Straight Billiard

[N.Burnsworth]

Critique please.
I did use a pre mold acrylic stem, but of course modified almost every aspect of it. I'm pretty sure I know what could've been done to improve it, but if like to hear your thoughts.

[fiddlestix]

I don't typically offer much critique since I'm pretty green myself, but I'll give you my thoughts for whatever they're worth.

First, I really like the color and I think it works pretty well with the white stem.

A little too much material was taken off the chin of the pipe and not enough on the back (or front) of the bowl, right above the shank. Leaving the extra material there causes you to leave the cheeks a little chunky as well. All of these things combine to make the bowl look like it's canted a little too far forward. Look at the bowl head on and then slowly rotate it 360 degrees looking for symmetry in the bowl from every possible angle. I don't know about anyone else, but I find more irregularities by putting my forefinger in the chamber and my thumb on the waist of the bowl and run it around and round. Sometimes they're easier for me to feel than to see, especially before the finish.

I like the crown on the rim. Always a nice touch on a billiard, IMO.

Gorgeous grain and nice job showing it off.

Mark

[sandahlpipe]

First, I want to say that I am glad to finally see a billiard from a newer pipe maker where there is a continuous curve from shank face to rim of the bowl. It also has a belly, which I think makes the pipe look sexier.

Having said that, the belly hangs a bit low, which is what I think Mark is seeing as too much chin. Bring the widest part up to the exact middle of the bowl and you'll lose that appearance. Still, I think this qualifies as a billiard.

The hardest part of a billiard, once you have understood the profile shape (which is not easy!) is to shape the bottom third of the bowl. Your pipe is no different here. The cheeks have a different profile from the front, and are even different from each other. The bottom of your bowl is also not a perfect circle (but it should be). The line coming from the shank should be straight until the very middle of the bottom of the bowl before it starts its upward curve. Your curve starts too close to the shank. Finally, there should be a bit more definition between the shank and the bowl.

The other thing you might have missed is that your stem appears to be slightly wider than the shank. This is probably in part because you didn't taper the stem all the way to the shank face, and in part because you have something goofy going on with the fishtail. Since it was a premold stem, I'm not going to get on your case too much, though this is something you should definitely be aware of going forward.

All in all, you've got a lot of good things going for you on this pipe, but there are a lot of little details which add up and make the difference between a smokeable pipe and a beautiful pipe.

[N.Burnsworth]

Thank you gentlemen! I am really liking this critique offering. Notes have been taken, next straight billiard will show that I have listened. Also it will have a hand cut Cumberland stem. This is actually supposed to be a properly but quickly made billiard, and features an acrylic premold to cut some time and hence make it a more affordable option, or "Value"
These pipes are definitely giving me good practice.

[PremalChheda]

Couple of simple things to keep in mind for the next one.

1. From the bottom view, the shank flows into the bowl without enough separation. A little smaller radius in the transition will be more pleasant.

2. If your goal is a traditional billiard, the above critiques are spot on. However, you can make a variation with more cant and higher chin.

Do you have a dead on center of the bowl profile shot? We really cannot see the proper profile of the pipe. Also from the other side, center dead center of the entire pipe.

[N.Burnsworth]

Thanks Premal, Unfortunately the were the best photos I could render, the others were to out of focus. I will take not of this for my next posting for critique. I do like the look of the higher chin. I know it's not the typical classic, but I have seen classics with a higher chin that I find to be more pleasing. I agree that the bowl to shank transition should be more defined and will work on that more than anything else. The stem does slightly taper outward (wider) than the shank. I just circled it and it tapers out and additional .035 within 1.000 of the shank face. I will correct that as well. Thank you all again. I had seen some of the corrections that need to be made, but with your help i have seen things in from a different perspective.