Pipe #17 - Acorn

[fiddlestix]

For your critiquing enjoyment. Please feel free to be brutally honest.
Thanks,
Mark

[LatakiaLover]

Oh yeah...

[Sasquatch]

That's a lovely pipe. The fade on the blast is really a throwback, the shape is clean and modern. The only picture I can find anything non-flattering in is the 4th down, the upside-down from an angle - and in that pic the shape of the bowl is a little ugly or ragged where you are transitioning from the "inny" curve of the front to the "outy" curve of the sides and back. But that's a nitpick.

[RobEsArt]

Nice pipe Mark. I wish my buttons and tenons looked that good.

[Charl]

Very nice!

[sandahlpipe]

Your stem face has a little ring where there is a little tearout.
I don't like seeing quite that drastic of a keyhole on a 1/8 bent pipe.
The rim transition between smooth and blast is uneven. While it doesn't look bad per se, it's maybe a bit too much smooth.
I have just started blending the taped off area for the stamp into the shank to make it stand out less. It's something worth considering.

But all of this is nit picking. It's a nice pipe and I would be proud to have a pipe like that in my collection.

[scotties22]

The rim transition between smooth and blast is uneven. While it doesn't look bad per se, it's maybe a bit too much smooth.

??? If it were even it would look really dumb......and forced. This is very subtle and tastefully done.

It's a great pipe Mark

[sandahlpipe]

The rim transition between smooth and blast is uneven. While it doesn't look bad per se, it's maybe a bit too much smooth.

??? If it were even it would look really dumb......and forced. This is very subtle and tastefully done.

It's a great pipe Mark

The smooth part on the top looks funny in part because it comes down as far as it does. If you're going to leave the top part smooth, it should have the same stain color as the rest of the pipe for one. It looks like the smooth part is lighter than the rest of the pipe. I think the style of a partial blast where it transitions into smooth areas is a matter of taste.

For comparison, take a look at Adam Davidson's with a similar composition. http://www.smokingpipes.com/pipes/new/a ... _id=160955

I don't understand why you chose to leave that much of the top smooth. I can see leaving a small area to facilitate loading the pipe and having buildup right around the rim. I don't find the smooth area a convincing aesthetic choice.

Having said that, I repeat that this is extremely nit-picky. And I generally wouldn't be as picky, except that you've asked us to rip it to shreds, so I'm doing my best.

[scotties22]

First, that pipe of Adam's doesn't have a smooth rim at all. So why post it for comparison? Because it is roughly the same shape?

Second, this is clearly not a "help load the pipe" smooth rim. So it cannot be compared to others that are. It is clearly a conscious decision by the carver to highlight to birdseye on the top of the pipe while pulling out the rings on the bottom with the blast. And again, very well done.

If you subscribe to your theory that you shouldn't do something like Mark did on this pipe is David's blast on top smooth on bottom Tomato wrong as well? And yes, I'm fully aware that David did leave a little smooth rim around the bowl. BUT, from a profile point of view you don't see that, but you do see the "unevenness" of the fade from blast to smooth





Both pipes are extremely well done and the transition from smooth to blast in both are approached with enough randomness to make it look as though nature did it and not some guy with glass bead propelled by compressed air.

[fiddlestix]

Thanks for the feedback! Sorry, I hadn't had a lot of time to respond to anything yet today, and still don't for that matter, but I wanted to hit the high notes anyway.

Todd, you're right about the bump at the bottom of the curve on the front. It show the most prominently from that angle, but it's actually a ring that showed up a little more than all the others. I guess I hovered over one spot a little to long.

In regards to the stem face and shank face, they could have both been finished a little cleaner. Don't know if there's much I want to attempt on the stem at this point, but I'm going to try to clean up the shank face and polish it up some more tonight.

Keyhole: if I have to chose between a deeper keyhole like this or a fairly significant ramp in the bottom of the mortise, is the ramp the way to go or should I split the difference and have a little of both, but not drastic on either?

In regards to the smooth top. I like it, but totally understand if it isn't for everyone. I debated on how much to sand off and decided I wanted it to be visible from the sides as well as the top. Scottie, I actually picked David's brain a little because I remembered that pipe that he had done. I also had a Stanwell Vario billiard which had a similar finish. I didn't think the effect was that well done on the Stanwell, but I did always think it was an interesting idea. When I saw David's, I really liked the finish. I didn't set out to do that on this pipe, but after blasting, I thought the Birdseye didn't blast as well as the rest of the pipe, and I thought this might make it a little more interesting.

I really do appreciate all of the comments.

Thanks!
Mark

[sandahlpipe]

Concerning the keyhole, I wouldn't make a big deal of it either way. I generally make a little bump and, if necessary make a little ramp. On an 1/8 bent pipe, I rarely need a ramp if the mortise depth is right. Not a hill to die on, but I think the issue has been covered on the forum before that the tenon will eventually bulge at the keyhole.

[d.huber]

Mark, what the hell? A keyhole? And you've got an itsy bit of tearout on your stem face? *throws hands in the air* I give up. This guy is hopeless.

[LatakiaLover]

This guy is hopeless.

C'mon, you are the theater major around here. Say it with conviction, in the active voice, in a resonant baritone.

Like this:

[d.huber]

If you subscribe to your theory that you shouldn't do something like Mark did on this pipe is David's blast on top smooth on bottom Tomato wrong as well?

I see a bunch of things that I could've done better to make that pipe work. I think a larger smooth bevel would've looked better or blending the sandblast back into smooth or something. As it is, I'm not sure the combined finishes work as well as I would've liked. Toku does it best.

Mark, when we chatted about this pipe and you thinking about the pipe that Scottie linked, my first thought (though unshared) was, "Oh, man! Please just leave the inside bevel smooth and blast the rest!" I still think that. However, I think you did a really nice job blending the textures and finishing overall.

The keyhole is beautifully done. Keep working in that direction. As to keyhole vs. ramp: there are folks in both camps. There are those who go further than you have here and have a separate hole on the shank face which pierces the mortise then hits the mortise end right in the center. There are those who prefer no notch or hole in the mortise at all and prefer a ramp. Personally, I think both are great if you do them well. The long-term issue that Jeremiah described is worth considering though.

Notes:

Figure out how to finish your stem face cleanly. It looks pretty good here, but it's not as good as you're capable of. The tear out detracts from the piece.

There's something not quite right about the angles of the piece as a whole, but I can't quite put my finger on it. It's nice, but it lacks "pop." Look at Ernie's versions of this shape and compare. You'll probably find what's missing in yours.

I think the smooth rim would've looked a lot better if you'd rounded it all the way to the chamber. The bevel is discordant with the piece.

[d.huber]

C'mon, George. If you're gonna meme it up, meme it up right.

[LatakiaLover]

I like the way you think, Mr. Uberhuber.

[fiddlestix]

C'mon, George. If you're gonna meme it up, meme it up right.

That's awesome! Opened the thread up and scrolled to the bottom to see what I'd missed only to find I've been memed! I need to make that my avatar.

[Albert.A]

I think it is a very nice pipe, and I find it amazing that someone can become this good in just 17 pipes, I'm at 30-ish something and I would struggle to make this pipe this well.
However, I am not a huge fan of the smooth part, but that just comes down to personal preferance.

Nice work!

[The Smoking Yeti]

I guess it's never too late to throw my hat in the ring.

I think the keyhole is fine. I do it all the time. I usually end up compromising between slight ramping and slight keyhole. Sure, if nobody removes the stem and cleans, it'll eventually be an issue. However, even without a keyhole, if nobody ever removes the stem and cleans the pipe, THERE WILL BE ISSUES.

As far as the smooth portion, I have to agree that the bevel is a bit out of place with the organic-ness of the shaping. it would look better if the smooth portion curved seamlessly down into the chamber.

As far as the smooth dome goes, I think it would look better if the contrast stain was darker. With it being so light and seemingly flesh-colored, it's a bit off-putting with the blast. Also, it might look better if the smooth didn't extend quite so far down the pipe. Personally I would've blended it out before it spilled over the rim-transition.

As far as the shaping at the shank-bowl junction, it feels a bit off. I think the shank is too high up on the bowl. It would look better if there wasn't so much pipe below the shank line. Maybe if the bowl was canted forward slightly? I agree with what was said before, Ernie has played with this shape to great success, and comparing this one with one of his might give a valid answer to a lot of these questions/critiques. Not all though, cus' Ernie can only sparkle so much before he poops.

Excellent work with the slot, the tenon funnel details, and the accent ring.

Cheers!

Yeti

[LatakiaLover]

Not all though, cus' Ernie can only sparkle so much before he poops.

(My journalistic Spidey Sense is tingling...)

How, exactly, do you know that to be the case, Mr. Yeti?