Ok, here goes...

[Nate]

These are my first 2 pipes. The first (poker) was made from a pre-drilled/stemmed block. The second (umm...brandeggcano?) was fully 'Nate-Made' from drilling to final buff.

I know they are still bulky looking and I have a distance to go, so be brutal. The reason the brandy is, well, an interesting shape, is I had 2 major flaws on the left side of the bowl during shaping. I could rusticate/blast or continue on. I was stubborn and wanted to make a smooth finish pipe. So, I got a thin rimmed, odd shaped pipe, but I tried to make the best of it. The cumberland stem was my first hand-cut. I tried to keep in mind the .16-.17 thickness behind the button and accomplished that. I was going for a faux 'military'. Thoughts on the stem; shape fitment and slot?

I know the shanks on both are thick and I plan to address that with each future pipe. Any specific thoughts for me in this area?

Anyhoo, I look forward to learning what can be done better! Thanks!

[ND Pipes]

they look a bit bulky and not simetric... also a bit odd to my taste... but the finish is very nice... overall, they look strange to me but i like them heheheheh...

[Nate]

they look a bit bulky and not simetric... also a bit odd to my taste... but the finish is very nice... overall, they look strange to me but i like them heheheheh...

tNd, I agree about the bulkiness. Definitely on the thick side. The asymmetry was planned on the poker (the front and back of the bowl) as a design element. The brandy is misshapen to get rid of flaws. I should have gone with my original thought and rusticate/blast. Hindsight is 20/20. Thanks for the critique, I will be working on 'slimming up' my designs!

[ND Pipes]

do not worry about me... they are kind of cute and the finish is really good...
for the brandy - i would be happier to have it thinner on the shank near the bowl... also, i would be happier with another type of the stem... maybe a rounded saddle or something like that... remember, i am not an expert, i am just telling what i feel about them and it is only my opinion that is not so important...
i am courious - how did you made those inlays on stems....
for the poker - i know you could not do much regarding the drilling ... it is looking like the stem/shank line is a bit to low for my taste.. i would be happier if that line would be a bit higher, but, again - you could not change the predrilled block and if you wanted a poker, this is what you could do... rustification is nice.. i would like to know how you did it.. it is kind of soft rusticated.. not to much... the stem is a bit strange looking to me but i can't figure out what to do with it, to be honnest... maybe it bothers me because it is not symetric... not sure... as i told you, i like them .. they have details that i like a lot... but, i would need some time to adjust
all in all.... do not worry to much... they are kind of cute... really.. strong lines... ....
i am happy you made the finish that good the shape is a bit strange but the finish is very clean... very clean job... ...

[DaGamba]

I like them. But as you said before, they could be a bit more slim. For being your first two I think it's really good. Specially the finish. And I like the partial rustication. Looks like you did it cause you wanted it and not to avoid flaws.
And if that's your first hand made stem, I'm really impressed. I tried to make some 10 stems or so by now and I'm not anywhere near making them look that nice at the bit.
Keep up the good work. Looking forward to seeing more pipes by you.

[Nate]

do not worry about me... they are kind of cute and the finish is really good...
for the brandy - i would be happier to have it thinner on the shank near the bowl... also, i would be happier with another type of the stem... maybe a rounded saddle or something like that... remember, i am not an expert, i am just telling what i feel about them and it is only my opinion that is not so important...

Expert or not, I really appreciate your input! I am looking to refine, and as I have heard from many artisans, 'the end result is the consumer must like it, no matter how much you do'. I see everyone on here not only as makers, but also consumers of sorts. I'm sure most, if not all smoke a pipe. And if you feel it is off, that matters. Of course it is my obligation to make sure it is engineered correctly, but as far as aesthetics I am trying to open my mind to creativity and also what looks pleasing. The brandy was supposed to be a traditionally shaped brandy with a high set shank. Because of this, the draught hole was drilled on an angle to get it in correct relation to the bottom of the chamber. Unfortunately I have made the shank as small as i could due to the drilling vs. strength. So I was stuck on that point. Would you have kept the extension the same with the white band for a rounded saddle or done something different there?

i am courious - how did you made those inlays on stems....

For the poker I drilled a very shallow hole, starting with a 1/16" bit in a pin vise and moving larger by hand up to a 1/4" bit. Approximately 1/16" in depth. The insert is acrylic from stock shaped to fit out side of aluminum tubing, brass tubing and finally brass rod. Assembled the grouping and glued into the stem and shaped to fit. For the acrylic, as it starts white and turns clear as it is polished, I put a thin piece of white plastic below it so it wouldn't disappear into the stem.

On the brandy, I had a piece of aluminum airfoil and flattened the front and sides to match the shape of the stem and mirror the theme throughout the pipe. I tried heating the aluminum stock to melt it into the stem with no results, didn't even leave a mark. So I marked out the shape and used a very thin cutoff wheel on my Dremel. Worked decently, although the groove was on the larger side. Like the poker stem, I went about 1/16" deep here too. THis time I used CA glue to try it, as it had been recommended by another maker. Worked quite well! Much faster than epoxy too. I left excess on the insert and filed/sanded to fit. I used the CA as a bit of a filler for the gaps I had around the insert, and even though I brushed and cleaned with denatured alcohol, I still got stem and aluminum dust in there. Not sure how to solve that issue, any suggestions? I would have also made that insert smaller, a bit large for a smaller stem.

...rustification is nice.. i would like to know how you did it.. it is kind of soft rusticated.. not to much... the stem is a bit strange looking to me but i can't figure out what to do with it, to be honnest... maybe it bothers me because it is not symetric... not sure... as i told you, i like them .. they have details that i like a lot... but, i would need some time to adjust

The effect was done by light blast with fine glass bead. I only wanted to bring some depth and dimension to the pipe, not go crazy with an intense blast. I was also trying to accent the lines of the pipe. And as you noted, I was stuck with the block's drilling and shank placement. I had one person comment they would have liked to have seen the blast continued into the stem, of course by manually carving, but what do you think about that?

all in all.... do not worry to much... they are kind of cute... really.. strong lines... ....
i am happy you made the finish that good the shape is a bit strange but the finish is very clean... very clean job... ...

Again, thank you! I have had some instruction and help from another maker on most practices, so that is why I have had such a good result on both of my pipes. I really tried to pay attention to the details on finish and I think that shows. I tell you tNd, I am hooked on pipe making! I really enjoy it!

[Nate]

I like them. But as you said before, they could be a bit more slim. For being your first two I think it's really good. Specially the finish. And I like the partial rustication. Looks like you did it cause you wanted it and not to avoid flaws.
And if that's your first hand made stem, I'm really impressed. I tried to make some 10 stems or so by now and I'm not anywhere near making them look that nice at the bit.
Keep up the good work. Looking forward to seeing more pipes by you.

Thank you DaGamba!! As you noted, being my first 2, I am pretty happy with the results. The rustication was a design element on the poker, although it did cover one small flaw for me! Win-win!
I took a lot of time setting up and took great care on the stem. Much wiser makers than I have told me this is one area that can ruin the best pipe, and I took that to heart.
I really look forward to making more!! I wrote about my second pipe in 7 blog entries, from start to finish, if you are bored

http://journalofgears.blogspot.com/

[ND Pipes]

Would you have kept the extension the same with the white band for a rounded saddle or done something different there?

i like the extension and would like to keept it there... it looks and i can imagine, also feels strong there - i like that... the only thing i would do with is to sand it down more on the part that is near the bowl....and leave the extension almost the same diameter as it is... and i would probably like to get a rounded saddle for the stem... this would look much better in my opinion... only that...

For the poker I drilled a very shallow hole, starting with a 1/16" bit in a pin vise and moving larger by hand up to a 1/4" bit. Approximately 1/16" in depth. The insert is acrylic from stock shaped to fit out side of aluminum tubing, brass tubing and finally brass rod. Assembled the grouping and glued into the stem and shaped to fit. For the acrylic, as it starts white and turns clear as it is polished, I put a thin piece of white plastic below it so it wouldn't disappear into the stem.

On the brandy, I had a piece of aluminum airfoil and flattened the front and sides to match the shape of the stem and mirror the theme throughout the pipe. I tried heating the aluminum stock to melt it into the stem with no results, didn't even leave a mark. So I marked out the shape and used a very thin cutoff wheel on my Dremel. Worked decently, although the groove was on the larger side. Like the poker stem, I went about 1/16" deep here too. THis time I used CA glue to try it, as it had been recommended by another maker. Worked quite well! Much faster than epoxy too. I left excess on the insert and filed/sanded to fit. I used the CA as a bit of a filler for the gaps I had around the insert, and even though I brushed and cleaned with denatured alcohol, I still got stem and aluminum dust in there. Not sure how to solve that issue, any suggestions? I would have also made that insert smaller, a bit large for a smaller stem.

this is nice - thank You for the answer... a lot of work...

The effect was done by light blast with fine glass bead. I only wanted to bring some depth and dimension to the pipe, not go crazy with an intense blast. I was also trying to accent the lines of the pipe. And as you noted, I was stuck with the block's drilling and shank placement. I had one person comment they would have liked to have seen the blast continued into the stem, of course by manually carving, but what do you think about that?

yes... this could be nice... this way, as it is now, the line of the rustification is cut on the joint where stem connects to the stummel.... if you dind't want to go all the way through and continue the line of rustification maybe a band or something could also do the job and visually separate two parts...

Again, thank you! I have had some instruction and help from another maker on most practices, so that is why I have had such a good result on both of my pipes. I really tried to pay attention to the details on finish and I think that shows. I tell you tNd, I am hooked on pipe making! I really enjoy it!

oh, i can imagine that You are hooked... this is a very nice hobby... when i remember everything i have done in my past - i think that everything lead to this... it is the top of what i have done and am still doing... it inculdes a lot of different things that you have to know and like to do and imagine - i like them all ... Nate, thank You...

[ND Pipes]

I like them. But as you said before, they could be a bit more slim. For being your first two I think it's really good. Specially the finish. And I like the partial rustication. Looks like you did it cause you wanted it and not to avoid flaws.
And if that's your first hand made stem, I'm really impressed. I tried to make some 10 stems or so by now and I'm not anywhere near making them look that nice at the bit.
Keep up the good work. Looking forward to seeing more pipes by you.

Thank you DaGamba!! As you noted, being my first 2, I am pretty happy with the results. The rustication was a design element on the poker, although it did cover one small flaw for me! Win-win!
I took a lot of time setting up and took great care on the stem. Much wiser makers than I have told me this is one area that can ruin the best pipe, and I took that to heart.
I really look forward to making more!! I wrote about my second pipe in 7 blog entries, from start to finish, if you are bored

http://journalofgears.blogspot.com/

hey this is nice... the blog...

i like that colour of the brandy, just before you polished it... very nice.... thank You for sharing...

[Nate]

i like the extension and would like to keept it there... it looks and i can imagine, also feels strong there - i like that... the only thing i would do with is to sand it down more on the part that is near the bowl....and leave the extension almost the same diameter as it is... and i would probably like to get a rounded saddle for the stem... this would look much better in my opinion... only that...

Ok, cool. I think the band and extension with the color almost give it a 'tuxedo' feeling. The shape may not be elegant enough for it however. I will keep that in mind on future pipes.

this is nice - thank You for the answer... a lot of work...

Thanks! It will be less work next time as I am a bit wiser now.

yes... this could be nice... this way, as it is now, the line of the rustification is cut on the joint where stem connects to the stummel.... if you dind't want to go all the way through and continue the line of rustification maybe a band or something could also do the job and visually separate two parts...

Ahh, never thought of doing a band for the separation of the two! You think a brass (gold) band would work? I am thinking it would tie together with the brass insert on the top of the stem.

oh, i can imagine that You are hooked... this is a very nice hobby... when i remember everything i have done in my past - i think that everything lead to this... it is the top of what i have done and am still doing... it inculdes a lot of different things that you have to know and like to do and imagine - i like them all ... Nate, thank You...

A return of thanks, the help is very much appreciated! Have you any posts of your work on here? I would love to see it!

[Nate]

hey this is nice... the blog...

i like that colour of the brandy, just before you polished it... very nice.... thank You for sharing...

Thanks!! I enjoy writing it! I am not a wordsmith, but I think the blog is at least entertaining.

I was tempted to leave the color straight ebony after the first tripoli buff, but I want to tie the colors to the cumberland. Thanks again!

[Dixie_piper]

Nate,
Very nice pipes. I like the rustication, very tribal-esque.
On the second pipe, could you give a little detail on the stem? I'm curious as to whether that's stylized or purchased? Very appealing either way. I've yet to start my first, but you've definitely raised the bar a bit, at least in my opinion anyhow.

[Nate]

Nate,
Very nice pipes. I like the rustication, very tribal-esque.
On the second pipe, could you give a little detail on the stem? I'm curious as to whether that's stylized or purchased? Very appealing either way. I've yet to start my first, but you've definitely raised the bar a bit, at least in my opinion anyhow.

Thanks Dixie_piper! That stem was completely made by me. I wanted a faux military look with a standard tenon. I started with cumberland rod, turned the tenon to fit the extension I had made and shape from that point. The basic process I used was similar to the series of pictures posted by Kurt here. I wrote about the insert a couple entries ago, although I would note I made a rookie mistake of completely forming the stem and then installing the insert. In hindsight, the proper method would be to get my 'final' rough shape (shaped close to final dimensions) and then install the insert and after finish sand and buff the stem. Like wise the last thing I did was the 'V' slot. Should have done that much earlier, maybe not as the bulk rod, but soon after the preliminary shaping. Of course,the seasoned makers can comment here, I don't know the correct procedure for the process, I just know I should have done it sooner. Of course, the stem had been drilled with a tapered drill before the tenon was made, so after that you use the hole as a starting point for your slot. Upon recommendation, I used the official Dremel 3/8" dia. slot cutter, you know, the one every Dremel kit comes with. I took it in steps, but basically plunged it all the way until the shank was touching the end of the stem. I tried using some diamond burrs after to clean it up, but mine are super cheap so the didn't really help much. I found the best result at this point was varying needle/jeweler files. Especially the flat one. I showed a fellow maker and he told me to make my 'V' deeper as mine was too shallow for this stem, around 1/4". I took it to about 3/8" to 7/16". After that to finish I used increasing grits of sand paper folded to smooth out all the surfaces of the 'V'. Here are a couple photos of the process. If you have any specific questions, ask away! Hope this helped, again, I'm no expert.

[CedarSlayer]

To me, those are two lovely pipes. Great work there! The inlay in the stem is a great touch. As far as I can see they are missing one thing only, a makers mark stamped into them. Both of those are worthy of having your makers mark.

Bob

[Nate]

To me, those are two lovely pipes. Great work there! The inlay in the stem is a great touch. As far as I can see they are missing one thing only, a makers mark stamped into them. Both of those are worthy of having your makers mark.

Bob

Well thanks Bob!! Much appreciated! I don't have a stamp yet, I will mark the second pipe as it is going to a customer. For now it will be basic, and one day I will invest in a nice stamp. I have kept the first pipe for myself as it was pre-drilled, and done very poorly. I would have not inflicted it on anyone

[Dixie_piper]

Ah, I see now. The Cumberland rod answered the question I had. The look of that stem (in my opinion) really sets it off.
And I'll second that motion that those pipes are worthy of your makers mark

[Nate]

Ah, I see now. The Cumberland rod answered the question I had. The look of that stem (in my opinion) really sets it off.
And I'll second that motion that those pipes are worthy of your makers mark

Ahh ok, cool. I went into far too much detail then! Thanks for the kind words, I am very appreciative! Of course if you have any critique on shape, etc. I would love to hear it!

[FredS]

Dude! Those are the most awsomest pipes ever.

[SWM]

Hi Nate,

I would say these are very ambitious first pipes! Very well done!

And from a first impression I would also say that the finish is not your problem . I am particularily impressed you made the mouthpiece out of the full material (didn't use a premade one)- good job!

I'm not shure about the shaping... At first I thought you should have made them finer (just my taste)... But then, everytime I look at them I like them more just the way they are.

Keep up the good work!

Best,

Steffen

[ND Pipes]

I'm not shure about the shaping... At first I thought you should have made them finer (just my taste)... But then, everytime I look at them I like them more just the way they are.

Keep up the good work!

i can agree with that also... nice pipes once again