Ryan Alen - 2 New Grabs. A Billiard and a Squat Blow-Mato? Pic Heavy

[ashdigger]

I met Ryan for the first time last night a the Las Vegas Pipe Show. He's a super cool guy and easy to talk to. I had purchased the Billiard prior to him leaving Texas so the meet was two-fold. Pick up the pipe and meet the carver. While we were talking I asked him about the possibility of buying another one, and since he had brought a few more to the show, he obliged. So he opened his bag and showed me this pipe but in a darker stain. I loved the pipe but not the stain, so he showed me the same pipe but with a lighter stain. It was love at first site, which was weird because I'm not a fan of most non-traditional shapes, but seeing this first-hand. I summoned the power of the wallet.
The Billiard is 48 grams and is 5 1/4 inches. Perfection!! It'll get it smoked sometime today.
The Squat Tomato (Blow-Mato??) weighs 41 grams and is 4 1/4 inches long.
I've only ran one bowl through it but the styling/shaping - the finish and the stem work caused me to commission two more (or was it the Jameson?) Either way they fit into my Devil Anse (Devil Blow-Mato or Devil Fish?) sized pipes that I love to clench and smoke while working in my office or driving.

 

[voorhees]

Beautiful.....

 

[hmhaines]

Gorgeous! Great pictures.

 

[Cliff_K]

Wow! Those are gorgeous! I've never really cared for the look of tomatoes but there's something about that one I really like. It's looks like a nice clincher for sure. Congrats and enjoy!

 

[tbradsim1]

You will treasure those pipes and comeing from a good man. Just Beautiful.

 

[jefff]

I'm a believer!

 

[jpmcwjr]

Well done!! Ryan is a top notch carver and fellow. I'll order a new one from him after I get home. I am now more in the lighter versions of his work. (Weight, not stain.)

 

[agnosticpipe]

Both are really nice pipes! I like traditional shapes more too, but that squashed tomato is a wonderful shape. Congrats!

 

[jvnshr]

Amazing. The guy is a true master.

 

[papipeguy]

Very fine choices. I'm sure you'll enjoy them.

 

[buckaroo]

Those are really cool. That's a great take on the tomato.

 

[lifesizehobbit]

Great looking pipes. On top of that, Ryan is just a nice guy to boot.

 

[dkaye201]

Great looking pipes! Here's to years of enjoyment from both of those pipes!

 

[jefff]

I have 2 and the engineering is perfect. You can't go wrong with an Alden.

 

[ashdigger]

Jeff, this makes a seven day set, if I had kept the other three that I gifted away. :puffpipe:

 

[jefff]

I have 3 spots open on my pipe racks. I want a BST and a Talbert cutty.....and one more Alden.

 

[ashdigger]

Jefff, my oldest Alden is closing in on 3 yrs old and I was smoking it when Ryan walked up. He examined it and proceeded to explain the little details that make his new pipes so much better. That's what I love about people who understand hard work.....always striving to be better.

 

[jefff]

He has made me 2 pipes. In both instances he has contacted me telling me he had problems with various pieces of briar. On the first pipe he went through 5 blocks. That level of picky is very rare. I know I don't have it... But it makes buying a pipe from him a no brainer.
And the latest, a "Bent Egg Cutty" as I like to think of it, is beyond what I imagined. And it smokes like a ........ pick your adjective.

 

[badger]

Lovely pipes, congrats!

 

[cobguy]

Really nice, Tim ... congrats! :clap: