DIY

Taking up where we left off in the first part of “Coloring Natural Sandblast and Rusticated Pipes,” I’ve come to see the big difficulty in how to color a natural sandblast or rusticated Pete was simply in getting my definition right. With that done, there are really only two methods of coloring it. Again I must thank Prof. John Schantz, who was amazingly patient in his tutoring, but I also want to thank everyone who expressed their enthusiasm for natural sandblasts and rusticated pipes and those who sent photos demonstrating that love. Arnaud J. CPG sent several photos of his natural virgins to refresh our memory this morning with the goal of coloring a natural rusticated or sandblasted Pete: David Enrique Dunhill 120 LC   Dunhill Tanshell 1964 Savinelli 506 Definition * As much as we admire natural smooth Petes (of whatever era or line), these are not what we’re talking about when we’re talking of engaging in the coloring of a natural briar pipe.  Smooth naturals darken gradually in a fairly gradual and even unnoticed way. * As much as we adore the Barley finish, Petes treated with this finish will darken all on their own without any help from us other than smoking the pipe.  Depending on the grain, blast, and coating, these will very closely approximate what we're striving to do for ourselves, but without any effort (beyond smoking them) on our part.  Of course, they lack an uncoated, bare chamber, leaving out a big part of the magic process of enjoyment, as it's the flavor of the uncoated chamber that aficionados adore. * The type of participatory coloring we’re talking about is the same in its desired end and method as that practiced by the Peterson meerschaum smokers of old (i.e., before K&P's calcinated meerschaums of 1965 put an end to the glorious coloring process). * Josh Burgess’s use of the phrase purely natural is therefore part of the key. We’re talking about coloring a “purely natural” finished Peterson. To date, there are have only been four lines released that are purely natural: the Rogha, the Burren, the Supreme Sandblast, and the DeLuxe Natural Rustic. * The other half of the key is taken not only from those who smoke natural briars, but from those who in the past and present smoke non-calcinated (unhardened) meerschaums. As Prof. Schantz taught me in one of his several tutorials, these pipes must be colored from the inside out.   Coloring From the Inside Out  (detail from the 1906 "Chat With the Smoker" on meerschaum coloring, showing how inserts are used on those pipes) The goal here is three-fold, and without John’s help, I wouldn’t have understood the process. * First, to color a natural Pete correctly. By “correctly” I actually mean two things. First, I want to avoid the ugly grays and (to me) dingy looks that naturals can get along the path to to their ultimate tonal beauty. * Second, to bring out the most beautiful contrast possible,…