Yeti: Sandblasted Dublin with Bakelite (816) Tobacco Pipe

Micah Cryder is the artisan behind Yeti pipes, his passion for the craft imbued into him since childhood. An autodidact for much of his career, he turned to pipe makers forums for information about carving before he developed relationships with other notable American carvers who furthered his knowledge of the craft considerably, especially with regard to the technical elements. Over the years, his abilities have become even more refined, each pipe made contributing to his skills and solidifying his unique shaping style, something which can be seen here in this straight Dublin.

Shape-wise, this Dublin is a classic, with plenty of retro styling to appreciate: The bowl cants slightly forward, flaring impressively from a firm heel to a broad rim that, in this rendition, is steeped in craggy plateau. It's paired to a rather slender shank that tapers subtly toward the eye-catching, streaked yellow saddle stem of Bakelite, the material something of a trademark for the Montana native. The resin-based medium is easily pliable, though time consuming to work with, and its value continues to rise, as its bright colors and stunning sheen are used in jewelry and, of all things, space shuttles. Micah uses it to great effect in his work, creating compelling color palettes, as he has deftly accomplished with this design.

The stummel is wearing an eye-catching ruby sandblast, clearly demonstrating Cryder's keen eye for shaping the briar in such a way that best shows off its grain. The rich, deep red finish reveals tightly stacked, rippling ring grain along with tendrils of flames, the rich stain contrasting the lighter hues of the mouthpiece. This is another expertly fashioned and precisely engineered piece from the accomplished carver, and one that easily demonstrates his wealth of skill and keen grasp of his craft.