>>1006134Not really a meme; it has its place.
Most often it's used to conceal a number of sand pits in lesser grade briar so it can still go out the door looking good.
People love smooth, pit-free finishes on their pipes most of all, but when that's not possible the maker often rusticates it so it still has an acceptable finish. It's not as premium a result, but it's still better than throwing the whole pipe in the trash. Many of the cheaper basket pipes are rusticated, and some people avoid rustic pipes for just this connection. But some people really do like the way it looks.
But rustication isn't always done just one way, and it isn't always cheap. Pic related is technically rusticated, but it's a far cry from your usual gouged out basket pipe.
