First one

[Brutus]

My first pipe... alot of learning been done carving ebonite and briar

Some of my own reflections...

Need to work on the stem/button/slot... invest in some neater tools, smaller drills/files etc
Staining .. a bit sloppy first time around
Get the stem/shank fit tidier...
It was alot of fun and ive got a million ideas on how to improve


Phil

[sandahlpipe]

The first thing that stands out to me is the lumps where the light bends. If you're going to have a curve, make a curve. If you're going for straight or taper, make your lines straight or tapered. Especially the stem looks bumpy.

[Brutus]

agree the light doesnt fall right on the small twist of the stem .... might redo it

[DocAitch]

This is wordy, and comes from a relative newb. I like this pipe and see real potential in you as a carver.
Your attempt to continue the spiral flats from the stem onto the shank and then onto the bowl or vice versa is very difficult to carry off. It looks good on the bowl, but the shank/ stem didn't quite fulfill the requirements of the the concept.
The last photo shows that you know how to follow the grain of the strummel, allowing the grain to dictate the shape. This is a principle that is at the heart of the most attractive (to me) pipes. The front/left side of the bowl is especially attractive
You are to be congratulated because this is your first attempt and you have:
1) demonstrated that you can cut and finish briar and ebonite to produce a relatively attractive and smokable pipe. Well done!
2) have some imagination and ambition to attempt a difficult concept. Again, well done!
3) and have demonstrated that you are aware of the grain pattern and are attempting to shape to accentuate it. This awareness of grain patterns promises some very good pipes from you in the future, after you get some basics nailed down.

I am going to recommend what a lot of the more accomplished artisans on this and other forums have also recommended. Make some standard shapes. When you make a billiard or a poker, you will learn to shape and smooth your contours, make a smooth shank/stem transition, and you will deal with standard dimensions. I know that this is advice to crawl when you feel that you are ready to fly, but it is valuable.
I just went through a queue of pipes that included 3 billiards, 2 pokers, and a couple of free hands. The fixed design concepts of the standard shapes required that I acquire and learn to use files for shaping (something I was deficient in), as well as practice the bread and butter techniques of stem from rod, staining , and finishing. My free hands are better for it, and the exercise has demonstrated to me those areas where my technique needs improvement.
Again, well done for a first pipe. You have demonstrated potential, and you have something to smoke while you work on the next one.
DocAitch

[Effe]

Very nice and interesting first pipe
It looks like my 50nth

[Brutus]

Thanks for the input!

won´t be redoing it... gives it character moving on to nr2...

Will be back soon

[DocAitch]

I also see that your avatar is the same pipe in a prior stage.
I mention this because it doesn't have the stem attached. At the stage of the avatar photo it should be attached to the stem, even if the stem is still a rod. This allows you to treat the stem and stummel as a unit, especially with the intricate shape that you produced. You would have been able to work the flow of your design and avoid the (subtle in this case) discontinuities of the flow that mars your overall concept. This common in a first pipe and the results are usually much more obvious.I only separate the stem and stummel at a later stage if I am buffing and cannot reach an area because part of the unit is hitting the buffing arbor.
After thinking about it, you might want to consider a saddle type treatment of your stem for this application where a contour runs from the bowl to the stem. The collar of the saddle allows you to terminate the panels cleanly without the awkward "run down"
Keep up the good work, I am looking forward to the next one.
DocAitch