My first pipe carving attempt using hand tools

[pritch13]

I got this straight stem kit from 4noggins. I used only a coping saw, a couple rasps and files and sandpaper.
I first drew all over the thing trying to get an idea of what i wanted to make...



I then took a coping saw to it and made it into an extremely rough blocky pipe...













I then set it up in a vice resting on a small soft handled ratchet so i could move it easily and began using the rasps to smooth things out...







Then i moved onto filing it and refining the shape...







More filing and then sanding starting at 80 all the way to 2000 grit...















I then stained it with a couple coats of Fiebings dark brown leather color and sanded it slightly with 1600-2000 grit...





This is what it looks like after staining it with a few coats of saddle tan before sanding...







I then sanded with 1600-2000 grit and applied a coat of olive oil...















There you have it. I have never done any woodwork before and learnt a lot. Theres quite a few mistakes in the final product; it's not perfectly round, the shank tapers oddly and the part below the shank isn't straight with the rest of the pipe. But it was a lot of fun and i encourage the rest of you to do it. Took me about 5 days working for only 2 hoursish a day on it.

 

[michaelmirza]

Don't dwell on those little mistakes. Really nice work for only using pretty basic tools!

 

[cobguy]

Very nice job! I've done one by hand also (no power tools) and know how hard it is ... congrats! :clap:

 

[pritch13]

Thanks michaelmirza, i plan to learn from them and make another pipe.

 

[pritch13]

Thanks cobguy, wouldn't it be awesome to grow your own corn and dry it to make your own cob, now that would be a lengthy process!

 

[derfatdutchman]

Nice job on your first pipe.

 

[fmgee]

Nice job. Those pics take me back to last year when I did my own job all by hand (see here). I sure learned a lot. Might have to try again one of these days

 

[davet]

I think you did great. Love the grain on the front of that.

 

[jkrug]

Well done...love the cool grain. The mistakes we make early on are what helps us learn to improve and get better. Enjoy your new pipe. ::

 

[cobguy]

Thanks cobguy, wouldn't it be awesome to grow your own corn and dry it to make your own cob, now that would be a lengthy process!

I've done this quite a bit, actually. Then again, I grew up in Illinois the "land of corn".

 

[stickframer]

That's pretty cool. It's great to see the photos of the staining process. May she give you many great smokes.

 

[fitzy]

Nice job dude. A hell of a lot better than I could have ever done.

 

[roderick]

Nice job.

 

[weezell]

Nice job dude. A hell of a lot better than I could have ever done.

I would have at least took off a finger or two trying to do that! You the man...

 

[carver]

nice job man. I've carved a few myself but never by hand, I use sandpaper pads on a table mounted drill.

Great finish. Ever thought of going a little higher in grits ? 3000 ? --> 12000 ?

They do miracle

 

[jvnshr]

Wow, look at that finish, it is amazing dude.

 

[iamn8]

I very much would love to try this, but if the final product stands as a display to the cumulative mistakes of the carver, I'm afraid I just can't do it. Most of my life has been spent dealing with the cumulative effects of my mistakes and I need not a statue representing them. Yours is quite awesome though!! Congrats!!!

 

[anarchisthermit]

On your next pipe, I have a couple suggestions.
Use a hacksaw instead of a coping saw. Coping saws are near impossible to keep cutting in a straight line.
Leave the stem in the shank for the whole process.

 

[papipeguy]

Very nice for a first effort. It has to be satisfying knowing you're smoking a pipe you made. Keep at it.

 

[foolwiththefez]

Beautiful. Good job. Congrats on having something new and cool to smoke