New Radice and Some Questions

[foggymountain]

I just received a wonderful Radice Chubby from Italy. Half filled it with some Frog, also new here, and am smoking it. This is the funniest pipe I have seen. The shape makes me laugh. Is that a common reaction? It is 4 1/4" long & 2"high. It looks like it belongs in a Botero painting. There was an object in the package which I cannot identify, and was hoping one of you Radice smokers would tell me what it is. It is about 4" long and cylindrical made half of light & half of dark wood. The dark end has a notch in it. I suppose it could be a tamper, though a wooden tamper seems strange. Why the notch? Something must fit in there. Could it be a cleaning tool? Anyhow a delightful pipe. There are a few pinpoint sized imperfections in the briar on one side, which I spotted in the online photo and which do not bother me. It smokes pretty well. What do the 2 dots on the stem mean? Is that a holdover from the days when they had 2 air channels, or does it mean halfway between a Dunhill and a Savinelli?

 

[kashmir]

The "tamper with a notch" is designed to hold a piece of tissue or paper towel to clean out the bowl. If the pipe is a reverse calabash design the same can be used to clean the shank chamber. Rolando Negoita came up with the concept and includes one with his reverse calabash pipes. The other end can be used as a tamper. Did you get the Radice Aero billiard chubby? If so it makes sense it would come with such a tool. As they got the idea from Negoita. Neill Archer Roan has a good writeup on these as does Mark Irwin on the Neatpipe blog. Congrats.

 

[foggymountain]

Kashmir: thanks. Yes I got the aero billiard chubby. Love it.

 

[docwatson]

As far as the 2 dots are concerned. Ordinarily if the Radice pipe is a twin bore it has the dots side by side. Otherwise the two dots are just one in front of the other for a regular stem.
Radice makes some of the most innovative designs ever in Italian Pipe Making. The June Bug and Aero Billiard are only two of their excellent designs. How about some pics???

 

[kashmir]

Yep, Negoita's notched cleaner is designed for wiping down the cooling chamber on the reverse calabash design, but I use it also for the tobacco chamber. It's such a useful concept, I've made several myself and use them for bowl wiping with all my pipes. What finish did you end up getting?

 

[misterlowercase]

Wow! That's a brilliant little twist on a tamper tool, makes me want an Aero Billiard all the more and join the flight squad. I have a 9mm Big Ben similar to this:

which I do not use a filter in and it provides a wonderfully cool & flavourful smoke, given the expansion chamber is not as large, but it definitely does have an effect -- so it makes sense to me that the AB which is specifically designed for such performance, will deliver the goods.
After reading Neill's blog post about it and the especially the packaging/marketing techniques NeatPipes have came up with, and the reasonable price point, I simply have to get one of them, when another Rind becomes available.
kashmir - thanks for your input on this topic, I much respect your wisdom & experience and an endorsement from you is just icing on the cake!

 

[tbradsim1]

Here's my June Bug, Great Pipe. The old cajun

 

[kashmir]

Thanks Mr. Lowercase!

Here's a picture of the notched tamper.

 

[foggymountain]

It has the natural smooth finish. I will try to do some pictures in a few days if the Canon is ready. Sometimes that camera requires a few days rest between uses. No kidding. It is as tired as I am.

 

[pitchfork]

kashmir, what's the pipe in the tamper picture? Negoita? Eltang? Pretty birdseye in any case.

 

[kashmir]

Hi pitch - It's the Negoita. Same pipe in the aero billard thread:
http://pipesmagazine.com/forums/topic/what-the-heck-is-an-%e2%80%98aerobilliard%e2%80%99-and-an-%e2%80%98inverted-calabash%e2%80%99

 

[ssjones]

I love that Aero-billiard and the ad campaign to support the release. My only qualm was the weigh, just a touch over my comfort level at 60 grams.

 

[kashmir]

Al, Thanks for posting those.

 

[thesmokindragon]

Now I want (need) one as well ;-)
Here is the one I really like

http://www.neatpipes.com/Prodotto/radice-underwood/&id=233&idcategory=6

 

[cortezattic]

It looks like all 15 Radice Chubby AeroBilliards at the Neat Pipes site have been sold! I have to assume they're

pretty satisfied with the article, and their investment in advertising here at PipesMagazine.com. ::

 

[pitchfork]

Hi pitch - It's the Negoita. Same pipe in the aero billard thread:

Ah, somehow I missed the pics before. Sweet pipe! And the cap/rim is of one piece with the rest of the bowl? Very cool.

Negoita learned the paper towel reaming from me, but, pussy that he is, didn't want to get his hands dirty.

LOL. And roth used to just use his fingers, barbarian that he is, until I introduced him to paper towels.

 

[kashmir]

Just remember gentlemen, the job ain't finished till the paperwork is done!

 

[kashmir]

Just got the Neatpipe email today, announcing the second release lot of Aero billiards, and wouldn't you know it, yep, sold out again. Anyone here manage to nab one today?

 

[mirain]

Old Cajun, that's a great looking pipe. I really like the hefty look.

Al, thanks for the promo pics, fantastic concept.