What are your guy thoughts on rusticating only one area of the pipe?
I think as long as the rustication works with the overall design of the pipe then it is fine. However, there is a very thin line where rusticating in only one spot no longer adds to a pipe but takes away.
An argument could be made that spot rustication ONLY takes away and it is just a question of how much before it ruins the pipe. (I am debating with myself if this also holds true with bamboo, but I realize that there are many who would very much disagree with me on that,( ducking as Tyler picks up a stick of bamboo as if to cane me with it )
In the instances that I have done it I have been very carefull not to disrupt the lines along the outer contour. I have mainly used it as a little "surprise" area along the bottom of the pipe that is not visible until you turn the pipe over.
Being that it is a 3 dimensional object, I think it is important that the pipe hold some interest from all angles and not remain static.
Good question... I think that it's going to be one of those things that is "in the eye of the beholder..." I'm not sure what I think about it. I've had a pipe or two that I wanted to try it on but wasn't sure, like you said, if it would just make the pipe ugly and set off the whole look and feel. From the maker's perspective I'd say that it would be really handy if it could be done tastefully and add to the style of the pipe because it will be a great tool to hide things.
I don't think I've ever seen spot rsutication that I thought improved the pipe. To me, it is always a poor effort to cover one or two pits, and still show off otherwise nice grain. It looks amateurish to me.
That is not to say that partial rustication is bad (I don't take it to be the same thing). For example, random's latest pipe was partially rusticated, and done a way that made sense for the pipe's design. Kent Rasmussen does partial rustication that is amazing. I have done partial rustication, and I have liked the results (see the pipe I am currently using in the sites header logo). The trick, I believe, is to do whole sections of the pipe, and have the rustication's boundaries be boundaries that make sense on the pipe. I don't think rustication that just stops looks good. It is just taking a small pit and making it into a great big one.
Tyler (who is choosing to ignore the silly bamboo comment)
Last edited by Tyler on Mon Jun 28, 2004 6:34 pm, edited 2 times in total.
I have to agree with Tyler on this one. When I see spot rustication, the first thing I think is "Eyww, that's ugly." My next thought is that it makes an otherwise small pit into a larger one. I've never seen spot rustication that I like because it all seems to be an obvious cover-up. Now, if you can, as Tyler suggested, partially rusticate the pipe in a way that it artistically covers the same pits, then I say go for it. But spot rustication is a kind of magnifying glass that brings the pit into focus.
I agree John. Spot rustication seems to me like rustication in just one spot. And my first thought is that there must have been a flw there. Rustication that has some continuity to it, that seems to be an element of the design rather than just a polkadot, often adds to the pipe. I still think to myself, "there must have been a flaw that needed covered up," but I don't dismiss the pipe out of hand.
I think Mark Tinsky said once that no one rusticates or blasts a pipe that they can make a smooth out of. That either option is always a second choice. I imagine there are a few exceptions to this, but generally, thats my view too.
I think Mark Tinsky said once that no one rusticates or blasts a pipe that they can make a smooth out of. That either option is always a second choice. I imagine there are a few exceptions to this, but generally, thats my view too.
I'm not sure how I feel about that. I've rusticated pipes, both partial or entirely, because that's what I felt would look good. Would the pipes have had a smooth flawless surface? I don't know, I didn't even attempt to sand them smooth. While I'm sure the statement is accurate to a point, it's not all-encompassing.
On the other hand, I have done some partial rustication to cover up flaws in the wood. I'm certain every pipe maker does this, though to say that nobody does unless they have to, seems like overstatement to me.
I completely, and respectfully , disagree with the Tinsky comment. I really enjoy partial rustication and think it adds to a pipe when done well. I have done it on pipes for no other reason than I thought the pipe would look good with a partial rustication.
I think Mark Tinsky said once that no one rusticates or blasts a pipe that they can make a smooth out of. That either option is always a second choice. I imagine there are a few exceptions to this, but generally, thats my view too.
Mark hasnt been around Larry Roush. Larry blasts or rusticates over 90% of his work. I asked him why he doesnt make more smooth pieces when he obviously could and he said he enjoys a great blast more.
He obviously isnt having any difficulty selling his work.
To add to Dave Q's post, Jim Cooke designs his pipes to be sandblasted. And, if I remember correctly, in his article regarding the history of the Ashton Pipe, David Field stated that the primary finish on Ashton pipes was to be the pebble grain finish.
For what it's worth, the eighth pipe I made was designed to be carved, until I made the pipe, and discovered that the grain was too nice to be carved, so I left it smooth. Funny how things work out sometimes.
There are many pipemakers (maybe the majority, maybe not) where Mark T's quote would apply, though.
Finishing is an interesting topic, and from what I have learned from making a few pipes, there are many paths to the destination.
I'll have to take some pictues... It's tough explaining it by I'll try
Basically, it's mounted on the "lift" at a 45 degree angle to the "Front" of the drill press... it's perfectly centered under the center of the drill bit, so it never has to be adjusted or "nudged".... you tighten the block in the vise, and it's automatically centered...
I just have to line the block up with the square and drill away... so as long as you angle is right, you get perfect drills... even if your angle is not what you wanted, the air hole is always centered to the tobacco chamber... Awesome!
It takes me half the time it did with the old vise...
On the spot rustication, I am working on a pipe and I am considering two options as the pipe has mostly small pits and two larger pits on one side of the pipe. (If I had a sandblaster, there would be no question as this pipe has excellent grain for sandblasting, but since I do not, I am going to rusticate in some manner.)
Option 1
I saw a Tonino Jacono pipe once where Tonino had rusticated one side of the pipe including the shank. So, for instance, if you looked at the left side profile, the pipe was rusticated, and if you looked at the right side, it was smooth. I thought this was a pretty cool effect, and I am considering it for this pipe as an experiment. (I almost bought the Jacono pipe I described, except that it had a couple of other issues. Had it not had the other issues, that pipe would now be in my collection).
Option 2
Of course, my other alternative is to rusticate the whole pipe.
Now, given the discussion on spot and partial rustication, would you consider the half and half treatment described in option 1 as spot or partial rustication? Or is this a case where beauty is in the eye of the beholder?
While that kind of partial rustication is much more acceptable than "spot" rustication, it would probably be best to separate the sides with part of the pipe's shape, not just with rustication. What I mean is that you should make the separation deliberate and purposeful. That will prevent it looking like you just decided to rusticate one half of the pipe for the hell of it, or as an experiment. If you want to experiment, be creative and alter the pipe's shape so that the separation is more distinct and contributes to the overall effect that you want the pipe to have on the smoker.
That said, I personally would stay away from going half/half with the rustication. To me, that sounds pretty unattractive, unless of course you can do it in such a way to make it so. Instead, if it has some good grain, rusticate the sides and leave the top or bottom smooth to show off the birdseye.
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