Now I really did it

[cigrmaster]

I couldn't help my self, I have been wanting an Ashton Pebble Grain for quite some time and have been looking around all week at places on line and on Ebay. Well tonight I got a great deal on an Ashton Pebble grain that has only been smoked twice. Here is the Ebay link and some pics.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=300724259116&ssPageName=ADME:B:EOIBSA:US:3160#ht_720wt_1185

 

[hobie1dog]

You dirty dog.....Ashton's are way too cool. :worship:

 

[cigrmaster]

I was specifically looking for a Bill Taylor made one after getting some great info from some of you guys.

 

[barkar]

That is a really nice looking pipe...congrats

 

[choch]

What a beauty!!

 

[rlunderhill]

Excellent find.

 

[martiniman]

how can you tell the carver? markings? beautiful pipe by the way.....

I was specifically looking for a Bill Taylor made one after getting some great info from some of you guys.

 

[tokerpipes]

It looks blasted to me...is pebble grain the same thing?

 

[bigvan]

"how can you tell the carver?"
Ever since Jimmy Craig took over Ashton a few years ago, he marks all his pipes with a "JC" to differentiate them from those made by Bill Taylor.

 

[pstlpkr]

It looks blasted to me.

Yup, that's sand blasted.

 

[standardgewehr]

If my Ashton lore is correct, Ashton sources their briar from two or three different regions. That, along with their oil curing process, results in some hard briar... Too hard in some cases to take a good blast. The Pebble Grain is a proprietary process by which examples too hard Or dense to simply blast and not flawless enough for a smooth undergo a sort of rustication process to enhance the grain pattern prior to blasting. I have one Ashton (current production) which is an "Old Church" and made from slightly softer briar and simply sandblasted. The look is rather different than the blast of a Pebble Grain.
Here's some interesting history at Smokingpipes... Ashton history

 

[baronsamedi]

What a score!

 

[adam12]

Dude you have no idea what's in store for you smoking-wise
That pipe smokes like a dream

 

[msandoval858]

Nice score! That's one that anyone would be proud to add to the rotation!

 

[mluyckx]

Nice score for a really nice pipe. :clap: Good find there.

 

[cigrmaster]

Thanks for the article, that was some great reading. I am really looking forward to getting this one. I have such good luck with my Upshall's that I wanted to try an Ashton because they are so highly regarded for their smoking qualities.

 

[cigrmaster]

I got this beauty in today and it has exceeded my expectation in the look, feel and smoking quality. I filled it with some Wessex Brigade Campaign Dark Flake. The pipe smokes cool and dry and this blend tasted perfect in it. If anyone loves a good Virginia flake on par with the best from Gawith, you should really try this one. If they sold this in bulk I would have at least 5 pounds of it.