Pipe #16. Classic Billiard.

[brownleafbeardsman]

Hello, everyone! I hope you guys are well.

As you all know I have been doing billiard training, and I do feel like I am learning a lot as I do.
I've made several billiards, and each time you guys chime in and really help me. It is very much appreciated.
I know this one is not perfect, but I do think this is the closest I have come to a true classic, based on all the critiques and parameters that have been provided:

1-2 degree bowl cant.
Slight taper on the shank.
Tapered stem, and not curved.
Not too much chin on the pipe.
Bottom of tobacco chamber in line with the bottom of the shank.
Proper shape to the bowl, not too fisty.

I thank you in advance for any critiques or comments on this. I will take any critiques to heart and try my best to correct that on my next one!
Thank you for looking, guys!

[Sasquatch]

Stem looks really nice, I'd like to see a tiny bit of taper in the shank, and I think the bowl is belly-forward, both in that it's a little low-slung for "classic", a little brandyish, and I think it's a little accentuated by the lack of curve on the top half - it's angled, but not curved, if that makes sense. Cheeks could be a little more defined too, just a little more meat out of there as you get toward the shank.

[brownleafbeardsman]

Stem looks really nice, I'd like to see a tiny bit of taper in the shank, and I think the bowl is belly-forward, both in that it's a little low-slung for "classic", a little brandyish, and I think it's a little accentuated by the lack of curve on the top half - it's angled, but not curved, if that makes sense. Cheeks could be a little more defined too, just a little more meat out of there as you get toward the shank.

Thanks, Sas!
I will keep trying to get the bowl shape right, it seems to be my weak point.
The shank dimensions are 16.5mm in diameter near bowl, and 15mm in diameter near stem joint.
I'll try to get it a little more than this in the future without going over the acceptable range.
I'll use Georges classic billiard picture reference for that! Thanks again!

[Sasquatch]

This is why these things teach so much. You make one little adjustment here, and something looks out of whack over there. They teach about the bottom of the bowl, how to carry a changing curve up the bowl, how to transition tightly and perfectly (yet not too tightly) onto the shank, basically everything about nice pipes can be learned from a billiard. You take these ideas and begin to see them performed, mutated, adjusted on other pipes.

[brownleafbeardsman]

This is why these things teach so much. You make one little adjustment here, and something looks out of whack over there. They teach about the bottom of the bowl, how to carry a changing curve up the bowl, how to transition tightly and perfectly (yet not too tightly) onto the shank, basically everything about nice pipes can be learned from a billiard. You take these ideas and begin to see them performed, mutated, adjusted on other pipes.

I can definitely see why this is what is recommended by most of you masters.
I would be lying if I said I didn't also like doing freehand and odd shapes, but by resisting that urge and creating these and trying hard to perfect them, I know I wouldn't by anywhere close the progress I am at now. I will continue trying to perfect a billiard, until I have.

[Sasquatch]

Oh, just playing with briar and making something beautiful, it's a ton of fun, but it's even more fun when you know what you're doing and you can get the most out of the materials. And the only road is practicing all of it.

[wdteipen]

This is a nice pipe. Definitely inching closer to perfection. I agree with Sas. A bit more crispness in the cheeks and the transition from shank to bowl in general for a more professional looking billiard but it really impressive progress.

[brownleafbeardsman]

Oh, just playing with briar and making something beautiful, it's a ton of fun, but it's even more fun when you know what you're doing and you can get the most out of the materials. And the only road is practicing all of it.

Well, I will definitely continue to practice all of it!

[brownleafbeardsman]

This is a nice pipe. Definitely inching closer to perfection. I agree with Sas. A bit more crispness in the cheeks and the transition from shank to bowl in general for a more professional looking billiard but it really impressive progress.

Thanks, Wayne. I've made a list to put up in my shop with all of the things that you guys have told me about. I'll add this too it, and when you guys say the cheeks, I'm assuming you mean the curved lines that cut in at the end of the shank, transitioning into the bowl? Make these lines more defined, yes?

[Sasquatch]

Yes.

[Sasquatch]

Put it this way - if you took a slice out of the bowl, a pancake, horizontally, it would be round, yeah? And it should be round everywhere, all down the bowl - if the bowl "blobs out" toward the stem much at all, it's ugly/amateur. You need SOME relaxation there in that transition, it's not shocking 90 degrees crisp, but it needs to be really well defined, as does the bowl shape.

[LatakiaLover]

Put it this way - if you took a slice out of the bowl, a pancake, horizontally, it would be round, yeah? And it should be round everywhere, all down the bowl - if the bowl "blobs out" toward the stem much at all, it's ugly/amateur. You need SOME relaxation there in that transition, it's not shocking 90 degrees crisp, but it needs to be really well defined, as does the bowl shape.

.

Like this?

[wdteipen]

Put it this way - if you took a slice out of the bowl, a pancake, horizontally, it would be round, yeah? And it should be round everywhere, all down the bowl - if the bowl "blobs out" toward the stem much at all, it's ugly/amateur. You need SOME relaxation there in that transition, it's not shocking 90 degrees crisp, but it needs to be really well defined, as does the bowl shape.

.

Like this?

LL flexing his PS skills. At first you had me fooled. Kudos for even getting the thumbnail shots. Classic!

[Sasquatch]

LL's daily checklist:

Coffee
Take random shots at people.
Do a little work and brag about it on the internet.

[Sasquatch]

And seriously, every fucking thumbnail..... LOL

[LatakiaLover]

Tea
Only those that make a ringing noise when struck.
No FB, IG, etc accounts (never have, never will), just here.

(stickler for accuracy, me)

[brownleafbeardsman]

Put it this way - if you took a slice out of the bowl, a pancake, horizontally, it would be round, yeah? And it should be round everywhere, all down the bowl - if the bowl "blobs out" toward the stem much at all, it's ugly/amateur. You need SOME relaxation there in that transition, it's not shocking 90 degrees crisp, but it needs to be really well defined, as does the bowl shape.

That makes a lot of sense and I'll use that visual to help in the future! Thank you.