Still sticking to Billiards

[bandkbrooks]

Briar fraught with problems = I made a decent pipe just for me. Lots of pits & cracks. I went to a friends machine shop and did the blast. No nozzle and medium as big as Plymouth rock. It was still fun and I had a good laugh. I could imagine several master pipe makers vomiting at the atrocity I was committing. I filled the gaping holes, stained it black and buffed the crap out of it. The stem is hand carved and one more reason it's just for me... I got the stem at the bit "waaafer thin". One good bite and probably BAM. Sure is comfortable in the mouth though.

I actually wound up liking the finish. Go figure.

Let the critiques begin...please.

[Abi Natur]

Hi Brandon,
You put some very good efforts in this pipe and it went really very classy.The stem is thin as thin can get and it gives the pipe some elegance thou it is a tiny bit to long for my taste.Good balanced blast,shape and finish.
A great pipe to smoke while spring is coming to life!
Best,
Abi

[Boekweg]

Very nice pipe brooks. i hope my second pipe comes out as half as good.

[HumblePipe]

I really like it. I love the texture and color of this particular pipe.
J

[NathanA]

I actually like your buffed out and glossy sandblast. Looks like it would be a great texture in hand.

As you know, I am also still working on "perfecting" my classic shaping, if that's even possible. I am no expert but I will tell you what I see because I know how valuable honest criticism is for making improvements. The top of the bowl on the front and back sides (more so on the back) curves inward at the very last 1/4 of an inch or so and this detracts from its billiard-ness, giving it more of a "soft" feel up at the top. On all the classic billiards I have looked at the only curve on the walls is down towards the bottom of the bowl and then you should have a more-or-less straight line up to the rim. As far as the stem goes, a pro on the forum here told me that there are basically two ways to shape a stem. The way that is more comfortable is like yours where it stays flat and thin for a section before the button. The way that looks better is to keep the stem the same diameter as the shank for an 1/8 to 1/4 inch past the stem/shank transition and then a straight line to the back of the button. No judgement call on that one, I have just looked around and decided I like the less-comfortable/more-aesthetic way better.

Hope that was helpful in anyway,

[bandkbrooks]

Thanks for the comments guys. I appreciate it. Nathan, it absolutely feels wonderful in the hand. Although not an ideal grain placement for this block, I really like this type of blast.

[Mike Messer]

Thanks for the comments guys. I appreciate it. Nathan, it absolutely feels wonderful in the hand. Although not an ideal grain placement for this block, I really like this type of blast.

Not so fast bandkbrooks, you haven't heard my comments yet...
Very nice bowl, blast, finish. (you have a blast rig, but no metal lathe, is that right?) Get a metal lathe A.S.A.P.
I agree with Abi, stem's a tad too long, posibly, and I will add, the bit seems a tad square at the sides. You may need to work that a little better next time.
In the images there is a fluorescent light or something, in the background, I think. That would be the greenish streak on the pipe in all of the images.
Sorry, I have no mercy.
Oakie, that's about it for now.
Pretty nice pipe.

[bregolad]

I, too, dig the finish

1: I probably would have blasted the rim, just because of the sandpits
2: The back and front curves of the bowl, especially at the rim, don't quite match. But otherwise I think the shaping shows good attention to the basics.
3: The wafer thin part of the stem is in the right place, but the bit is too far

but i really do love the depth and color of the blast

[bandkbrooks]

I did have the rim blasted, so I completely agree. After getting home I realized I got the rim uneven (not level) and had to correct it. Not having my own blaster and also knowing it was just for me I decided to go ahead and finish it.

3: The wafer thin part of the stem is in the right place, but the bit is too far

What do you mean about the bit?

Brandon

[bandkbrooks]

Mike

As I stated above, it was done at a friends machine shop, so I don't own a lathe or a blaster. The picture was taken outside in direct sunlight so no florescent lighting was involved, just direct sunlight. Don't know why it's green.

[bregolad]

this is what i meant.

[Mike Messer]

Mike

As I stated above, it was done at a friends machine shop, so I don't own a lathe or a blaster. The picture was taken outside in direct sunlight so no florescent lighting was involved, just direct sunlight. Don't know why it's green.

I don't wanna here any flimsie excluses, bandlkybooks. Just git it togather, okie?
M.M.

P.S. Note: I edited the spelling errers.

[bandkbrooks]

@ bregolad - got it. Thanks for clarifying. That helps.

BB