Golfball on the green

[Massis]

It's been a while since I finished anything decent enough for me to dare show it to this forum for critique, but I'm rather pleased with this one.
Plenty of room for improvement ofcourse, but I'm really loving this pipe, the green just mesmerizes me...
I also rather like the "dovetail" look on the edge of the rustication.

I had to resand it 3 times before I finally got rid of most of the ugly sanding marks that just wouldn't let go of the wood. The stem/shank junction still isn't 100% tight, but it's as flat as I'm going to get it sanding by hand (as I can't rechuck it and don't have pin gauges).

Anyway, let me have it (the critique, or the pipe, I want both...)

[kamkiel]

I keep coming back to this pipe and having a look. When I first saw it I wanted to say something, but wasn't quite sure what it was. Looking at it again, my eyes keep getting stuck on the top part of the stem's bend. I am not sure if that was intentional, but it isn't really that comfortable. It might be just my opinion, but that part of the pipe sticks out the most.

I also wasn't too crazy about the rustication, but after looking at the name of the pipe, it makes sense now. Not sure if it should be "Golfball on the Green" or "Green on the Golfball"

I think that the grain on top looks pretty neat though. It has a green mountain-y kind of feel. Was there any particular reason for only showing the right side of the pipe? I am also a little curious to see how the rustication comes together on the bottom of the pipe.

All in all, I think there are more things I want to know about this pipe than I can critique. I am pretty "green" when it comes to critiques, so I apologize for a bad one

Kiel

[Massis]

Thanks for the feedback!

First of all: yes, it should've been "Green on the golfball", but that's just a description. I actually named & sold this one as "Massis Fairway", what's in a name?

The bend didn't fully work out the way I wanted, I'm still looking for a way to safely bend stems because my current method (using a butane torch to heat it) is far from perfect... I tried the boiling water method on a previous pipe but disliked that even more...
I think the bend is too short, and should've started earlier in the stem?

Obviously, the name came AFTER the rustication, not the other way around. It's the first time I applied it in a structural manner like this, instead of a random "all out" way.

The pipe's found a new owner, so I can't make any more shots, but I have some of the bottom and the left side as well, so I'll see if I can add them tonight.
The only reason for showing only the right side is that these pictures worked out best, nothing more.
I didn't even realize it until you mentioned it.

[kamkiel]

Massis Fairway is a good name. I think you pipes are pretty lucky to get their own names. Mine have names like "new one" until it gets old. Then it just becomes "One Month Ago" or "Last Year Sometime"

I am still trying to make a good bent, but I just use the heat gun. I just thought it was something that most people used for bending their stems. It was one of the first tools I bought because I thought it was necessary for making pipes.

I was wanted to see how you did the bottom because I have some pipes that should be rusticated. I have only done the "all out" thing, but this "blastification" from a different post has me scouring the Chinese interwebs trying to find a similar texturing wire wheel. THe wheel will just be put on a long list of stuff I should buy the next time I go back home.

Hope the new owner enjoys it!
Kiel

[Massis]

Added 2 more pictures, one of the bottom and one of the left side. They don't include all the detail I'd want them to, but I hope they help