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Here is my first pipe. I wrecked the bit with the sander. Lesson one, wait until you're finished before bending stem. The flaw at the back of the bowl at shank bowl junction had a small pin hole that went into the chamber. It would have been very hard to hide with rustication and since it is a burn out waiting to happen I filled the flaw and stained the pipe to check how my grain orientation in my layout looked. Not bad. The stem is an oval pre mold that I used a delrin tenon in and reworked the air way. Please give me critiques to help in my next pipes.
I also want to thank a member who sent me measured drawings for a Rhodesian he made and listed here in the gallery. All my blocks are too small for this pipe but I will make one when I get some larger briar. Thank you very much for the drawings. They are a work of art in themselves. You know who you are. That was very kind. Thank you. Take a bow if you don't mind.

Oh come on guys. 38 views and nobody can help a feller out? I don't bite give me some guidance. Buncha sissy's. Come on - - Critiques!

I'll hop in (surprise, surprise).

There's a lot here that's very good. It's pretty clear that you've been reading a lot on the forum and been applying the advice you've read and received. Keep working like this as it can only continue to pay off. Assuming that you've read a lot of 1st pipe threads, read them again. You'll find most of your notes there. For a first pipe, your stem work, fit, and finish all look very good.

Now go make another!

Alright, I don't know jack shit, but here's my best imitation of someone knowledgeable. I'm certain you'll get better advice soon.

You did a lot of things very well, and all around, that's a great first pipe. Particularly nice work on the stem/shank and the shank/inlay junctions, which both look nearly seamless.

The bottom of your bowl and your shank could both lose a lot of meat. The top half of your shank wants to be a straight and the bottom half wants to be a bent.
Work on refining the bowl-shank junction as well, so they function as two separate aesthetic entities.

In terms of your next few steps, I'd recommend filling that pipe with tobacco and smoking it. Nice work.

EDIT: And everything Uber said. That increasingly talented dude who hangs around here.

AldenW wrote:EDIT: And everything Uber said. That increasingly talented dude who hangs around here.

Who's that? Sounds like a jerk to me. Surprised people haven't started throwing pipes at him yet. I guess they ran out before they could finish with Mr. Markle.

Thanks gentlemen. All helpful suggestions. Next pipe a poker and my first hand made stem.