David Huber: Sandblasted Fugu (6522) Tobacco Pipe

David Huber is an American carver who takes inspiration from the Danish and Japanese pipe-making traditions, and as such, his work tends be quite organic, prioritizing sculpted lines and precise shaping. Huber began making pipes full-time in 2014 and received guidance in his early days from carvers like Jeff Gracik, Nanna Ivarsson, and Alex Florov.

This Fugu is a fine example of Huber's work, featuring a dynamic, bowl-forward stance that emphasizes the supple, asymmetrical flanks bifurcated by a pair of firm central panels. The rim is given a unique treatment that creates a pincer-like quality, thanks to its integration with the ridges. Out back, the ridgelines continue through the bottom of the shank, creating a slightly asymmetrical rectangle that's curved to the right, following the outline of the bowl. A jet-black saddle stem is paired to the shank, its base accented with a firm ridge that mirrors the shank's flare to the smooth face, its trim length keeping the footprint of this pipe under four and a half inches. Dressed in a crisp, dark, auburn-tinged sandblast, the stummel boasts excellently textured grain, with cross grain and birdseye perfectly oriented with the shaping, making for quite an impressive effect.