My First Pipe: Completed

Pipe's done.











I have a love/hate relationship with that last picture. It makes the gap look like the grand canyon!

Thanks to everyone who's followed along and commented as this pipe found its way to completion. It's been amazing to see such an outpouring of support from everybody. Your encouraging words really mean a great deal to me.

Enjoy!

Nice looking first pipe! I have never attempted a pipe myself but looks great to me. How does it smoke?

That's fantastic, what tools did you have access to? this turned out nice

very nice. I need to give it a try.

Let me start by saying that There is a good reason that I don't carve briar, because I can't do it. As to your pipe, the the stem doesn't work, but I'm guessing you know that. The briar, by my eye, is lovely, and that says alot about your vision and carving skills, ya did good with what you had.

So, shape up that stem a bit and you've got a winner.

Please keep in mind that I'm looking and commenting as a buyer, I couldn't come close to making that.

Nice pipe! Now smoke it, bet the tobacco tastes better than anything you own its all your touch in that wood.

That is awesome!

Straight grain or what.......... very nice wood & the pipe is awesomated.........

Im very impressed, i've been watching and reading this pipes process.. and wow.. Great job! SMOKE IT!

Nice looking pipe! I think you nailed the stain and buff! Im not going to bust your chops on the gap, cuz you know its there! Now if you had been like "I meant for the gap to be there...." well....we know what wed be talking about!!

I think the shape is neat and ambitious! I would like the toby chamber to have a sharper edge to the top but hey! you pretty much did it sans power tools right?

Now enjoy smoking it and....drum roll puleeeeze...go make another...

Congrats!

Very attractive shape and grain. Impressive for a first pipe for sure.

Yowsa. That is ultra cool, especially for a first.

Nice job! Damn for a first pipe.. there are some pipes I've seen that were probably some dude's 100th and they still don't look that nice.

First try?? Wow. Great results, man. I think you should make more

Wow. Thanks you to all of you. The response to this pipe has been nothing short of overwhelming.

To respond to some comments:

1. Now that I've looked at the stem some more I have to agree that I didn't take enough material off and it wound up being a tad bulky. Thanks for the constructive criticism!
2. Tools I had access to: rasps and files, gimlets, dremel, sandpaper for everything until I got to the finish. Not owning a power drill myself, I borrowed one so I could buff the pipe, picking up 3 buffs from PIMO along with tripoli, carnuba, and powdered stain.
3. I'll report back on its smoking qualities!

Wow, she's a beauty.

That is an amazing first pipe.

PIMO order eh? Welcome to the sickness, thats the first step...next thing you know you'll be negotiating bulk briar orders from greece and ebonite bulk rod from germany...

Or drunk...lol!!!

I should say, if you did a PIMO order, they have that mortise tool that is basically what I described in the pen mill idea...pretty much the same cost too...

Beautiful pipe.

So how's it smoke?!