My Third Pipe.

custom300 · Post by **custom300** » Fri Jun 30, 2006 9:24 pm

Ok here is my third pipe. I'm really pretty happy with this one, as I accomplished several milestones for me. This has a handmade stem from Cumberland (pipe emporium). I did a much better job on the tenon and mortise. I purchase a counter sink which allowed me to chamfer the mortise. I classify this as a bent billard, but would like for someone to critique that classification. This is a ebauchon briar block (pipe emporium). There are a couple of cracks in the stummel, but I chose not to fill them as I really like the character it adds, and I wasn't ready to do a rustification yet. I used 5/16" delron for my tenon. I paterned the button after the premade stems I purchased, and I did a fair job on that. It feels a little heavy in my mouth against my teeth. Anyway, would appreciate critique and suggestion.

Picture 2

Picture 3

forrest · Post by **forrest** » Sat Jul 01, 2006 1:59 pm

I like the style, it is very unique. The stem is interesting.

ckr · Post by **ckr** » Sat Jul 01, 2006 5:28 pm

Not an expert but it looks like a bent billiard to me.

http://www.glpease.com/Pipes/Shapes/ClassicBents.html

Does the bend need to be more pronounced? I can't really tell from the pics. I think you did very well on shape and proportion. It looks like the bowl is stained, isn't that a no-no.

custom300 · Post by **custom300** » Sat Jul 01, 2006 6:02 pm

Does the bend need to be more pronounced? I can't really tell from the pics. I think you did very well on shape and proportion. It looks like the bowl is stained, isn't that a no-no.

The bend could be more pronounced, but that was somewhat a limitation of this block. With regard to the bowl stain...if you mean inside the bowl...I didn't get any stain in the bowl. But you do raise a question that I have, because my two other pipes got stain in the bowl. 1)what do I do to fix it? and 2) how do you prevent it? 3)will it be dangerous to smoke it or just aggravating from a look perspective.

RadDavis · Post by **RadDavis** » Sat Jul 01, 2006 6:22 pm

Hi Jamie,

You can't help but get some stain around the top of the bowl, and this can and should be sanded out. Even if it gets down into the bowl, it can be sanded out. I use a steel dowel wrapped in sand paper and chucked up in my drill press. It only takes a few seconds.

It's mainly a "look" thing, although if you get a "lot" of stain in the bowl, it will taste like a new Peterson.

If you are making the pipe for yourself, I wouldn't worry about it. If you are going to offer it for sale, then it needs to be cleaned up.

Rad

ckr · Post by **ckr** » Sat Jul 01, 2006 6:27 pm

I just did a black top on natural. I waxed the sides first to somewhat seal the outside of the stummel. then taped it off. also taped off the inside of the bowl. I applied the stain with a pipe cleaner while the pipe was upside down and it still ran under the tape. The outer side already waxed I was able to just wipe it off with denatured alcohol but did have to sand out one run. The inside did not wipe as well and I put sandpaper (220 and then 320) on the end of a slightly smaller dowel and twist it around untill it came out and there is only a trace run along a grain line.

It was a good recovery but I did not sucessfully avoid the problem. It requires more thought.

mahaffy · Post by **mahaffy** » Sun Jul 02, 2006 12:07 am

Jamie,
For number three? You kiddin'? That's a wonderful pipe! As for a more pronounced bend, no! Maybe a more GRACEFUL bend -- at least on my screen it looks just a tad sharp. But that's a nice, nice job. A+.

custom300 · Post by **custom300** » Mon Jul 03, 2006 9:46 am

John,
Thank you for your kind words. With regard to the graceful bend...I agree with you. This was my first time working with cumberland, and my first time to cut my own stem. Once I got to the point in the process of bending the stem I was so nervous that I would screw it up by over heating the Cumberland that I probably didn't get enough fluidity in the stem before I actually bent it. I could just picture a big glob of rubber dripping down, ruining the work i had done. I'm hoping I become more confident in my understanding of the limitations of the material.

hazmat · Post by **hazmat** » Mon Jul 03, 2006 1:20 pm

Jamie.. far from a master pipemaker here, but for what it's worth, here's what I can see:

Starting off.. for your third pipe, wow.. really, really good job. The shank/bowl transition area is a just a bit thick... as John stated, could be a bit more graceful, but I wouldn't kick it outta bed for eatin crackers, though!

The stem looks great, too.. especially for a first handcut stem. You don't even want to know what my first attempt at handcutting turned into... bleh... The only thing I can see with my eyes is the bend in the stem, again, could have been more graceful. It looks like it's just bent in that one spot, like an elbow bends, rather than gracefully bending out to the button. All in all, thought.. great work!