Bamboo Brandy...

[JMG]

So much about this pipe that I'm not happy with. However, with so little spare time I haven't made anything in a long time and just feel like I need to wrap something up so hopefully it will spur me on to make some more. I still need to bowl coat this one and stamp it, but other than that I just have to call it done and move on.

The stem's taper got away from me and it ended up pinched or dropped off to quickly after on the shank end moving towards the bit. The flare could be more symmetrical. I need to find a way to sand the little divots going into the stem and shank that mimic the flow of the bamboo channels. I could NOT settle on a stain that went well with the stem color and black bamboo. What I ended up with works "ok" I guess, but completely hides the nice birds eye and cross grain.Things I'm happy with: The stummel shaping and my joints. That's about it.

I'm posting this really just to spur on conversation as nothing new has been put up in a while. I'm pretty aware of what's wrong with this pipe. However, please critique anything I've missed as it may help others...and certainly myself.

[sandahlpipe]

I agree the stummel shaping is pretty close. I might lose a little bit of material just above the shank on the bowl, but that's a minor deal.
I can't tell whether the bamboo was scarred from the beginning or whether you sanded it too far when fitting it.
I'm not convinced on the length of the stem. It could be a little longer to repeat the length of the bamboo, or it could be a little shorter and match the length or height of the bowl.
The biggest thing for me is the color choices. There's nothing tying the salmon stem into the bowl or the shank, and there's nothing tying the color of the stummel in with the rest of the pipe.
As for showing the grain better, I think you left too much stain in the bowl before applying the finish. I use water or denatured alcohol and light sanding to remove the stain from the surface. This helps reveal the grain better. Also, the look of the pipe when it's wet (after staining) will be what it looks like after it's finished.

This pipe is actually really close to being "there" and now it's just the little details. Keep up the good work!

[JMG]

Thank you for the great advice, Jeremiah. I completely agree about the stain color. It is my biggest issue with this one. I am seriously considering sanding to get back down and starting the stain all over. Things like this seem too grate at me.

[LatakiaLover]

IAWS