Plateaux Rustication

[The Smoking Yeti]

I decided to try mimicking natural plateaux with a rustication technique. The one thing I can think of to make it better, would be a light detail blast over top the texturing.

Watcha guys think?

[wisemanpipes]

yeti: 2 things

1. that grain is pretty sweet and looks like a nice pipe in the making.
2. that plateaux rustication is unreal. literally though, no one can fake natures beauty, just like faux sandblasting, but you have done a pretty damn good job at making it look similar.
congrats on such a close looking plateaux top!

evan

ps. the blast would add an extra layer of texture that would put it over the top. make sure to use a sharp media not to round the peaks.

[rijks]

Yeti, I definitely like your work
It's a pretty good idea and the result is good.
I look forward to see the final piece...

Best regards,

[Gershom]

I can't see the image... I want to see the image

[WCannoy]

That looks pretty sweet!

However, full disclosure please!!! I think if I bought this pipe thinking that it was natural plateaux, then found out later that it wasn't, I'd be pretty sour!

[Growley]

Pretty cool. I think I like the shank the most. Make sure to show some completed pipe pics!

[the rev]

no offense but I think you did a pretty good job of something that I don't want done

rev

[caskwith]

Great job but I have to agree with Walt here. When I visited Mimmo's shop with Paul a couple of years back he showed us a superb rustication which like this with a light sandlbast was almost identical to plateau. I thought about having a go since but what put me off is that it isn't plateau and the natural beauty and difficulty of orientation etc are what make a plateau topped pipe so special, to me it would almost be like painting on straight grain. So by all means carry on, it looks superb but make sure you tell the buyer that the top is rusticated and save yourself some potential heat.

[DMI]

Strange but true:

Brebbia bought a load of pipes from China during the late 40's and 50's and employed people to paint the grain on, some of the most famous were carved as young ladies

David.

[The Smoking Yeti]

Great job but I have to agree with Walt here. When I visited Mimmo's shop with Paul a couple of years back he showed us a superb rustication which like this with a light sandlbast was almost identical to plateau. I thought about having a go since but what put me off is that it isn't plateau and the natural beauty and difficulty of orientation etc are what make a plateau topped pipe so special, to me it would almost be like painting on straight grain. So by all means carry on, it looks superb but make sure you tell the buyer that the top is rusticated and save yourself some potential heat.

By all means Chris, I wasn't gonna lie and say it was Plateau. The customer I'm making this for knows its a rustication and likes it.

I can understand what you mean about plateau and the difficulty of orientation- I wont ever be doing this without full disclosure, cus you're right, that could upset people.

[AlfaDog]

I really like the technique myself. I think the way you carried it over to the shank extension is really cool. That should help alleviate any confusion as to whether it's real or memorex. You're developing a really unique and beautiful style in all the pipes I've seen of yours that just says Smoking Yeti. If you aren't already an established pipe maker with a backlog of orders, hang in there, it won't be long. Your craftsmanship skills are superb. Can I be your online apprentice?
Wallace

[The Smoking Yeti]

I really like the technique myself. I think the way you carried it over to the shank extension is really cool. That should help alleviate any confusion as to whether it's real or memorex. You're developing a really unique and beautiful style in all the pipes I've seen of yours that just says Smoking Yeti. If you aren't already an established pipe maker with a backlog of orders, hang in there, it won't be long. Your craftsmanship skills are superb. Can I be your online apprentice?
Wallace

Wallace, thank you for the kind words

In all honesty I'd say we're all online apprentices to this forum. The knowledge and experience here is amazing!

[AlfaDog]

Yeti -
May I suggest you do an instructional thread on pipe photography? Your photos are always amazing and I would love to learn how you accomplish this time after time.
Wallace

[Kirk Fitzgerald]

That is fantastic Yeti, I would love to know how to do that to a couple of my own Pipes, would ever consider sharing your technique please.

[pipedreamer]

another arrow for your talented quiver.Sometimes people want you to do this to thier pipes and you are more than ready. Good Job.

[The Smoking Yeti]

another arrow for your talented quiver.Sometimes people want you to do this to thier pipes and you are more than ready. Good Job.

Yeah, the only times I will do this, is if they specifically request, and if I do, I make sure it is stated that the plateaux is fake.

Kirk- it's pretty simple really, I use a small dremel burr, something round, and I just shape.

The easiest way to do it is to start with a larger ball burr, and create rough contours of plateaux- knobs, dishes, etc- study plateaux for inspiration. Then you come back and clean things up with the smaller round tool- remove cut marks etc, round it, make it ridge-ish like plateaux naturally is.

Be sure people know it is carved though- otherwise it can be deceptive.

Cheers!

Yeti

[Kirk Fitzgerald]

Thanks for the info Yeti, adding Dremel to the list, crikey my list is huge, no worries about disclosure, I'm only interested in doing to pipes of my own mate.

[RDPowell]

Now you've done it! You put a Dremel in the hands of a mad man!
There should be some sort of disclaimer here.

[Rodneywt1180b]

That's going to be a beauty when it's done. The cap on the shank is an especially nice touch that I almost missed due to the dark background. You are going to show us the final result aren't you? It would be a terrible tease otherwise.

As long as the buyer's know it's a rustication and not actual plateaux I don't see a problem.

Please don't get me wrong here, I like working with wood too and I love the beautiful patterns of grain found in briar including the plateaux. This is just a thought I have. People like to talk about the natural beauty of wood but when you think about it, it's only natural until we get our hands on it. How natural is a perfectly sanded wood surface that is then waxed and polished to a high degree even if no other stains or finishes are used?
Rodney

[WoodTurningGR]

Cool! Very closed to original!