2 more pipes, 1 more question please

[billiard]

Howdy everyone,

I made two more black rusticated pipes.

With the first one my goal was to recreate the feel of the old LB's, not just Dunny's but alot of the clones. There was something about these that gave them a unique class - thick heavy briar\stems but comfy and well balanced.

Originally this pipe had a cumberland stem but when the red undertone disappeared with the black finish I thought it looked odd so I took it out and went with black German ebonite instead. The button is not finished, I have the groove cut but I still need to file it out inside, thin the button, and finish the shaping of it... so far I haven't ruined it . I got about 10 hours of conference calls in the remainder of my work week so that will keep my hands free.

You can see the giant crater on this pipe which is why I rusticated it. Amazingly as big as it is the bowl is solid.

Oh yeah - when I was thinking of making an LB I was puffing on one and thought I had enough of them so Instead of an LB I wanted an LA:







----

Then I made a billiard.





It's the billiard I have a question with. This pipe is all done and I plan on smoking it soon, however when I stained it some of the black leached into the bowl.


The non-rusticated portions of the walls are thick enough, did I error in staining by applying too much in one coat? Should I have done multiple lighter coats? Is this just something that occasionally happens with pourous enough wood and if I was actually selling pipes is this where I should just toss a bowl coating on and quit typing so much?

Anyhow here is my new 3 pipe rusticated set:




Thanks,
Bill

PS: I'm still just a hobbyist making pipes solely for myself and occasionally a gift to a friend so I really appreciate getting to hobnob with you pros. Thanks.

[Mike Messer]

Really cool, more of the "asphalt" looking pipes, and you got that problem with the diameters at the transition from rusticated to the smooth end of the shank worked out...looks fine, here.
Maybe a tad anxious, though, showing your pipes before they're done...the button.
Keep-em coming.
M.M.

[Mike Messer]

...It's the billiard I have a question with. This pipe is all done and I plan on smoking it soon, however when I stained it some of the black leached into the bowl.
The non-rusticated portions of the walls are thick enough, did I error in staining by applying too much in one coat? Should I have done multiple lighter coats? Is this just something that occasionally happens with pourous enough wood and if I was actually selling pipes is this where I should just toss a bowl coating on and quit typing so much?...

Sorry, I forgot about your question. I've seen some high-grade pipemakers, sell pipes with little bits of stain streaks visible in uncoated chambers. I've seen a lot of high-grade pipemakers coat their chambers.

I made one recently, and even though the bowl was plugged tight, some stain traveled into the bowl through the wood grain.
I think it just happens, and you probably didn't do anything wrong.
You can sand it out, sometimes, but usually, not all of it.
Coating is an option, but some people don't like coatings for a variety of reasons...could be hiding a large fissure, just don't like coatings...
I use a removable coating, sometimes, made with maple syrup and powdered briar charcoal. Not common, though, I don't think?
My last pipe, "Red Cloud" was plugged. I applied multiple coats of black, heavily, and the chamber was perfectly clean when I removed the plug.

Altogether, I think your rusticating and stain work looks great. You've got a "style-thing" going and it works.

[Sasquatch]

Stain will occassionally wick into the bowl, especially on a rustic pipe, where you tend to be gobbing it into a bunch of fissures. If I see a ton of stain come through to the inside of a chamber, then I know that briar is a little porous, and I wouldn't sell the pipe.

If a pinprick or two show up after a heavy staining, then I don't worry about it - the wood will carry a little stain, and the longer you soak it, the further it will travel. That is, you could in theory soak it long enough that EVERY pipe would show stain in the bowl.

I test out fissures that way too - if something dubious shows up on the outside of the bowl, I'll fill it with stain and if it shows up in the chamber, that pipe is garbage.

[Boekweg]

sweet! more asphalt lol.

Nice pipes you have there.

[billiard]

Thanks much Sas that makes a lot of sense, I appreciate it.

Thanks Boekweg, sure is a ton of fun

[billiard]

Hey Mike sorry I missed your posts, when you reply it only shows the last two posts and you were first so I missed them. No disrespect meant.

Really cool, more of the "asphalt" looking pipes, and you got that problem with the diameters at the transition from rusticated to the smooth end of the shank worked out...looks fine, here.
Maybe a tad anxious, though, showing your pipes before they're done...the button.
Keep-em coming.
M.M.

Thanks much, I was hoping someone would notice that transition bit

Not really anxious, more like: As soon as I finish the button tomorrow I am gonna smoke it! Hopefully at lunch, so this was my pic taking opportunity while it was unsmoked

Sorry, I forgot about your question. I've seen some high-grade pipemakers, sell pipes with little bits of stain streaks visible in uncoated chambers. I've seen a lot of high-grade pipemakers coat their chambers.

I made one recently, and even though the bowl was plugged tight, some stain traveled into the bowl through the wood grain.
I think it just happens, and you probably didn't do anything wrong.
You can sand it out, sometimes, but usually, not all of it.
Coating is an option, but some people don't like coatings for a variety of reasons...could be hiding a large fissure, just don't like coatings...
I use a removable coating, sometimes, made with maple syrup and powdered briar charcoal. Not common, though, I don't think?
My last pipe, "Red Cloud" was plugged. I applied multiple coats of black, heavily, and the chamber was perfectly clean when I removed the plug.

Altogether, I think your rusticating and stain work looks great. You've got a "style-thing" going and it works.

Thanks again, this combined with Sas's reply to my comment is very helpful. No intentions of selling pipes soon, just having lots of fun goofing around in the garage making stuff for myself, but this is very good to know.

[RadDavis]

You can sand it out, sometimes, but usually, not all of it.

If the stain is seeping through the bowl walls, there's no way to sand it out. It's all the way through the wood.

Of course, you could sand until you hit air, I guess.

Rad

[Mike Messer]

You can sand it out, sometimes, but usually, not all of it.

If the stain is seeping through the bowl walls, there's no way to sand it out. It's all the way through the wood.

Of course, you could sand until you hit air, I guess.

Rad

I was talking more about stain seeping through the grain or leaking around a plug, straight down from the top, at the edge of the tobacco chamber-bowl top intersection, but true, even then, it may not sand out.

[wdteipen]

The rustication transitioning to the bowl looks much better. Nice job. Have you considered shellac to shine them up?

[billiard]

The rustication transitioning to the bowl looks much better. Nice job.

Thanks much, it was your tip that got me there.

Have you considered shellac to shine them up?

I hadn't... been smoking the big apple already so I figured might throw a couple spits on w/heat gun between and take a quick pic to see how it would look (think my stem is not aligned right, was moving fast):



I like, thanks much for another great tip!