A while back I was contacted by our good buddy Lonestar. Apparently he had just carved a pipe and needed me to put it through its paces.
This is a rather large pipe; at least a group 6 bowl and a long shank. It’s a huge rock with, as you can see, amazing straight grain all around the bowl.
When it comes to artisan pipes, there are a few aspects that I look for:
Engineering: to me, this includes the diameter of the air shaft, the drilling of the airshaft into the bowl, the fit between the end of the tenon and the bottom of the mortice, and the flare of the airway as it exits the bit. All are spot on. I was especially impressed with the tenon to mortice fit; virtually no gap and that’s not easy to do!
Comfort: this feels comfortable both in the hand and in the teeth. The bowl itself had a very natural feel to it; it felt like it had “grown” that way. The bit was also very comfortable and had just the right amount of bend to balance the pipe.
Aesthetics: The grain is, of course, simply spectacular. Lonestar did an excellent job of spotting it within the block and cutting to suit (this is a particular vision that I just don’t have). Upon initial inspection, the bit seemed a tad bit large for an artisan pipe. However, while sitting down and actually smoking it, I realized how it HAD to be that size in order to fit the proportions of the bowl and the overall length. With this pipe, everything “fits” and appears as it should. The overall shape is kind of a “stretched brandy”, and given its length, it was the perfect choice. Looking at it from above, if the bowl was totally round (instead of slightly oval) it would feel and appear too clunky. As it is, it has a feeling and appearance of forward motion.
There are a few pits which were left unfilled. I guess I should feel lucky; if it wasn’t for those pits this would be a MUCH more expensive pipe.
And yes, it smokes beautifully.
I paid for the pipe but FAR less than what it’s worth. Right now, Lonestar is making $400 pipes and selling them for $200. Read this carefully: buy one of his pipes right now. About 5 years ago I bought one of Joe Nelson’s first pipes, knowing he was just a few years away from being a rock star. Today his smooth pipes go for more than $500. I’m confident that in 5 years a smooth R.Alden pipe like this will go for at least $500.
This is a rather large pipe; at least a group 6 bowl and a long shank. It’s a huge rock with, as you can see, amazing straight grain all around the bowl.
When it comes to artisan pipes, there are a few aspects that I look for:
Engineering: to me, this includes the diameter of the air shaft, the drilling of the airshaft into the bowl, the fit between the end of the tenon and the bottom of the mortice, and the flare of the airway as it exits the bit. All are spot on. I was especially impressed with the tenon to mortice fit; virtually no gap and that’s not easy to do!
Comfort: this feels comfortable both in the hand and in the teeth. The bowl itself had a very natural feel to it; it felt like it had “grown” that way. The bit was also very comfortable and had just the right amount of bend to balance the pipe.
Aesthetics: The grain is, of course, simply spectacular. Lonestar did an excellent job of spotting it within the block and cutting to suit (this is a particular vision that I just don’t have). Upon initial inspection, the bit seemed a tad bit large for an artisan pipe. However, while sitting down and actually smoking it, I realized how it HAD to be that size in order to fit the proportions of the bowl and the overall length. With this pipe, everything “fits” and appears as it should. The overall shape is kind of a “stretched brandy”, and given its length, it was the perfect choice. Looking at it from above, if the bowl was totally round (instead of slightly oval) it would feel and appear too clunky. As it is, it has a feeling and appearance of forward motion.
There are a few pits which were left unfilled. I guess I should feel lucky; if it wasn’t for those pits this would be a MUCH more expensive pipe.
And yes, it smokes beautifully.
I paid for the pipe but FAR less than what it’s worth. Right now, Lonestar is making $400 pipes and selling them for $200. Read this carefully: buy one of his pipes right now. About 5 years ago I bought one of Joe Nelson’s first pipes, knowing he was just a few years away from being a rock star. Today his smooth pipes go for more than $500. I’m confident that in 5 years a smooth R.Alden pipe like this will go for at least $500.
