New Pipe #2

[bandkbrooks]

I tried to follow the grain as much as possible. I think it turned out very organic looking. This is to make up for the prior attempt at this shape. The previous version was fraught with disaster (bad briar, sanding through the bowl, planets aligned poorly, etc.).

[TRS]

I don't normally go in for shapes like this, but this one really appeals to me. I think you maximized the use of the grain really well. My only problem (and I seem to see this on a lot of this type of freehand) is that I wish the stem fit flush to the briar without all that tenon showing. Nice work though!

[bandkbrooks]

It's from a kit and I HATE the stem. I think it would actually make a cool Churchwarden.

[TreverT]

The thing that bugs me the most about it is that the stem is not in-line with the "shank" conical section. The off-angle is a bit painful on the eye. Funnily enough, one of my very first pipes was a lot like this - a big solid cone-shaped mass of briar with a stem out the top.

[bandkbrooks]

@ Trever - I TOTALLY see what you are saying and now it bugs the crap out of me. Any saving of this design flaw ideas?

[TreverT]

@ Trever - I TOTALLY see what you are saying and now it bugs the crap out of me. Any saving of this design flaw ideas?

Not without drastic reshaping of the shank section, sorry. Either that or redrilling the mortise with a much bigger bit at a different angle and fitting a different stem, but I don't know that you have the equipment and materials to do that. Unfortunately, the nature of learning pipe carving is to make a lot of stuff you end up being frustrated with...

[bandkbrooks]

And that is why guys like me are here...to learn. I was pretty happy with the finish for a change. It was one of those though that I just hated to do any rustication at all. Over all I was going for sort of a Roger Dean (Yes album covers) kind of landscape.

[Sasquatch]

That's exactly the right attitude. And there's only one way to really learn this stuff, and that's to keep making pipes and putting them up for criticism and dialling in your own eye to be keen to "what looks right".

Parts of this pipe I love, I'd like to see the "webbing" in between the two thick parts be a little thinner on top - what's left is just a bit thick and I guess "amateur carver" ish for my tastes.

Keep em coming.

[staffwalker]

You can visually help that crooked stem by giving it a slight R to L bend. It's easy to do, just heat it again as you did to bend on the flat axis but instead bend it R to L or L to R depending on how you are holding it. You won't be able to correct all of it but you can help somewhat. I made some of those when I first started and if you fiddle with the bend enough it won't be so apparent to the eye. It will still be off just not so easy to spot. bob gilbert

[bandkbrooks]

@ sasquatch

Yes I agree but I didn't have the heart to carve away all that beautiful birds eye. I just couldn't do it.

@ bob

I don't know that I'm following you exactly.

[Sasquatch]

LOL that balance between the best shape and the best "show" is what it's all about I guess.

[tritrek]

Me digs it!

[staffwalker]

When you bent the stem to it's present position you bent it on the vertical. Now bend it horizontally either right or left to visually compensate for the discordant angle your stem now has in relation to the rest of the pipe. As I said earlier you can't fix it but you can make is less disturbing visually. bob gilbert

[bandkbrooks]

Gotcha! The stem was pre-bent but I will try that and see if it helps.