absolutely floored by the blast even though I had already seen pictures of it - I'm expecting I'll have a similar experience with this piece and I'll make sure to update you all when it comes!
That's a fantastic looking Alden you've get there too Brad!

Simply elegant and the stem treatment really sets it off. Enjoy.

Click to expand...

Ryan and I talked about the shank extension/band/stem quite a bit! My original sketch had a faux military mount (as the final version has) with a saddle stem. Ryan liked the idea but advised me that the extra step in the saddle may not suit the cutty so he suggested a sort of fishtail tapered stem - frankly seeing the finished product I wouldn't have had it any other way!
We talked quite a bit about the shank extension as well. Ryan was concerned that the extension on my original sketch looked too much like the carver didn't have a long enough piece of briar :lol: I ended up giving him final cut with the proportions since his eye for these things is spot on. Couldn't be happier!
For reference, here is the original sketch which seeded the discussion of what this pipe could be along with several images of other cutties done by Ryan and others. In my opinion, everywhere the finished product deviates from this sketch was absolutely the right choice! It's fantastic working with Ryan because he will take the time to explain his view and he will take the time to listen to yours. The result is a truly collaborative piece that takes your half-baked ideas and tempers through his immense knowledge and experience to produce something really special!

It was the brandy blowfish if you go to his site

Click to expand...

This guy by chance?

His blasts are really fantastic. He unearths so much detail.

Well, this was one of the best lunch breaks I've had in a while! I'm lucky enough to live two blocks away from my place of work; I popped home for lunch and found a package waiting for me.
I only had a couple of minutes to fawn over it but I am beyond pleased. The pronounced angles and gentle curves of the cutty shape are nicelt countered by the faux-military mount. It seems elegant and substantial at the same time and the stem adds a nice moment of interest to balance the movement happening further forward. The craftsmanship is just damned impressive as well. I certainly didn't foresee the effort and detail it would take to pull off such a diminutive faux-military mount on a narrow shank.
The finishes really don't do themselves justice in pictures. The stain has subtle variegation which compliments the very fine blast. The smooth rim and the thin band just ahead of the bone inlay provide little accents of colour in an otherwise subdued finish. The bone inlay is deep and rich: just barely translucent. At first it appears to be black vulcanite, but once you take a moment, you really appreciate its murky depth.
I honestly didn't know what would work for the stem/bit of this pipe. You can see by my sketch above that I was leaning towards some sort of highly articulated wizardry. I think Ryan's solution works far better, both aesthetically and functionally. The cumberland he used is very subdued, fitting in with the overall subdued finish.
Working with Ryan is great, you can give him loose ideas or a firm direction and trust him with the final cut. I can't wait to load this pipe up and give it a whirl after work!


You can find the full album of images here: http://imgur.com/a/M7bIa