Recent content by mtwaller

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  1. mtwaller

    Chasing Grain

    I have to say I’ve been impressed with the grain on my Clear Radices. I really like the way the flame grain flows into the shank on my Rhodesian. However, I generally prefer dense cross grain when I can find it. This Peterson has some nice birdseye. It has darkened significantly over time but it...
  2. mtwaller

    I Guess I’m Obsessed With Dunhill Rollagas Lighters Now…

    Good to know, I didn’t realize that. I guess I’ll have to get some Dunhill butane then.
  3. mtwaller

    I Guess I’m Obsessed With Dunhill Rollagas Lighters Now…

    Oh that’s lame that they sent it back missing a part. Unacceptable, quite frankly. And yeah making sure you have the right butane/fill adapters/flints is definitely important. I believe I’m using the Dunhill Reds in both of mine. I’ve only ever used Xikar Purofine in my lighters, and it seems to...
  4. mtwaller

    I Guess I’m Obsessed With Dunhill Rollagas Lighters Now…

    Yeah I’m sure paying someone to do it is like $100 by them time all is said and done. I figured I’d just buy the tools and do it myself since I’ll end up buying a few more over the coming years. And they do seem to be pretty nice lighters. They can be finicky, though. I haven’t spent enough...
  5. mtwaller

    MBSD Briars by Piero Vitale

    Those are great looking billiards, and a nice price, too. Looks like a very good value! If I hadn’t just bought two more pipes I don’t need, I’d be tempted.
  6. mtwaller

    I Can Finally Display My Pipes Again

    Thank you, sir. It’s worth waiting for the right one! I’ll be honest, it’s been at least a couple years since I’ve seen an Ashton that really knocked my socks off. I feel like they blast some of their pipes so hard that the shaping can get a little wonky sometimes.
  7. mtwaller

    I Can Finally Display My Pipes Again

    That’s cool that you find so many different pipes that you enjoy. I wish I liked sort of scruffy, lower end estate pipes. I’d have a lot more fun in antique shops! For whatever reason those pipes just don’t do anything for me. I definitely do find a certain brand that I like and collect 3-5 of...
  8. mtwaller

    I Can Finally Display My Pipes Again

    I feel you. That’s exactly what I was doing. I had 4 pipes stuffed into a 2 pipe bag and was constantly shuffling them around and trying to squeeze things in random places so it would be easier to get to than the big tubs buried in the closet. Not ideal, certainly. Sounds like you have a killer...
  9. mtwaller

    Jim's C&D Fires in the Levee Flake (Small Batch) Review.

    Thanks for the highly detailed review, as always. I shouldn’t have read it, though! I swore I was done buying tobacco for a while. I had already decided to pass on this one. But then I looked to see if some was still in stock today (first mistake). “I should at least check out Jim’s review”, I...
  10. mtwaller

    I Can Finally Display My Pipes Again

    Do it!! Buy all of the Ashton’s and post pictures 🤤
  11. mtwaller

    I Can Finally Display My Pipes Again

    Yeah some of these Ashton’s will give you unrealistic expectations of what sandblasting and ring grain should look like. I pretty much won’t buy a sandblasted pipe unless it has great ring grain now, all because these were the first sandblasts I ever had and they set the bar way too high.
  12. mtwaller

    I Can Finally Display My Pipes Again

    Thanks, yeah the two Ashton lovats are really cool. That picture doesn’t do them justice, but the ring grain is stupid, particularly on the one with the black stem. I love a well done lovat, it’s such a great shape.
  13. mtwaller

    I Can Finally Display My Pipes Again

    Well I never get to show off my stuff, so I’m more than happy to pic dump haha. Flash got bizarre on the sandblasted ones, sorry for some weird photos. Too lazy to try again. So, without further ado… Ashton Pebble Grain Army Rhodesian & Sovereign Rohedesian (a birth year 😍) A pair of...
  14. mtwaller

    I Can Finally Display My Pipes Again

    Thank you. Most of the jars have printed sticky labels of the tin art on the lid. Some have hand scrawled labels, as well. I just got a dip pen and was trying to dabble in calligraphy back in 2019 when I first started piping and cellaring. Many jars bear the shame of my awful “calligraphy” 😂
  15. mtwaller

    I Can Finally Display My Pipes Again

    lol thank you. It was intended to be a scrap jar casserole of nonsense type of thing, but I never pulled it out much since it was in storage. Now I can start contributing again and make something truly abhorrent.