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I bought a couple of pieces of briar that had all sorts of visible cracks in them. Got them cheap and thought I could just use them to experiment on for drilling, shaping, finishing.

The piece below had cracks all over it. I decided to try to drill on the lathe. This was the first pipe I had ever tried it on, and it worked perfectly!

Then I just began to shape, to get rid of the cracks/crevices, etc. I really had no idea what shape was going to come out of it, just kept shaping to get rid of crevices. I finally began to use flat geo shapes, with one side swooping.

Once done, I contrast stained it, dark contrast stain with blue top coat. Don't know why but you really can't see the blue. Before I smoke it (it's been sitting in my workshop for about three weeks or so waiting for pictures to be taken, guess it can wait awhile longer), will take some pics to see if the blue can be shown.

I think it really looks good with the dark understain and blue top stain. Anyway, it was just fun to make, no expectations, just carve, stop, carve more, finish.

Visually its an interesting piece. Hard to critique something that doesn't have a precedent, but to my eye the top view of the pipe is interesting to look at, from the side the shape comes off as pretty plain. Neat work though for a personal pipe.

Thanks, was a blast to make, have to admit. So many times I'm worried about this, or that on a pipe, the fit, the shaping (as shown I screw up all the time), the drilling, the stem, etc., etc.

This pipe though, I knew was just a "have fun" pipe. It was an experiment from the word go, the drilling on the lathe (which I have since used again and it worked just as well, thanks all for that, and especially Kurt Huhn for his video!), and then just trying to get rid of the cracks and crevices and make a pipe that would smoke. Once side was able to be carved with in a rounded manner, the other I had to make geometric shapes to get rid of cracks.

Even the coloring. I see Wallenstein pipes and get green (literally) with envy and awe. So I figured, what the hell, make this guy blue! You really can't see the color in the pictures (have to get a better way to take photos for the color), but it looks okay.

I was even thinking of putting a small finger hole through the briar behind the bowl, but my son dissuaded me.

I like the geometric side better than the rounded one. It has more going on, more interesting to look at (to me anyway).

Agreed. That side had more cracks on it!

Where did you get the cracked briar?

Also, I can make out a hint of the blue in the pic looking straight down the bowl. It's pretty subtle.

I bought it on e-bay, the seller sold it as cracked and with clear circles around the cracks. Can't complain, not one bit as the cracks didn't even go as deep as I feared they might.