This is pipe #5 from the group of Blatter pipes sent to me from a piper in Iqaluit, Nunavut. This compact Rhodesian stood out to me immediately, the Rhody being one of my favourite pipe shapes. The rustication on this particular pipe is also quite striking – deep, craggy and very tactile.

The pipe arrived on the workbench in pretty good condition. It had been well cared for, like the rest of its brethren, and had recently been reamed to cut the cake back. There was a ring of lava stuck in the rusticated bowl rim that would have to come out, and the stem was fairly oxidized. The biggest issue with the pipe, however, was the business end of the stem – the bite and button areas showed some of the deepest tooth dents I’ve contended with in some time.

The pipe is stamped on its smooth underside with…