Sandblast vs Smooth - and the questionable art of partial blasting...

[quantumboy]

I love smooth pipes best, with gorgeous grain and flame leaping out at me. But I also have to admit that some blasted pipes are beautiful, like some of the expensive Dunhills out there that have obviously enviable grain even though the pipe maker decided to blast. What I personally do not care for, however, is a pipe that has some random area that's been blasted, obviously to cover up a flaw of some sort. True, there are some partially sandblasted pipes that are so designed for artistic purpose, but the randomly shaped, randomly placed blast zone seems a cop out to me. Seems to me they should have either blasted the whole thing or threw the briar into the campfire. Anyway, I would like to see some of your amazing blasted pipes with grain that might have been beautiful had the pipe maker decide to go smooth. I have attached a few photos from smokingpipes.com that I will buy in a heartbeat when I win the lottery...

 

[peckinpahhombre]

I agree. I generally like either smooth pipes or sandblasted pipes but not usually pipes that are an amalgam of the two. The one exception would be if the bifurcated approach is part of a larger design aesthetic where it just makes sense, though those are few and far between.

 

[sablebrush52]

Here's one that fits your metric. Fabulous grain transitioning to an equally fabulous blast:

 

[sablebrush52]

I prefer my sandblasts on the craggy side:

WW2 Era Barling:

 

[dogparkpiper]

Pretty smooth grain is for the eyes. Nice sandblasting is for actually holding the pipe

 

[crazyhog]

I need to carry my pipes across the street to a park to smoke. Sandblast or rustic will show much less wear and tear. I do think a high quality grain on a smooth pipe does look the best.

 

[Sig]

Here are a couple inexpensive pipes with decent blasts. I believe I paid $100 or so for the Comoys Gold Bark about 20 years ago. The Celius Root was a gift, but they were never high end pipes.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

I prefer blasts. Over time, smooth pipes darken with use and seem to lose some of their luster. I like the feel of a blast in my hand. Here are some of my favorites among the pipes I own.

Rubio





Howell


Larrysson



Rad Davis


Alden

 

[quantumboy]

Here's one that fits your metric. Fabulous grain transitioning to an equally fabulous blast:

That truly is a cool pipe. When it's done on purpose like that, the result is spectacular.

 

[quantumboy]

Sandblast or rustic will show much less wear and tear.

Certainly I think that's an advantage of blasted pipes. Smooth pipes seem to always suffer degradation of the finish over time, but that's far less noticeable on a blasted pipe.

 

[Waning Embers]

Anyway, I would like to see some of your amazing blasted pipes with grain that might have been beautiful had the pipe maker decide to go smooth.

I've always seen smooth pipes as wasted sandblasting opportunities.

 

[PaulTheScandinavian]

Over the pat few years I have come to liking sandblasted pipes more and more yet they're surface need somewhat less care so to say are more practical in this regard

 

[bluegrassbrian]

Here's one that fits your metric. Fabulous grain transitioning to an equally fabulous blast:

Galldurn I think that’s the first mixed finish pipe I’ve seen where the sum is greater than the individual parts.
Who made that?

 

[Briarcutter]

This is just my opinion, don't bust my chops I like smooth,rusticated and blasted finishes. I can accept a combo finish of smooth,blasted only if its graded as a blast. I don't agree with the "partially blasted" and call it a smooth. If it's graded as a smooth it should be all smooth in my opinion. I'd accept the " chipped" top on old Charatans but then again, the only reason they did it was to hide pits. i don't like to see a smooth with a blasted area and then grade it as a smooth. The "fuming" Castello does on their smooths drives me crazy also. The only reason its fumed is to hide something, then they grade it as a smooth. Should be graded as a blast. Thanks for letting me rant.

 

[Sig]

I need to carry my pipes across the street to a park to smoke. Sandblast or rustic will show much less wear and tear. I do think a high quality grain on a smooth pipe does look the best.

That must be one dangerous street!!

 

[InWithBothFeet]

I have one smooth... a Vauen Paris, and it's got some beautiful birdseye, but it's one of the last pipes I pick up. In my current phase, I am preferring sandblasted wide bowls... that'll change next week.

 

[Sigmund]

I especially like Sables pipe. That is just cool.
When they are like Hoosiers pipes I can enjoy that as well. Is a clearly defined region and it makes sense.

When it is not I agree with with the OP. Sometimes there are random marks and its clear why the maker did it. I often do not like it. That said, I dont expect a maker to toss a perfectly good pipe becuase of the frequency of flaws in briar.

Some makers are very skilled in incorperating the flaws, some are not. Sometimes it just doesnt work. Of course Im sure those where it doesnt THINK it works but that a dividing line between someone with a keen eye and creativity and someone who is doesnt move past being a craftsman.

 

[elvishrunes]

I like all finishes it just depends on the pipe…. But I am partial to partially rusticated, I do like the contrast and a good use of bad grain spots imo. Different strokes as they say…. I don’t recall seeing as much partially blasted, I’ll look out for it.

 

[telescopes]

I don't care what they do, just so long as it is done well. Smooth, Rusticated, Sandblasted: Are a mix - it's all good.

 

[sablebrush52]

Galldurn I think that’s the first mixed finish pipe I’ve seen where the sum is greater than the individual parts.
Who made that?

It was made by Paul Tatum. I created a page about him on Pipedia.

Paul Tatum - Pipedia

pipedia.org