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I use a steel tap placed in a drill press or a lathe and this works very well rusticating a pipe. It doesn't grab as long as, you hold pipe firmly.
It also speeds up the process as it can cover a good size area quickly.
The finish looks like blasting. You need to practise on a piece of wood or old pipe.

Aslo, I have never seen a rusticated stem. I was thinking if one rusticates a stem (not deep) and not all the way to the end of bit, leaving about 1/2" inch of non rusticification near the mouth tip, that it would look good with a rustic shank and bowl. I have never tried this.

Oddly enough, I had a similar thought at 2 in the morning - never seen a rusticated stem. Probably look like a black golf ball.

As for your drill-press method, I may give it a shot. I kind of like Savinelli's "brownblast" rustication, like on the Roma series, and it's very easy to do with a ball bit in the dremel and a wash coat of dark paint or stain.

I'd like to see a pic of the tool and the results... thanks

I saw a pipe with a partially rusticated stem at the TAPS show this past weekend, I don't remeber the maker or much else except it caught my eye as a two-tone rustication then I picked it up and realized that it was part of the stem that was rusticated. I wasn't crazy about it, but I'm sure there are guys out there who would like it. It was a saddle bit that most of the round part was rusticated.

Anne Julie rusticates almost all of her pipes, stem and all. It isn't for everyone, but I like some of her work.

TJ

I believe Random's Blackwood? pipes had partially rusticated stems. I think I've also seen Ronny Thuner do it.

Rad

I have seen quite a few guys do it. To me it never looks good. The other drawback is the trouble you would have with polishing. when it starts to oxidize which we all know will happen at some point cleaning and repolishing is going to be a *itch.

i´ve done it once or twice.
if you rusticate it in bucolic way you should have less problems than
if you use nails or something similiar.
when you rusticate the stem with sharp objects, the "holes/pits",
get too narrow to be buffed...
this doesn´t look good in my opinion.

i kind of solwed the problem by puttin leaf gold (i dont know the right word for it)
in the holes. it made a nice contrast with the black polished stem.

edit:
oh!
you can get nice looking stem by using smal chisels.
at least if your chisel is sharp enough, you dot even need to polish the rustication.

Anyone tried wirebrushing?
Either on it's own or on top of other "dull looking" techniques?