Futility...

[JMG]

This was an exercise in futility. I just really miss making pipes so since I'm out in town because of the recent murders in my tribe I figured I would piddle around. I made this out of a wood called "Kwila." That's the national language name for it. I found on the wood toxicity chart under the name Merbau. I can't really tell if it would be poisonous or not, so even if I did have a way of drilling the airway and mortise and sticking a stem to it, I still wouldn't be able to smoke it.

Anywho, all I had was a jab saw (to cut away excess wood), a rasp (takes me back to the first couple pipes and bloody knuckles), and some sandpaper.

It was fun, but sure wish I could finish it out and smoke it.

[sandahlpipe]

That looks nice! I like the shape of it.

As far as toxicity is concerned, the wood toxicity database is usually talking about the dust, not the wood as a finished product. Chances are you'd be just fine if you coated the bowl, but better not to take chances if you're unsure.

I hope you and your family stay safe out there.

[LatakiaLover]

...I'm out in town because of the recent murders in my tribe...

Now, I'm no expert on murder-y things, but I'm gonna guess that in family-ties-driven societies Reprisal is King. Meaning shit usually gets worse before it gets better. I hope there no way you or your family gets pulled into the feud (if that's what it is).

As for the pipe, it's quite nice. And very probably the only English-style kwila pipe on the planet. Leave the shank as-is (slightly flared) so that when leveling the stem later there's some excess material to remove. MUCH easier than trimming the shank to final shape now, then having to add the stem in don't-touch-the-shank "repair style".

[JMG]

Yeah, Jeremiah, it says some report skin rashes and runny nose, but it didn't seem like it would be severe. I may give it a go but it will have to be down the road when we get back to the States next time...I don't have the tools or material here to finish it off.

George, you're right about the family dynamics here making things worse. The murders were actually in the village next to us so thankfully not on our ground, but things were getting really hairy. Luckily two of our leadership guys were in there at the time giving me my language evaluation and so they made the call to get us out. I was just going to send my wife and girls out and stay in, but the vetoed that. My one chance to wear real war paint,

[LatakiaLover]

George, you're right about the family dynamics here making things worse. The murders were actually in the village next to us so thankfully not on our ground, but things were getting really hairy. Luckily two of our leadership guys were in there at the time giving me my language evaluation and so they made the call to get us out. I was just going to send my wife and girls out and stay in, but the vetoed that. My one chance to wear real war paint,

Glad it went like that for you, war paint or no... Having a pure heart and wanting to help too often counts for nothing in complicated "frontier type" situations:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amy_Biehl

Stay frosty, dude. There's no rewind button on stuff like that.

[wdteipen]

Shaping looks really nice on this one, JM. Sorry to hear about the murders in the nearby tribe. Was your tribe involved at all?

[JMG]

Shaping looks really nice on this one, JM. Sorry to hear about the murders in the nearby tribe. Was your tribe involved at all?

Thanks bud, as they said on our other forum, it will make a cool paper weight. One of the guys murdered was in our village two weeks prior waving his homemade shotgun around at some folks because he didn't feel he got a fair shake of pigs from a bride price. The newest guilty party have sent word saying they are coming to our village to kill some people in the family of a guy that murdered someone in their family a few months back.

[kamkiel]

There was a really cool documentary from the 1970s called "Ring of Fire" about two brothers that travel to Indonesian in search for adventure. One of the first places they travel to is PNG. They talked a little bit about the blood wars that happen there. Back then it was only the price of blood that had to be paid if I remember correctly. For example, a murder could be avenaged just be drawing blood from the rival tribe during a war, not necessarily a kill shot. They were still using spears then, no guns, and there was a lot of spin moves being taught in war training. Spinning would help the warrior not be kabob-ed by an in coming spear, but instead just "grazed."

They also mentioned how one of the Rockefellers was murdered and eaten in PNG by one of these tribes! He went there to get one of those totem poles, but possibly killed one of the tribe members during the negotiations. A blood price was collected as well as some very expensive Rockefeller ...umm... meat.

Kiel

[kamkiel]

Oh yeah! I like that pipe! Also reminds me of making my first pipes (thanks for the reminder) but much better!

[JMG]

Decided to play around with this some more. I cut a track out with a utility knife and will inlay crushed rock. I got pretty trigger happy with the file on the stem (it's a joke). But the kicker is that it has no airway. It's been a fun distraction from all the crap going on lately though. Updates to come...

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