The first of many critique sessions. New pipes!

Chris Morgan · Post by **Chris Morgan** » Mon Apr 20, 2009 5:32 pm

Hey guys ,

I would like to humbly offer up my pipes to you all for criticism. Keep in mind, I would like the truth. As I have been making pipes for almost 3 years, I feel my work still has a long way to go. I have been jumping around quite a bit lately between styles, sizes and schools of pipemaking. As a side note, I have recently become aware of a few points that I need to pay attention to in my work. I would like to see what other things I can improve on. I know I have not been posting for quite awhile, but I'm back now and ready to get more focused and organized with my pipemaking.

The first on the chopping black is the Half n' half. Forgive the lazy linking. I am still trying to figure out how to post hosted photos directly from my site.

http://www.morganpipes.com/Morgan_Pipes ... _Half.html

Thanks again all,
Chris Morgan

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JimBridger · Post by **JimBridger** » Mon Apr 20, 2009 8:56 pm

That is simply terrible! I mean awful! I suggest you send it to me right away to be properly disposed of.

Seriously though, that is some beautiful work and fantastic birdseye. Great job.

Chris Morgan · Post by **Chris Morgan** » Mon Apr 20, 2009 9:26 pm

Thanks Jim

BDP · Post by **BDP** » Mon Apr 20, 2009 9:41 pm

Chris,

Forget about making "art" pipes for the time being and buckle down to making clean, well-shaped, elegant classics in either the Danish or English schools. Once you can make those successfully, then the other stuff will follow. I am unfamiliar with your work, so possibly you have made some classics. I would be more interested in critiquing those.

Brad Pohlmann

BriarBrian · Post by **BriarBrian** » Mon Apr 20, 2009 9:46 pm

How much is the price on that pipe?
Brian

Chris Morgan · Post by **Chris Morgan** » Mon Apr 20, 2009 10:05 pm

I agree with you Brad. I have, for lack of a better explanation, become distracted by the art aspect of pipemaking. Im not going to lie, it has hurt me in a few ways. Honestly though, I do sell quite a few of this shape on a purely commissioned basis. For now, my plan is to stick mainly with the classics for distribution purposes and If a customer wants an art pipe, then so be it. I have made classics in the past, but most of my sales are for more elaborate shapes. If you would like to take a peek at some of my past stuff, heres the link to the page:

http://www.morganpipes.com/Morgan_Pipes ... tions.html

Thanks for the input. I will try to keep myself grounded with the classics for now.

Brian,
This pipe initially sold for $660 with a few others following it around the same price.

BriarBrian · Post by **BriarBrian** » Mon Apr 20, 2009 11:09 pm

Chris,

Ok that is pretty high. It is a nice pipe but you havent made pipes long. I dont believe in the pay your dues thing. I dont call it that, I call it build up your clientel then if you make a nice pipe the prices will raise over time. Some of your classics look ok others the shank or stem or both look pregnant, there isnt a flow there the shank is thinner at the bowl then where the shank meets the stem and then still gets larger yet on some stems, and then tapers down to the button. The bulldog in your archives show this alot. I wish you had left prices on your pipes,(and so do most collectors so they can see what range of pricing you have)

The Billiard that Coopersark has the shank is wavey to me, (you can see the waveyness of it in the reflection of the light that is shining off of it.)it isnt straight and tapered correctly and the metal work doesnt look all that hot, it doesnt fit with the pipe for some reason in my eye.

The best thing to do to make classic shapes is study others pipes and see the flow of the pipe. Your freehands look good to me though, the classic shapes need work though as do some of the freehands too but that will be fixed after you get the classics down and kind of see the flow of the way things go.

Now to the pricing, it is hard to lower your prices after others have paid the money for them. The only way I have ever seen that you can lower pricing without pissing off them other customers is this. Figure what your lower prices will be, then after that contact the people who have already paid more for that same shape, tell them they now have a credit with you on their next pipe or two for the difference of what they overpaid for the pipe they already have. So if X pipe was 660.00 and your new price for that pipe is 360.00 tell the customer that you will give him/her a price credit for the 300.00 difference. They may want more than 1 pipe so ask them if it is ok to spread the credit over two pipes or so. This way you still make some money, and the most important part, dont piss off your current customers. And may have them customers for life now that you were up front with them.

Hope this helps it isnt a desructive criticizm it is supposed to be constructive.

Also put your prices on your pipes that you place on your blog, collectors dont like to have to email to get a price from someone, I know I dont, and dont even bother emailing for a price. I go onto another site that has pricing already on the pipes posted.

Brian

RadDavis · Post by **RadDavis** » Mon Apr 20, 2009 11:31 pm

Hi Chris,

I looked at your most recent offerings on the Past Work page.

Overall the shaping is unrefined and amateurish. The stems are wobbly in their tapers, and the buttons appear way too tall. The Leprechaun has the stem coming off at the wrong angle for the flow of the pipe. It's actually a nice shape, but that nice upward sweep of the tail is thrown out the window by the angle of the stem, and the pipe just falls apart visually.

You definitely need to start working on some basic standard shapes.

Looking at the stacked billiard with the silver ring, you also really need to work on keeping the lines of your shank straight. And on that same pipe, the stem looks thicker than the shank.

Where the shank joins the bowl, there should be definition there, not a swoop from one to the other. The top shank line should stop at the bowl, not curve up into it. Same with the sides of the shank, and the bottom of the shank should be a straight line into the bottom of the bowl, not above it. No bowl below the bottom of the shank.

You need to simplify and learn to make a pretty pipe.

You're getting a very nice finish on your pipes, but your shaping needs a ton of work.

Rad

ToddJohnson · Post by **ToddJohnson** » Mon Apr 20, 2009 11:39 pm

Hey Chris,

I'm also unfamiliar with your work, but I would expect to pay around $100 for a pipe like the one you've posted here. If you can get $660 for it, I say kudos, but I think eventually you're in for a rude awakening. From a design perspective I find it difficult to provide any positive feedback, though the pipe does seem to be nicely finished--well sanded, no file marks in the stem, etc, and for that you are to be congratulated. This is often the last skill to develop, so you're ahead of the game there.

Specifically though, there are no lines on this pipe that flow harmoniously, and the stem looks sort of like a failed lathe experiment. Simply put, it does not seem to be very careful or intentional work. I think there are too many divergent things going on here for a point-by-point critique to be helpful. I agree with Brad that a more classically shaped pipe would allow for more helpful criticism and feedback. I'm looking forward to seeing some more of your work.

Todd

magruder · Post by **magruder** » Tue Apr 21, 2009 1:45 am

Hi Chris,

I concur with the advice already offered and the opinions of the work.
If you were a guitar player, I'd suggest you practice your scales in all keys and numerous tempos and try to learn to play the Blues well before you try to pick off complicated riffs by
the guitar gods.

The good news is you have world class* pipe makers here willing to offer their opinions and advice. That is really something you would do well to notice and let it sink in.
You asked and they responded. Don't squander your opportunities.

Good luck,
Steve

* myself excluded

Chris Morgan · Post by **Chris Morgan** » Tue Apr 21, 2009 2:58 am

Thanks alot guys. I really do appreciate your input and criticism. Im going to restrain myself from making freehands for awhile. As you all said... I need to refine my classic shaping skills. I will definitely take your advice on that one. I am also working on a pricing scale for my pipes (possibly lower prices)(or higher quality) . I really do love pipemaking and I dont want to be "that guy" that everyone has an issue with. And I sure as hell dont want to be seen as an amateur while making pipes professionally. I will make the necessary changes and I believe you will see improvement in the next pipe. It should be up in a day or 2.

Thanks again to everyone,
Chris

jeff · Post by **jeff** » Tue Apr 21, 2009 3:48 pm

Hey Chris,

You're wise to submit your work for peer review. Customer reviews are very important and can lead to a successful career--but they do not always lead to pretty pipes in my opinion.

The Half 'N Half pipe is really a fugu blowfish. I understand the creative flairs that you have added to it, but frankly do not find them to be tasteful. The briar is nice, and it will often sell a pipe regardless of the shape, but the shape could stand for much refinement.

I do not have time to enumerate the points of criticism that I have for your version of this shape, but would echo the sentiments of my pipemaking friends--choose a simple, more classical shape and try to make it as best as possible. A simpler shape is easier to critique because opinions vary much less and the points of criticism are able to be condensed as folks have a better idea what the "form" is.

Make a billiard, dublin, canadian--something simple--and post it. We'll be much more help to you there as this specific blowfish variation is too complex to critique with brevity.

Best,

Jeff

Chris Morgan · Post by **Chris Morgan** » Tue Apr 21, 2009 11:48 pm

Hey guys,

Heres a rusticated liverpool that i made yesterday and today. As before, please let me know what you think. Good and bad. Currently there is no price and that is intentional.

http://www.morganpipes.com/Morgan_Pipes ... rpool.html

Thanks,
Chris

Chris Morgan · Post by **Chris Morgan** » Wed Apr 22, 2009 12:49 am

I just posted a commissioned piece today as well, if anyone would like to take a look at it. Thanks again!

http://www.morganpipes.com/Morgan_Pipes ... _Twin.html

BriarBrian · Post by **BriarBrian** » Wed Apr 22, 2009 1:21 am

Hi Chris,

The Liverpool looks ok, the shank seems to be a tad bit thick for the bowl size. If the stem is straight then the top of the bowl should be too, it is angled a bit. Everyone interprets standards differently though. But to be a true Liverpool it needs to be straight as an arrow on the top of the bowl. In other words the bowl top should form a perfect 90 degree angle to all sides of the top. It maybe the pics, I dont know.

The rustication looks good to me too and the finish is great nice and shiney. The bowl needs to have an even thickness all the way around, that maybe the pics too. I check mine with calipers to make sure it is the same wall thickness all the way around the top of the bowl. The bowl shank junction that Rad talked about is getting better but can be more defined, not so rounded on that junction on top of the shank where it meets the bowl. Im sure others will also give you some other advice that I may have missd on it. All in all it is an improvement over the Billiard you made that Rob has.

On the bottom of the bowl dont round it out so much, leave more wood on the sides till you get down to the bottom then make it a smaller radius. The most heat is generated down there and it needs wood there so that the pipe can withstand the heat.

Also I had said to study others shapes, you can do that, but it would probably be even better to study a shape chart first so you will be able to see who makes good, X shaped pipes and go from there to find makers who's shapes fit really good with what shape charts show. Id study shape charts alot, I still do alot to make sure Im still making em how they should look.

Brian

jeff · Post by **jeff** » Wed Apr 22, 2009 1:06 pm

Overall, this side profile reveals far superior shaping than the pipe currently for auction on Ebay. Your lines are nice and straight and there appears to be a great deal more intentionality on the whole. The line on the top of the bowl is traditionally angled slightly forward. Yours is backward. Now, some have done it backward as a matter of stylistic divergence, I do not like the way that it looks on yours. Generally speaking a billiard variant like this should have a 3-5 degree forward cant on the bowl--and that goes for the top of the bowl too. Parallel lines between the shank and the bowl top give the feeling that the bowl is tilting back toward the smoker. Also, I like the fatter shank, but you should really either make a longer stem if you would like it to be tapered or a saddle stem for its current length. Tapers of the degree that you've created feel horrible between the teeth and will not likely be a comfortable smoker for its owner.

The back line on the bowl should not be straight. There are again some who do this as a matter of style, but I don't think that you're there yet. Try a traditional billiard a la Dunhill or one of the many French companies out of St. Claude like Genod. The front curves should be echoed in the curves on the back of the bowl. Also, I think that the radius you are using on the bottom of the bowl is too large for this bowl size, again giving the bowl a canted, almost cutty-like look.

One additional point on the side profile is that any straight shanked pipe like this needs a whisper of taper in the shank. Otherwise one gets the feeling that the shank is increasing in diameter as it moves toward the stem.

This shot of the end of your stem reveals a need for some greater care in shaping your buttons. The button is clearly uneven and gives the sense that you either don't know or don't care to take the time to offer to your client base a careful and refined product.

Try to make your round shanks round. If you spin the stem in the shank on your pipe, I suspect that you will find that it is not, in fact, round.

Hope this helps.

Jeff

jeff · Post by **jeff** » Wed Apr 22, 2009 1:29 pm

This is a pretty chunky shape and, to my eye, not a good copy of the Ashton. I know the importance of injecting one's style into an order like this so as to offer an interpretation of the original, but I think that you should have followed more closely the proportions of the Ashton to result in a cleaner, more refined product.

The stem is too chunky for the bowl diameter and sets the whole piece out of balance. Consider, especially, altering the way that you taper your stems so as to create a shallower degree of taper toward the button--like the liverpool above, this pipe will not be comfortable between the lips even if the "bite" is thin.

A standard that I've always assumed for my work is that tool marks should be removed. The slot in this button is pretty sloppy. It should be straight with rounded ends. No evidence of a drill bit should be found. Yours has a pretty healthy drill bit mark on the end of this button. It's better here than on some others I've seen in your gallery, but still not acceptable by mid- or high-grade standards.

This rustication is okay, but looks amateurish. Use more than one or two sizes of gouge when creating it and take more time to remove individual tool marks.

Also, you should never have rounded edges between the shank and stem on a flush fit pipe. The shank and stem should be properly faced and offer a smooth transition with no line evident.

The shank face polishing is okay, but the stain that has spilled into the chamfer and mortise looks really sloppy. Either delineate the chamfer and mortise from the stained face by making them both clean, pure briar, or stain everything.

The front profile of this pipe isn't flattering. Try putting a little more shape into it to imbue the pipe with a little more elegance.

RadDavis · Post by **RadDavis** » Wed Apr 22, 2009 2:19 pm

Hi Chris,

I agree with what Jeff has said and offer some advice about smoke hole diameter: If you're going to drill all of them at 11/64 or 3/16, you will severely limit your market. There are relatively few pipe smokers who prefer this size.

They can always be enlarged to fit a smoker's personal preference, but they can't be reduced.

Rad

jeff · Post by **jeff** » Wed Apr 22, 2009 2:23 pm

Chris,

Also, for future reference and to help out those from whom you seek advice, please post photos to the thread instead of links. photo urls can be posted like this:

[img]photo%20url[/img]

Jeff

Chris Morgan · Post by **Chris Morgan** » Wed Apr 22, 2009 7:00 pm

Thanks guys,
I think due to the way the photos were taken, some aspects of the pipe are not properly represented. For one, the button is even, although it does not look it in the photos. Secondly, the stem fits completely flush with the stem right side up or upside down. I am a huge believer in that quality of some high-grade pipes. I will take care to represent the pipe better in future photos. Also, Thanks for letting me know about slight taper on the canadian shanks. I did get the feeling that the overall balance seemed off with this pipe. That may be a main reason for that. I am trying to refine my stemwork, but I think I may be doing it improperly. Im going to try a different method on the next pipe to see if that improves it at all. I really appreciate you all taking time to comment. Thanks!

Every little bit of advice helps

,

Chris

PS : I agree that my market will be limited with the larger airways. I was just trying it out to see what the draft would become on a longer shanked pipe. Just experimenting with it. 3/16" is definitely too big for most people. I will stay with 5/32" and 11/64" in some cases. Thanks for pointing that out Rad.