Making a quality tobacco pipe

[Daniel]

well I tried to load a picture of the pipe I am working on. But can't get it figured out. so this is a link to my Facebook photo page that shows all of them. the fist picture is the pipe I am trying to make a copy of. the rest are a progression of it being made.
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1588489984594.2076426.1006144250&type=3

 

[BarG]

BarG the pipe I am working on is made from Walnut Burl. Can't say yet how it smokes but it is coming out looking nice. I made it from scrap I had around the shop and intend to make the same pipe from Briar after I am finished with it.

Walnut burl is hard to come by these days, If you notice a lot of old shotguns used walnut burl stocks to help distribute the shock or repercussion as opposed to straight grain. [Real expensive new shotguns]. It's alot more rare and valuable than it used to be. Thats cool you had some laying around. I was reading one of my wood books last night and didn't know briar was an actual species of tree. They generaly harvest the roots for pipes after the tree matures to approx. 25 yrs. old.

 

[jolly]

Jolly,
I like your pipe bowl. Since I clench my pipe in my teeth (for instance, like now, as I type), I'd probably have to find a different solution for the bit.

Bob

I'm a clenther, too. The reed is pretty flexible and very comfy. It is probably possible to harvest it green and get it to dry flatter by putting it under something heavy or clipping a binder clip to the end, but It doesn't bother me. I smoke clay pipes mostly (though I have more briars than clays) and I clench them as well. Some of them have teeth marks similar to my vulcanite bits.

 

[Ishi]

Do not know about Walnut Burl but i have a friend that cuts large black walnut logs for gun stock blanks and he gave me about a cord of 3" thick pieces for firewood and any where from 1/2 " to 6" wide some have nice wavy grain and some a lot of figure . If some one would like some you pay the postage and i will send it. It has been stacked outside for about a year. The ends are not waxed.

 

[Daniel]

Ishi, Check out this site. http://penturners.org/
you can look around and get an idea of what that wood is worth, PM and I can help or simply sign up their tell them I sent you and they can all give you a good idea of what it is worth. You might need to get some pictures of it. If you can't do that I will take a piece or two and get photos for you. My name on that group is simply Daniel.
Knife making groups would also probably be interested in it.

 

[Grundle]

Time to resurrect this thread

I am taking my MCAT test soon and once I do I am going to have some free time. In that free time I have been planning to build a guitar, but I think I can bust my chops on a quick pipe build before moving on to something more technically challenging

I have some maple sitting around...It will give me a chance to practice some carving (no power tools) and will be the perfect thing to bring me down from all this hard work I have been doing.

 

[Steve2md]

Zombie thread rises...... here's a shot of a briar pipe I made last winter. The stem is honduran rosewood, and the off colored strip in the middle of the stem is purpleheart. The purpleheart is finally starting to oxidize and turn that purple color. I'll see if i can get a new pic up soon. this one is from right after I built it....

Hmm not uploading for some reason. I'll try again later

 

[SmokeStack]

Zombie thread rises...... here's a shot of a briar pipe I made last winter. The stem is honduran rosewood, and the off colored strip in the middle of the stem is purpleheart. The purpleheart is finally starting to oxidize and turn that purple color. I'll see if i can get a new pic up soon. this one is from right after I built it....

Hmm not uploading for some reason. I'll try again later

Never heard of purpleheart. I'd like to see a pic when you get a chance to post it.

 

[BarG]

Never heard of purpleheart. I'd like to see a pic when you get a chance to post it.

Being in your trade we wouldn't expect you to SmokeStack. I have used it on several occasions but have only thin stock on hand or would send you a blank. [Peltogyne paniculata]

 

[Steve2md]

I usually get it in pen blank size for turning. Since it's an exotic, I make "sleeves" with it, so the hot smoke doesn't touch it.

 

[Steve2md]

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?...81144499568.2052674.1560615024&type=3&theater

here is the location of a pic on my fb page, since I can't upload a pic for some reason. The purple heart is hard to see, since the pipe was made that day and hadn't started to oxidize yet.

 

[SmokeStack]

I saw your pipe - it looks very cool. I noticed the purpleheart band and I'm curious to see how it looks now. I thought about caving my own pipe. Some online tobacco shops sell briar blocks that have already bored out bowls and stems. Now I'm getting the itch to make my own.

What tools did you use to carve out your pipe. I would need a knife -can you recommend what type of knife is good for carving briar?

 

[Steve2md]

I saw your pipe - it looks very cool. I noticed the purpleheart band and I'm curious to see how it looks now. I thought about caving my own pipe. Some online tobacco shops sell briar blocks that have already bored out bowls and stems. Now I'm getting the itch to make my own.

What tools did you use to carve out your pipe. I would need a knife -can you recommend what type of knife is good for carving briar?

a sharp one...lol.. Honestly, I used a whittling knife I got when I was a kid. Just hone it razor sharp and take it slow and easy. You might try something like this http://www.eacarey.com/7896.html to start with. whittle or carve with your knife, use files and rasps. lots of sanding. Finish it with carnuba wax. You can get good results with power tools (lathes, belt sanders....) but it's better to start with the hand tools until you get a feel for it. the kits make it nice, because the tenon and draft holes are already cut for you. Good luck!

 

[SmokeStack]

a sharp one...lol.. Honestly, I used a whittling knife I got when I was a kid. Just hone it razor sharp and take it slow and easy. You might try something like this http://www.eacarey.com/7896.html to start with. whittle or carve with your knife, use files and rasps. lots of sanding. Finish it with carnuba wax. You can get good results with power tools (lathes, belt sanders....) but it's better to start with the hand tools until you get a feel for it. the kits make it nice, because the tenon and draft holes are already cut for you. Good luck!

I checked out that link and that's exactly what I was thinking about buying - in fact it sells for much less at the website you posted. The only things is that I like a large bowl (7/8th to 1 inch wide inner diameter). I'm gonna give them a call tomorrow and ask them how wide the chamber diameter is on the "carve your own" pipes. I might have to bore it out some.

 

[Aaron]

I'd recommend contacting Tim West at http://www.jhlowe.com. I have ordered from him before and was very pleased. All you have to do is tell him what you want and he'll put together a kit for ya. Looks like he offers options for 3/4, 13/16, 7/8, 15/16, and 1 inch chamber sizes.

This link will take you straight to the page with the kits. http://www.jhlowe.com/briar.htm

 

[Steve2md]

Mine is a 7/8. , but you can get them however you want. These guys have great customer service (Better than Pimo in my opinion) Enjoy, and Good luck!

 

[BarG]

a sharp one...lol.. Honestly, I used a whittling knife I got when I was a kid. Just hone it razor sharp and take it slow and easy. You might try something like this http://www.eacarey.com/7896.html to start with. whittle or carve with your knife, use files and rasps. lots of sanding. Finish it with carnuba wax. You can get good results with power tools (lathes, belt sanders....) but it's better to start with the hand tools until you get a feel for it. the kits make it nice, because the tenon and draft holes are already cut for you. Good luck!

Thats the kind of pipe I want Stevem2d

I havn't had the time or patience. Nice Job on that pipe.

 

[Steve2md]

If you wanna do it like "the pros", get a cheap craigslist lathe and a three jaw chuck. you could knock out three or four pipes a day..

 

[BarG]

If you wanna do it like "the pros", get a cheap craigslist lathe and a three jaw chuck. you could knock out three or four pipes a day..

I have the lathe and a decent 3 jaw chuck. Just need the know how. All materials are on hand also.I seem to have a leak in my creative juice resovoir.

 

[leverhead]

I have the lathe and a decent 3 jaw chuck. Just need the know how. All materials are on hand also.I seem to have a leak in my creative juice resovoir.

Running a lathe or making a pipe? I've been running lathes since I was pretty young. Most of the tricks to running a lathe is how you sharpen the tools, the rest is in the set-ups.