Trey Rice: Sandblasted Acorn with Masur Birch Tobacco Pipe

An architect by trade and an accomplished pipe artisan and woodworker, Trey Rice fashions pipes from his home just outside of Forth Worth, Texas. His design outlook most often centers around English and Danish classics, and his architectural eye results in pipes that are aesthetically clean and remarkably precise. Rice's portfolio most often focuses on shape-chart classics and artisan staples, supported by his tasteful accent work and refined shaping.

A sandblasted sibling of sorts to this other Rice Acorn, this rendition reveals a similarly conservative bowl: forgoing the design's oft-seen heel spur in favor of a consistent undercuve. Where this piece differ, apart from its finish, is Rice's shaping of the shank. In profile, it still flares slightly toward the stem, but from above it displays a wider, oval nature to balance the bowl's muscularity without disrupting the shape's elegant silhouette. An accent of masur birch caps the shank, its brighter tones contrasting well against the stummel's ruby, contrast-stained sandblast.