Last year I met Ryan at the NASPC pipe show in Columbus, Ohio and bought my first Alden pipe. The little pipe was a winner from the start. A month or so after that I contacted Ryan and commissioned a pipe along the same style as the Devil Anse Hatfield but shaped like a Canadian.
I waited patiently and let Ryan work his magic and eventually I received an Email with some pictures to take a look at. I like the way Ryan works his operation. Once he completes the pipe for the order he sends some pictures for evaluation. If the pipe looks good only then does he ask for payment and in turn ships out the pipe. If something is not right or in the case of a change of mind Ryan will list the pipe for sale on his website -No obligation for the customer. I was happy enough with the look in the pictures but once the package arrived and I could finally take the pipe in my hands that I knew a great deal had been struck.
Canadian Hatfield in the foreground along with the original Devil Anse.
Working with an artist to create a special pipe is a very cool experience. As one who holds a pipe while I smoke I love the flat shape of a Canadian shank and the way it self centers the bowl upright without me paying attention to it. So with that in mind and the dark stained sandblast I conveyed these wants to Ryan and he added the forward canted bowl that really sets off the uniqueness of the pipe. I have some nice factory pipes in my collection but there is just something extra that comes from knowing a pipe maker has worked his craft specifically for you. It's quite an experience and I highly recommend it.
I'm impressed by how related the two look when placed side by side. Half a year or more elapsed between the creation of the two pipes but it looks like they came right out of the same batch.
This weekend the new Canadian Hatfield was my companion during one of my favorite activities; a winter lunt at a nearby State Park to look at frozen waterfalls. The narrow conical shaped bowl turned out to be a perfect flake buring furnace that smoked cool, controlled and slow. As with my first Alden there appears to be no break in required. The pipe smoked fantastic from the very first bowl.
Thanks Ryan, Great work!
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