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Hey y'all, I'm brand new to both this forum and to pipemaking. I've made two pipes so far from Vermont Freehand pipe kits. My first was a bent billiard, which I have not posted for critique but possibly will in the future. You can see my second one below. It was inspired by the shape of Ancient Greek triremes. There are a fair amount of things I know are wrong with it and that I can improve. One of my biggest problems is symmetry, which I have no doubt you will notice on the front and top views (at the very least). Additionally, my finish is not as smooth and reflective as I'd like it to be, which probably comes down to not enough sanding at higher grits. It's also possible that the pipe is simply a little bulky, but I just don't have enough experience to say whether or not that is accurate. Anyway, please provide me with any critique you have. I apologize for it not being a standard pipe shape, and therefore more difficult to compare it to a common example.

Edit: Sorry about the link not working. I hope the images appear now.

Thanks,
Andrew

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“Freehands” such as this will garner very few remarks on this forum. Many of the participants here will not comment because there are no criteria that apply.
To be blunt, that is an OK piece of sculpture but it leaves something to be desired as a device in which to smoke tobacco.
A tobacco pipe is a meld of the practical- “Will this device allow a good, comfortable smoke?” and the aesthetic “Are the lines and shape pleasing, and does the grain figure add to the appearance?”
When I consider a pipe for purchase (or to make), there are a number of criteria that I consciously and unconsciously check off while evaluating. One of the first ones is “How is that going to feel hanging out of my mouth?” In mechanical terms- is its moment (the mass x the lever of the stem and shank) justified by the function and the appearance of the pipe?
There is a lot of wood here that is non functional- the heavy sculpted shank is doing nothing to contribute to the function. The swoopy rim merely cuts the tobacco chamber’s capacity. The stem appears to be an afterthought.
Look at some pipes done by the better makers on this forum and on others.
Think about what makes the billiard the most popular pipe shape out there. To me and many others, a beautifully grained, well crafted billiard is very desirable, while a “wild and crazy“ “freehand” that may have beautiful grain, but which is uncomfortable to smoke, has all the appeal of a polished rock.
Enroll in the “Make a billiard school” here on the forum. In the billiard school, you will learn about line and symmetry and proper transitions, finishes and stem making- all skills that can be applied to non standard shapes.
DocAitch

Thank you for the feedback. I agree with everything you said. I started on my first billiard yesterday and hope to be able to post it before too long for critique.

Thanks,
Andrew


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