Would like to hear what the pros think about this thought?

[the rev]

Trying too hard to make a perfect pipe when just learning, rather than practicing making lots of pipes getting a bit better each one, will stunt your growth.

With every thing I have learned, whether it is work in the construction trades, or my artwork, or my writing and even my martial arts training, the key was to get lots of reps in. To do something over and over and over again, and each time you get a little better, a little more efficient, a little more in the groove. Then, when you have begun to demonstrate some stability in your technique, you move on to perfecting usually a piece at a time.

I am thinking with the creation of pipes that this is still true, but has to be measured a bit as we are talking about expensive materials as well. For me I am trying to balance these two concepts. I am trying to complete a pipe a week, but also trying to really work on the issues that you all have pointed out as I make each new pipe.

Just something I thought of last night, wondered what you guys thought?

the fact is I am in love with this art form, and want to progress towards mastery in the most efficient way possible.

rev

[d.huber]

I'm no pro, but I'll insert my opinion anyway.

While I think that reps are crucial, IMO you should be focusing on getting everything as perfect as you can every time and screw how long it takes. It'll take you more time, but you'll be repeating attempts at perfection, not repeating attempts at speed. Make sure that you get each step right and in the right order and aim for your best work possible and speed will come with time, so I'm told.

[The Smoking Yeti]

First- practice on cheap briar.

Second- If you get to the end of a pipe after slaving for hours, then you see some flaw you missed waaaaay back there. Maybe you should just chalk it up as a lesson learned and start another pipe- focusing on not repeating previous mistakes. But again, take your time and do each step the best you can. If you have questions ask, but just keep trying to do your best pipe by pipe.

[RadDavis]

I think you're spot on Rev! The more you make, the faster and better you'll get.

Rad

[scotties22]

I think you have to find that happy medium. It has always been quality over quantity and accuracy over speed in my house. And I'm not speaking about just making pipes. We own a landscape company that specializes in outdoor living. We could do most $40k jobs in about 2 weeks if we just slapped things together as quickly as possible. We would bring in more money each year, but have a lot of really unhappy customers and our bottom line would suffer as a result. Instead, we focus on the "fit and finish" of each project. And while time is a concideration (and we do work as quickly as we can) we still focus on getting everything perfect as we go along.

The more pipes you make the faster you will start making them. There is no question about that. As you find the "system" that works for you, you will start to cut down on the time it takes for each step. But for now, if it takes you an extra few hours to take your time and finish something as perfectly as you can take the extra time. It will pay dividends in the long run. Even if you have a bit of a back log of commissions, take your time. Your customers (friends, family...whomever) will be much happier with a pipe they waited a little while longer for than one you rushed through just to get it off your books.

In this game there is no bonus to the purse for knocking it out in the first round

[Joe Hinkle Pipes]

That is pretty much the way I have been progressing. Screw something up, finish the pipe anyway and learn from it. Then never make that mistake again. Sometimes you have to go too far to know where to stop. (At least I do ). I believe you can progress much faster if you are learning to make pipes in the shop of a master. I've seen some people's first pipes that look better than anything I've made so far, but most of us don't have that option.

[caskwith]

Making more pipes will certainly help your progress, just make sure you are making the pipes to the best of your ability each time. It's no good making a hundred pipes if you make the same shitty stem each time or mis drill them all.

[RadDavis]

Never be afraid to fail. By going beyond the limits you will learn what the limits are, such as how close to the top of the shank you can drill the smoke hole on a bent pipe without risking sanding through to it when you're shaping the pipe.

Never hurry, but develop efficiency. There's this thing called the"Law of Diminishing Returns", meaning if you make a perfect $500 pipe, but it takes you 100 hours, that's no good. Even if it's a $1000 pipe, that's no good. That's $10/hr. If you make a $100 pipe, and it takes you 2 hours, that's good. That's $50/hr., and that's decent money. Hopefully you can work up to where you're making about $100 or so an hour. Then you can make a living making pipes. If you want to.

To shoot for perfection every time is a mistake, I think. You'll stay discouraged, because you'll never get there. Shoot for the best you can do at the time you are making the pipe. Make it better than the last one. Make more pipes, and after a while you can see what needs to be done to make the pipe better before you've stained and finished it and put it on the shelf and look at it a week later and go, "Well, shit". Face the fact that you will never make a perfect pipe. I don't know anyone who has, and I know a lot of great pipe makers.

Efficiency is key, and the more efficient you get the faster you will make pipes.

If you're just making pipes for yourself and don't care about all this, please don't read this post.

Rad

[Sasquatch]

I think Rad's made a good point - if you think every pipe is going to be perfect, you're wrong. Even pipes made by experienced, qualified makers range from special to ... all right. Some pieces of briar are going to disappoint. Sometimes you'll make an error. Sometimes... well, sometimes things just don't look quite like you thought they would.

But.... there's never any reason not to make the best pipe you can make. If the finish isn't right, re-do it. If the draw isn't good, smarten that up. If you aren't absolutely convinced that your pipe will smoke as good as a Dunhill or a Castello.... well, what the hell ya doin?? So you can hold yourself to a high standard of quality while you learn how to approach the artistic side.

At least, I keep hopin' that.

[d.huber]

The last three posts are pretty much what I meant, so listen to me and ignore them all.

Seriously, though. I think you guys nailed it on the head. Couldn't (and didn't) say it better myself.

[wdteipen]

If you're just making pipes for yourself and don't care about all this, please don't read this post.

I sure wish you would have put this at the begin of your post. It would have saved me a lot of time.

[wmolaw]

I wonder, how many of you guys actually began carving pipes so as to make a living? Or were you a pipe smoker who began to carve just because you wanted to try your hand at creating something you love to use, and to reduce the cost of your obsession?

[d.huber]

I wonder, how many of you guys actually began carving pipes so as to make a living? Or were you a pipe smoker who began to carve just because you wanted to try your hand at creating something you love to use, and to reduce the cost of your obsession?

The latter. However, I don't think it decreased the cost of the obsession one bit.

[wmolaw]

I wonder, how many of you guys actually began carving pipes so as to make a living? Or were you a pipe smoker who began to carve just because you wanted to try your hand at creating something you love to use, and to reduce the cost of your obsession?

The latter. However, I don't think it decreased the cost of the obsession one bit.

Agreed. I just wondered how many folks actually entered the arena of carving with the initial thought, "I'm going to make my living this way."

[Tyler]

I think everybody is a little different, so I don't think the original question has a universal answer. I'm wired to chase perfection, and I try every pipe. It's part of the fun for me. I'm not feeding my family with pipes, so I have this luxury.

Reps can also work, and is a necessary part of the equation no matter what.

I'll say this, if choosing between obsessing with each pipe for long amounts of time versus a moderate pace that turns out a lot more pipes, I predict the second guy will get better faster.

[ToddJohnson]

Rad is, as usual, exactly right. I tell everyone I work with that the "perfect is the enemy of the excellent." Yes, "perfection" should always be the goal, but never the expectation. There are a number of guys who will always be average because they're so focused on "perfection" that they're incapable of making an excellent pipe. This may sound counterintuitive, but if you're basically just checking boxes on the "make a perfect pipe worksheet," your pipes will look mechanical and lack the thing that makes them beautiful and interesting. No one has ever done anything "perfectly" in the course of human history, so having that as your expectation is foolish.

TJ

[Sasquatch]

Every time I think the "P" word, or worse, utter it out loud, the briar cracks just below the surface, and the next level of sanding reveals that the pipe is in fact trash rather than "Perfect". It's a curse. Don't say it, don't think it!

But.... there's a thousand little ways a pipe can be enbettertized, and it's not wrong to learn them and apply them.

[the rev]

jump