Partial Rustication, How About It?

[alaskanpiper]

I don't really differentiate between the two in terms of aesthetics.

I definitely do. Much prefer a sandblast to rustication. There are so many unique blasts that display texture, ring grain, some even light enough that the grain in the briar still sticks out. Rustication just looks like a big fat turd almost every time.

Granted there is variety in rustication as well, but there is also variety in my poop.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

I am not a fan of rustication, partial or full. I have one Castello Pi that is done fairly well but I think it may have looked nicer if it were just a full Rustication. I got a good price on it used from Briar Blues and it smokes great. One of my only rusticated pipes.

 

[jpmcwjr]

When the rim is left smooth I am always a fan. Peterson did that with the Arklow, those being sandblast not rustication, and it is the touch that sold me on 4 of them and I should have bought more

Was going to reply when I saw:

Agreed. It is definitely the odd one out that I find aesthetically pleasing. And that is reflected in my collection. I own 50 or 60 pipes now and exactly 1 of them is partially rusticated, and that barely even counts, as it is simply a Castello 55 Sea Rock Briar that has a smooth rim, which in and of itself I think shouldn't be called "partially rusticated" as the term tends to be mostly utilized for pipes that have splotchy patches or significant portions of each.

Agree. (my bolding added)

Adding my own pennies: I am not a fan of partials, not even Barling Quaints.

 

[irishearl]

I think it ranges from supremely ugly to quite nice looking. For example, I really like many of Boswell's partial rustications and mixes of black coal/smooth finish. However many of Nording's partial rustications make me want to run towards the nearest living thing and kill it.

It all depends.

One thing I can say is that the ones where it is clearly covering a flaw of some kind, that look like the pipe fell out of a car at top speed and hit the ground in one spot, I detest.

Actually, think Nording does some of the best partial rustications and have several I quite like.

 

[alaskanpiper]

Actually, think Nording does some of the best partial rustications and have several I quite like.

Good! Somebody must be buying them if he keeps cranking them out. Subjectivity is a beautiful thing.

 

[mso489]

From this thread, the partial rustication finish seems to be a bit polarizing. I sure wouldn't buy a partially rusticated pipe with the idea of reselling it, except maybe as part of a lot. A fair number really don't like 'em ... at all. To me, if done with artistry or at least craft, it can be a good variation, as with rustication in general.

 

[SpookedPiper]

I am not a big fan of dual paint jobs either, but do own a Boswell poker that is rusticated with a smooth shaft. Purely a cosmetic issue really, it does smoke great..which is the important part!

 

[SpookedPiper]

View attachment 7508
I'm a Peterson fan, but this Jekyll & jekyll & Hyde is a perfectly hideous example of a bad partial rustication in the extreme!

On the other hand, I have a Newgrange Spigot with a smooth rim that I think looks fantastic:
View attachment 7509

(Both are stock images from the web)

I think that Jekyll & Hyde is a bit bizzaro, maybe it just doesn't photograph well!

 

[mso489]

I think the Jekyll & Hyde motif was kind of a concept. Partial rustication works best when it follows the lay of the briar and kind of emerges from the carving. There's a visible pit, what do I do now? Study the briar and see where it takes you. The J&H isn't awful, just a little contrived.

 

[unadoptedlamp]

I find this to be interesting. Wouldn't buy it, but the effect is neat.

Same for this. The contrast is a nice effect.

This, in my opinion, is ugly as hell. I just can't abide this kind of look.

Same here:

And this one, I find ugly as well

Even this, to my eye, would have been much prettier without the rustication. It's borderline for me.

Again... not my beach:

Maybe... but probably not. It's close.

I think it's all in the detail of the rustication, and for me, how fine it is. Coarse rustication looks very sloppy and ugly to me. Fine rustication is much more pleasing to my eye. And it really, in my opinion, completely hangs on where the rustication is placed. Many of the bad examples are coarse and slapped on to odd locations on the pipe. It seems like not much thought went into it, except to hide something.

The better ones, in my opinion, have an artistic reason for being there, and take into account the whole pipe.

 

[voorhees]

Sasieni's rustication along the grain is fantastic. Nording's is borderline atrocious. IMHO.

 

[shanez]

I find this to be interesting. Wouldn't buy it, but the effect is neat.

Same for this. The contrast is a nice effect.

This, in my opinion, is ugly as hell. I just can't abide this kind of look.

Same here:

And this one, I find ugly as well

Even this, to my eye, would have been much prettier without the rustication. It's borderline for me.

Again... not my beach:

Maybe... but probably not. It's close.

I think it's all in the detail of the rustication, and for me, how fine it is. Coarse rustication looks very sloppy and ugly to me. Fine rustication is much more pleasing to my eye. And it really, in my opinion, completely hangs on where the rustication is placed. Many of the bad examples are coarse and slapped on to odd locations on the pipe. It seems like not much thought went into it, except to hide something.

The better ones, in my opinion, have an artistic reason for being there, and take into account the whole pipe.

The first two (especially the first) look spectacular. The Nordings look like, well, Nordings. The Third and final pipes look very nice but "unfinished" or something.

 

[Chasing Embers]

No love for most rustication here, but do love any sandblast.

 

[Chasing Embers]

I definitely do. Much prefer a sandblast to rustication. There are so many unique blasts that display texture, ring grain, some even light enough that the grain in the briar still sticks out. Rustication just looks like a big fat turd almost every time.

Granted there is variety in rustication as well, but there is also variety in my poop.

+1000

 

[shanez]

I quickly checked my pipes and found I have several rusticated with smooth rims but they pretty much appear to be all Savinellis.

Sigla:



122 Pot with Cumberland stem:



Oscar:



305 Oscar Tiger:



But I do have 2 Nordings and the partial rustication almost gives one a wax drip look:





But I also have this Tadeusz Polinski that I think looks great partially rusticated:

 

[Bengel]

Sasieni's rustication along the grain is fantastic. Nording's is borderline atrocious. IMHO.

I wholeheartedly agree, though only partially rusticated so it could be stamped, this my first restoration is a keeper

 

[lochinvar]

Mixing finishes sets my teeth on edge (unless its a sandblast/rusticated with a smooth rim, that passes muster), as do rustication touches like Castello's Pi. I have a Larsen bent ball where the bottom is a rough black sandblast, all else is smooth, and I can't smoke it without wishing it was one or the other. To me the mix of finishes just screams Basket Pipe.

 

[cshubhra]

It depends, but most partial rustications look unappealing to me. However some can really look gorgeous.