Brandon Brooks Contrast Sandblasted Dublin w/ Maple Handmade Briar Pipe, New

Description

Some pipe makers come to the craft from a background in carpentry. Some are former machinists. And a surprisingly large number of today’s greats in the North American artisan scene were once—or, indeed, still are—professional musicians. These include, for example, Jody Davis, Jack Howell, Steve Morrisette, Scott Thile, and, of course, Brandon Brooks.

Among other things, Brooks has been a percussionist, music instructor, and drum builder since his graduation from the University of Kentucky in 1993, and, since 2007, he’s also been the man behind Brandon Brooks Pipes. Brooks draws on an eclectic mix of influences in the world of pipes, such as Italy’s Carlo Volpe, America’s Bruce Weaver, and the globetrotting Trever Talbert, and his work is further informed by his other employments. If you’ve encountered Brooks’ pipes, it is easy to see his work as a musical technician reflected in their precision and attention to detail; if you’ve encountered Brooks himself (especially alongside his pipes), it should come as no surprise that his résumé includes several years working as a high-end tailor.

Speaking of tailoring, one of the perks of working in the construction of bespoke suits is that, every so often, one of the luxury clothing hangers used to display such suits might “find its way” out of the store and into one’s home. These hangers are no joke, either, with a price tag correlating to the clothing intended for them. So it’s a small tragedy when one falls from the rack and breaks in half, rendering it no longer usable for its intended purpose. But, for someone who crafts similarly high-end pipes, there is a silver lining to suddenly having a few pieces of expensive lumber to spare. That would be what happened here. This high-contrast, sandblasted Dublin would already be a real looker of a pipe, especially with its rich tapestry of ring grain and stain, but the addition of a polished maple accent at its shank end adds a little something extra, while also pairing beautifully with the pipe’s smooth polished rim section.

All Brandon Brooks pipes come with a leather sleeve made by the Kraken Leather Company, as well as one of Brooks’ signature, “drumstick” tampers.

 

Details:

Length: 5.5″ / 139.7mm

Bowl Width: 0.66 / 16.76mm

Bowl Depth: 1.43″ / 36.32mm

Weight: 1.7oz / 50g