Has Anyone Created Their Own Pipe

Darmon

Has anyone made their own pipe?  I've made about 4 or 5 that I made from a block of mesquite and some pre-fab stems. 

Subtilis87

I have completed 3 with 2 in the works. The first one from a kit. The next 2 from a block with pre made stems. The 3 I made went to my groomsman as their gifts. I think I might smoke the next one.

Padraig

I've made one from a kit that Jesse Jones drilled and Premal Chheda fitted a stem to. It smokes great, which goes to say more about Premal and Jesse's engineering than anything, but it was fun shaping and tweaking it to look mostly hour I wanted.

PappyJoe

I have made 3 from Mark Tinsky drilled briar blocks with stems. I have also carved a couple from Cherrywood.

judandhispipe

Never have. My talents and skills do not go in that direction. Part of wisdom is knowing one's limits.

kraigseder

I've been making pipes as a hobby for a few years now. My day job is creating websites that will most likely be obsolete in 10 years, or less, as code and technology change. Pipe making allows me create something tangible and functional not to mention saves me money when I want a new pipe. 

PappyJoe

I decided to smoke the last of the Edgeworth Sliced today so I finished it off it one of the briars I carved. It's ugly because that's what I wanted and it smokes great and passes the pipe cleaner with no problem.

drac2485

@pappyjoe I love that pipe

PappyJoe

@drac2485 - I wanted something that didn't look like a commercially produced piece of artwork. It's an ugly, misshapen piece of wood. However it looks like a female torso from the front.

drac2485

@pappyjoe I love the non-traditional pipe shapes.  I've been throwing around the idea about getting some blocks to make some non-traditional shapes for myself.  I haven't bitten the bullet yet due to funds and time.

PappyJoe

@drac2485, I did my carving with wood rasps and files I bought at Lowe's, a 1 inch belt sander and my Dremel. The belt sander was a tip from Mark Tinsky for removing the bulk of the wood and getting the basic shape. The wood rasps and files? You need to put the wood in a good vise - padded so as not to damage the grain - because working briar with rasps and files is not as easy as regular wood. I have my Dremel mounted in a work station so it is stable and I have my hands on the wood. 

I would suggest finding some blocks of cherry, maple  or other softer hardwoods to practice on. Stay away from White Oak unless you have a good lathe. They use White Oak to make baseball bats for a reason.

Using the cheap wood will give you a chance to learn how to drill the bowl and airway without wasting the briar. I also learned its better to do the drilling first.

Those are my opinions. I'm not anywhere near being even a journeyman pipe carver.

drac2485

@pappyjoe  Thanks for the advice.

Wolf41035

@PappyJoe Very nice looking pipe! 
@Darmon I have made many types of Native American Indian pipes, mostly Cherokee Pipes but I have been thinking about making a few crazy and cool looking pipes and might even make some corn cob pipes for fun.

Bphasty

This is definitely on my Pipe to do list: has anyone used a Mr Brog briar block kit? Reviews were good on Amazon but I'm not sure what other pre:drilled kits to try? Thanks, pipe-noob

PappyJoe

I would go with a Mark Tinsky block. You can get them starting at $21.

http://webshop.amsmoke.com/Briar/

Bphasty

Thanks Pappy, now I know what to ask for, for Xmas

Corey562

I have a 12 yr old son who wanted to make me one as a gift said it would mean more to me cause he made it and it does. it not finished yet but I will let yall see it. Its a little big but I love it. Fits my hand just fine. 

Bphasty

You are a lucky man Corey, looks like an awesome gift.

Corey562

Proud of him I am, he helps me work on cars and most of the odd jobs around the house and loves yard work. What can I say he seems to have the right attitude about work.

Wolf41035

Sorry to ask this again BUT can someone add some links for places to buy Pipe Blanks and  Blank and/or Complete Stems. 
I need a few replacement stems for some of my older pipes and I want to make a few Custom pipes. 
 
Thanks

Corey562

r

PappyJoe

@wolf41035 - this is the one I posted earlier in this discussion: http://webshop.amsmoke.com/Briar/

Pipe blanks are also available on pipesandcigars.com

Wolf41035

Thanks.   My mind is slipping....

Wolf41035

Got my Block and stem ordered the other day, hoping to get it all by Wednesday and start carving my pipe by the weekend!  I will take pictures as I work on it and share them after it is finished.....Hope I don't screw it up!  LOL

Corey562

Just finished this one.

RockyMountainBriar

I have made three so far. The first was from a pre-drilled block with stem..it was drilled way off center. I had to shorten the shank and add an extension of oak, but it turned out alright. The second and third were blocks from Mark Tinsky at ASPC. I turned the bowl and shanks on my vintage Craftsman/Atlas 6" metal lathe. I used precast stems and cut and filed them to my liking. I would post pics, but I don't see how that is done:(

RockyMountainBriar

Can someone give me a path to follow to post pics?

NathanMasteller

Currently working on three. It's a great stress reliever.

RockyMountainBriar

Figured it out, just didn't want to work from my ipad.  This is the third pipe.

RockyMountainBriar

Here are a few of the second pipe I made.  Yep, that's my baby lathe under the pipe.

RockyMountainBriar

Here is a Comoy's Grand Slam reproduction I made. The top one is an original, the bottom one is my first attempt.  I have made several others, along with a few more end-caps that were missing from original Grand Slams.  Since I was playing with the lathe, I made a Tamper/Scraper/Pick which also has a cigar punch on the opposite end of the brass scraper.