Parks' Brandy and Bamboo Apple

[clickklick]

Damn!

 

[shutterbugg]

Exceptional grain on the brandy. Bamboo shanks aren't my thing.

 

[Cliff_K]

I could look at that brandy for hours, while smoking that bamboo shank of course. Both are exceptional! :clap:

 

[mothernaturewilleatusallforbreakfast]

Wow!

 

[cossackjack]

Exceptional pipes, especially the Smooth Brandy.
Were these commissioned or from his catalog?

 

[sasquatch]

Well, I gotta say... I hate Michael Parks. :lol:

 

[wyfbane]

Wow! Those do not disappoint. Nice score, Peck.

 

[saltedplug]

From looking at Michael Parks' site, and these pipes, and the Bulldog/Rhodesian it seems clear that he has a connection for preselected blocks, which I didn't know was possible, except in the case of Castello as they buy such a quantity of briar. Or perhaps in the case of Upshall, he uses a cutter who can see in 3D into the block and find the maximum grain, my point being of course that he has access to a lot of fine wood.
Even a mid-level artisan can make something unusually beautiful with such wood. But Parks' blasting skill, contrast staining and mirror-gloss finishes are high-level, and I trust that his drilling is first class, as well.
I've only seen a half-dozen pipes with grain, stain and finish as lovely as the Brandy, some from Eltang and another by S. Bang, a tomato with a core of bullseye, surrounded by radiating cross-grain perfectly positioned on the side of the bowl.
Bravo!

 

[disinformatique]

@Saltedplug I think for every impeccable block there are 50 shitty ones. No wonder their pipes cost a ton, there is a lot of "wastage" as artisans like Parks, Eltang or the peeps at S.Bang wont release sub-par grained pipes.

 

[p4ttythep3rf3ct]

That Brandy though!

 

[fitzy]

Wow both are those are fricking amazing.

 

[jpmcwjr]

The grain and finish on the brandy is outstanding. And the shape ain't bad, either!