When people first see an exotic wood pepper mill, like one of the stunning pieces created by renowned craftsman Pinky Martin, they usually want to know how it was made. The answer varies widely: no two craftsmen perform the task in the same way, and few are skilled enough to master the types of elaborate designs originated by Mr. Martin.
Pinky Martin’s museum-quality wooden pepper mills first came to public attention in the work of Sara Moulton. cooking live tv show Later, in the Oprah show, one of Pinky’s windmills was given to a lucky fan, allowing him to avoid the two-year waiting period.
Pinky’s pepper mill designs are renowned for their unique combinations of select woods and clever patterns. Each one is truly one of a kind, even when identical wood types are used, the grain patterns are inherently unique. The unique appearance of each pepper mill depends on the selection of different slices of wood and the shape and contours of the design.
Below is the general process of making an exotic pepper mill in the Pinky Martin tradition:
- Wood selection. An artist must first decide which wood, or woods, to use to create the pepper mill. Today’s best pepper mill craftsmen often choose rare and exotic wood varieties prized for their grain colors, patterns, and overall beauty.
- Cut and pattern. Once the desired woods are chosen, they are cut to size and placed together to create an attractive pattern of warm and varied wood grains. When a striking pattern emerges, the pieces are fused together with a permanent wood glue. This results in a “blank” pepper mill.
- turning The blank is punched in the center and turned on a lathe until the artist is satisfied with the shape and contour of the pepper mill. When this is complete, the mill body is sanded smooth.
- Refinement. A wood grain filler is often applied to prepare the surface for lacquer. Once this putty dries, the piece is sanded and varnished. The surface is rubbed to a lustrous finish as multiple coats of lacquer are applied.
- Crusher installation. The pepper mill is complete when the mill assembly is installed in the center hole. Fresh peppercorns can now be stored inside the pepper mill, ready for your next meal.
Unfortunately, Pinky Martin is only one man, and there are only a very limited number of his exquisite wooden pepper mills. The good news is that several talented and highly-skilled artists have taken over, inspired by Mr. Martin’s innovative work. The most notable of these, Rudy Paredes, is creating exceptional pieces that pay homage to the great Pinky Martin while carving out an identity of his own. Examples of his remarkable wooden pepper mills can be found at http://www.exoticwoodpeppermills.com/.
