Buttons?

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Since I started making my own stems I feel that making a nice button is hard.

My pipes that I have that I have not made myself is of poor quality and dont give much clue to what I should be aiming for.

Now I have practiced making buttons on acrylic premold (dont want to mess up nice ebonite) for a while and if someone would like to comment the result I would be glad. My focus has not been in finishing them in a pristine way since I feel that the shaping issue needs to be adressed first.

If anyone have picture of really nicely shaped button it would be very helpful.










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[LatakiaLover]

Because a button is so self-contained---easily held and examined (with magnification if desired) from all angles, has no internal components, and so forth---comparing two buttons side-by-side is the best way to learn how to make them.

It doesn't even matter if the example being copied is "special" in terms of shape. Just make a 3-D copy of it. Developing a proprietary and/or ideal design will come later, after you've mastered the basics.

Also, if a tool is needed that you can "see in your mind", don't have, and can be fabricated in your shop, do so. I've been making stems for decades and STILL make the occasional specially shaped sanding block or slot polishing widget. It's all part of the game.

[DocAitch]

There are various styles and “grades” of finished buttons. There are standard buttons, similar to premolds, which have comfortable dimensions and polished funnels which are totally comfortable and functional, and there are others which are finely shaped , with smooth contours and beautifully finished inner contours - Jason Thompson’s and Joe Hinkle’s buttons come to mind, and most fall in between.
To me, buttons are functional, when they are comfortable and smooth, and well polished, they are done.
You have to make up your mind which path you want pursue. George’s remark about the English pipe makers considering stems to be a necessary but bothersome addition to beautiful wood comes to mind.
Your buttons will evolve as you craft more of them.
Docaitch

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Thank you both, I’ll go on with the style I have copied so far then.

Interesting about english pipemakers, so they considered the stems of less importance? Are there any more local traditions in pipemaking/stems like that? I have seen pipes in 70’s freehand school, I guess danish, that have a lot of ornamentation on the stem. Were they first with that or are there other examples of it earlier?


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[LatakiaLover]

Until about 30 years ago, the entire PipeWorld considered stems to be an afterthought to some degree, like a drinking straw plunged into a cocktail.

The best English pipes actually did have good workmanship until the 1920s, but their bite zones were cylindrical. Comfort wasn't a consideration.

The Scandinavians who went solo were the trailbreakers for fine shaping AND comfort. That started happening in the late 80s/early 90s.

The ornamental freehands you're thinking of were/are actually factory made and used molded stems. (Virtually all the styles/models are still available from suppliers like Vermont Freehand. The manufacturer is Macchi Sarafino.)

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Thank you for the pipe history lesson @LatakiaLover ! Could you say that the more ”fine art” school of handmade pipes started in the same era when pipes went from an everyday tobacco delivery device towards something else, more like cigars?

Feels like the 80s - 90s was when pipes started to disappear from supermarkets etc, at least here in Sweden.

Is there any websites/books that are good to read on pipe history?


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