Yeti: Smooth Scarab (979) Tobacco Pipe

Micah Cryder of Yeti Pipes is an incredibly talented artisan, one of my favorites in fact, as he injects each of his pipes with a degree of whimsy and jocularity that reflects his own palpable passion for the craft, all while imbuing them with reverence toward his inspirations. The Scarab is an extremely rare Freehand shape crafted by few pipe makers, and, though Yeti didn't design the original pipe, he's quickly established this particular style as a signature shape distinct from all others. This pipe was surely a massively complex undertaking, and that's evidenced across nearly every surface of this piece, the stummel acting as a confluence of sharp ridges, firm edges, and supple curves. In this take on the shape, the outline is reminiscent of the classic Elephant's Foot design, its bowl split into broad, domed panels at the fore and aft by a wrapping arrangement of ridges. Whereas, in the standard Elephant's foot, these ridges would frame a single panel, here the ridges create a geometrically sophisticated pattern of angular panes that take on a tandem taper as they reach toward the heel. This arrangement features a central ridge, with opposing slopes toward both the fore and aft wall being met by another ridge. This slope through the aft side is more pronounced than at the fore, but the fore's walls have been precisely and subtly hollow-carved at the edges, enhancing the effect of the more forward ridgeline.

The shape of the bowl is certainly similar to the classic Bo Nordh profile, though there's a great deal of curvature near the lower half, the walls curling toward the smoker fluidly to meet the heel. These curves are amplified by the angle of the shank and stem, the former lifting out of a tight transition and tapering to meet a long, slender saddle of black vulcanite, with this pair's placement just above the heel visually lifting said heel toward the shank. At the heel, the frame in the middle expands very slightly, seemingly extending into the fore wall and creating an outcropping that tapers into a pointed kiss of plateau. This small extension of briar allows the shape to sit remarkably sturdily, resting on its broad fore wall while this feature acts as a support, and it matches a much larger plain of plateau just below the rim: both stained an inky black. The rim itself is unique, creating a pronounced dip in the fore wall and featuring a chamfer into the chamber, while its pointed flanks' sharp edges draw the eye and call to mind this pipe's insectile namesake. The rim's effect on the aft wall is far more pronounced, however, as the dip extends and the chamfer follows suit to form a point where a raised ridge lines the briar as it reaches out and sharpens, immediately drawing the eye from the smoker's perspective. From this sharp point, a pair of very subtle ridges descend at an angle to define the transition, whose area has been hollow-carved and sloped toward the shank. Understatedly evocative of its namesake family of beetles, this pipe is a triumph of shaping and high-concept design, easily displaying Cryder's skill and inventiveness. Finished in a light, honeyed smooth finish, the stummel is wrapped with an unbroken band of cross grain that extends through the shank, while both the vast panels of the bowl showcase densely swirling oceans of birdseye.