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Ashton: Difference between revisions
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→Wood makes the pipe
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[[Image:Ashton Pipe03.jpg|left|thumb|Image Courtesy of pipes2smoke.com]] | [[Image:Ashton Pipe03.jpg|left|thumb|Image Courtesy of pipes2smoke.com]] | ||
[[Image:Ashton Pipe04.jpg|right|thumb|Image Courtesy of pipes2smoke.com]] | [[Image:Ashton Pipe04.jpg|right|thumb|Image Courtesy of pipes2smoke.com]] | ||
The purchase of selected briar wood is the most important pre-condition for the manufacture of high-quality pipes. Thus Bill | The purchase of selected briar wood is the most important pre-condition for the manufacture of high-quality pipes. Thus Bill insisted upon selecting the wood for ASHTON pipes himself. This is a privilege very few pipe makers enjoy today. Bill traveled to Italy twice yearly in order to select and purchase wood. And he has developed such a special relationship with the briar saw mills in that country that only he can command the truly huge pieces of briar that are required for the ASHTON "magnum" pipes so prized by collectors worldwide. | ||
Bill | Bill used Calabrian briar for his smooth finished pipes because the wood is both hard and light, coming as it does from a light, sandy soil. Often he took these straight grain plateau blocks and turned them on their sides in order to fashion beautiful cross grain/birds eye pipes which are widely believed to smoke cooler than straight grains. | ||
Briar from Tuscany is used for the ASHTON sandblast finishes, as this type of briar takes on a rich, deep patina after the soft grain is removed by the sand-jet. | Briar from Tuscany is used for the ASHTON sandblast finishes, as this type of briar takes on a rich, deep patina after the soft grain is removed by the sand-jet. | ||