Buckeye Hand Made Tan Sandblasted Billiard Briar Pipe, New

Description

Premal Chheda’s Buckeye Pipes have undergone several significant changes since their debut in the mid-2000s. Chheda himself was one of the first major players in 21st century American artisan briars, having been taught the fundamentals of high-grade pipe making by Mike Butera, and having had plenty of students of his own in the time since. Though Buckeye started out as an sub-brand for pipes that did not quite meet the standard of a pipe stamped with the Chheda name, the two would ultimately become different projects entirely. Today’s Buckeye Pipes are, instead, high-quality briars produced by Premal Chheda and his apprentices. The difference between a Chheda Pipe, or one of the pipes made by Chheda’s apprentices under their own name, and a Buckeye pipe boils down to the level of detailing involved: Buckeye Pipes are precision engineered and expertly finished, while being more minimalist in design and less labor-intensive in execution than their counterparts.

I’ve been thoroughly enjoying the evolution of Buckeye pipes over the years, and it was truly very exciting to work with Premal on getting some of his recent ones in our own shop. As with a few others listed alongside it, this Buckeye is another slight departure from the make’s house style, however in this instance it is very much in keeping with Premal’s own pipe making proclivities, as also seen on his Chheda-brand pipes. Premal is quite famously a great fan of classic shapes, and I’m told that his current apprentice, with whom he makes Buckeye pipes, is similarly inclined. Here they’ve crafted a wonderfully craggy, tan sandblasted saddle billiard, striking a good middle ground between its traditional proportions and the more muscular “American” style that Chheda pipes often exhibit.

Details:

Length: 6″ / 152.4mm

Bowl Width: 0.79 / 20.06mm

Bowl Depth: 1.63″ / 41.40mm

Weight: 1.9oz / 56g