Sterling Silver Pipe Tamps

[cosmicfolklore]

Hot off the workbench. These will be available on my Etsy account after the Pipe Show in Birmingham this weekend. Well, the one that are left anyways )

All sterling silver, one has turquoise, dinosaur bone, inlaid Lightning Ridge opal, garnets, spectrolite, and some have a patina and carbon staining. All hand forged, fabricated, and I cut all of the stones. I don't cast anything, except the raw ingot that gets beaten into shape :wink:

What do you think?

 

[cosmicfolklore]

I like to think of the tamp as a ritual item, something that becomes a part of the pipe experience. I realize that not everyone agrees, and many just use a finger or golf tee, but some of us like to have something reflective and thought provoking on us when we fire up the ritual fire.

 

[plateauguy]

Great looking tampers, too bad I'm on probation for spending too much.

 

[phred]

Those look spectacular! Nice work!

 

[sidious]

I really like the one with the small red stone. Unfortunately, I am also on probation.

 

[pylorns]

Southwestern style. Turquoise and Silver.

 

[buzkirk]

Awesome Work!
Tom

 

[redheadedsmoker]

Wow! Can't wait to see what's left over after the show...more than one caught my eye! Great work!

 

[hodirty]

Great work. I love them and would be proud to own one.

 

[mso489]

Beautiful. I couldn't bear to lose one.

 

[rangerearthpig]

Those are spectacular. Love the turquoise!

 

[okiescout]

Great work! Will keep you in mind for a purchase when my pipe purchase savings builds back up. Just ordered 2 pipes

Pipes 2, $$$ Zero!

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Here is a tamp that I made being auctioned off by Pipestud for Brian Levine's daughter. She is raising money for JDRF.

All proceeds will go to them, and you have an opportunity to get an Andamooka opal on an artisan pipe tamp at auction price.

 

[voorhees]

they are awesome cosmic!

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Thanks, and for just a quaint side note... Andamooka opal has to be carbonized to give the opal granules a dark background to contrast with. Traditionally, they were either baked on a bonfire or in labs they use sulfuric acid. I used my pipe for this one, just to be quaint. I put the opal in a pot shaped bowl and smoked it with a fine Virginia (Astleys 109), lol. I then hit it with a polishing wheel to remove the ash and anything that would give it an aroma.
It turned out pretty good, IMO. It has a better flash of color in person. The photos are good, but opals are notoriously hard to photograph.

 

[layinpipe]

Those are beautiful and personalized works of art, cosmic, great job! I am with you in that i like custom tampers and think it is definitely part of the experience. I recently received a custom morta and a custom briar tamper, both made by Marco Biagini at Moretti Pipes and he did a fantastic job with them both. I also have Mark Tinsky making me a custom tamper to go along with a custom poker he is making me right now, can't wait to get it. I would possibly be interested in acquiring one from you (the dinosaur bone one sounded pretty rad) in the future. Keep up the good work!

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Thanks, all of the ones in the picture of them lined up sold at a pipe show here in Birmingham. The one above on auction for the JDRF auction is the only unsold one out there. However, I can make you one using just about any stone.

However, the one above on auction would really help a good cause. :wink:

 

[layinpipe]

Sweet, i'll check out the auction and that is a great thing you are doing with the auction and all, respect. I will PM you when i decide to pull the trigger and get a case of ATAD (Awesome Tamper Acquisition Disorder)! Could you tell me what you would charge to make a dinosaur fossil tamper like the one you sold recently? Thanks cosmic!

 

[cosmicfolklore]

The one in the line-up sold for $125. But, I have a variety of dinobones in a variety of price ranges. I am able to work with almost any budget.
Edit: my prices are dependent on the market prices of metals and stones, so this can go up or down depending on the market. I have to state this, so if someone digs this up in a few months that I won't be stuck on this price range.

 

[layinpipe]

Awesome, thanks for the quick reply cosmic, they really are beautiful tampers. Your silverwork is very well done, sir. Expect a future customer order from me, you can be sure it will go to good use!