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Its quite a beautiful shape, best appreciated while it is upside down, I think.
It reminds me of a scorpion in that position.
I do feel compelled to ask-does it pass a pipe cleaner into the chamber?
DocAitch

My wheel is a J Alan design with a flatter face and I can see the difficulty getting a good surface for the face of the Rudat wheel. I can only suggest that you cut your paper to the that bevel on the face OR get a J Alan design wheel. I use a procedure similar to George’s but tape more than 1 flap ...

To illustrate my above point: This block of Grecian briar has a potentially gorgeous grain. Note the difference between your block and this one- there are lighter and darker striations which will make good contrast when finished Also note that the first photo has a more continuous top to bottom stri...

I really hate to be disagreeable, but I do not think that that is a great piece of wood. The left side is essentially featureless- there are no lighter/darker striations which will give the kind of figure that makes briar so beautiful. There are some growth rings present but they are a subtle featur...

Welcome to the forum.
You have picked a good way to start, most of us have started with kits.
Enjoy the process
DocAitch

There are two ways that a metal band or ring goes on a shank. 1) the band fits over the shank and is proud of the shank and stem. A lot of pipe repairs are done this way. It requires that you have a stock of different sized bands so that you can select one of proper size. 2) the second way is to rel...

I purchase this from Vermont Freehand.
Probably 200 gr. per package.
DocAitch

Yes- it initially bothered me a bit to clamp onto threads, but I will probably not ever need an orbital sander.
DocAitch

If you can keep the impression narrow/sharp, the stamping will last longer, Blunt impressions tend to dent the wood while narrow impressions actually cut wood fibers. Dented impressions will “steam out” with multiple smoking cycles, while cut impressions will last longer.
DocAitch

This sounds like it is similar to what Chris is using. This is a cheap Jacobs's chuck (~$20) threaded onto an arbor (<$10) holding the threaded shaft of a 5” disc in the first photo. The second photo shows the motor arbor- I have since changed the clamping screws to allen screws. The last photo is a...

Whoa, George!
That is a very pricey piece of machinery
DocAitch

Welcome to the Forum, Kyle. You will find lots of information. Learn to use the search function, it will save a lot of unnecessary questions or at least hone your questions to be more specific. You will find that the concentration here is mainly on briar as a stummel material, but certainly practice...

A 1” belt sander is useful for stem shaping, less so for general stummel shaping. I think variable speed would be good to match your material and grit, because you could cut more efficiently and the belts would last longer. That said, my 1x30 HF works fine in a very limited role, and I would spend m...

Thank you for the tour, Trever.
Your machines are fascinating.
DocAitch

There are lots of ways to shape briar. I have seen one of the Italian makers do most of the shaping of a freehand with a band saw- gave me the willys to watch. I do my shaping with a rough disc and then my drilling with a drill press. If there is one indispensable tool for shape first pipe making, i...

If you peruse the many pipes presented on line, there are certainly those with “carve marks” around. Rustication is a common finish on artisan pipes, and you could certainly accomplish a “rusticated” finish with carving tools. However, rustication is generally reserved for briar that has flaws or un...

Think about lighting as well. My $100 cabinet doesn’t have a light, and I make do with a Bright LED light outside the window.
DocAitch

The stain must be buffed eventually. I use a thin shellac coat which can be rubbed to even out the stain- I use a make up pad. I sometimes sand after this dries to achieve greater contrast, then you can use either an oil or more shellac before buffing. I generally buff with Tripoli on a wheel (Beall...

This is a pretty good effort. The stummel, shank and rustication are good. I can’t see the bowl well enough to comment on JMG’s observations To add to George’s comments, Premal Chheda has a sticky at the beginning of the Gallery indicating which shots are most helpful for evaluation of your work. I ...

Welcome to the Forum. The pipe making information available here is encyclopedic. Please learn to use the search function- a lot of questions have been asked and answered multiple times on this forum. Don’t hesitate to post your work in the Gallery, but wear your big boy pants when you do. Also, I w...