Yup I agree. I'd never want to own a hex pipe, but pipe #1 is my favorite.
I knew the "is it a cutty or a belge or neither" subject would inevitably come up. I'd abandon all notions of such things if you want to enjoy the contest. You're going to see some that push the limits, hahaha.First pipe.
Seems to be an extraneous photo (The paneled one)
The bottom pipe isn't a cutty in my book.
I do like the design of that shank & bit.It's an extension of the shank, so yes briar. The stem is not removable, this pipe was created as a one piece design in an homage to the clays of old where the cutty shape originated.
Haha, yes, as I said in the intro, there are a couple that are made by carvers with a rather distinctive style, so certainly some will be identifiable, but that's just the way it is.If these are supposed to be anonymous, pipe 2 is pretty easy to identify. I vote for #1.