My First J.T. Cooke*

[pitchfork]

OK, it's not a J.T. Cooke, exactly. It's actually one of the pipes Cooke made for Barry Levin and Levin Pipes International in the 80s or early 90s. Nonetheless, it's a really well made pipe with a smooth, but not too open, draw -- qualities that seem to be a hallmark of Cooke's craftsmanship.
I'm about to fire it up with some Frog Morton's Cellar, but I'm most interested in the rustication technique Cooke used on this pipe. It's meant to mimic a ring-grain blast, but I'm not sure that any sand blasting was used at all. Instead, it looks like the rustication was done with some kind of drill or Dremel, while the briar that isn't grooved by rustication appears to have had a wire brush used on it. I wonder if it's this kind of work that led Cooke to develop his famous sand-carving technique later on.

 

[tbradsim1]

Pitch, that is one fine looking pipe, Good Grab!

 

[papipeguy]

Great looking pipe. I really like the rustication and color. Happy smoke rings.

 

[pruss]

Nice pick, Pitch!
Great lines, that's a solid looking piece of briar right there.
-- Pat

 

[pitchfork]

Thanks, guys. Bradley, when I was holding it actually reminded me of some of those big Canadians you have. Now I see why you like them.

 

[blackbeard82]

Very nice!

 

[numbersix]

Congrats! That pipe is spectacular.

 

[peckinpahhombre]

I like it. It does look blasted to me.

 

[ejames]

Nice! I like the shape and rustication.

 

[redbeard]

Woooow, what a trip. Pretty sweet pipe!! The first few pics didnt do the tequnique justice but that close up just blew my mind!

 

[rebornbriar]

Wow Pitch - JT certainly has some amazing skills with a sandblast jet. Are you getting on his 4 year waiting list now?

 

[pitchfork]

Wow Pitch - JT certainly has some amazing skills with a sandblast jet. Are you getting on his 4 year waiting list now?

LOL. Believe it or not, I'm not that crazy about Cooke's sandblasts ( :worship: all bow to popular opinion), but I'd heard he makes great pipes and the price on this one was right enough. The seller just listed it as "LPI," apparently not knowing what it was (the pipe bag I bought from another seller).
As many of you know, I collect Elliott Nachwalter and Briar Workshop pipes. Cooke used to work with Nachwalter at different stages -- and some of the pipes that say Pipeworks or Briar Workshop were actually made by Cooke, not Nachwalter. I have a suspiciously straight and well-made pot from "Briar Workshop" that is marked with a "C," but I don't really know. The main reason I wanted this pipe is because of the place it has in pipe making history and because of the Vermont connections. I used to live in Vermont and I was intrigued by the connection to the late Barry Levin (also of Vermont), who invented the original Frog Morton/Craftsbury line from McClelland.
It's a good smoking pipe so far -- I only had a few minutes to test it out, though. I do appreciate the nice comments.

 

[pitchfork]

Very nice pipe, Pitch. I actually like the finish better on yours than the blasts J.T. is doing now. The ferrule is a nice accent as well. Is the stem rubber or lucite?

Thanks, roth. You know you're just encouraging the mob with talk like that, though.
The stem is lucite, thank goodness. I wasn't up for polishing another rubber stem.

 

[easygoer]

Great looking pipe Pitchfork.

 

[cortezattic]

Gorgeous lines, especially on the stem. That's an interesting way to rusticate a pipe. It seems like blasting would be easier, though.

 

[bentmike]

I like it that's a cool shape. Happy smokes!

 

[petes03]

I dig it!

 

[bigvan]

I've heard of these pipes, but have NEVER seen one. This is a REAL find, and I think it looks like a very minute blast, but I'm sure it looks even better in person.

 

[cigrmaster]

pitch, great looking pipe, thanks for the history lesson, very interesting. It sure looks like a good looking blast to me. I hope you love the way it smokes.

 

[keith929]

Fine looking piece of briar. Let us know how she smokes.