Ser Jacopo Luciano background and flexible drilling

[oldgeezersmoker]

There is some interesting history behind this link
I have no stake in this auction. However, it might be of background interest to my fellow Ser Jacopo afficianodos. As many of you know, Giancarlo Guidi used a "flexible drill" that allowed him to drill air passages on a continuous curve, thus allowing a pipe cleaner to pass through to the bottom of the bowl on stem/shank bends that would seem impossible
The seller's description of this pipe is a little hard to follow, but the maker of this pipe pioneered the technique. Whether Guidi used his exact method and machinery I do not know, but the Ser Jacopo Luciano is a homage to him. Back in the mid 1990's,neverbend sent me copious emails about the early history of Ser Jacopo, from his view as a partner in the US distributor from day one. I am not 100% certain, but this history likely came from him.

 

[oldgeezersmoker]

The Luciano "Snake"

 

[cosmicfolklore]

I have a couple of flexible shafted drill bits for masonry, and Skip at The Briary is a pipemaker also, and he is always on me about making one for him to use on his pipes.

Hilson also had a few curve-drilled pipes, like...

 

[oldgeezersmoker]

Interesting. I am technically a total novice about these things, but my memory is that neverbend tried to convey to me that Guidi took the flexible shaft idea a step further so that it could be done precisely and repeatedly. Neat looking Hilson, btw.

 

[oldgeezersmoker]

Duplicate post removed

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Flexible shaft cutter are precarious to use. Hilson had to of used the exact same technology, because Skip had a shelf of identical drilled old refurbished Hilsons as the one I posted. Maybe Guidi invented something similar at about the same time? no idea. But, there are no curved flex-shaft cutter bits for wood on the market. You have to make them,and they are all fixed in the diameter of the curve, a new bit for each diameter you want. And, they wear out fast, because of the heat of a woven wire core spinning in a flexible metal shaft. You have to keep them greasy as HELL, or they wear out instantly, and messy, ookey, and gross, covering everything with a thick goopy axle grease of sorts.

 

[oldgeezersmoker]

I think Guidi did something so that the process could be done on a less hand intensive basis. It is not just curves, either. I once examined about two dozen extra long shank Ser Jacopo Canadians, lovats, Lumberman's and Liverpool's that a guy working the grey market had brought to the US. Every single draft hole entered the bowl dead center on the bottom. On a 3" shank length Castello 75 or 32 made at that time, you would be lucky if it was drilled anywhere near that well. Guidi came up with something o make the process more reliable.

 

[mso489]

Pretty amazing designing something that drills on a curve. If I'd invented that, I would be so pleased I might never work again. Hopefully, I'd have gotten the patent.
My other favorite design item, or a front runner, is an elasticized tennis ball size sphere that constricts until it has deposited its contents (like antibiotics) in the patient, replacing a horrible difficult to operate machine that the patient has to wear. Again, if I'd invented that tennis ball injectable gizmo, I'd be so big-headed, I'd have to carry my head around in a wheelbarrow.

 

[oldgeezersmoker]

Mso489, I just hope I never get sick enough to need that quantity of antibiotics !