Poker for critique

[timberwolfer21]

Pipe is for a friend. He wanted a short stem on it and heavy rustication. Hand cut stem.

I appreciate any critique or advice.

Thanks!









Bob
Midland, MI

[Massis]

In my opinion - and I'm no expert - the shank is too thin for the heavy bowl and the stem still a bit long. I'd like a shorter stem with a longer shoulder.
I'm not a big fan of the taper on the stem, which is rather extreme.

Something like this (quick photoshop )
before:


after:


Lastly, it seems as if the sides were ment to be dead straight, but instead the topside of the stummel has shifted a few mm forward creating crooked sides which slant slightly forward.

[timberwolfer21]

Like the stubby look! I see what you men about the sides. Good stuff. Thank you.

Sent from my SM-T550 using Tapatalk

[sandahlpipe]

Stem length isn't my forte. But you definitely want to work in two things. First, every stem needs a slight taper from the saddle (or shank face) to just behind the button. If the top and bottom of the stem are completely flat, you'll end up with a weaker area at the saddle as well as a weird-looking stem. You'll also want to work on tightening up the stem/shank junction. Make sure you've got a tight fit and sand and buff stem and stummel together.

Other than those things I think it's pretty decent for a poker.

[timberwolfer21]

Thanks for your input. I've got a new stem in process on my bench, so that's great advice.

I saw in the archives a thread on how to face stem parts before drilling.


Bob
Midland, MI

[DocAitch]

This pipe looks nice and I am sure that your friend will be delighted.
I offer the following comments as personal observations only.
I think a poker looks best with a very, very slight concave curve on the sides of the bowl. Looking at the dead on shot, the left side is very slightly convex and the right side is either dead straight or very, very slightly concave. This is seen on a couple of other views as well. The right side looks better (in my opinion). The combination of the two curves on the same pipe jars my sensibilities.
I agree with the observation about the taper on the stem, but have never warmed to the whole "nose warmer" thing. Must be a 21st century taste, I am still stuck in the 20th concerning proportions, but then I'm an old guy.
DocAitch

[Massis]

I agree with the observation about the taper on the stem, but have never warmed to the whole "nose warmer" thing. Must be a 21st century taste, I am still stuck in the 20th concerning proportions, but then I'm an old guy.
DocAitch

My adjustments weren't so much as to "this has to be a nosewarmer", more a "this has to be in proportion". I went the nosewarmer-direction with the change, but you could also simply make the stummel narrower to achieve the same proportions without making it a nosewarmer.
Something like this one I made a few weeks back which was just under 12cm long:


You would then end up with something like this:


But even then, I'd prefer the stem slightly shorter: