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Pipe terminology: Rusticated vs. sandblasted

Columbo

Mr. Codgers Neighborhood
Rusticated pipes are modeled by hand tools (discrete carvings), whereas a sandblasted one is subjected to a more uniform machine process shooting sand or other particles through a pen or other jet source.

Sandblasting is more of a finish process. Although (like with my new Sav Allegator), some interesting patterns can be created with a sandblasting pen. Not as crisp as carvings, but interesting and eye-catching nevertheless.

Rustication may not run with the natural grain of the blank as sandblasting usually does, so some people prefer the latter to the former. But I think it varies more with the price point of the pipe ... and the care and experience allotted by the pipe maker.

In a higher-production factory pipe, IMO, sandblasting is usually the way to go. But with a higher end artesian-grade piece, the skill of an expert craftsman can produce some beautiful and intricate results in a rusticated.
 
A sandblast pipe is blasted with compressed air and aggregate to enhance the grain of the briar. A rusticated finish is carved with little to no regard for the grain pattern. A block with poor grain pattern can be rusticated to dress it up, but if it's blasted it just becomes a sandblast with a poor grain. A good carver can make some really nice rusticated finishes too.
 
These would be two extreme examples, but it might help demonstrate the difference. The top picture is a rusticated pipe, and the bottom is a sandblast. The carved rustication goes all over the place, and the sandblast highlights the natural grain.

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These would be two extreme examples, but it might help demonstrate the difference. The top picture is a rusticated pipe, and the bottom is a sandblast. The carved rustication goes all over the place, and the sandblast highlights the natural grain.

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The sandblast also appears to be a much finer texture. The rusticated in your example looks as if the pipemaker used a chunk of already gnarled wood and carved it as a sculptor would. My one non-smooth pipe, the Savinelli near-straight billiard, is clearly a sandblasted one.
 
Looks like I was writing my original post while Columbo was posting his. Sorry for the double tap.

The rusticated pipe is one of Boswell's Lava Rock finishes. I'm sure there's something about a particular block that pushes him in that direction. I figured those two pipes were about polar opposites on the rusticated vs. blasted spectrum. I don't know that I've seen many, if any, manufactured pipes with a rusticated finish. I imagine it can be pretty labor intensive.
 
Looks like I was writing my original post while Columbo was posting his. Sorry for the double tap.

The rusticated pipe is one of Boswell's Lava Rock finishes. I'm sure there's something about a particular block that pushes him in that direction. I figured those two pipes were about polar opposites on the rusticated vs. blasted spectrum. I don't know that I've seen many, if any, manufactured pipes with a rusticated finish. I imagine it can be pretty labor intensive.
There's a Savinelli on smokingpipes, a bulldog which is barking my name: a model 504, the "Oscar Tiger." They call it rusticated, but I think the pic looks more like my sandblasted Savinelli. (Actually I have 2 sandblasts, both Savinellis. The other is a "Long John" model.) Hence my confusion.
 

Columbo

Mr. Codgers Neighborhood
Looks like I was writing my original post while Columbo was posting his. Sorry for the double tap.

The rusticated pipe is one of Boswell's Lava Rock finishes. I'm sure there's something about a particular block that pushes him in that direction. I figured those two pipes were about polar opposites on the rusticated vs. blasted spectrum. I don't know that I've seen many, if any, manufactured pipes with a rusticated finish. I imagine it can be pretty labor intensive.

It depends. One of the largest-volume budget-priced pipe makers in the world, Dr. Grabow, still sells rusticated models. You can call them rusticated, or you can call them carved, but they are definitely not sandblasts. I believe that in the case of Grabows, they don‘t even hand carve them. They use Dremels. That’s the only way they could pull it off at the price point. It doesn’t affect how they smoke (Grabows are generally very solid smokers and a tremendously good value). But the aesthetics are a little crude.
 
That's a good point, I hadn't thought of them. I was thinking more of the carved finishes. I was way off base. I guess there are quite a few.
 
I can't recall ever seeing a sandblast finish that wasn't good, whereas it's easy to find a lousy-looking rusticated finish. I've seen way too many rusticated pipes that looked terrible, like it was a kid's arts-and-crafts project for Father's Day. I'm convinced that Dr. Grabow's "carved" method involves wrapping a stummel in bacon and tossing it to the dog.

I do like the Grabow rusticated finishes that were done with a wire wheel - you see them on some of the tobacco-premium pipes like the Westbrook and the Belvedere.
 

Columbo

Mr. Codgers Neighborhood
I can't recall ever seeing a sandblast finish that wasn't good, whereas it's easy to find a lousy-looking rusticated finish. I've seen way too many rusticated pipes that looked terrible, like it was a kid's arts-and-crafts project for Father's Day. I'm convinced that Dr. Grabow's "carved" method involves wrapping a stummel in bacon and tossing it to the dog.

I do like the Grabow rusticated finishes that were done with a wire wheel - you see them on some of the tobacco-premium pipes like the Westbrook and the Belvedere.

I love to have a few on hand for outdoors, yard and travel, but I don’t buy a lot of Grabows at this point. But the ones I do buy I always get in smooth finish.

Other than the varnish (which I can do without), Grabow uses good blanks and the drilling is always balls on. And the varnish that Grabow uses is better than whatever Sav is using these days at the <$120 point.

My problem with Grabows is that I keep giving them to my son. I’ve yet to be able to locate a perfect replacement for my favorite Grabow that he now happily smokes. It has a full-size chamber. The Royalton I just picked up is great, except for its thimble-sized one.

And I’m a Benny Hill kind of piper ... “I like ‘em BIG!”
 
I love to have a few on hand for outdoors, yard and travel, but I don’t buy a lot of Grabows at this point. But the ones I do buy I always get in smooth finish.

Other than the varnish (which I can do without), Grabow uses good blanks and the drilling is always balls on. And the varnish that Grabow uses is better than whatever Sav is using these days at the <$120 point.

My problem with Grabows is that I keep giving them to my son. I’ve yet to be able to locate a perfect replacement for my favorite Grabow that he now happily smokes. It has a full-size chamber. The Royalton I just picked up is great, except for its thimble-sized one.

And I’m a Benny Hill kind of piper ... “I like ‘em BIG!”

I hear you on the Grabow chamber sizes. I have a couple of nice estate/NOS Grabow Canadians that have larger chambers, and some old pickaxe/tomahawk styles that had taller chambers, plus some wide bulldogs and authors. Nowadays their styles are pretty conservative.

The Grabow Commodore/Sculptura sandblasts are especially nice - they used a glass bead blasting media on those according to one source I found.
 
Imho most sandblasted pipes have a nicer finish. I’ve seen some rusticated pipes that look as though a drunk monkey attacked it with an angle grinder.
 
Castello's Sea Rock is a nice rustification.

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Ryan Alden does a very nice Sea Rockish rust as well.

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An insane sand blast can be seen with J.T. Cooke's pipes.

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Or Michael Parks... Swan Neck & billiard

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You need to post more. 😁 That is a wonderful collection. If it is your entire collection or just a glimpse. Those are gorgeous pieces.
 
Here's a collection of Dr. Grabow RJR tobacco premium pipes, all rusticated. The yellow (actually, they're orange) spades mark the Westbrook models; the rest are Belvedere models. I need to polish them up a bit. I really like the pickaxe shape, 3rd from right in the top row:

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