Favorite pipe finish?

[MrMotoyoshi]

Do you have a preference for finishes on your pipes? Some collectors pursue only smooth pipes, others deep craggy blasts, while some enjoy a nice rusticated look. Maybe you don't care


I personally enjoy a sandblast finish. For me, it's the best of both worlds. I get to see what the grain is doing but don't have to baby it like a smooth pipe. I do have some smooths and some rusticated pipes but my preference is blasted.

[Lostmason]

I like the clean lines and look of a smooth finish,That would my preference.I do like the feel of sandblasted and rusticated,and my BBK has a sentimental meaning.But,it is the smooth briars that catch my eye.

[tmoran]

I voted sandblast as well. A properly executed blast is hard to beat, but I think each finish has it's time and place, depending on the shape, quality of the briar, grain, etc. A classic straight billiard in anything other than a smooth finish just doesn't seem right to me.

[bluenoser]

I'm a fan of wood grain so to me a smooth finish shows it best. But not against a little sandblasting or carving on a pipe. Might be ordering a couple cheapies from amazon that have some carvings on them soon.

[Rocket Scientologist]

Sandblast or smooth. I'm pretty conservative when it comes to pipe styles. I like the classic look.

[mooster]

Sandblast a definite first with rusticated a not-too-distant second. Smooth pipes just don't feel right to me.

[NeverBend]

Sandblast a definite first with rusticated a not-too-distant second. Smooth pipes just don't feel right to me.

Clip those nails , you're scratching the smooths, silly feline (your avatar).

I prefer smooths for two reasons:
1 - they can smoke VA a little sweeter while sandblasts are a bit more dry in taste and moisture.
2 - they're harder to make (handmade and unfilled).

I do like and smoke sandblasts. The blast process, when deep and well defined, is a torture test for the flaws that prevented it from being smooth so I consider them to be firsts as well.

[Horsefeathers]

I like a variety of different finished, but if I had to pick one it would Sandblated. Walt Cannoy probably has a faux suede finish he does, which might be my favorite finish on a pipe I've seen.

[MrMotoyoshi]

I like a variety of different finished, but if I had to pick one it would Sandblated. Walt Cannoy probably has a faux suede finish he does, which might be my favorite finish on a pipe I've seen.

I got to hold one of his suede blast pipes at the Tokyo Pipe Show. Needless to say, it was awesome.

[Horsefeathers]

I got to hold one of his suede blast pipes at the Tokyo Pipe Show. Needless to say, it was awesome.

That must have been awesome! Any idea on how much it was going for?

Also, boy did I ever butcher the English language in that post.