Askwith: Sandblasted Nosewarmer Poker Tobacco Pipe

A silversmith by trade, Chris Askwith's journey into pipe making began, as many do, with his own smoking, taking up the pipe in 2006 and using his myriad of tools to restore estate pipes for his own use. In 2007, Askwith joined a pipe club where, by chance, he met Paul Hubartt of Larrysson Pipes, the man who afforded him the chance to make his own smoking instruments using Hubartt's tools. The money he earned from selling these was used to outfit his own workshop with tools better suited to pipe making, and now Chris fashions handmade pipes full-time.

We've encountered quite a few Pokers from Chris in the past, most of which were crafted from morta, though none of which quite match the size of this example, at least not when rendered in briar. At under four and a half inches long, this piece is a true Nosewarmer, and its extremely light weight of well under an ounce makes it incredibly easy to clench, despite being a straight shape. The bowl here is rather tall, given the composition's length, and the chamber it holds is respectable, giving plenty of room for an extended smoke while not being overly large. Appropriately, the shank and stem are quite trim and sleek, transitioning near the bottom of the bowl to give the chamber some extra depth and taking on a touch of taper as the combination reaches toward the button. Dressed in a crisp tanblast and showing off some handsome grain, the stummel is lent a wealth of contrast thanks to the polyester stem's vibrant pink and white hues.