Flaws driving me nuts!

[terryR]

Thrid time in a month I have turned a stummel down to find a flaw. bummer.

How many times will this happen until i no longer care about tossing $25 worth of material?

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[DocAitch]

Finish it and smoke it if the flaw doesn't go all the way through. You will get practice on your other techniques.
It's part of the learning experience,
I am sorry that you paid $25 for the ebauchon, but Mother Nature can be a bitch.
DocAitch

[pipeguy]

It will never stop hurting with briar"beauty is only skin deep but ugly cuts right to the bone" (Betty White)
Like Doc said finish it to hone skillset

[terryR]

I was afraid the pain would always linger!

It's not just the $25 briar, it's the hour I spent laying out a whatever, then drilling, sanding the face of the shank, etc, etc. Then find a flaw.

I'm certain it happens all the time...just venting frustration.

Yes, I'll finish the billiard-fail for the practice....

[sandahlpipe]

It always bugs me to find a flaw and I've been at it a few years now. When I see a flaw in the chamber, I don't finish shaping the stummel most of the time. I just reject it. At that point, I'm usually only 1/2 hour in at the most, so it's a monetary loss, but not a big loss of time. Just remember these rejects when it does come time to price your work. I'd say my average is about 1 in 10 pipes ends up a reject for flaws in the briar for me. It's gone down since I started using better briar. And I've had streaks of 5-6 pipes in a row where each one had a fatal flaw. It's all part of the game. And it weeds out the men from the boys.

[W.Pastuch]

You get used to it.
I used get furious to the point of throwing the stummel across the shop and destroying it with a hammer. Now I just go "meh", throw it away and take the next block.

[scotties22]

You get used to it.
I used get furious to the point of throwing the stummel across the shop and destroying it with a hammer. Now I just go "meh", throw it away and take the next block.

^^^^ This

[Charl]

Very true!

[pipedreamer]

some of my best pipes have a tiny flaw, so I keep smoking them. I have tiny flaws but keep living? Just keep carving, that day will come!!! You realize you will have to sell it??? Just isn't fair...in for a penny, in for a pound....Move on!!!

[Easom]

I would finish it and offer it as a flawed pipe on ebay. Some find the surface flaws a nice bit of character. Offer to give a small percentage to a charity. Ebay makes it very easy to donate like that. Some one will get a nice pipe and a nice charity gets a donation and you get to buy more briar or sandpaper. Yeah
Cody

[pipedreamer]

That is a great idea. I have been sending them to the guys overseas and a few to Marines in the states.I'm talking very minor flaws, that usually aren't that noticeable.

[CowboyTed]

I would finish it and offer it as a flawed pipe on ebay. Some find the surface flaws a nice bit of character.

I'm one of those people who find that surface flaws add a bit of pleasant character.

One of my favorite pipes has a huge gash up the front of the bowl. I didn't make it. It was an estate pipe with a rusticated finish I didn't like. I decided to experiment with my sandblaster, and see if I could make it look better. Well, I'm happy to report that it looks more than a little bit better with a sandblast finish, but In sandblasting, I exposed a huge canyon running up the front of the bowl that was apparently filled at the factory before they rusticated the pipe.

Now the pipe has a nice, uniform blast showing lovely ring grain . . . and a canyon running up the front. And oddly, I love it all the more for that flaw. It's the best-tasting pipe I have for enjoying a bowl of Balkan Saseini.

[oklahoma red]

Like everyone says, part of the game. Mother Nature can be cruel. If the flaws aren't ridiculous try rustication. That will fix a lot of sins. Numerous posts here on how to make a rustication tool.
Like Jeremiah said, buying better briar will help but I've seen nasty flaws in the best. Watch out for some of the stuff that is on Ebay being touted as very old Greek briar. It may indeed be old but it is also Swiss cheese inside. Makes for interesting flavors in the BBQ smoker at least.
Buy from Vermont Freehand. Steve is importing from the best cutters which saves you the hassle of trying to deal direct. But again, NO guarantees! I've had Mimmo briar that went to the smoker.

[Bluesytone]

I would finish it and offer it as a flawed pipe on ebay. Some find the surface flaws a nice bit of character. Offer to give a small percentage to a charity. Ebay makes it very easy to donate like that. Some one will get a nice pipe and a nice charity gets a donation and you get to buy more briar or sandpaper. Yeah
Cody

This sounds like a great idea!

[DocAitch]

Do you want to be remembered as the guy who sold flawed pipe turds on eBay?
Unless you change your identity, folks will remember.
DocAitch

[PremalChheda]

Don’t let the flaws drive you. Ignore them for now and make good shapes. Ignore the grain except when you line up the design before drilling and shaping. Plan on making every pipe a rough dark finish but after it is all shaped if it has a nice grain with minimal flaws make it smooth. I wish I would have done this early on instead of chase grain and flaws.

[Bluesytone]

Don’t let the flaws drive you. Ignore them for now and make good shapes. Ignore the grain except when you line up the design before drilling and shaping. Plan on making every pipe a rough dark finish but after it is all shaped if it has a nice grain with minimal flaws make it smooth. I wish I would have done this early on instead of chase grain and flaws.

This sounds like great advice!