Keresaspa: Difference between revisions

In terms of influences, Keresaspa remains fascinated by the precise engineering behind the ‘perfect smoker.’ Therefore, a major influence upon Keresaspa’s pipes are the experiments he has undertaken in order to fine-tune the smoking characteristics of a pipe. In addition to this, Keresaspa asks his customers who own high-end artisan pipes to send him lists of their measurements, so that he has more variables to test out for himself. Keresaspa is also a great admirer of the aesthetic styles of many of the masters of Scandinavian and Japanese pipemaking, citing [[Ivarsson, Sixten|Sixten]] and [[Ivarsson, Lars|Lars Ivarsson]], [[Nordh|Bo Nordh]], [[Jørn Micke]], [[Poul Ilsted Bech|Poul Ilsted]], [[Chonowitsch, Jess|Jess Chonowitsch]], [[Gotoh|Kei ‘Ichi Gotoh]], and [[Tokutomi, Hiroyuki|Hiroyuki Tokutomi]] as inspirations. However, Keresaspa also remains fond of classical English-French shapes, especially the functionalist simplicity of the humble billiard.

Other sources of inspiration for Keresaspa include a variety of man-made and natural objects, including architecture, as might be expected. One example has been Achaemenid columns, known in the Western world as [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persian_column Persian, or Persepolitan, columns], which inspired Kersaspa in the shaping and flaring of some of his pipe stems. [[File:KeresaspaPersianColumnStem.jpg|thumb|225x225px|A Keresaspa pipe stem modeled on the columns of the ancient Persian Achaemenid empire. Image courtesy Keresaspa.]]

In terms of the construction of his pipes, Kerasaspa follows one of two approaches. If he is making a classical shape, everything is planned in advance. If a line is supposed to be flat, it must be exactly level; if a line is supposed to be tapered, it must follow an even decline. Contrary to what a pipe smoker may imagine, the most traditional and common shapes are often the hardest to perfect. For free-hand or free-style shapes, Keresaspa closely studies the works of the aforementioned masters, taking cues from their lines and figures as he first begins to shape the bowl, before taking the design off into directions of his own preference, towards those chosen by the briar’s grain, or following the subtle suggestions of his other materials, such as a piece of bamboo.

The materials Keresaspa makes his pipes from are briar for the stummels and German ebonite for the stem. Sometimes he will use vintage Bakelite or natural Amber for the stem, if he is given the opportunity. In the past Keresaspa has worked with meerschaum and bog oak, but in recent years he has decided to focus on making briar pipes. He will often utilize shank extensions from various types of bamboo, or horn, and has a large collection of decorative materials that he will use as adornments. These include prehistoric fossils such as mammoth tooth or tusk, nacre, amber, horn, bone, exotic woods, and meteoroids.

== Grading and Dating ==