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First off, thanks to Wayne and JMG for commenting on my last post. All feedback I get is greatly appreciated. I did take the time to make a new stem about 3/4" shorter before gifting that pipe, and it did look much better. Thanks again for the advice.

That leads me to my next question- I'm currently working on a zulu shape, but can't help but think this stem is too short. Overall, the pipe measures 6 1/4" long by 2", and the stem is 2 3/4".









Obviously, there's a lot of finish sanding, and thinning out still to do, but the basic shape is there, and I was looking to get some feedback (especially on the stem length) before I took this pipe too far.

Any advice is greatly appreciated.

I wish everyone here a Merry Christmas, and a happy, healthy and safe New Year!

I'd say the proportions are okay, but I wonder if you are not maybe causing yourself some doubts simply because the stem is quite thick and heavy yet. If it were half the diameter it currently is, it would present as much longer visually.

If you are going to bend the stem subtly, I would also recommend taking more material off the bottom side of the stem especially, or it will look very heavy once it's bent. But it looks like maybe you are intending to leave it straight, given the cant of the bowl.

Currently the lines of the stem are convex, so to speak, kind of cigar-like, and the thing will look a lot slimmer if you reverse that.

Sas,
I'm sure you are right- I just hate finishing a pipe just to have someone say it could have been so much better with a few changes. Just trying to eliminate the middle man on this one so to speak.

I am planing to give the stem just a slight bend, maybe like an 1/8 bent or something like that. I do plan on thinning the stem and shank out by quite a bit, so it probably is just a optical thing that's bugging me.

Something else that's probably screwing me up is that this is the first pipe I'm hand cutting the stem. Any I made in the past had molded stems, and generally ended up being on the long side. I intentionally left this one a little short, and now I'm second guessing myself.

Thanks for the help!

I think it's fine. Hand-cuts are scary the first 20 times because you have no reference - just imagination!

And you're right - now's the time to make adjustments, not after polishing for 3 hours!

Good luck!

I'd agree with Sas. I think the reason it probably looks too short too you, is because it hasn't been thinned down yet. Once, you get it thinned I think it will look right on. This is looking to be a really nice pipe. If you need someone to gift this pipe to, I would gladly volunteer myself, Nice job, so far.

It's not too short.

JMG wrote:If you need someone to gift this pipe to, I would gladly volunteer myself, Nice job, so far.

LOL!! I'll keep that in mind when I get it done.

Haven't had much time to do much with it since, but I'll post pics when I get it finished. thanks to all who offered input. It's greatly appreciated.