I am new to making pipes. What I write below will be of interest to the same newcomers.
First I’ll try to explain why I chose Freehand style for cutting the first pipes. Although everyone is definitely advised to start with the classical forms. It so happened that at the beginning of my work I saw not so many pipes. Stephen Downie's pipes gave me a big push in that direction. Then I saw the pipes of Alexei Florov, Alexei Kharlamov, Andrey Savenko, Mikhail Revyagin, Viktor Yashtylov. God, what a beauty .... I want, I want, I want to learn how to do something similar. Classical forms seemed to me boring and faceless next to the works of these masters. But in addition, there were serious technical limitations on the manufacture of classical forms. I just was not ready to do them, because I did not have the necessary skills.
Let's take a look at this photo.
Good pipe !!! This is Former.
We see that this pipe is based on cylindrical surfaces. It is not very difficult to manufacture. If you have a lathe, you can get the skills to make this pipe quite quickly. The third or fourth attempt to do this will already look exactly like the original, but not yet become the original. Stammel is created from the cylindrical surface of the shank and the cylindrical surface of the tobacco chamber. All classical forms for ease of manufacture on a lathe are created on the basis of cylindrical surfaces. And the most difficult thing in them is not only that they are cylindrical, but that the cylindrical surface of the shank should be on the same axis with the opening of the smoke channel. The cylindrical surface of the tobacco chamber should be on the same axis as the hole for the tobacco chamber. In another way, the classic form of the pipe simply will not work. It should be symmetrical in everything.
And what about those who do not have a lathe yet? Trying to get these cylindrical surfaces? But you have absolutely no experience in their manufacture. And to do this for a beginner is very, very difficult. I did not dare to make a cylindrical surface, knowing in advance that I would not succeed. So why torture yourself. Just as there are no two identical pieces of briar, so there are no two identical people. For example: while it is very difficult for me to make symmetrical shapes. Bad for me and getting cylindrical surfaces. About people like me, they say in Russia, "He has eyes in the soap." My wife’s eyesight is fine. She sees symmetry right away. I also see, but very bad. But I'm learning how to make pipes, not her. So what to do?
You can make billiards, at first they are likely to be terrible. Understanding that he is terrible can kill the unborn great master in you. Do you want that? The first unsuccessful attempts to manufacture pipes greatly reduce self-esteem.
But there is another way. The work of making a pipe consists of many simple operations. Which are the basis of the profession. You need to learn how to hold a tool in your hands. You must choose the tools that will work comfortably. You have a smoking pipe manufacturing tutorial. I would never use the tool recommendations given in it if I am not comfortable working with this tool. The main thing is not what tool you did it, only the result is important. And if the result is good, what difference does it make with which tool you got it. Bite the briar with your teeth, if you can get the form out, then continue to bite the briar. You need to learn how to give the shape of a smoking pipe, to join the stem and shank of the smoking pipe without a gap, to learn how to finish, to learn how to make a contrasting color. You need to learn a very, very many operations. And most importantly, you need to learn how to do it all beautifully and correctly.
In any profession, there are fundamentals that must first be mastered. To learn how to walk, you first need to learn how to crawl. Without knowledge of these fundamentals, nothing can come about. Imagine that you came to learn to play the violin, or decided to become an artist. And your teacher tells you, “Play me the sixth Beethoven symphony.” You came to study and do not even know in which hand you need to hold the violin. And what do you say to such a teacher. Probably nothing. You just think - "He is a complete fool if he wants this from me."
The same thing is in the profession of a pipe cutter. Forcing yourself to make a direct apple, or an egg, without knowing the basics, without working with a briar, picking up a tool for the first time is simply a mockery of yourself. The very first unsuccessful attempts to make a pipe, will instill fear in your soul. Fear of getting another poop. This fear will kill the master in you.
Master the basics by cutting out freehand pipes. Very soon you will feel freedom in your hands, learn how to use the tool correctly. Learn to cut precise and correct lines, and maintain proportions. Quite quickly the skills necessary for working with briar will appear. Then you can proceed to the manufacture of classic forms of smoking pipes without even having a lathe. Although, of course, Freehand is not a panacea and probably will not be suitable for everyone. Freehand should be beautiful too, at least for you.
How to start ?
The Internet is full of pictures. Look for something in abstract sculpture, there are a lot of interesting forms. But it’s better if you try to come up with forms yourself. This will help develop your own imagination. You do not need to start immediately to do something from the briar, to get started, try to get what you want from a piece of a regular pine board. Make a model of your future pipe from a pine. I begin work on a pipe by making its model. It can take you one, two or even three days. But do not rush. Pine is a very cheap wood. It can be spoiled without sparing expenses.
And remember, the work that you do when learning to make pipes should bring you satisfaction and joy. Only then what do you do will be beautiful. If the work is a burden to you and you don’t know how to do it, better do what you already understand.
That is why among my first smoking pipes, there were “Bull” and “Mermaid”. I enjoyed every minute spent making these pipes. Although they are not pipes in the full meaning of the word. By making them I gained experience. But there were such poop before I started trying to make the first classical forms.
This was necessary so that my hands would no longer feel the boundaries in processing briar. When you learn how to get any line you need on the briar, understand with what tool this line can be obtained, then proceed to the production of classical forms.
Here is the first classic form that I ventured to make. And that was the fifteenth pipe I made. I’m definitely not ashamed of her. She's definitely not perfect. But it is already possible to show and even probably put up for sale.
This is the nineteenth pipe. I apologize, she was photographed on an old camera, but now I do not have it. I can not fix the old low-quality photos.
In my opinion there is also little to which claims can be made. There is of course one obvious flaw. This pipe needs a more expressive stem. But I am very limited in funds and therefore have to work with what is, and not with what is needed to make the tube. There was simply no money to buy a piece of ebonite 10 mm longer. Worked with the remnants of what was bought before.
Please do not think that I came to this forum in order to give you a new philosophy. I just told you about my way into the profession of a pipe cutter. I acted as my common sense dictated to me.
Waiting for your comments.
Regards, Odissey
P.S. What should I do with smoking pipes with numbers from 6 to 15. As I understand it, you don’t want to comment on Freehand.
