Dirk Heinemann: Partially Sandblasted Ray Tobacco Pipe

Dirk Heinemann has an impressively diverse portfolio, skilled at crafting both fluid, gestural designs and more architectural, Freehand-inspired forms. His work showcases a penchant for experimentation, pushing the boundaries of pipe making with his distinctive, avant-garde style, as seen in this Ray shape.

Like Heinemann's Grainbug, the Ray is a curvaceous design inspired by nature — specifically, the shape of an oceanic ray gliding just above the seabed. This resemblance is most striking when viewed from above, where the stummel's wide, fanning base contrasts with the taut, curved rim. In profile, the shape echoes a Reuleaux triangle, featuring rounded edges, a flat base, and a distinct apex. Despite its intricate shaping, the pipe remains compact — measuring just over four inches long — making it perfect for on-the-go smoking. It's elegantly finished in a crisp, inky sandblast and topped with a push-style stem reinforced by a brass inlay.