Third Pipe - Criticism Appreciated

Want to show you work to the world? Want a place to post photos of your work and solicit the opinions of those that have gone before you? Post your work here.
Post Reply
User avatar
GBMorris
Posts: 20
Joined: Sat Mar 19, 2011 1:19 pm
Location: Canada

Third Pipe - Criticism Appreciated

Post by GBMorris »

Hello Folks,

This is my third attempt at a pipe, and my first briar pipe (the previous two were maple). It was a request from a friend for a bent author. It's all done by hand since I don't yet have a lathe. Your comments and criticism would be most appreciated.

Image
Image
Image

Thanks and Best Regards,
Greg
Jack of all trades, master of one.
Boekweg
Posts: 282
Joined: Sun Feb 27, 2011 7:21 am

Re: Third Pipe - Criticism Appreciated

Post by Boekweg »

Nice pipe you have there. :thumbsup:
Keep up the good work.
JeremyV
Posts: 57
Joined: Thu Jun 16, 2011 3:20 pm
Location: North Texas

Re: Third Pipe - Criticism Appreciated

Post by JeremyV »

Looks pretty good, but I will offer a couple of points of critique.

I too have been making the few pipes I've made so far by hand. In order to get the rim of the bowl as even as possible, I've been marking them with a compass, grind/sand to that line, then work from the top down.

I think it may have looked a little better to me if the bottom of the stummel wasn't as flat - a smoother transition from the shank to the bottom that gave it more of a brandy shape on the bottom to match the rest.

I really like the long smooth curve in the stem.

Looking good! Keep it up! :)
wdteipen
Posts: 2819
Joined: Sat Mar 29, 2008 1:05 pm

Re: Third Pipe - Criticism Appreciated

Post by wdteipen »

It's not bad for a third pipe. I'm curious whether this is from a predrilled block or if you drilled it yourself. If the airway is drilled the way it appears, you don't have much briar left on the bottom of the bowl. The angle of your stem doesn't match the bowl making it look like the two are seperate compositions that don't go together. One of two things should have happened: 1) the shank should have been oriented higher up on the bowl, or 2) the more briar should have been left on the bottom of the bowl. One other main thing to work on is not being afraid to take off more briar. The bowl has a bit of an amorphous, undefined shape to it. JeremyV's advice to mark out your rim is a good one and one that I did early on before I had the right tools (and one that I still use from time to time for certain applications.) It helps until you develop a better eye for symmetry and feel for your tools. Lastly, a chainsaw file works wonders to better define the cheeks where the shank meets the bowl. All in all a decent attempt. Keep at it.
Wayne Teipen
Teipen Handmade Briar Pipes
http://www.teipenpipes.com
User avatar
andrew
Posts: 1407
Joined: Sun Jun 26, 2011 11:40 am
Location: North Idaho

Re: Third Pipe - Criticism Appreciated

Post by andrew »

I do like this particular shape. It looks more of a brandy than author to me. The authors I've seen usually have a very stout shank.
I would second everything Wayne said in his post. Learning to define the shape of the pipe is something that takes time/practice, but the results will be well worth the effort. A decent set of files will help ease some of the learning frustrations.

Definitely keep at it. Spend some time reading the comments others have posted on the gallery. At some point soon you will realize that briar dust is laced with crack of some sort and you won't be able to stop making pipes without a serious intervention... maybe I should have waited to tell him that. However, you actually took the time to post some of your work so it's probably too late for any kind of warning.

A warning label should have come with my first block of briar... too late to worry about that now. Back to that crack laced wood....
User avatar
GBMorris
Posts: 20
Joined: Sat Mar 19, 2011 1:19 pm
Location: Canada

Re: Third Pipe - Criticism Appreciated

Post by GBMorris »

Thanks for the feedback, folks!

It was, indeed, a pre-drilled block.

I was attempting to copy a picture I found online, if that gives any context: http://www.finepipes.com/images/Dunhill ... Author.jpg

Cheers,
Greg
Jack of all trades, master of one.
Massis
Posts: 938
Joined: Thu Aug 26, 2010 9:05 am

Re: Third Pipe - Criticism Appreciated

Post by Massis »

I think you succeeded in making a pipe resembling the one in your picture except for 1 spot, being the front end of the stummel.
The lower front end of your pipe has quite a bit of wood left where the one in your picture rises alot sooner and smoother.
All in all a very pretty pipe in my opinion!
wdteipen
Posts: 2819
Joined: Sat Mar 29, 2008 1:05 pm

Re: Third Pipe - Criticism Appreciated

Post by wdteipen »

You're pipe is very close to the Dunhill you modeled it after. As Massis points out, the back side heel of the pipe needs more briar removed to match the Dunhill. In my opinion, your pipe has a lot about it that is better than the Dunhill; especially in the stem proportions.
Wayne Teipen
Teipen Handmade Briar Pipes
http://www.teipenpipes.com
Post Reply