The Misconception of Making Classic Shapes as Training

[Tyler]

So as not to hijack another thread, I am starting a thread to clarify an apparent misconception. To do so, I will quote from the other thread, but I am stripping out the author's name because it's not about him. This is intended simply to clarify.

Make sure everyone knows your intention is to do a traditional shape and exepect critique based on that. Otherwise if it is a "freestyle" expect either a big response on how you should be traditional or even expect no response at all.

You are wrong about this. No one has to be traditional. No one is saying you have to be traditional. What is being said is that it's really good practice to make traditional shapes as those have standards that allow you to judge success of execution in an objective way. If you don't want make traditional shapes, don't. No one cares.

The thing that you might not be aware of is the hundreds of guys before that come in here with an early pipe thinking its the greatest thing ever--and it's NOT. It looks like an early pipe. It gets critiqued and the maker, still deluded by the glory of their immature work, gets defensive and claims to be "artistic" and "freehand" and "stick-whatever-word-you-want-in-here." And so the veteran who took time out of his day to help a new guy see what he can't yet see, is mildly insulted because his valuable time was wasted on someone who either doesn't really want help or arrogantly thinks in his vast 3-pipe career that they can see more artistically than the veteran. To avoid all that silliness, it is easier to make classics. That way it's harder to BS about artistic vision. The veteran can just say, "Look, that's a crappy billiard. See that Dunhiil? See yours? They don't look the same."

The whole point that seems to be missed is:
THE VETERANS ARE TRYING TO HELP.

There's nothing in it for an veteran when making a critique. It's simply a fun (pipes are fun!) act of kindness.

So, if you don't want to make classics, don't. If you have the artistic vision to set the world on fire, then burn baby burn. Just don't post ugly pipes and try to tell us you were being artistic.

If you have to tell us your being artistic, you're doing it wrong.

We know artistic when we see it.

One last comment, if your pipe gets ignored, sorry. Critiquing takes time, and if the pipe that's posted has no distinguishing characteristics, if it just looks like a typical rookie pipe, then it's not a lot of fun for the veteran to make the same comments he's made dozens of other times. I know that's not what the poster of the pipe hoped for, but the reality of the situation is this:

The silence is your review.

You made a very normal first pipe, and you can learn all you need to by spending time browsing the gallery and reading other critiques.

Keep making pipes. Get better. If you want thorough reviews by veterans, get their attention with your diligence and growth. If you don't want reviews by veterans then post your pipes on Smokersforums or PipeSmokersForum. On that type of forum, every pipe is an amazing pipe.

[Sasquatch]

I will add only my personal experience.

I came into making pipes with a fully tooled workshop and a LOT of carving time and woodworking expertise. You know what that amounted to? Sweet Fuck All.

I made some freehands, and they were ugly heavy lumps, just like all early freehands. They look like early freehands.

A couple things happened. One, I took a LOT of advice from more established carvers. Everything they said. When I took and applied their advice, pipes sold. It's that simple.

The other thing that happened is that I went back and tried to master very basic shapes. Billiards, Dublins, eventually bulldogs.

I am still in this phase. That's 3 years now, and a couple hundred pipes.

What have I gained in making such boring pipes? Well, I've learned about lines, proportions, balance, finishing, engineering, and a whole bunch of other stuff, and it ALL goes back into other pipe types. Now when I make a freehand, it has a purpose, it is whole. Is it Great? Does it rank with the finest pipes of all time? No. But I make much better freehands now than before my "dial in the classics as training" phase.

So I DO advise making classic shapes, simply because I think it's the fastest way to get "good" - you have an objective goal to meet. A freehand.... no objective goal. A lot more fudge factor.

Is it the only way to get good at making pipes? Hell no. But it offers a way of judging objectively.

Even so, the experienced pipe maker is offering a great deal more than "personal preference" if he critiques a freehand. Some stuff just looks like a grade 8 shop project, and it's right to point it out when it happens.

Sometimes it will hurt your feelings. But you can all rest assured that anything anyone says to you will not be as bad as what Tyler told me about eMarkle.

[archaggelosmichail]

What have I gained in making such boring pipes? Well, I've learned about lines, proportions, balance, finishing, engineering, and a whole bunch of other stuff, and it ALL goes back into other pipe types. Now when I make a freehand, it has a purpose, it is whole. Is it Great? Does it rank with the finest pipes of all time? No. But I make much better freehands now than before my "dial in the classics as training" phase.

I can't agrre more with that.

And a step further is how to make a billard to look like a barling billard or a dunhill billard or a becker billar, then maybe I will be able to make a archaggelos billard....

[andrew]

nothing like a recycled thread.

I 'spose if it only came up once there wouldn't be a need for recycling....

I'll say as a new guy that having some boundaries and objectives to attain is really helpful. Classic shapes start to give you something to aim for. I made a handful of pipes before I started posting my work and they were crappy freehands (not that that doesn't happen occasionally still, but it's less frequent). There's just a lot to learn and a tremendous amount of ground to cover before I start "striking out on my own" so to speak. Anyway, kids are jumping around in the tub, gotta go....

[baweaverpipes]

My first pipe was a blowfish. It was perfect.
My second, a Bo horn and the symmetry and execution was perfect.
A calabash with boxwood was the third and museum quality.
Then, I spent two years trying to make a proper billiard.

I had two of my early billiards and used them as shop pipes, I didn't want them out in public. A couple of weeks ago I turned them into pipes! Developed cheeks, removed the chin and reshaped the stem. Both are now quite nice and smoke better (the Freudian effect)!

Are the classics important to learning the process? YEP!

[Frank]

nothing like a recycled thread.

I 'spose if it only came up once there wouldn't be a need for recycling....

Stick around a few years, this subject is "recycled" here more often than you realise. I recall Todd giving newcomers the (very) sharp edge of his tongue for having the audacity to argue against veteran critiques of their pipe/s. He would start out politely pointing out the design/execution errors, then escalate his temper as the (denial) reply comments piled up, until he eventually boiled over into a fury and ripped them a new one.

This subject comes up periodically because some newcomers don't bother to read the older posts. I'm sure it will come up time and again as long as people get snarky about well meant criticism from veteran pipemakers.

PS: Hello to all the old timers here who still remember me.
PPS: Still doing a great job here, you old Oversized Ostrogoth.

[KurtHuhn]

Holy crap! You ever think about popping in more than twice a year, Frank?

[TRS]

Holy crap! You ever think about popping in more than twice a year, Frank?

Haven't seen Nick or kbadkar in a long time either....

[Frank]

Holy crap! You ever think about popping in more than twice a year, Frank?

Chronic depression, friend. Most everything has turned to dross for me. No matter, I'll get over it.