Michael Lindner Sandblasted Cutty with Bamboo (E3) (2012) Tobacco Pipe

A Detroit native and the son of a General Motors draftsman, Michael Lindner has both design and automobiles running through his veins. He didn't follow his father into the business of automotive design, but his love of a good car and the intense attention to detail that goes into designing and making one bleeds into his designs nonetheless.

Lindner's unwavering precision is on amazing display in this Cutty, particularly in the slender foot that sits on the bottom of the bowl. Despite the generous length of this pipe — just under seven and one-quarter inches — Michael managed to make it balance on the foot nonetheless. Several inches of bamboo and vulcanite follow the bowl and stub of briar shank, but the angle of the foot is just perfect to allow the pipe to stand. The rest of the pipe is no slouch, either: The bowl is sandblasted for a rich touch to the hand and stained a lovely dark brown with a softly inflated rim at the top, the four knuckles of bamboo are smooth to the touch and add a great feel of naturalism, and the vulcanite stem is drawn by strong ridgelines and a wide, concave bit. It's a great work from bit to heel on Michael's part, skillfully imagined and executed just as well.