Ryan Alden: Sandblasted Cutty (King) Tobacco Pipe

Texas-based carver Ryan Alden is highly regarded for his use of alternative pipe making materials, as well as an affinity for reinventing classic shapes. Alden's style is deeply informed by his upbringing in rural Texas, often incorporating organic elements. This Cutty is a fine example of Alden's work, featuring a dynamically canted bowl, with plump, curvaceous walls that rests on a soft heel, while the slightly cheeked transition displays the Cutty's characteristic heel spur. Out back, a slim round shank tapers to join a sleek stem of brindled vulcanite, offering a comfortable clench. Dressed in a rich natural sandblast, the King-grade stummel boasts a wealth of finely textured growth rings around the bowl, offering plenty of tactile appeal.