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When you buy a pipe, choose the finish you like. Do you like the feel of the smooth waxed straight grain or the pebble-like rusticated? As I have said, pick the pipe YOU like, the pipe that feels right and it will be with you for a long time. If you consider how long a pipe lasts, even if you do spend a great deal (that is subjective), when you divide it by many years of enjoyment it really is a bargain. Make sure the pipe you buy is a comfortable and convenient size. If too large, it can be heavy in the mouth and uncomfortable. Also where and when do you smoke? If you smoke a short time, then a small to medium pipe is best. If you relax, read or talk with friends, then a larger pipe is fine. As I say, a beautiful pipe is a work of art, not unlike a sculpture. Pick your pipe to suit your lifestyle.

Let us now talk about the finish on the pipe. There are several types of finishes: high gloss smooth, glossy smooth, matte smooth (some call this natural), sandblast, rusticated and several combinations of the above. With the very high gloss, be sure you are getting a top quality pipe and not one with varnish or lacquer; it seals the wood and it cannot breath. The very top-of-the-line pipes are the straight grains. And the very best of these is with a very tight even grain all the way around. This usually shows bird’s-eye on the bottom or top, unless it is a plateau finish (natural rough outside the burl). Bird’s eye comes from the grain getting sideways and can be very beautiful. Rough finish includes sandblast and rusticating. Sandblasting is just what the name implies; a high pressure burst of sand directed at the pipe, which removes some of the wood, producing an uneven rough texture. In a sandblasted pipe you can very often see the grain. Sometimes a top-of-the-line pipe will be a sandblasted straight grain and be absolutely beautiful.

Rusticating is done by hand and is really an art that is very time consuming. Rusticating can be much deeper than blasting and also is usually more even or consistent. After blasting or rusticating, the pipe is stained and polished to give it that “final look”.

About the burl: The soil is very rough and sandy and many times a grain of sand or tiny pebble will be next to the burl. As it grows, it will grow around it. When the block is sawed there may be a defect.

With inexpensive pipes these flaws may be filled with putty or etched (carved to hide them.) Unless the spot is large, it affects only the appearance, not the smoking of the pipe. I do not agree with the idea that blasting or rusticating is used only for flaws. If a pipe does not have a perfect straight grain, it may look beautiful in a rough finish.

Medium-range pipes may have an etching covering a sand spot or may be partially blasted to cover a flaw. I have never found a problem with this. Low-end pipes may have flaws that have been filled. Unless these fills are very large or unsightly, they usually do not affect the smoking. If the fill has been done with care and stained to match the rest of the pipe, it can be very hard to

Here are some of the finest pipe makers: Dunhill, Ashton, Ferndown, Castello, Caminetto, Poul Winslow or Davidoff.

Take your time and enjoy.

Best Pipe and Cigar Shop in Boca Raton Fl. Catering to the US and internationally for over 30 years.www.bocabenningtons.com

About the Author:

Jim Bennington has been in the cigar and pipes business and contributed to different cigar & pipe publications for over 30 years.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – How to Buy a Pipe

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