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Hello pipemakers! I have been smoking a pipe for over a year now, and recently received my first block of briar to make my own pipe. Over the past few weeks I've read nearly every post in this subforum and a few others, but I haven't found a post that addresses my current issue.

I know that everyone has their methods, and the most efficient ones all involve power tools. For my first pipe, as crazy as this sounds, I would like to make the entire pipe without either a lathe or a drill press. In fact, I would like to make it completely without the assistance of electricity if possible. The block I have is from Pimo and is not drilled, so I'm starting from the very beginning.

That being said, here are my questions:
Has anyone here ever drilled pipe holes with hand tools?
What process was used before the advent of electricity?

"What process was used before the advent of electricity?"

Clay pipes and molds! Sorry, couldn't resist.

My second pipe I drilled with a cordless power drill and everything else with hand tools. Then again, it didn't look that great when I was finished. I also used a premold stem, and didn't know at the time that you were supposed to turn a tenon. The hard part will be getting the holes drilled straight by hand. There are lathes that can be powered by foot pedals that could do the job, but you may need to build one yourself.

So the short answer is that you're going to have a really tough time making a pipe entirely without electricity AND having the results look good. From a pre-drilled kit, you can absolutely use files and sandpaper and get a nice pipe.

I started on a pipe with intentions of using no electricity and then...

I realized I do not live in the stone age.

Do you have strong teeth? Maybe a strong relationship with a Beaver? Otherwise it will be difficult!

sandahlpipe wrote:My second pipe I drilled with a cordless power drill and everything else with hand tools. Then again, it didn't look that great when I was finished. I also used a premold stem, and didn't know at the time that you were supposed to turn a tenon. The hard part will be getting the holes drilled straight by hand. There are lathes that can be powered by foot pedals that could do the job, but you may need to build one yourself.

So the short answer is that you're going to have a really tough time making a pipe entirely without electricity AND having the results look good. From a pre-drilled kit, you can absolutely use files and sandpaper and get a nice pipe.

I hadn't considered anything foot powered. It may be beyond my engineering skills to pull off, but definitely something to look into! Thanks.

PremalChheda wrote:I started on a pipe with intentions of using no electricity and then...

I realized I do not live in the stone age.

I think I'm aiming more toward the Dark Ages or Middle Ages

I suppose you could drill the pipe with a brace and auger bit, then go the rest of the way with hand files. Might have to get creative for the bottom of the bowl, but other than drilling I think the process would be about the same as making a pipe without a lathe.

I made my first two pipes with a cordless drill and files as well. they were absolute garbage BTW. I think the issue you will run into is finding a bit that will fit in a brace, AND is capable of making a smooth, rounded chamber. You can drill the draught hole and cut the slot using a pin vise.

Chaarrlie wrote:Hello pipemakers! I have been smoking a pipe for over a year now, and recently received my first block of briar to make my own pipe. Over the past few weeks I've read nearly every post in this subforum and a few others, but I haven't found a post that addresses my current issue.

I know that everyone has their methods, and the most efficient ones all involve power tools. For my first pipe, as crazy as this sounds, I would like to make the entire pipe without either a lathe or a drill press. In fact, I would like to make it completely without the assistance of electricity if possible. The block I have is from Pimo and is not drilled, so I'm starting from the very beginning.

That being said, here are my questions:
Has anyone here ever drilled pipe holes with hand tools?
What process was used before the advent of electricity?

Briar pipes were first made after the advent of electricity, however, much of the equipment used to make briar pipes early on was powered by water and a belt system that ran drilling, sanding, and buffing apparatus.

Drill your draught hole with a pump drill and you will have my respect forever.

I've seen a video of some hobbyist drilling by hand with a pin vise (I think after shaping).

"No electricity" is not the same as "no tooling". I could make a decent pipe with a treadle lathe and a brace drill. But these are things that basically we don't have or use anymore.

So unless you are an antique tool collector with a bunch of historical curiosities sitting around your shop, your question is really "how do I make a pipe with common hand tools" and the answer is "It's going to be difficult and slow".

Solomon_pipes wrote:I made my first two pipes with a cordless drill and files as well. they were absolute garbage BTW. I think the issue you will run into is finding a bit that will fit in a brace, AND is capable of making a smooth, rounded chamber. You can drill the draught hole and cut the slot using a pin vise.

I have spoon bits that were made to fit a brace. They were used by chair makers in the "dark ages". They have the same contours as spoon bits in pipe making today. The only difference is the shank contours. Smooth cut and chamber contour the same just need Armstrong to power them. I have a number of bits including 3/4". ;)

By the way Clico makes spoon bits for use with a brace. Braces are on eBay and Steve has 6" and 12" bits that might work in a brace.


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I almost made my first pipe without electricity. Alas, I used a dremel to carve out the chamber and a hand drill to turn down the tenon on a preform stem. Other than that, everything was done with a rasp, file, and gimlets.

I make all my pipes with hand tools (carving chisels, rasps, and hand drills) only. It takes longer but to me is more satisfying. I enjoy the process very much. Since I have only myself to please it doesn't matter how long it takes.

you can if you have or can invest in wood carving chisels, palm tools, rasp's, it just takes longer and more attention with the eye for defined profile.
You can do it, and when your done like, Bosaiya said, what a feeling!

Bosaiya wrote:I make all my pipes with hand tools (carving chisels, rasps, and hand drills) only. It takes longer but to me is more satisfying. I enjoy the process very much. Since I have only myself to please it doesn't matter how long it takes.

That sounds amazing! What hand drills do you use?

It's certainly a different way of working, that's for sure. I like being able to coordinate the shape of the chamber with the stummel.

I rarely use drills, it's been pretty easy just cutting out the chamber with carving tools. The nice thing is that the backbent tools allow for greater design flexibility than the standard "bore straight down" approach. But a simple eggbeater drill (not as nice as that Archimedean drill pictured above) with modern twist bits will do the trick if all you want is a hole. A brace and auger bits would take care of larger holes much quicker at the risk of less control.

Bosaiya wrote:I rarely use drills, it's been pretty easy just cutting out the chamber with carving tools.

What about the draught hole?

I just use a long, thin chisel. It can be used to pare off slices from the sides and twirled. A drill would be easier but that would be one more thing to carry around in my bag and it would have no other use. I've tried to pare my kit down to the essentials so that once I've done the rough sawing I can do the rest with the same small set of tools no matter where I am.