Canadianish Billiard

[Alden]

I know I know, its not a Canadian, just a billiard with bad proportions
Whatever it is, this is the only shape I have sold more than one. I have made 4 of these now, all by request.
I stole Jody Davis stem/extension transition for this one. I know the pipe world is full of taking ideas and making them your own, however I would like to know the established guys thoughts on this one. It is sort of a "Jody" thing. I think I have seen Todd Johnson use it, I know I have seen Grant Batson use it, but then those guys are close to Jody Davis. Is using this idea wrong ? Cause if it is, I dont wanna be right.

[BigCasino]

what ever it is it is nifty

[the rev]

like this one too, I don't think its wrong, I love the wood you are using for that accent as well. And I am not sure why that wouldn't be a Canadian

rev

[Alden]

And I am not sure why that wouldn't be a Canadian

rev

Ask Bob Gilbert ! He's right. A canadian has a short stem and long shank. My pipe is more a billiard variant of its own, like a Bing.

[WCannoy]

Great looking pipe! Don't sweat the stem treatment... I've seen the same thing on a few pipes that were made before Jody Davis' time. I wish I could remember the brand so I could find an example... Could swear it was a factory brand too!

[RadDavis]

Great looking pipe! Don't sweat the stem treatment... I've seen the same thing on a few pipes that were made before Jody Davis' time. I wish I could remember the brand so I could find an example... Could swear it was a factory brand too!

Probably a J.T. Cooke. I saw one at a Chicago show that was an estate. It had to be pretty old, because it was smooth.

It was also old enough that the glue in the stem was beginning to fail, and it didn't look so good.

Rad

[the rev]

that makes sense, kinda looks like a canadian if you take the stem extension as a shank extension though

rev

[Alden]

Thanks Walt and Rad. Dont know why I didnt think of that. Its a matter of thinking the world I know is the whole world
Well good, cause I want to use that A LOT. Hopefully in a little bit smoother manner.

[RadDavis]

Hey Ryan, What is that wood you're using on that pipe?

Rad

[Alden]

Stabilized spalted Maple from a friend in Colorado. The stabilizing changes the colors a bit.

[Sasquatch]

I'll demure, I guess: I think if you take that stem off and throw it away, and put a saddle stem on there with no adornment, 3/5 as long as the current stem, you'll have a proper lovat and it will sell immediately. To my eye, the whole thing is off, and the wacked out woodwork looks like an accident, even though you did a remarkably symmetric job on it.




I knocked a little off under the bowl too - just a hair.

[Alden]

Thanks Sas. The pipe you made looks good, but I dont know if it looks better to my eye. Certainly more "correct". Thing is, I didnt want to make any of these The first was just the best I could do for a commissioned Canadian with the briar I had. The second one was commissioned by someone else after seeing pics of the first. The third was commissioned about a week later after seeing the first two. The Fourth was also commissioned after seeing pics of the others. So of the handful of shapes I have sold, this is the one that apparently catches eyes and tickles fancies.
I dont know what would happen if I made one and put it up for sale on the open market. I may have cornered the market on the 4 guys that love it. Personally I think its a cool pipe that I wouldnt mind owning myself even though it bends and breaks rules.
I appreciate your input though, and I'm trying hard to do some "real" classics.

[Sasquatch]

Collectors lay down big chunks of change when you nail a shape. When you move from "Canadianish Billiard Thing" to "Canadian", it's a couple hundred dollar jump. Pipes will sell as long as they aren't basically defective in some way. Hell, I could name a few brands that I think ARE defective in some way, and they still sell. But somewhere between allowing yourself freedom of expression (a style thing) and just not being very good at making classic shapes is a slippery slope of bullshit, where you are telling yourself "Yeah, well, Savinelli's "Bing" is a little TOO delicately shaped for my preferences - I like this fist-shaped lump of shit I just carved a LOT better."

You've done a hundred things right on this pipe, and I'm laying it on a little thick here, but thinking about these issues takes a guy a long way.

[Alden]

a slippery slope of bullshit

You had me at slippery slope of bullshit
You are right Todd. For once in your damned miserable life, you are right.
Happy ?

(But I still like it, damn you)

[Sasquatch]

LOL you're a goof.

[Charl]

That maple is stunning, but I do agree with Sas: to me it just doesn't look right.

[The Drinking Yeti]

If we are gonna pile on Alden here, the back cheeks could use a wee bit more definition to my eye.
As an aside, and I'm not bashing you on the execution here, I hate long shank extensions.
It is just a personal preference and should have no influence on how anyone else makes a pipe.