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I was wondering if someone could run the gamut of rusticating techniques.

That's easier said than done. Techniques are as varied as pipe makers. Not even sandblasting is consistent among makers.

Personally I've used:
- sandblasting
- dremel tool with carbide cutters
- same with smooth cut engraving bits
- wood chisels (hate this)
- dremeling with up to 3 different bits, then sandblasting

There's no real set methodology here (dare I say it, no recipe? ).

I remember being totally intimidated by the idea of rusticating, because I assumed there was some sort of secret technique for it that i didn't know, and if I didn't follow that technique I would be revealed as a sham of a pipemaker or something.

Turns our, whatever method you can come up with for roughing up your wood is just fine. LOL

Example:



Nothing magical about a tool like that. the idea is just to chunk up the wood somehow.

I use a tool similar to the one pictured above, as well as my dremel, and even sometimes a wire wheel chucked into my lathe. In a lot of ways, rustication turns out to be a great way to extend the creativity of a pipe making process.

Like simeon's tool there, I've heard of guys using small hole-saws, "chucked" groups of nails, etc.... anything that leaves a pattern. Some are more work than others.

Sasquatch wrote:Like simeon's tool there, I've heard of guys using small hole-saws, "chucked" groups of nails, etc.... anything that leaves a pattern. Some are more work than others.

Eh, that's not my tool. I yanked that pic from google. I wouldn't be one to wear an engagement ring...

I wonder if letting your dog chew on a pipe would work....would sure save some time and labor. LOL

Those are some manly hands to have a rock like that. You sure they aren't yours?

Well, I AM pretty well known for the manliness of my hands...

Those are the hands of Claudio Cavicchi's wife Daniela. It's reported that she does the rusticating on all of his pipes.

FredS wrote:Those are the hands of Claudio Cavicchi's wife Daniela.

That's just begging for a smart remark about (Seinfeld's) "man hands" .

Can anybody tell me how you call this finishing technique and, more important, how to do this... to get the result as the picture of this Winslow shows....



Thanks
GJ

Looks like it was done with a wire wheel to me. I tried this a while back. Mine did not turn out near that good but it did look kind of like that one.

Yep - wire wheel. From the depth of the rustication, I'd say steel. Brass or bronze wire wheels will work also, but don't cut as deep.

KurtHuhn wrote:Yep - wire wheel. From the depth of the rustication, I'd say steel. Brass or bronze wire wheels will work also, but don't cut as deep.

I was thinking the same thing Kurt. Also I thing around the shank and the logo block, a gem setting bit may have been used for more detail.

If I were trying to duplicate that rustication, I would use a section of saw blade as a scraper. Which might not work, but those grooves look too well defined to be the result of a wire wheel, which can follow grooves that already exist, but also tends to knock of high spots and blur definition.

Jack

I agree with jack.

Wire wheels will give similar results, but not near as well defined. It's also very difficult to get it looking right where the shank meets the bowl with a wire wheel.

It looks like a carving technique of some sort to me.

Rad

You guys could be right - it could be either carved or wire wheeled. My last experiments with wire wheels were about 5 years ago or so. I got similar stuff as this, but I stopped using them because I really don't like the resulting look.

In the past I've used the same dremel bit that we use to cut the slot in stem rodstock only it is ground on each side to form a V. A flexible ruler is used as a guide to get the straight vertical effect. Light touch required.

Kevin

Agree - a sharp pointed abrasive bit (rather than a rasp) in the dremel, and a steady hand. I can get VERY similar results.

havent tried brushwheel, but a metall saw blade does very similar pattern, not as deep though.
i would try doing it first with the saw, and then deepeening the "holes/grooves" by using the brush.
i imagine that could work well.