About to take my first cob mod for a spin

Has anybody else here ever modded a corncob pipe? Just finished this Missouri Meerschaum General modification; I created a contrast stain by applying dye, sanding, and repeating several times. I then gave it two coats of shellac and buffed it with carnuba wax. I also shortened (albeit only slightly) the bowl and the wood stem before applying a silver ferrule and a forever stem.

The inaugural smoke is going to be C&D Pegasus.