Unfortunately, if you set a eBay watch for "Rad Davis", most of the hits are Bad Davis,shown above! What's more ironic than Alice in Wonderland sleeves?
Who IS The Next Rad Davis?
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If we're going international on this one I'll throw out Mass Rimensi of Duca pipes. His pipes are of a quality a good piece above asking price. But the from the perspective of master-blaster...I really can't think of anyone that is blasting to the depth and fineness of Rad anywhere under 600 bux.
Edit: Those Alden's do look pretty close. I'll be....
Edit: Those Alden's do look pretty close. I'll be....
peck, bacon grease is so passe, baby oil works like a charm.
I started this thead pretty much about No American artisans but if you would like to add an out of country addition please do.
I started this thead pretty much about No American artisans but if you would like to add an out of country addition please do.
I've been watching Tim Thorpes pipes on Facebook, he's doing some nice blast work lately (and acquiring some nice Barlings, they must be inspiring him!). He's in the $275-$300 range.
My concern with the new artisans (bless them all) is that even though the visuals are very appealing, what about the engineering? The draft hole, the polishing of the hole at the stem, the mouthpiece, etc ETC ?
I Am no longer willing to strike out on my own-I'd rather wait to see and let the word get out
Thank you to all you venturous folks who don't mind risk taking. Lol
I Am no longer willing to strike out on my own-I'd rather wait to see and let the word get out
Thank you to all you venturous folks who don't mind risk taking. Lol
I don't own any artisan pipes. I collect in a different bent but what I've seen posted here Rad is in a different league Its natural for us to look for the next best etc. but to my eye he cut an unbelievable pipe that may be out of reach for a lot of carvers.
I tend to agree with this.
I loved most especially all his different variants on the Rhodesian,
styles of which I ain't seen many coming from the newer carvers.
Last night I wanted to visit his site and view his most excellent gallery, just to drool, and lament the sad fact that I never had a chance to get one of his pipes...
...but I think the site is down now
which is a damn shame because his intense gallery was almost damn near a catalogue raisonnéand I dug how he always used that old 3N tin too,
viewing it was eye candy of pure delight!
Can a unique Master such as Rad ever really be replaced?
Perhaps not.
:!:
I'll throw in my nod towards Alden as well. Just fantastic smokers.
Chheda pipes are another excellent option. I spend a fair amount of time at their place and am amazed at the details they look at when making new pipes.
Chheda pipes are another excellent option. I spend a fair amount of time at their place and am amazed at the details they look at when making new pipes.
Chedda (or chad according to spell checque) came to my mind immediately, but their pipes come with quite a premium. That's the thing about Rad, he didn't need this sh!t. Rad defines the gulch between craftsman and artisan.
I was looking at new cookbooks the other day and stumbled across one about pasta and pasta making. I can't recall the title or the author but it was new on the shelf at Barnes and Noble. In the 30+ page intro the author mentions the entire book and the restaurant he opened immediately afterward came after his extensive training in Italy, which lasted 4 months.
I was looking at new cookbooks the other day and stumbled across one about pasta and pasta making. I can't recall the title or the author but it was new on the shelf at Barnes and Noble. In the 30+ page intro the author mentions the entire book and the restaurant he opened immediately afterward came after his extensive training in Italy, which lasted 4 months.
I just caught the video posted where Ryan was interviewed.
Thank you for posting the link.
His thoughts on building a pipe reflect my thought process in buying a pipe--engineering.
First and foremost, the engineering of the pipe is paramount. a 'bonus', (as he said) is that it looks good.
This is man who understands. (at least to my way of thinking)
Thank you for posting the link.
His thoughts on building a pipe reflect my thought process in buying a pipe--engineering.
First and foremost, the engineering of the pipe is paramount. a 'bonus', (as he said) is that it looks good.
This is man who understands. (at least to my way of thinking)
Fair point Allan, but consider the engineering aspect of pipe making essentially consists of drilling and smoothing two holes, the airway and the bowl. And let's face it...anyone that has sense enough to use google will have the requisite engineering know how to make a decent pipe in a split second. Whether they can achieve that with tool in hand is a different matter. However, you can buy a predrilled kit that includes a 4mm airway into a prefitted stem that is perfectly engineered by machine, which is exactly what some pipe makers do (i.e. hand finished pipes).
$79 bux will get you a pipe engineered as well as, if not better, than your average purely hand made pipe. So I guess I reject the aesthetics as a bonus argument. :roll:
$79 bux will get you a pipe engineered as well as, if not better, than your average purely hand made pipe. So I guess I reject the aesthetics as a bonus argument. :roll:
Well, kinda true. But you need to know how to vary the kind of chamber shape and airway for different shapes as the best carvers do. I can't speak for other British factory makes, but Barling varied it's airway diameters along different shapes. They always have a smooth draw. Drilling a cylindrical chamber in what will be a Dublin is a recipe for structural failure at the base. One thing I like about Ryan is that he sought feedback from two of the best pipe repairmen available, George Dibos and Ronnie Bickascan. That shows smarts.
And leave us not forget that the stem, bit, and button represent as great, and possible greater, an opportunity for making practical and esthetic design decisions. Ryan makes an extremely comfortable bit.
I couldn't find the Alden video link mentioned above, but Google saved the day with this Youtube from the West Coast show: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OAgM4yGRIzo.
I got my first Alden, a morta in his signature author shape at Chicago, and then a briar bulldog in his distinctive style a couple of months ago. I have to take pix of the morta before I start the breakin, but the dog is producing great smokes with the VAs I have dedicated to it. There will be more.
I have 2 Gabrielis also, and Dan's finesse is remarkable. Dan's no newcomer to the pipe carving game and you can see the experience and talent when you examine his work. I'm particularly fond of the bamboo in a Heeschen type shape.
I really need to go ffishing in State College and visit Clark Layton to see about a bulldog.
hp
les
PS - can't seem to unwind the superfluous underlining in the text after the video....
I got my first Alden, a morta in his signature author shape at Chicago, and then a briar bulldog in his distinctive style a couple of months ago. I have to take pix of the morta before I start the breakin, but the dog is producing great smokes with the VAs I have dedicated to it. There will be more.
I have 2 Gabrielis also, and Dan's finesse is remarkable. Dan's no newcomer to the pipe carving game and you can see the experience and talent when you examine his work. I'm particularly fond of the bamboo in a Heeschen type shape.
I really need to go ffishing in State College and visit Clark Layton to see about a bulldog.
hp
les
PS - can't seem to unwind the superfluous underlining in the text after the video....
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