My daughter requested a rolling pin "just like Mom's" for her birthday - but finding a duplicate of my 30-year-old model was nearly impossible until Vic Firth stepped up to the (pie) plate and hit a home run. The roller is smooth maple; the handles are comfortable to grip, both for my daughter's small hands and my large ones; the ball bearings make rolling quick and effortless; the barrel's 3" diameter means less work is needed to get the goodies from bowl to oven to mouth; the weight is good for multiple dough types, from light pastries to fluffy biscuits to hearty breads. With a product like this, pie baking may be rescued from its "lost art" status!