Documenting First Attempt at Briar Pipe Making.
- joegoat
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Re: Documenting First Attempt at Briar Pipe Making.
The good thing about this crack is that it's natural. It's not because you were a dummy, like me, and let it go sailing against the work bench, the wall and then the floor when the buffing wheel caught it. ugh!
"A pipe gives a wise man time to think and a fool something to stick in his mouth." - C.S. Lewis
- FredS
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Re: Documenting First Attempt at Briar Pipe Making.
That's why you should always buff with your finger in the chamber.
Safety third.
"If we ever get to heaven boys, it aint because we aint done nothin' wrong" - Kris Kristofferson
"One of the things I love about CPS is the frank and enthusiastic dysfunction here. God help me, I do love it so." – OldWorldSwine
"I'd like to put a hook in that puppet and swing it through a bunch of salmon!" - durangopipe
"One of the things I love about CPS is the frank and enthusiastic dysfunction here. God help me, I do love it so." – OldWorldSwine
"I'd like to put a hook in that puppet and swing it through a bunch of salmon!" - durangopipe
- joegoat
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Re: Documenting First Attempt at Briar Pipe Making.
I figured that out eventually. I just had to say some choice words and chase a few pipes across the shop before it became the norm.
Safety last, drive fast!
"A pipe gives a wise man time to think and a fool something to stick in his mouth." - C.S. Lewis
- FredS
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Re: Documenting First Attempt at Briar Pipe Making.
I was joking. Sort of. If you have your finger in it when buffer grabs it it could break your finger. On the other hand (get it?), concern over a broken finger brings with it a bit more contentiousness so you don't put your hand or the workpiece in a dangerous position to begin with. I've often seen it written on the pipe makers networks that the buffer is the most dangerous tool in the shop.joegoat wrote: ↑Wed Oct 25, 2017 12:22 pmI figured that out eventually. I just had to say some choice words and chase a few pipes across the shop before it became the norm.
Safety last, drive fast!
"If we ever get to heaven boys, it aint because we aint done nothin' wrong" - Kris Kristofferson
"One of the things I love about CPS is the frank and enthusiastic dysfunction here. God help me, I do love it so." – OldWorldSwine
"I'd like to put a hook in that puppet and swing it through a bunch of salmon!" - durangopipe
"One of the things I love about CPS is the frank and enthusiastic dysfunction here. God help me, I do love it so." – OldWorldSwine
"I'd like to put a hook in that puppet and swing it through a bunch of salmon!" - durangopipe
- hugodrax
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Re: Documenting First Attempt at Briar Pipe Making.
Anybody else frankly impressed that his first attempt looks like a pipe? I get that it isn't perfect or saleable, but it sure looks smokeable. If I was wearing a hat, I'd take it off to 2x7, even if he isn't an MSU alumn as I had thought.
I am also of the opinion that the Jesuits should be suppressed.
- joegoat
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Re: Documenting First Attempt at Briar Pipe Making.
I dare say the lathe is a bit worse, especially when an off center block of briar is chucked up. One of those coming loose could do some damage. The finger breaking has crossed my mind. There is really no best way to go about it. I take my time at the buffer and am very careful to be sure that the direction of rotation is away from any edges that can be grabbed.FredS wrote: ↑Wed Oct 25, 2017 12:31 pmI was joking. Sort of. If you have your finger in it when buffer grabs it it could break your finger. On the other hand (get it?), concern over a broken finger brings with it a bit more contentiousness so you don't put your hand or the workpiece in a dangerous position to begin with. I've often seen it written on the pipe makers networks that the buffer is the most dangerous tool in the shop.joegoat wrote: ↑Wed Oct 25, 2017 12:22 pmI figured that out eventually. I just had to say some choice words and chase a few pipes across the shop before it became the norm.
Safety last, drive fast!
"A pipe gives a wise man time to think and a fool something to stick in his mouth." - C.S. Lewis
- Del
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Re: Documenting First Attempt at Briar Pipe Making.
One way to avoid briar cracks.... is to work with olive wood.
My Joegoat Olive gets smoked regularly and is holding up as well as any briar.
"Utter frogshit from start to finish." - Onyx
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"I shall not wear a crown of gold where my Master wore a crown of thorns." - Godfrey de Bouillon
- joegoat
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Re: Documenting First Attempt at Briar Pipe Making.
Glad to hear it Del! I really like working with Olive. I have several more blocks. My only complaint on Olive is the grain is hit or miss when you order it. The heartwood is the gorgeous part with the black streaks running through it. Once you get into the sap wood it's just a blonde wood that has little character.
"A pipe gives a wise man time to think and a fool something to stick in his mouth." - C.S. Lewis
- JMG
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Re: Documenting First Attempt at Briar Pipe Making.
Blast it! The best blast by far I've ever done was on Olive wood.
"No reserves, no retreats, no regrets."
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"When you're dumb, you've got to be tough." - my dad
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Re: Documenting First Attempt at Briar Pipe Making.
Blast it! The best blast by far I've ever done was on Olive wood.
"No reserves, no retreats, no regrets."
"When you're dumb, you've got to be tough." - my dad
"When you're dumb, you've got to be tough." - my dad
- SlowToke
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Re: Documenting First Attempt at Briar Pipe Making.
This is obscene.
Cover the bowl and blow through the stem. If air comes out that crack it goes through to the airway. If not, you're good. You may not get it completely out but the pipe will be sound.
Wayne Teipen
http://teipenpipes.com
"Fools have no interest in understanding; they only want to air their own opinions." Proverbs 18:2
"Life is tough, and it's tougher when you're stupid." -- John Wayne
http://teipenpipes.com
"Fools have no interest in understanding; they only want to air their own opinions." Proverbs 18:2
"Life is tough, and it's tougher when you're stupid." -- John Wayne
- joegoat
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Re: Documenting First Attempt at Briar Pipe Making.
I saw that pipe and it was not only a gorgeous pipe, but also a gorgeous blast!!! The fine ridges in the bowl took me right back home to Pennsylvania where sandstone was so prevalent. When I finally set a blast cabinet I plan to blast some Olive pipes.
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- TwoXseveN
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Re: Documenting First Attempt at Briar Pipe Making.
I’m slightly confused, what is obscene?
I'm what some CPS'ers have called, "Better than advertised".
- TwoXseveN
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Documenting First Attempt at Briar Pipe Making.
Can you extrapolate on this? I’m not 100% sure i understand...JMG wrote:Also, the transition from bowl to shank on the top needs to be sharper so keep working on that. I like to wrap a small piece of sandpaper around something the diameter I need to use for that part.
This evening I worked on evening out the top of the bowl and sanding down several bumps and bruises in the bowl. I’m wondering what else I should be paying attention to....

I'm what some CPS'ers have called, "Better than advertised".
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Re: Documenting First Attempt at Briar Pipe Making.
Be sure to sand he shank with the stem in place. If you don't you are going to end up with gaps and unevenness. Use a straight edge of some sort on the shank to show you where your lumps and gaps are.TwoXseveN wrote: ↑Thu Oct 26, 2017 6:08 pmCan you extrapolate on this? I’m not 100% sure i understand...JMG wrote:Also, the transition from bowl to shank on the top needs to be sharper so keep working on that. I like to wrap a small piece of sandpaper around something the diameter I need to use for that part.
This evening I worked on evening out the top of the bowl and sanding down several bumps and bruises in the bowl. I’m wondering what else I should be paying attention to....
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Bowl/shank transition: where the top of the shank meets the bowl. On a pipe like this one you don't want a wide, sweeping transition. The curve of the transition needs to be tighter.
You're doing a great job. My first pipe looked like a testicle.
"No reserves, no retreats, no regrets."
"When you're dumb, you've got to be tough." - my dad
"When you're dumb, you've got to be tough." - my dad
- TwoXseveN
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Re: Documenting First Attempt at Briar Pipe Making.
Wonderful!JMG wrote:Be sure to sand he shank with the stem in place. If you don't you are going to end up with gaps and unevenness. Use a straight edge of some sort on the shank to show you where your lumps and gaps are.TwoXseveN wrote: ↑Thu Oct 26, 2017 6:08 pmCan you extrapolate on this? I’m not 100% sure i understand...JMG wrote:Also, the transition from bowl to shank on the top needs to be sharper so keep working on that. I like to wrap a small piece of sandpaper around something the diameter I need to use for that part.
This evening I worked on evening out the top of the bowl and sanding down several bumps and bruises in the bowl. I’m wondering what else I should be paying attention to....
![]()
Bowl/shank transition: where the top of the shank meets the bowl. On a pipe like this one you don't want a wide, sweeping transition. The curve of the transition needs to be tighter.
You're doing a great job. My first pipe looked like a testicle.
That all makes sense to me in theory. I’m not sure I’ll be able to completely deliver on those things, but I do appreciate the constructive criticism and I’ll do my best!

I'm what some CPS'ers have called, "Better than advertised".
- SlowToke
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Re: Documenting First Attempt at Briar Pipe Making.
You posting pictures of your crack.
Wayne Teipen
http://teipenpipes.com
"Fools have no interest in understanding; they only want to air their own opinions." Proverbs 18:2
"Life is tough, and it's tougher when you're stupid." -- John Wayne
http://teipenpipes.com
"Fools have no interest in understanding; they only want to air their own opinions." Proverbs 18:2
"Life is tough, and it's tougher when you're stupid." -- John Wayne
- FredS
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Re: Documenting First Attempt at Briar Pipe Making.
To follow on JMG's post. . .
- Sharpen the transition from bowl to top of shank. Use a chain saw file or something even smaller.
- Remove the bulge in the shank. If you 'shoe shine' sand it then constantly move up and down the length of the shank and use a 2-3" strip of sand paper.
- I like the back cheeks of the bowl to match the front. The area I struggle with the most is getting this area defined well. Look at your favorite billiard and copy it. Usually that means removing more material. But that's my preference - you may like a smoother transition.
Or you could stop where you're at and smoke it. It's not ugly.

- Sharpen the transition from bowl to top of shank. Use a chain saw file or something even smaller.
- Remove the bulge in the shank. If you 'shoe shine' sand it then constantly move up and down the length of the shank and use a 2-3" strip of sand paper.
- I like the back cheeks of the bowl to match the front. The area I struggle with the most is getting this area defined well. Look at your favorite billiard and copy it. Usually that means removing more material. But that's my preference - you may like a smoother transition.
Or you could stop where you're at and smoke it. It's not ugly.

"If we ever get to heaven boys, it aint because we aint done nothin' wrong" - Kris Kristofferson
"One of the things I love about CPS is the frank and enthusiastic dysfunction here. God help me, I do love it so." – OldWorldSwine
"I'd like to put a hook in that puppet and swing it through a bunch of salmon!" - durangopipe
"One of the things I love about CPS is the frank and enthusiastic dysfunction here. God help me, I do love it so." – OldWorldSwine
"I'd like to put a hook in that puppet and swing it through a bunch of salmon!" - durangopipe
- Irish-Dane
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Re: Documenting First Attempt at Briar Pipe Making.
If no one has claimed this, I want it. I bought Wayne's first pipe he sold here, I requested Nate's 11th pipe (11-11) right after he made number 1, I have Mark Price's first pipe he ever sold, and I just purchased the first ever Adirondack Pipe from my friend Mark Rizzo. It's kind of my thing, and obviously me buying the first pipe equals the fact that you will eventually be famous, so it's in your best interest as well. And no, I'm not kidding. I want to buy this pipe.
It's not available because if you try it you will die. Your face will melt off and your children will weep over your exploded body. --Colton
- Goose55
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Re: Documenting First Attempt at Briar Pipe Making.
2X, you could always rusticate this pipe as long as that crack isn't going to suck air. I have a rusticated pipe with birds-eye all over the rim, indicating it was made from straight vertical grain or flame grain briar. There had to be a pretty bad flaw for them to have rusticated such nice grain.TwoXseveN wrote: ↑Thu Oct 26, 2017 6:08 pmCan you extrapolate on this? I’m not 100% sure i understand...JMG wrote:Also, the transition from bowl to shank on the top needs to be sharper so keep working on that. I like to wrap a small piece of sandpaper around something the diameter I need to use for that part.
This evening I worked on evening out the top of the bowl and sanding down several bumps and bruises in the bowl. I’m wondering what else I should be paying attention to....
![]()
So don't feel badly. Maybe every pipe you fashion after this will go very well.
"At present we're on the wrong side of the door. But all the pages of the New Testament are rustling with the rumor that it will not always be so." ~ C.S. Lewis