19th Annual KC Pipe Show

[scotties22]

I'm horrible at taking pictures, but it was a great show.
The winners of the North American Carvers Contest were:
Jesse Jones

Walt Hettinger

Brandon Brooks

Scottie Piersel

Abe Herbaugh

Micah Cryder

Jeremiah Sandahl
The 7 Day set of Princes was won by Micah Zeff
A big thanks to everyone who made it to the show and those of you that supported the Carvers Contest by purchasing raffle tickets!

 

[kcghost]

Who won the Best in Show awards??

 

[mothernaturewilleatusallforbreakfast]

Congratulations to all the winners! I think the set looks great. The best thing about the set is that all the pipes look like they were meant to be together, making a really cohesive 7 day set.

 

[peckinpahhombre]

This really bothers me.

Don't let it bother you. People will always have opinions. I love Nate King and have several of his pipes, but I wouldn't have chosen that prince above for a set of classic prince shapes either. I think the judges did a good job - well, except for George. He is a malcontent with absolutely no visual acuity whatsover. I assume he rode on the coattails of the other judges.
In any event, Jeremiah Sandahl's prince with the black bamboo was a revelation for me. I would love to own that pipe.
I clearly should have purchased more tickets.

 

[georged]

 

[lordofthepiperings]

Again, this year's shape was a traditional prince.

From what some of the carvers were posting on Instagram about their entry I was under the assumption that it was merely the prince shape, not a “traditional prince”. Maybe there was some miscommunication there or maybe some carvers just wanted to make the best prince shape they could ignoring the traditional aspect.

 

[scotties22]

Every other year the contest is a traditional shape. The off years are crearive years like last year's bamboo. Last year we only gave the instructions of "Must have bamboo" and let them run with their best idea. Next year will be along the same lines.

 

[mothernaturewilleatusallforbreakfast]

Thanks for the picture georged. They look great together as a 7 day set. The silver inlay on the knuckles is a nice touch on the one. It's never easy being a judge of anything but I think they got it right with this group of princes.

 

[lordofthepiperings]

Every other year the contest is a traditional shape

I knew that every other year it was just a traditional shape like a billiard, an apple etc.. I had no idea though that meant traditional prince as in, make a dark stain sandblast with a black stem.
Congrats to the carvers who made the set. Best of luck to you all with next year's competition.

 

[georged]

I had no idea though that meant traditional prince as in, make a dark stain sandblast with a black stem.

It didn't. Not even slightly.
The set had to be chosen from the pipes entered. The end.
Further, "diversity" wasn't a consideration. :lol: It never has been, and never will be. The best seven pipes are always selected individually. Finish or stem color isn't "spread out to make a pretty set."
:roll:

 

[lordofthepiperings]

The best seven pipes are always selected individually.

That's what gets me, if this set was about the best pipes then what was wrong with Nate's pipe? Why didn't it make the set? What was wrong with it? What flaws did it have that prevented it from making the set? If you're going to leave it out of the set and subsequently say that it wasn't one of the seven best then give a reason or two as to why.

 

[georged]

Because if we did that---explained every decision to everyone with an interest---it would open an absolute floodgate that could never be closed.
Regarding Nate's pipe, call and ask him. He knows the reason and quite agreed with it.

 

[sablebrush52]

That is a gorgeous set of princes! Wow! The shaping and blasting is right on point! Congratulations to all involved!