What to do with these

[Adui]

So I now have a total of 8 blocks to work with. 2 are Medium Ebuchan grade 2 from VF, those I bought for the PITH and will be used for such. The other six were given to me and are Algerian briar small plateaux marked S1. I assume the S1 is small grade 1.

These are my first plateaux blocks, and easily as nice as the briar I bought. Do I carve Rhodesian and bulldogs with these or preserve the plateaux and use them for other projects?

[Adui]

[LatakiaLover]

The whole "maximizing the outer burl surface" thing was more popular at one time than it is today. Low and mid-grade 1970 & 80's Danish factory stuff was designed around it more often than not.

Now, tastefully incorporating small, stylistically complimentary amounts of it in visually strategic places---harder than it sounds---is considered a virtuoso exercise.

Other than that, the vast majority of plateau blocks are used like any other, they're just usually "grainier" than blocks from inside the burl.

[Adui]

Ok, good to know

[DocAitch]

I am usually in a quandary when I get to this stage.
If I think the plateau is attractive, I leave it.
If I think that it isn’t, I grind it off, but then as George noted, I made pipes in the 1970s when plateau was all the rage.


DocAitch

[wdteipen]

It also depends on the quality of the plateau. Not all plateau is created equally. Some is just plain ugly. Most often it is more desirable to have plateau that is tight for aesthetic purposes in high grade pipes. Leaving plateau for the sake of leaving it just doesn't make much sense to me. It needs to contribute in a positive way to the overall composition of the pipe's design and aesthetics. I would say that 99% of the time, that's going to mean no plateau.

[Sasquatch]

The idea that you have to use the whole block, that you have to show plateau, that you have to have straight grain, anything like this is wrong. It's blocks, make pipes - if there's a moral imperative it's to make nice pipes. I'll take a huge xx block and cut it down, re-orient it, throw half of it away if it makes a really perfect little Bing Crosby type pipe, and no one has ever asked me "Hey did you use the whole block for this?"

You might be astonished at the blocks I have made rusticated pipes from, and again, no one ever asks "Hey, how come you didn't make a nice plateau-topped freehand instead of this rusticated bent billiard?"

Those little Algerian blocks you will probably find are full of big runs and very hard to get a super nice pipe out of anyway - judge 'em after you cut, not before.

[Adui]

I was worried when I posted this. Now I am glad I did because I have new insight as to how to use my materials.