#14 pipe

[Pillichody]

Here is my #14 pipe. I know I need to use the files more and power sander less. I am working on 3 more pipes now. Any advise to do different?

[DocAitch]

Jeff,
What I see here is a smokable pipe. I can not see the grain on your photos, but I am sure it is pretty in a polished rock sort of way
Unfortunately, the design is not appealing. The whole underslung bowl is unnecessary, and merely adds weight to the device. If you keep in mind that the purpose of this artifact is smoking tobacco, and that a majority of pipe smokers are clenchers at least part of the time, then you will see that any unnecessary weight slung out at the distal end of a pipe is not good.
in addition to that, the shank bulges out, then squeezes back in at the back of the saddle. there is no coherent line here that adds to the whole composition.
What this pipe demonstrates to me is that you can drill, shape and polish briar and acrylic, not a bad start.
I (and many others on this forum) would advise you to pick a conventional shape and learn how to reproduce it. Learning symmetry, line, and how to transition between bowl and shank are basic to most pipe shapes, conventional and freehand.
Learn the basics without trying to reinvent the wheel.
Once you have an understanding of the basics and can produce a nice crisp billiard (or what ever), THEN proceed to freehand shapes. You are an apprentice here, and you will get good advice on this forum.
DocAitch

[Pillichody]

Thank you for the advise. I do appreciate the advice. I agrre with making a standard shape. I am currently working on 2 basic pipes. I do struggle with making them symmetrical. I will need to slow down and use the files more. Reading the posts on the forum are helpfull.

[RickB]

Thank you for the advise. I do appreciate the advice. I agrre with making a standard shape. I am currently working on 2 basic pipes. I do struggle with making them symmetrical. I will need to slow down and use the files more. Reading the posts on the forum are helpfull.

We all do early on - that's the point. A practiced hand takes practice.
You're in the right place to learn. Read read read.

[Pillichody]

Thank you RickB, I appreciate all the advice given and knowledge on this forum. I am working on 3 pipes currently. I am going to take them slower. To work on the detail and better lines. I will post them when I finish.

[RickB]

Thank you RickB, I appreciate all the advice given and knowledge on this forum. I am working on 3 pipes currently. I am going to take them slower. To work on the detail and better lines. I will post them when I finish.

This forum is a phenomenal resource, and I'm glad to see that you're responding well to things not getting sugarcoated a whole lot here. I'm a total newb too, but I look forward to seeing your next ones and will offer any commentary I might have. I'd definitely read Premal's stickied post about what pictures to include for critique.

[Sasquatch]

I agree with Doc, it looks like the very basic idea of making a pipe (fitting stem to stummel cleanly) you have got. So now everything from here on is about refinement - refining shapes, proportion, finish, stems....

[Pillichody]

Thank you for the feed back. My next couple of pipes I am going to try to make basic shapes. I also plan to slow down and work on better detail sharper lines.

[RickB]

Thank you for the feed back. My next couple of pipes I am going to try to make basic shapes. I also plan to slow down and work on better detail sharper lines.

Sas will be modest about it, but if you dig up his various posts on billiards, you'll have a really good idea of what needs to go into one.

[Pillichody]

Thank you, I will look up the billiards post. I do want to learn and get better.

[RickB]

Here's one that I've referenced for my own study quite a bit: https://pipesmokersforum.com/community/ ... ard.10910/

[Charl]

And as an aside: please post pics as per the sticky to this forum (I think it was Premal?). It is quite difficult to look at a pipe on a pipe stand thingy, at an angle, and see exactly what is going on. Full on left, right, top etc.

[Pillichody]

Thanks for the link on the billiard. I like that I will continue to refer to that. I will also look for the link on pictures by Premal.

[DocAitch]

You don't need to turn your billiard on a lathe, although it does help to have reference turnings for the bowl and shank. The shaping can all be done with sanding discs, wheels, files and sandpaper.
The basics of design, however you do the shaping, are pretty well covered in that thread.
DocAitch