Beater Pipe Rustication

[theloniousmonkfish]

This Meer lined Grabow has been beaten around on job sites and the finish suffered. Considering it's abuse would continue rusticating the bland grain and worn varnish was easy enough to decide.

Allen key ground into points for texture

Brass brush to scrub off any loose bits

Copper acetate stain

Almost dry

With shellac finish

 

[Chasing Embers]

Very well done. Love the Allen Key rustication

 

[sumusfumus]

BRAVO ON THAT GRABOW! That well used, just meh! pipe looks like a class act now. Really clever, putting some points on an old Allen Key is the ultimate in repurposing. Good job. Love the waxy-looking finish and color.
Smoke well.
Frank

 

[addamsruspipe]

Very nice look. Love the way you did your own rustication.

 

[headhunter]

Very nice

 

[joeman]

Much better!

 

[mso489]

It's a whole new pipe. I'm not sure I'd recognize the Grabow shape with the rustication. I might puzzle over that one if someone else was smoking it. Nifty. What is the stem material?

 

[theloniousmonkfish]

Thanks, everybody. Sampled some Ennerdale out this pipe in it's former state, enjoyed it enough to buy some and giving this thing a makeover before it arrives seemed appropriate. Also kind of embarrassed to have let it get so rough but that's what happens when working.

I'm not sure I'd recognize the Grabow shape with the rustication... What is the stem material?

Not a Grabow shape, it's one of the little bitty Italian numbers made for them. Stem is Vulcanite.

 

[echambers]

I've been so impressed with the work some of you guys do. Very cool!

 

[mikethompson]

Very nice pipe!
Reminds me of a caramelized top of a creme brulee

 

[danielplainview]

Very cool. Almost looks blasted instead of rusticated.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Not to derail, but to add to your thread about altering bullies...

I Love the surface work you did, but I hate the way Grabow and a few other factories (cough cough, Peterson) do the bowl to stem, without an undercut. It's a personal "issue" I have with bulldogs. I go as far as to reshape those a little more to get that undercut to the cones at the shank, and if they leave a skate, I just have to remove those too. I've even had bulldogs custom made that I have gone back and done some reshaping to. I won't mention maker's names, to protect the innocent. It's just a quirk of mine. I HATE those ugly ass skates on the heels. Makes my skin crawl.
Here are a few of my opal-set bullies that I carved a little to make them true bulldogs. And, a picture of one in progress.

I used a round bur of two different sizes to get something close to the Pebblecut surface. And, all of these have been reshaped to get the undercut. I don't really do anything to the bulldogs that come with the true double cone. If it looks good already to my eyes, I don't mess with it.
Oh, I also like to set opals into some of my pipes. The stones are worth way more than the pipes, but I've been setting back a pile of my favorite opals for decades now, so my pipe hobby has given me something to do with my opal collection. Now, I can enjoy both at the same time.
If I've stepped on your toes, let me know, and I'll delete my post.

 

[snagstangl]

Scrap gold and now scrap opals?
Can you show a picture of the modified bottom you are talking about?

 

[cosmicfolklore]

To borrow a technique that I've seen Georged use, much better than I have here...

I used a picture of a Petedog that has no undercut. I couldn't find a pic of one with a skate without tipping my cards to a specific pipemaker, so I just drew lines for where the skate would be.

I hope I am not irritating Thelonius.

 

[cwarmouth]

Excellent work! I haven't ever done a rustication although I have one in mind. Your pipe looks great and sets a good bar to reach for. Thelonius. Csmic's addition to the thread is nice too.

 

[theloniousmonkfish]

Thanks, everybody.

Almost looks blasted instead of rusticated.

Dave, thanks, that's the aim whenever something calls for rustication but it's no substitute. Be great to have a sandblaster.

I hope I am not irritating Thelonius.

Send me some Opal and we straight. Rough please. Dig the Pebblecut you did, got any before/after shots of undercuts you've done?

 

[cosmicfolklore]

That's weird, usually folks ask for diamond scraps. I'm rather stingy with the opals, but if you like them rough...

 

[aquadoc]

Cosmic, those opals are beautiful additions.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Thanks Aqua!

Thelonious, I don't have before and after pics. It never really occurred to me. It's just a pet peeve... like how my wife has to sand the nipples off of manikins... well, that's a long story.

 

[theloniousmonkfish]

It's just a pet peeve... like how my wife has to sand the nipples off of manikins...

You take care of the undercut on those too?