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I'm slowly getting better, but know I'm still a far ways off. Any feedback is appreciated

Overall, this shows improvement from what I remember of your past work. Nice job. As for critique, I'll start with the rustication. IMO this type of rustication (I assume done with a ball bur on a dremel?) looks better when there aren't really any smooth spots left. So just keep going with it. The barrel of the stem looks little too long to be proportional. Typically, not always, but typically things look a bit off when the length of the barrel and the length of the shank are about the same. So, for example, on this pipe the stem as a whole looks a bit heavy as compare to the stummel. My only other advice would be to take some 120 grit and wrap it around a pencil, or something similar, and sand the chamber a bit just to remove some of that chatter and make things look a little more finished.

Nice improvement Michael. Keep it up.

I agree with JMG on the barrel. A stubby piece like this would benefit from a shorter one to balance it out. In addition to sanding the chamber, I would have sanded the rim a bit more to get rid of what looks like a some tear out from a dull cutting tool. The crease of the button is cloudy on the right side (looking toward the bowl). This is a bitch to get shiny. LatakiaLover has an excellent video on this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eI8uDWs2szY&t=8s

Other than that, you are doing great IMO. Keep it up!

Thanks folks that was helpful.

I was up at 4a.m. today so went out and got going with the rustication again and sanding the chamber/rim (once I stained the rim I saw more marks left still - what a pain).

Decided to go with a different stain too as my tan appears to have turned more orange than brown.




I also played around on Photoshop to see what a short stem would have looked like. I see what you mean!


Would you go that short with the stem or a little bit longer?

Maybe 1/8" longer, but as you have it in the pic, it's better. Good job.