Sandblasted Teardrop Dublin Tobacco Pipe

Though he has only been carving full-time since 2024, Ryan McCawley's obsession with pipes has endured pretty much all his life. From enjoying the aroma of tobacco smoke as a child, to working in restorations, to becoming an almost completely self-taught pipe maker in his own right, McCawley found himself deeply entrenched in the world of pipes long before he ever carved his first artisan piece. He draws inspiration from the Danish greats, including Jess Chonowitsch, the Ivarssons, and Former, as well as fellow American artisans Micah Cryder, Jeff Gracik, and Abe Herbaugh, to name a few. Moreover, he has learned a few tricks of the trade from the likes of Sean Reum, Premal Chheda, Trey Rice, and several others. While he draws from a wide array of influences, he still retains a style that is undoubtedly his own, which he shares with the world under the Smokin' Barrel Briars moniker.

This "teardrop" Dublin from Smokin' Barrel Briars packs an abundance of character within its fairly compact dimensions. The stummel is underscored by a swift, gestural curve, positioning the bowl and shank with a pleasing sense of push and pull. The bowl is framed by thick, insulating walls crowned with exceptionally craggy plateau, and its fore comes to a subtle point, established by a flowing ridgeline that travels down the length of the shank, starting at its teardrop-shaped face, and twists around the heel before climbing up the bowl's fore wall. The matching teardrop shape of both rim and shank makes for a strong sense of unity throughout the composition. A rugged sandblast and deep auburn stain dress almost the entirety of the stummel, save for the smooth inner rim and the face of the teardrop shank. A high-kicking saddle stem completes the composition; its posture is poised for a comfortable clench, and the parabolic transition offers a convenient place to tuck a finger if needed.