Ritual Tampers

[cosmicfolklore]

I have made six new tampers, but four flew out of my shop before I could even get a good picture of them. But, here are the two new ones fresh off the workbench...

This one is a beautiful denim colored sodalite and garnets, with a new design using a round cut of stone. I think it fits the fingers very well when using, and the garnets on the side make it intriguing to look at from any angle.

This one has a horsehair agate, which reminds me of strands of beautiful long blonde hair. This one also has a stacked look of four stones, turquoise and garnets, which gives it a unique look that seems to be very popular.
Not every pipesmoker is going to want such an extravagant accessory, but for me, I love something to handle and contemplate upon while smoking my pipe. Mine rides comfortably in my pocket, and I have yet to lose it. But, I also have one that never leaves my smoking stand next to my chair. It is an excellent way to get a conversation started. I have met more people willing to set down and talk to me about pipes, when I visit local cigar shops to smoke or at restaurants. I know, I know, cigar guys will poke a little fun at us pipe smokers for having to have to so much "stuff" to be able to smoke, but I just pick back by asking how many $20 cigars they smoke in a day. Even with jewel encrusted tampers, pipes are still way cheaper than cigars, IMO.
You can check out my tampers - here
Anyways, whether it is your style or not, hopefully you can appreciate... What do you think? What stone would you be interested in seeing me use, or style?
Thanks bunches in advance...

 

[johnnyreb]

Beautiful tampers again, Cosmic! How about a Native American arrow? My favorite gem stones are turquoise, malachite, red jasper, white buffalo and not a stone but I like elk Ivory.

 

[hodirty]

Beautiful tampers. Michael, I always love to see your Handiwork, you never disappoint. I am with Johnny, on the Turquoise. Can't wait to see more from you. Thanks for sharing!

 

[cosmicfolklore]

The arrow is a great idea. Thanks guys!!

 

[johnnyreb]

Cosmic, there seems to be a lot of LOTR fans with their churchwardens. How about a tamper based on Gandalf's staff?

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Cool, have you ever noticed that he carries his pipe in the staff?

 

[johnnyreb]

I have noticed how he carries his pipe in the end of his staff. Have you noticed that when he knows things might get kind of rough he forgoes his staff & prefers to carry his AK-47?

 

[brudnod]

Impressive photoshoping!

 

[dustmite]

Beautiful work, as always. I would like to see one with a cat's eye stone.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Ha ha, thanks johnnyreb, :rofl:

and thank you guys!!

 

[phil67]

7.62mm always does the job, and they make nice tampers (emptied of course).
Bottom line... as always, another beautiful job cosmic!

 

[stickframer]

Those all look amazing. The horsehair agate one really caught my eye. I can appreciate the texture, visual appeal and display qualities of such unique, hand crafted pieces. Something to save up for.

+1 for the Native arrow idea.

 

[johnnyreb]

Cosmic, I thing a silver Gandalf tamper with a crystal or a gem stone in the center of the root ball on top of the staff would be a neat idea!

 

[homewaters]

Beautiful tampers, great work Cosmic!

 

[voorhees]

Micheal, I LOVE the denim colored stone tamper. Great job.

 

[bigpond]

Very nice. I prefer the simpler design of the first tamper. It brings to mind blue jeans whereas the the second reminds me of a lady in her Sunday best.

 

[mranglophile]

I have always been a czech tool guy but those are really stunning. Unfortunately my wife was watching as I perused your site and wants to commission a ring, I guess that's one less pipe for me

 

[pruss]

Michael, I love your tampers, and your band-work on pipes. Regardless of the application, I enjoy what your eye sees and what your hands do with that. Nicely done, man. :clap:
On the topic of stones... Stones for me are intensely personal. I may be weird that way, but it's who I am. I grew up searching the shores of Lake Superior for agate, carnelian, chalcedony, thomsonite, greenstones and more. My grandmother, father, and brother all wear/wore gold bands with carnelian cabochons. My folks now live in, "The Mineral Capital of Canada," and pull sodalite off slag piles from long abandoned mines.
In this vein, both of your tampers above speak to me. But if I were commissioning one from you, I'd love to have a a tamper that spoke to my love of Lake Superior's beaches. That would probably be a matched set with the first tamper being carnelian and agate, and the second tamper being accented in thomsonite.
Keep up the wonderful work, my friend.
-- Pat

 

[crusher47]

Really cool tampers!

 

[mso489]

Gorgeous tampers; I love the stones mounted so light passes fully through them. I am attached to my pipe nails because, costing a dollar or two apiece, I never lose them. If had one of these magnificent tampers with jewels, I'm sure they'd be gone in a week, in the washing machine gears, the floorboards of my car, or behind some books on the shelf.