One last Bent that is a shape on its own is the Calabash, directly copied from the Calabash pipe, which is made from the hard shell of an African gourd and fitted with a meerschaum bowl or lining. Freehand pipes have been made by pipe makers such as Dunhill and Charatan for quite a long time, but in the 1950s, new Danish makers adopted this method, particularly seeking to use the natural flow of the briar grain. This encouraged new pipe makers in England, Italy, Germany, the United States, and in a number of other countries. The result of freehand making are highly individualized pipes. Acrylic is more expensive but has the advantage of retaining its color, whereas vulcanite can fade.
Acrylic is, however, harder on the teeth and some smokers prefer softer vulcanite.
Bits are generally black, but a type which is dark brown with black streaks, called Cumberland, has also become popular on quality lines. The taper has straight converging lines, while the saddle is flattened for easier gripping. This is the name given to bands that are often fitted to the shanks of pipes. They can be made of base metal, but high-quality pipes will have silver or even gold mounts. Although bands are ornaments, they also have a practical use of protecting a part of the pipe which can be vulnerable to splitting.