pipemakersforum.com

The grain shows beautifully, Scott. Really nice job of finishing! And yes, to my equally untrained eye, the stem could be tapered more gradually right from the juncture w/ the shank, so it doesn't look so thick at the bend. (You can make another, you know; I think it's allowed.) Also looked at your ...

Jamie,
For number three? You kiddin'? That's a wonderful pipe! As for a more pronounced bend, no! Maybe a more GRACEFUL bend -- at least on my screen it looks just a tad sharp. But that's a nice, nice job. A+.

Heinz, now that's a pretty pipe! Lovely grain blending well with the shape. And the yellow bit? So big deal; I, too, jumped with both feet and bought a bunch of stems when I decided I wanted to make pipes, and my budget and my accountant (my wife) are both agreed that I'll use as many as I can. And ...

mahaffy wrote: looks to be a light and comfortable smoker.

bvartist wrote: Looks like it would be light and comfortable

Gee, I guess maybe part of my post was acceptable. Do I have to go eat worms, now, or what?

Lena Horn[e] you never hoid of? F'rshame. f'rshame!

But Lena we older guys know something about.

Flame grain I've heard of, but tiger grain? Impressive, Ronny.

Ah, one of those instant gratification guys. . . . No, but really, the little thing that's supposed to say to one and all "NEW POST" just didn't show until you added your post script. First two pix look a little washed out, but #3 is good and shows a nice stain job and a good fit at the sh...

Here in Vermont we run to Saabs or 4-wheel drives. I run a Geo Tracker, which red-lines at 6500! I keep wondering what that little engine would do in a restored MGA. Ah, youth! But you'vve got me thinking, looking back over some of the things I've learned --- as you learned, Alex; by having to do th...

Yup, the last one's FINE! Very nice. And Bryan's right: for those of us who slept through Meticulous 101, the only answer is to get the right tools and learn to use 'em, i.e., a decent (metal) lathe. Then you can rush things a little and still come out with a nice fit. (Rad's hint of turning the ste...

Wow.

You know, for me to find a pipemaker I'd choose as inspiration, I'd have to be able to see his pipes first hand, I think, and spend some time talking to him. Back when I was a musician, and less involved with raising a family, less involved (not involved at all, actually) with the church, I'd probab...

Alex, as I've probably said a hundred times or more, when I got my digital camera I realized my lifetime accumulation of photo/darkroom gear was obsolete and gave it to a local photography school. Like parting with a loved one, so much of me was tied up in it! But today's technological advances --- ...

Alex, Ronny, and Kurt, this is good strong stuff. So many sides to "pipemaking" that we don't consider when we get our first kit and start carving. What's "good" is to see the sharing, the willingness to teach as well as the sense that we can ask and strengthen our weaknesses in ...

Just caught your name on another thread, Matt. I assumed the hazardous material sobriquet was a nickname, but also assumed a dumb, presumptive mistaken use of it would be taken as a joke. But I think what you're saying is that, viewed from the top instead of the side, the taper continues, which woul...

Bryan, I especially like the fact that you discovered this shape while you worked; it came off awfully well, which shows, I think, that you are careful enough to think and consider the consequences of each modification to the basic idea you began with.

Haz, old fellow, the pipe I'm referring to is the one with the tapered shank leading to the tapered stem --- the first one above. . . . Thought maybe if the taper -- tapered off? toward the button instead of ending abruptly it might (or might not) look, oh, more of a whole piece perhaps, instead of ...

Karol, your numbering system had me a bit confused, until I remembered your first pipe was #0. Well, I'm still confused, but I can live with it. This second pipe, #1, works . . . though I think I'd prefer to see sharp edges at the corners. Would sharp edges feel as comfortable to the hand? I doubt i...

I've always loved a Canadian eh. (Grew up across from Sarnia --- but the "eh" didn't come into popular use until the '60s or '70s, I suspect, because I didn't hear it till then.) Very graceful with the taper --- I like it better than the straight shank you usually see. Also like the slight...

Being an impatient sort of craftsman, I am of the opinion that without a lathe I couldn't manage a flush-fitting stem. But, as Tano suggests, I don't see anything at all wrong with the pipe other than that; a pretty, good-looking pipe, and for a first try, a WONDERFUL pipe, actually.