Sandblast or Rustication?

[solideogloria86]

I was thinking back to when I first took up pipe smoking. I was a big fan of rustication, and I really didn't care much for sandblast. Now it's the other way around, and in my reflection I realized the reason why.
When I was first starting out, I only looked at pipes within the lower end of the price spectrum. Nothing much over $100. A large percentage of sandblasted pipes were a very poor example of the technique. Most resembling the texture of a knockdown finish on drywall. I appreciated the deep, craggy, character that rustication offered, and saw sandblasting as a very soulless finish. Now, I love a deep craggy blast, and 360 ring grain, and don't really care much for rustication, unless it seems to have an aim, like the Eltang or Former, stacked Rustication, or a Wiley Old Oak etc
So, I'll end my rumination on rustication and turn it over to you. Which do you prefer?

 

[smudgersmissingleg]

Depends on the rustication. I like what Savinelli do but overall I think I prefer a beautiful sandblast.

 

[Ag®o]

I am particularly struck by the smooth pipes with a beautiful texture, but I cannot deny that I suffer the charm of a sandblasting or rustication as long as it is deep.

 

[sandollars]

Sea Rock and Ser Jacopo as well as a few others that put huge effort into their rustications are very pleasing to me. I also love a good sandblast like a Weaver . It all depends on the maker.

 

[Morrison Jeremiah]

I like both, but for some reason I always end up buying a sandblast, and don't own a single rusticated pipe.

 

[Grangerous]

I like both, but for some reason I always end up buying a sandblast, and don't own a single rusticated pipe.

I could’ve written this. I have an equal number of smooth and sandblast but not one rusticated.

I may have to remedy this.

 

[PaulTheScandinavian]

All the way sandblast, however I have few rusticated ones by Castello

 

[cosmicfolklore]

I really prefer a good deep craggy sandblast. But, there are a few rustications that involve sandblasting that I like. The Savinelli Punto Ora and the Sea Rock come to mind. But, just those scratched up surfaces or random patterns with a bur... nah. I am not impressed.

 

[alaskanpiper]

If I had to choose one or the other forever I would shoot rustication right in the brains. Prefer sandblasts without a doubt.

 

[STP]

Most of my pipes are either sandblasted or rusticated. It’s hard to beat a nice quality smooth pipe w/regards to appearance, but a blasted or rusticated pipe feels better in the hand IMO.

 

[Toast]

It really depends how good each are - a Cannoy suedeblast, a Tatum Egyptian Leather, a good wax drip...

If I really had to chose I'd probably go rustication, just because it gives a bigger scope for invention.

 

[Sweet Home Alabama]

Peterson actually has a rusticated and rustic type.
My Derry is a rustic.

 

[mso489]

Sandblast shows the grain and lets nature take the spotlight, so I think it tends to be favored, and I certainly savor my blasts. I treasure my Ser Jacopo with its deep and expressive textured grain, however I also like very light blast that looks embossed and subtle, such as that on my Tsuge tasting pipe. So all honor to sandblast and its glories. However, rustication is a fine art. Done well it can be highly visually pleasing, and combined with carving has an extra dimension of texture. Some of the old U.S. factory rusticated pipes used to look clunky to me, a little slapdash and shoddy, but when enhanced by time and patina, I think they look evocative and kind of dashing, like an well restored Nash convertible. So yes to both sandblast and rustication/carving, on a pipe by pipe basis of course.

 

[anotherbob]

don't really like either that much. Which is weird because for the first 2 decades of pipe smoking I was so into rustication. Now I like smooth. Partial rustication is fine though.

 

[karam]

Neither for me, smooth yet matte all the way

 

[gervais]

Neither for me, smooth yet matte all the way

Yep! Smooth is the most beautiful

 

[cigrmaster]

I have one pipe that is considered a rustication and that pipe is the first I ever bought. It is a Savinelli Linea Pui 5. It is a group 5 Apple and it smoked freaking great when I was starting out. I learned the difference between a nice blast and a rustication early on and the only rusticated pipes I bought were a Castello Sea Rock and a giant Ser Jacob. I got rid of the Ser J as it was too freaking big and heavy.
Back then I was a grain whore and only bought a few blasted pipes mostly Formers.

Now I buy almost exclusively sand blasted pipes as I find a nice blast very interesting and the price is so much lower than straight grains. I was told a long time ago that you cannot smoke grain and I heeded that advice.

I prefer a natural blast that follows the rings of the pipe. I am not a fan of the forced blast from makers like JT Cooke and Jose Rubio. To me they look like a rusticated pipe as the blast is so perfect and doesn't look natural to me. Here are a couple of examples.

My Jose Rubio:


Here is one of my Rad Davis blasts.


Here is an interesting blast from Bruce Weaver.

Here is one of my newer Jack Howell pipes.

Finally here is my Larrysson that has a great blast to my eye.

 

[Ag®o]

?All very nice anyway..

 

[Streeper541]

In general I prefer sandblasted pipes to rusticated ones.

I really like good wire rustication. Even as a Peterson fan, don't really dig a Donegal Rocky style finish.

Just my .02

 

[Briar Lee]

At first I didn’t know the difference between carving, rustication, and sandblast. I didn’t know that natural finish was better than stained.

Then I thought the only reason a pipe was sandblasted was to salvage a hunk of briar not fit to be smooth. That may not be true.

Here’s my guess as to grades of pipes.

1. Smooth finish natural

2. Smooth finish stained

3. Lightly carved smooth

4. Rusticated

—-

A sandblast pipe is a choice by the maker to make a blast pipe. I doubt they choose perfect natural finish briars, but they might.

But carving or rustication on a pipe is because the briar isn’t good enough to be smooth finished.

Am I right?