Yeti: Smooth Horn (978) 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. Many of Yeti's Horn renditions pull from Bo Nordh's Oliphant shape, with paneled flanks and firm, muscular angles across their stummels, though this example departs from that style by emphasizing a more archetypal look overall. Measuring in at more than seven inches long, this pipe boasts a sturdy, substantial feel in hand, aided by a pair of ridgelines that flow through the bottom of the flanks and enhance the crispness of this pipe's outline. As with most Horns, this pipe showcases a fluid silhouette with a consistent expansion from stem to rim, creating an interesting, dynamic look that's rich with subdued momentum. The stem itself is a sleek half-saddle of demurely curved black vulcanite with some intriguing facet work near the shoulders, and it pairs to a smartly tapering shank that ebbs out of a wide transition. This transition is rather nebulous, being extremely open and curving throughout the aft side of the stummel to enhance the fluid look of this pipe significantly. The bowl here stands atop a sweeping heel, thrusting it into prominence and drawing the eye toward its walls as they flare out expressively to a domed rim, their thickness insulating the chamber well. The aft wall of the bowl is shaped in an extended, semi-oval that's apparent at the rim, while the fore wall is constrained by the bounds of the briar's lower ridges and creates a far broader kind of domed surface whose upper edge is kissed subtly by plateau. As the aforementioned ridges lift to meet the rim, they split on either side of the bowl near the front and curl to meet at the fore and aft sides, dramatizing the effect of the rim's dome. This rim slants rearward slightly, further lifting the fore of this already fluid piece and pulling the eye to the bowl to ensure that every aspect of this pipe is appreciated. Dressed in one of Cryder's iconic glossy smooth finishes and a fiery contrast stain, the stummel displays stunning grain throughout, with flickering flame flowing through the sides of the flank and wrapping over the rim as a band of cross grain. Beneath, the underside unveils an ocean of mesmerizing birdseye, matching a smaller field on the top of the shank and reinforcing Cryder's skill and status as one of America's foremost artisans.