Yeti: Sandblasted Bent Dublin Sitter with Cocobolo (927) 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-making 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 bent Dublin.

Shape-wise, this pipe is a fusion of its namesake and the Cherrywood, with plenty of bold styling to appreciate: The bowl cants dynamically forward, flaring impressively from a sure-sitting heel to a broad rim that, in this rendition, is steeped in craggy plateau. It's paired to a high-kicking shank that flares out as it reaches far upward toward an accent ring of cocobolo that marks the junction to a long, gently curved saddle stem of black vulcanite. This combination of features is strikingly lively, with a poised posture and an active look, its stature an imposing one thanks to the impressive amount of substance with which it's been crafted. More than two and a half inches tall, the bowl itself fills the contours of the hand easily, its thick walls insulating a capacious chamber while holding the vast majority of the composition's visual weight.

The stummel is wearing a stunning sandblast, clearly demonstrating Cryder's keen eye for shaping the briar in such a way that best shows off its grain. The rich, warm, mahogany-hued finish reveals tightly stacked, rippling ring grain along with tendrils of flames, the rich stain contrasting the darker hues of the mouthpiece and cocobolo accent. 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.