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Well, I finally got caught cutting the tops off my neighbor's fence posts, so I decided to get some briar blocks to begin real pipe making...

So here it is. It's kind of an Acorn-Rhodesian. I meant it to be that shape, which makes it that much more of a victory for me. I'll post more pictures once the varnish is dry, I just go so excited I had to post.

Good stuff Joe!

I hope you meant stain and not varnish. Varnish isn't meant to handle heat.

Other than that, not a bad first pipe. The stem looks tapered on the top with a saddle on the bottom. The shank should curve more from the bottom of the bowl to the stem. As it is, it's too straight.

But very nice for the first briar pipe. Now make another one!

Good first pipe. Glad to hear your not terrorizing fence posts.
Jeremiah, you went and found one of my pet peeves
Varnish can handle heat. It is actually excellent at resisting heat, but you have to know what you are doing just like any other finish. If not done correctly it will look like garbage. There are tons of different types of varnish, so before we tell someone their finish isn't appropriate we need to know exactly what they applied and how they applied it.
Not trying to be snarky here, just want to make sure correct information is posted. So there

andrew

I stand corrected. Though I still think alcohol or water based stains are better for briar.

Varnish is nearly always used as a finishing sealer (clear or tinted top coat). Stains are stains (used under a sealer).
Just about any stain (including dyes) can be used for briar. Some are better than others. I occasionally use oil dyes for very specific reasons. They all have their place. Just different tools in the toolbox. Again, not trying to nit pic, just wanting to make sure we are all using the same dictionary and wanting to make sure we are leaving correct info for whoever reads this later (may God have mercy on their soul).

andrew

Joe, That is a real good first step for making a pipe. Past two or three you will develop an addiction to make Briar Dust. Bend that stem a little more then smoke it. John
P.S. There is a lot of good info for you to read about in the Forum. Especially about Varnish,

I did mean varnish... (polyurethane to be exact.) I didn't know it was so taboo on pipes. I was using it to accomplish a certain finish.

Thanks for the comments guys, I'll post a few more pictures soon... then you guys will really have some flaws to pick at!

OK, here's some more pictures of the pipe. I think I'm ready for this...






I think I got it pretty round considering I don't have a lathe.

The sides of the button should be no wider than the stem. And it looks like the button is taller on one side than the other.