7th pipe. 1st billiard. "Cumberland Gap"

[fiddlestix]

I thought I might post a few pics of my first attempt at a billiard and get a little last minute advice from the pros before the kc show this weekend. Please let me know if there is something on this pipe that I might need to touch up in the next couple of days or what I need to do differently in the future. I am cobbling together a few pics from what I have on my phone. I'm missing a few of the requisite shots, which I will try to add tonight. A few of the pics were taken before the rim had been touched up or the final buffing had been done.

This is not my contest pipe. It's a different look altogether, and I'm hoping that it is technically a little better.

Thanks in advance for the advice on what I can improve on.

Mark

[Ocelot55]

YES!

I was looking at this pipe and exclaiming to myself that someone actually listened to all the advice about billiards! Great shaping nice finish, and then I saw the stem...

Briar stem? No problem. Cumberland accent? Nice touch. But why in the name of all that is holy would you put a half saddle on a billiard!? IMHO it really ruins the great stummel. Call me a traditionalist, but it just doesn't work well for my eye.

Maybe I'm just out of touch. All the kids seem to be doing that sort of thing these days.

Anyway, great looking pipe. Better looking than mine now and you're only on #7. Some kids have all the talent.

[sandahlpipe]

I think the half saddle is bold, but not completely wrong. Usually, half saddles are used on bent, not straight pipes.

As for the shaping, I think you've removed a little too much of the cheeks on the sides. When looking at the bowl from the stem, it's more of a Dublin profile. It's possible I'm just looking at a lighting trick, but the widest part of the bowl should be just above where the shank meets the bowl all the way around.

Otherwise, fit and finish look good.


The briar stem looks really nice. What did you finish it with? I used a walnut oil on the briar stems I've done.


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[Ocyd]

I love it, pretty much everything about it there are a couple nit picky things though the stain edge around the rim of the chamber is jagged looking (it's probably not too bad or anything that can be done it about but it really stands out against all the crisp sharp lines on the rest of the pipe). That and the junction at the shank and stem it looks like the stem side could be shaved down a smidge so it evens up a little better... I did say they were nit picky but the precision on the rest of the pipe makes them more noticeable.

[fiddlestix]

Thanks guys!

I don't know exactly why, but I love half saddle stems. I don't usually care for saddles on billiards, but to my eye the half saddle works. As for the split stem, I wanted to break up the briar natural briar at the end of the shank from the briar on the stem. I have mixed feelings on split stems in general, but this seemed like a decent chance to try it out and see what I thought. Im still not crazy about it, but I do like the overall result of this pipe, so it may be something to keep in the repertoire for just the right occasion.

[fiddlestix]

I love it, pretty much everything about it there are a couple nit picky things though the stain edge around the rim of the chamber is jagged looking (it's probably not too bad or anything that can be done it about but it really stands out against all the crisp sharp lines on the rest of the pipe). That and the junction at the shank and stem it looks like the stem side could be shaved down a smidge so it evens up a little better... I did say they were nit picky but the precision on the rest of the pipe makes them more noticeable.

I think I have the rim cleaned up pretty well now. But I'm going to look at it again when I get home to make sure.

Thanks for the advice on the stem and shank. I'll give that another look as well.

[fiddlestix]

I think the half saddle is bold, but not completely wrong. Usually, half saddles are used on bent, not straight pipes.

As for the shaping, I think you've removed a little too much of the cheeks on the sides. When looking at the bowl from the stem, it's more of a Dublin profile. It's possible I'm just looking at a lighting trick, but the widest part of the bowl should be just above where the shank meets the bowl all the way around.

Otherwise, fit and finish look good.


The briar stem looks really nice. What did you finish it with? I used a walnut oil on the briar stems I've done.

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I was shooting for 1/3 of the way up the bowl for the widest point, but I ended up a little higher than that. It definitely does taper in from there, though. I think my gloved finger may actually be covering up part of the bottom of the bowl. Thanks!

[fiddlestix]

YES!

Anyway, great looking pipe. Better looking than mine now and you're only on #7. Some kids have all the talent.

I really appreciate that, man! I don't know if I believe you, but I appreciate it none the less!

[d.huber]

#7? That'll do. Now go make another!

[Joe Hinkle Pipes]

I actually like the half saddle. I dont like the cumberland gap between bare briar. You can throw eggs and tomatoes now if you want.

[fiddlestix]

I actually like the half saddle. I dont like the cumberland gap between bare briar. You can throw eggs and tomatoes now if you want.

"Cumberland Gap"... I like it! This pipe has a moniker now.

[Charl]

Nicely done, but just a bit too much going on for my liking.

[wdteipen]

Nice pipe, Mark. Apparently great minds think alike.

A few minor adjustments and this pipe would go from good to great. The bowl appears to cant a bit too much but I think what's actually happening is that too much material was taken off the heel. The abrupt transition from sandblast to the end of the shank is a bit jarring. An easy remedy is to gradually lighten the blast the last half inch or so of the shank so it feathers to the smooth part so you don't have as noticeable a transition. The half saddle is going to be one of those design elements that lessens your potential buyers which typically isn't a good thing. You'll have a few guys that may dig it but most will not and you risk having a pipe that won't sell. I think this pipe would have been great with full saddle if you lengthened the cumberland saddle about a 1/4". Of course, the use of cumberland wouldn't make sense without the saddle because you wouldn't get the effect of the briar tenon cutting into the cumberland mortise so a straight taper wouldn't have been a good option. In the third photo down it appears there's black stain on the rim as I think someone mentioned. Easy fix.

Other than those minor things I think it's a really nice pipe, especially for #7.