Bill Shalosky: Sandblasted Bent Dublin With Fordite (371) Tobacco Pipe

The balance point for this pipe is directly under the transition, which is unusual, as the bowl typically possesses the majority of the mass, However, this piece has a wonderful asymmetric shank that throws more weight, both literal and visual, to the stem side. A crisp ridge runs down the lower right of the shank, which is a teardrop shape in cross section, capped with a perhaps the nicest piece of Fordite I've yet seen. Primarily gray, it has swirls of yellow, brown, black, red and white, all understated but crystal in clarity. the paralleling expansion ring on the stem offers a pleasing pre-step to the saddle bit and echoes the bowl itself, which stands upright and confident, with a flat, slightly inward-angled and wide rim. The sandblast is deep, craggy, delightful to the touch, and with a warm color palette in contrast to the decorative Fordite fitment and the jet black stem. Grain? Just take a look. This is grain that could make a man rethink his priorities. Concentric, stacked, consistent, tactile, it's grain to be held as an example of doing things right.