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My first gallery post. I was going to wait until I had a perfect pipe, but after 19 or so since December, I realize that that is not going to happen soon.
This the pipe that I had hoped to get to this gallery last month but instead cracked the shank and ruined the stem. I glued the shank with CA and I recut a stem from red and black rod which is gorgeous up close, but the color looks brown from more than 20 inches away. I will weigh and measure the dimensions tomorrow.
I would not sell this pipe because of the repaired shank. I did polish the rear of the button after seeing that photo.
Thank you in advance for your comments.
DocAitch

Doc, I like the pipe, but feel the stem overpowers the aesthetics. The shank is very graceful, but there is way too much meat to the stem.
I believe the underside of the stem, below the swoop tail, should flow with the shank and some material taken away from the top, from the swoop back. Just thin out the stem above and below, behind the swoop.
Just an observation from a guy with ten thumbs!

Bruce, you are absolutely correct.
When I replaced the stem, I was overly concerned with the shank stem junction and the need to not remove any more wood than was absolutely necessary. I shaped the stem against an oak dummy dowel and that independent shaping contributed to the mis proportion. The stem also bothers me from the vertical with too much flare.
Since I am in a hiatus between starting another group of pipes, I will trim that stem today and see how it goes. As I do more work with rod, I am less hesitant to re cut a stem.
I suppose it is the same reluctance that we all face when cutting a piece briar. We don't want to deface the "finished" product because it looks "good", and wind up with pipes that are overweight and misporoportioned.
Thanks
DocAitch

How does this look. I took off material top and bottom and cut the "hood" in so that the top line of the stem was more in line with the pipe shank.
DocAitch

It looks better, IMO. Good on you for not only taking those notes, but applying them immediately!

You followed that well Doc…Looks good!!! Mr. Weaver is a curmudgeon also and tells it as he sees it...

I have no problem with curmudgeons, after all, I am one.
And, I learned pipe making from one (see below).
DocAitch