What is the difference between them? The rusticated pipes I see online look just like the sandblasted ones to me.
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.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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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.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.
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!”
You need to post more. That is a wonderful collection. If it is your entire collection or just a glimpse. Those are gorgeous pieces.Castello's Sea Rock is a nice rustification.
Ryan Alden does a very nice Sea Rockish rust as well.
An insane sand blast can be seen with J.T. Cooke's pipes.
Or Michael Parks... Swan Neck & billiard