My pipe carving journey... inspired by DK-Prof *new pipe*

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - My pipe carving journey... inspired by DK-Prof *new pipe*

Posted: 8/24/2017 8:39:10 PM EDT

After seeing what DK-Prof was able to do, I decided to start giving it a whirl.

I have a drill press, band saw, hand files out the wazoo and I just put a shaping table together. I decided to make it a mobile cart, so when it is nice, I can work outside and the dust created won't be a bother and the light will be helpful.

I ordered a couple of Mr. Brog pre-drilled pipes with stems to give the carving a shot. If they work out well, I will get blank blocks / stems and some of the appropriate drill bits to start from scratch.

Here are the first two out of the box.

Attached File

The shaping table with vise, sander, Dremel and buffer.

Attached File

I hope to do some carving this weekend!

Posted: 8/24/2017 8:49:47 PM EDT

[#1]

Quoted:
After seeing what DK-Prof was able to do, I decided to start giving it a whirl.

I have a drill press, band saw, hand files out the wazoo and I just put a shaping table together. I decided to make it a mobile cart, so when it is nice, I can work outside and the dust created won't be a bother and the light will be helpful.

I ordered a couple of Mr. Brog pre-drilled pipes with stems to give the carving a shot. If they work out well, I will get blank blocks / stems and some of the appropriate drill bits to start from scratch.

Here are the first two out of the box.
https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/38726/20170818_110114-289336.JPG

The shaping table with vise, sander, Dremel and buffer.
https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/38726/20170824_192902-289341.JPG

I hope to do some carving this weekend!

View Quote

Tag

Posted: 8/24/2017 8:55:45 PM EDT

[#2]

Neat.

As a friend of mine says, the best thing about pipes is that you can point with them.

Posted: 8/25/2017 11:11:18 AM EDT

[#3]

subed!

Posted: 8/30/2017 9:15:27 PM EDT

[#4]

Following...

Posted: 8/31/2017 7:17:31 PM EDT

[#5]

Quote History

Quoted:
Following...

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It is coming along. I am going to post a photo journal shortly. I want to get to the point of the initial stain to do the post.

Posted: 9/13/2017 6:53:52 PM EDT

[#6]

Cool! OST for this thread!

Posted: 9/14/2017 3:17:38 PM EDT

[#7]

Had to pause, but I will be back on it this weekend!

Posted: 9/19/2017 9:27:17 PM EDT

[#8]

Any updates?

Posted: 9/21/2017 9:35:37 PM EDT

[#9]

Quote History

Quoted:
Any updates?

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A teaser. I will try to do some tomorrow, but I am heading to Atlanta to race shifter karts with my brother this weekend.

This is midway progress.

Attached File

Posted: 9/30/2017 9:09:02 PM EDT

[#10]

The only way to get into carving is to go all-in!! And, my all-in, I mean sell all your other pipes. I am willing to take your Boswell's off your hands, because I care

In all seriousness, good luck!!

Posted: 10/6/2017 10:43:59 PM EDT

[#11]

Cool

Posted: 10/7/2017 9:16:05 PM EDT

[#12]

Looking good.

All the pipe talk in The Humidor lately has inspired me. When I was at my regular cigar shop tonight I picked up an ounce of pipe tobacco and a $6 Missouri Meerschaum cob pipe.

Now I'm looking at vintage estate pipes on Ebay and I know sooner or later I'm going to end up carving one myself.

Posted: 10/7/2017 9:49:49 PM EDT

[#13]

Quote History

Quoted:

Now I'm looking at vintage estate pipes on Ebay and I know sooner or later I'm going to end up carving one myself.

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Basically, the entire reason I started making pipes was that I wanted pipes like Kei-Ichi Gotoh makes, but didn’t want to pay thousands of dollars for one.

Posted: 10/7/2017 10:12:07 PM EDT

[#14]

Quote History

Quoted:

Basically, the entire reason I started making pipes was that I wanted pipes like Kei-Ichi Gotoh makes, but didn’t want to pay thousands of dollars for one.

View Quote

I tend to like the more traditional styles, but after googling his stuff I'll agree, it's neat.

I'd have to have some serious F.U. money to justify spending that on a pipe, though.

Posted: 10/16/2017 8:19:31 PM EDT

[#15]

A new update. I am a little disappointed in the quality of the wood. More pits than a peach orchard.

But hand sanded to the basic final shape. Now I have to find a good filler to use and get advice from @dk-prof about filling. Do I need to dig the out (debride the wound) before filling in the holes?

I will have to fill, sand and then stain next.

Attached File

Posted: 10/17/2017 8:28:11 AM EDT

[#16]

Quote History

Quoted:
A new update. I am a little disappointed in the quality of the wood. More pits than a peach orchard.

But hand sanded to the basic final shape. Now I have to find a good filler to use and get advice from @dk-prof about filling. Do I need to dig the out (debride the wound) before filling in the holes?

I will have to fill, sand and then stain next.

View Quote

A number of pen turners I know have recommended mixing sanding dust with glue, but they usually aren't going to stain the finished piece, so I don't know if it'll work for you or not. For my own pens, I normally leave them as-is (I like that look in most pieces) or I fill small voids with several layers of clear CA (superglue). Regardless, test it on a chunk of scrap if you have some left from the initial shaping.

Another option is to fill with a contrasting or clear epoxy IF that's something that appeals to your aesthetic. I haven't seen this in pipe circles, but it's a pretty popular option with the pen crowd.

For the record, I ave no idea how either of those will work on a pipe given the heat and the repeated expansion of the wood.

You're off to a great start! I can't wait to see the finished piece!

Posted: 10/17/2017 9:43:09 AM EDT

[#17]

Quote History

Quoted:
A new update. I am a little disappointed in the quality of the wood. More pits than a peach orchard.

But hand sanded to the basic final shape. Now I have to find a good filler to use and get advice from @dk-prof about filling. Do I need to dig the out (debride the wound) before filling in the holes?

View Quote

Unfortunately, I am going to be completely useless here, because I literally have no idea.

My impression is that among pipemakers who know what they are doing (i.e. not me

), if the wood is of lower quality - meaning more flaws and irregularities - then the wood is typically used for making pipes with rougher finishes, like sandblasted and rusticated surfaces. As a general rule, i’ve Heard that grade III briar is thought of as more appropriate for those sorts of applications, whereas grade II and I are for sanding, staining and polishing. That said, I often make stained/polished pipes out of grade III, and just accept the occasional small blemish. I did make a pipe once where there was a huge flaw, and it just got bigger and bigger as I sanded an uncovered more of it - and it was so big that it ended up being a hole from the surface of the pipe right into the air hole. At that point, the pipe was basically ruined, and I didn’t know what to do.

. The idea of mixing sawdust with glue might work, or some kind of commercial wood filler, but I have no idea how that would take a stain - so I wonder what might look worse; the occasional little natural-looking blemish, or uneven spots of stain. I don’t know the answer to that.

Sorry I don’t have any good answers.

Posted: 10/17/2017 10:54:22 AM EDT

[#18]

Sounds like I need to make it a Kalishnikov pipe and throw it down the driveway.

Maybe hit it with a micro torch on the blems, then stain it and see what it looks like.

Posted: 10/17/2017 11:42:12 AM EDT

[#19]

Go for smooth, stained, and polished first. You'll get some experience, learn a few thing, and if you're unhappy with it you can always rough it up after the fact.

Posted: 10/19/2017 11:43:00 PM EDT

[#20]

Ok, so I sanded, stained grey and polished. I call it "Brindle".

Attached File

Posted: 10/19/2017 11:45:29 PM EDT

[#21]

Looks great!

I think the slight flaws are almost invisible with that stain.

Posted: 10/19/2017 11:48:19 PM EDT

[#22]

Quote History

Quoted:
Looks great!

I think the slight flaws are almost invisible with that stain.

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Thanks. I am hopeful it smokes well. I got some Peterson Summertime 2016 today.

It still has some deep pits but it is part of the character... I have another Brog with some plateau that I have a plan for. We will see...

Posted: 10/20/2017 8:51:26 AM EDT

[#23]

I like it! Maybe I'm the odd man out, but I actually like the flaws.

What type of stain did you use? The final color is really nice; I'd like to try it on one of my pens sometime soon. I normally just apply wax and clear coat of sorts, but I think a dye would help bring out the grain and chatoyance on the right piece of weed.

Posted: 10/20/2017 3:54:25 PM EDT

[#24]

Quote History

Quoted:
I like it! Maybe I'm the odd man out, but I actually like the flaws.

What type of stain did you use? The final color is really nice; I'd like to try it on one of my pens sometime soon. I normally just apply wax and clear coat of sorts, but I think a dye would help bring out the grain and chatoyance on the right piece of weed.

View Quote

I did a couple of washes with minmax penetrating stain and then wiped on and then wiped off this grey paint from Michael's. A bit of 2000 paper after, then some white diamond and carnuba wax.

Attached File

Posted: 10/20/2017 10:33:37 PM EDT

[#25]

Those pits don't look bad at all. That's some really nice grain.

Posted: 11/12/2017 5:32:44 PM EDT

[#26]

Finally finished the pipe for my brother's Christmas gift. This piece of briar was essentially flawless. It had some plateau on it that I decided to keep and work around.

Pipe 2

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wsssF4pncJI

Posted: 11/12/2017 9:16:05 PM EDT

[#27]

Quote History

Quoted:
Finally finished the pipe for my brother's Christmas gift. This piece of briar was essentially flawless. It had some plateau on it that I decided to keep and work around.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wsssF4pncJI

View Quote

Wow!

That looks amazing!

Posted: 11/12/2017 9:40:26 PM EDT

[#28]

Quote History

Quoted:

Wow!

That looks amazing!

View Quote

Thank you, very much.

That is high praise. I hope to catch up to your abilities.

Posted: 11/15/2017 7:30:15 PM EDT

[#29]

Quote History

Quoted:
Finally finished the pipe for my brother's Christmas gift. This piece of briar was essentially flawless. It had some plateau on it that I decided to keep and work around.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wsssF4pncJI

View Quote

I love the grain on that

Well done!

Posted: 12/26/2017 10:14:40 PM EDT

[#30]

I haven't checked this thread in a while so I just saw your latest pipe tonight. That is fantastic! Very creative. I like it.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - My pipe carving journey... inspired by DK-Prof *new pipe*

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