New Pipe - Straight Bulldog

bscofield · Post by **bscofield** » Sat Mar 01, 2008 4:52 pm

Here's a new one of mine...

Post by **KurtHuhn** » Sat Mar 01, 2008 5:12 pm

Wow, that's really nice, Ben. I don't even mind the partial rustication - in fact, I don't think I would like it as much if it wasn't partially rusticated. The button looks a little narrow for my tastes, but that's purely subjective. I can't recall seeing a pipe like this before, either. It's quite snappy, and right up my alley.

The only issue I can see, which isn't even a cause for concern, is that the trailing vertexes on the stem, just before the saddle, seem to swoop out a little. That might be a parallax from the camera though, since I only see it in the second photo.

flix · Post by **flix** » Sat Mar 01, 2008 8:50 pm

Very nice, Ben! I too see the swoop. If Kurt hadn't mentioned it, it would've remained unnoticed, but, I do see the only little thing disconcerting. The rustication does set off the chimney effect of the bowl, in a very classy way. Very cool move!

bscofield · Post by **bscofield** » Sat Mar 01, 2008 10:15 pm

Thanks guys. In regard to the flare, I violated one of my own personal rules: If your going to do something on a pipe do it intentionally, but not overdone.

In this case it was intentional but unfortunately a bit half hearted. When I look at it in person I don't dislike it it at all... I just wish I had picked one or the other: flared a bit more or straight. But I like it just the way it is too...

LatakiaLover · Post by **LatakiaLover** » Sun Mar 02, 2008 6:01 am

Ben --

The bowl has a nice profile. The shank has problems though, I think. The surfaces undulate a bit, making the edges wavy, plus they don't run parallel to each other. Also, the stem's pinched-waist look plus being flared oddly doesn't fit the clean, geometric lines of the bowl. A shorter version of this sort of thing...

...would serve the design better, imo.

The finish is up to your usual high standard. The density and fine texture of the rustication is both unusual and attractive. Color of the smooth areas is rich and classic. The rings don't match in profile or depth (close, but not quite---the top one is shallower and more "U" shaped.)

The button is a new trend that Jody Davis and several others have kicked off, but as a repair guy I'd recommend you avoid. Its front-to-back thinness wears down pretty quickly. A little more beef there makes a lot of difference in longevity for tooth-clenchers.

pierredekat · Post by **pierredekat** » Sun Mar 02, 2008 2:05 pm

You know, I think you have just about come up with your own unique style here, Ben, between this one and the one in your avatar and one or two of the others.

If you do embrace that as your own signature style, I think it could be a good way to go, really.

I've been trying to come up with a signature style/pipe, myself, but I still haven't hit on anything that I would call the "quintessential R. M. Perkins pipe". But I do think that you're well on your way to having a "quintessential Scofield pipe".

Very nice.

bscofield · Post by **bscofield** » Sun Mar 02, 2008 2:36 pm

Thank you Robert! I take that as a high compliment

I remember the time I told John Crosby that one of things I liked the most about his pipes was that you could look at them and tell they were a "Crosby".

I think that to develop a "style" is one of my long-term goals over the course of my carving "career" (not in the full-time sense).

Frank · Post by **Frank** » Sun Mar 02, 2008 3:59 pm

LatakiaLover wrote:The rings don't match in profile or depth (close, but not quite---the top one is shallower and more "U" shaped.)

I don't know how picky bulldog aficionados are, but I recall an early thread by Tyler where he was wondering how to obtain a very narrow ring groove with a square bottom, as opposed to a U bottom obtained by using a wire, usually a guitar string.

It occurred to me that one could make a tool similar to a lathe cutoff tool, using an old Xacto blade or scalpel blade with the cutting bevel ground flat. Something like this:

LexKY_Pipe · Post by **LexKY_Pipe** » Sun Mar 02, 2008 5:23 pm

Frank

I like your tool concept. I bet that would work well.

RadDavis · Post by **RadDavis** » Sun Mar 02, 2008 5:27 pm

Frank wrote:
LatakiaLover wrote:The rings don't match in profile or depth (close, but not quite---the top one is shallower and more "U" shaped.)
I don't know how picky bulldog aficionados are, but I recall an early thread by Tyler where he was wondering how to obtain a very narrow ring groove with a square bottom, as opposed to a U bottom obtained by using a wire, usually a guitar string.

It occurred to me that one could make a tool similar to a lathe cutoff tool, using an old Xacto blade or scalpel blade with the cutting bevel ground flat. Something like this:

You really need something with a right angle to it.

If you try to go straight at it, that pesky shank can rap your knuckles or the tool pretty good, especially on a bent pipe.

Rad

Frank · Post by **Frank** » Sun Mar 02, 2008 7:26 pm

RadDavis wrote:If you try to go straight at it, that pesky shank can rap your knuckles or the tool pretty good, especially on a bent pipe.

The rectangular steel plate that secures the blade need only be 1/16" thick. The retaing screws can be counter sunk. Allowing for the thin width of the blade, as long as the rings are more than 1/16" above the level of the shank, you should be OK.

Admittedly, I was viewing this as being used on a cross slide tool holder, but with an extended handle, and taking care of where your knuckles are, you could free hand it on a wood turning lathe.

RadDavis · Post by **RadDavis** » Sun Mar 02, 2008 8:51 pm

All of makers I seen do it, freehand the rings whether they are using a wood or metal lathe.

Believe me, you need a tool with a right angle to it. I've been there.

Rad

Post by **KurtHuhn** » Sun Mar 02, 2008 9:29 pm

RadDavis wrote: You really need something with a right angle to it.

If you try to go straight at it, that pesky shank can rap your knuckles or the tool pretty good, especially on a bent pipe.

Rad

Did that today using the edge of a skew chisel. Barked my kunckles something fierce!

sethile · Post by **sethile** » Sun Mar 02, 2008 11:29 pm

I use the edge of a very small thin skew chisel too, and it is always close to hitting the shank or sliding off the edge of my rest, which is always close to hitting the shank, even when coming in at as much of an angle as I can.

This is a real limiting factor in my bulldogs in terms of how bent I can get the shank and/or how deep or far down the bowl I can go with my rings. Some kind of right angled tool would be a big help, but I've yet to see anything that would do the trick, either freehand, or in the tool holder.

hollywood · Post by **hollywood** » Sun Mar 02, 2008 11:36 pm

The more I look at it, Ben; the more I like it. The rustication technique is very nice. I like the tall bowl, too.

I also think the stem might be better served as smaller and more streamlined, but that is something I really need work in myself.

Another nice step in the direction of creating your signature!

RadDavis · Post by **RadDavis** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 12:36 am

sethile wrote:I use the edge of a very small thin skew chisel too, and it is always close to hitting the shank or sliding off the edge of my rest, which is always close to hitting the shank, even when coming in at as much of an angle as I can.

This is a real limiting factor in my bulldogs in terms of how bent I can get the shank and/or how deep or far down the bowl I can go with my rings. Some kind of right angled tool would be a big help, but I've yet to see anything that would do the trick, either freehand, or in the tool holder.

Hey Scott,

What you do on a metal lathe is put a tool in the tool holder so that it's parallel with the bowl rim. Scootch it up really close to the rim and use that as your tool rest. Then you are coming at the pipe from the front, and no matter how bent the shank, you can get in there with your tool.

Some people take an allen wrench, sharpen the short end of the L and use that.

Rad

sethile · Post by **sethile** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 1:08 am

RadDavis wrote:
....What you do on a metal lathe is put a tool in the tool holder so that it's parallel with the bowl rim. Scootch it up really close to the rim and use that as your tool rest. Then you are coming at the pipe from the front, and no matter how bent the shank, you can get in there with your tool.

Some people take an allen wrench, sharpen the short end of the L and use that....

Oh wow, that's a great idea, thanks, Rad! That's going to make a ton of difference! Now why didn't I think of that?

Post by **KurtHuhn** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 9:00 am

sethile wrote:I use the edge of a very small thin skew chisel too, and it is always close to hitting the shank or sliding off the edge of my rest, which is always close to hitting the shank, even when coming in at as much of an angle as I can.

This is a real limiting factor in my bulldogs in terms of how bent I can get the shank and/or how deep or far down the bowl I can go with my rings. Some kind of right angled tool would be a big help, but I've yet to see anything that would do the trick, either freehand, or in the tool holder.

I just realized that I'm big, fat dummy. When I get home tonight I'm going to go into the workshop and make myself a "right angle bulldog ring cutting tool".

Duh. The boy makes knives but then suffers through skinned knuckles all for want of a tool - made of steel.

Frank · Post by **Frank** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 2:52 pm

RadDavis wrote:Some people take an allen wrench, sharpen the short end of the L and use that.

AHA! Now that idea can be adapted to fit into a homemade tool holder. I've been trying to think of some hardened steel with a 90 deg bend. Allen wrench didn't occur to me.

Kurt, post a pic of your idea when it's done.

RadDavis · Post by **RadDavis** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 3:12 pm

You can also grind a spade bit into the shape you want.

Rad