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Jan 8, 2013
7,493
733
Well I've been wanting to try my hand at carving a pipe for quite some time. I ordered a Jumbo Grade 1 Plateau block from Vermont Freehand a while back, and put my other supplies on a christmas list and my family came through for me on that. I still need to order some dyes when it's time to stain. But I'm off and running on this thing now. I started with this ginormous chunk of briar... pre drilled.
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I mean seriously... this thing is MONSTROUS!
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I used a coping saw to... well, you know, make it look kind of like a pipe.
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You know... I imagined this was going to be a lot of work, and using only a coping saw, files, and a wood rasp I figured I was in for quite an endeavor. But GEEEZ briar wood is hard as stone! And I gotta tell you... my arms are getting tired from all the rasping and filing and cutting and rasping. And I'm thinking to myself the whole time... "Why in the name of all that is holy did I purchase a briar block the size of a Volkswagon? But I'm having fun and I'm making progress, and heck, I might just pop a stem in this bad boy and smoke it as is. :D
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I wouldn't clench it though.

 

huntertrw

Lifer
Jul 23, 2014
5,219
5,338
The Lower Forty of Hill Country
"I mean seriously... this thing is MONSTROUS!"
DO NOT let tbradsim1 see this pipe, or it will be as good as gone! Seriously though, it's interesting to see it develop through the images which you have posted, and it is shaping up (pun intended) to be a beauty. Thank-you for sharing.

 

mso489

Lifer
Feb 21, 2013
41,210
60,433
This isn't going to be a small pipe, but I think you'll like it better if you take it down quite a bit more.

You don't want that shank too thin, and you don't want to lose too much of that beautiful plateau, but

you don't want a two-handed pipe either. It might be time to put it aside for a while and let your

subconscious work on it, to see where you are going, and as they say, what the briar wants to do. You

could get a really pretty pipe out of this if you don't hurry the process. Thank you for sharing; good work.

 

papipeguy

Lifer
Jul 31, 2010
15,778
35
Bethlehem, Pa.
It looks like you're off to a good start although I'd trim back the top a bit. I'm anxious to see where you go with this. I have a block that I've had for about 35 years and have not touched yet. I hope to be inspired by you. Good luck with your endeavor.

 
Jan 8, 2013
7,493
733
Bradley might hunt me down for this behemouth for sure as I'm certain he's the only one man enough to clench this thing in his teeth. Certainly the pipe will be trimmed down quite a bit before it's all said and done. There is a chance I'll lose some of the plateau on top as one side is raised up a bit higher than the other, which is ok with me. Hopefully I'll get a good bit of birdseye from the top. And I've discovered removing the bark from the plateau is quite a bit of work in itself. I'm having a blast working on it though, and I recommend trying it if you like pipes and working with wood. :D

 

deuce26

Can't Leave
Jan 29, 2014
456
4
Slidell, Louisiana
Anthony, I've always wanted to try to make one myself. The rough in looks really awesome. I love the shape you are going for and can't wait to see the finished product. Great job.

 

ivapewithfire

Starting to Get Obsessed
Nov 26, 2014
268
0
West Virginia, USA
That looks like a good chunk of wood.
I see a #7 penciled on the side. I just ordered a #7 pipe kit :) I hope mine looks like that so I can make a Bradley Freehand also.
Seriously though, looks like a good start on a freehand. Keep posting as you go along. It helps people like me to see how it develops.

 
Jan 8, 2013
7,493
733
I see a #7 penciled on the side. I just ordered a #7 pipe kit :) I hope mine looks like that so I can make a Bradley Freehand also.
The #7 was in regards to the stem I ordered with it which the sender taped there to the side.Hence "#7 White." It was a white stem. I think you just Penned a new pipe shape name. Bradley Freehand! I love it :rofl:

 

Chasing Embers

Captain of the Black Frigate
Nov 12, 2014
43,248
108,345
Looking good so far! I'm on Bradley's side of the fence with huge pipes. Something to make the process easier, is a combo disc/belt sander. 80 grit on the disc, and 320 on the belt. Made around 10 or 11 so far, and love that setup for predrilled kits. Use the disc for course shaping and the belt for fine tuning. Speeds up shaping quite a bit. Keep up the good work!

 

zack24

Lifer
May 11, 2013
1,726
2
Cheapo way to do it is to get a 5" pad for a drill press from Lowes for about $6 and some 40 grit stick on sanding discs for about $7. Roll the edges of the disc over the edge of the pad- you'll do a lot of cutting on the edge.Clamp a drill to the bench, stick that sucker in and start grinding- be sure to wear a mask unless you like hacking up sawdust for days...Then all you have to do is cut off everything that's not pipe...:)

 
Jun 4, 2014
1,134
1
That is one big chunk of briar! Your off to a good start. I find with a lot of projects that its better to move toward your finished shape in steps. It may take time, but it will get there.

 
Jan 8, 2013
7,493
733
Thanks for the recommendations everyone :) But I went into this wanting to do it all by hand with no power tools. I'm also staying in a small apartment so using belt sanders and drill presses and such wouldn't be a good idea anyway. However, on the next project, I may break down and use a dremmel for the rough shaping process as I'll be able to do that outside my front door. It takes a lot of time removing and shaping with a wood rasp and files. Don't get me wrong, I'm thoroughly enjoying doing it that way. Watching a block of briar slowly begin to take shape is rewarding. And after a rough day at work it's good therapy being able to take my aggression out on it. And I feel like it takes me back in time a bit. Remember, not that long ago in history, nobody had power tools and had to make a pipe the old fashioned way :) I'm enjoying it. Not sure I'll want to do it again like this, but at the moment I'm fully enjoying it. I'm finding myself looking at other pipes, Ben Wades and Nordings and other freehand style pipes to sort of study how they came to the shape they ended up with. I'm glad I have because it's not so simple as just hacking into it and rasping away to make it look like a pipe. I still don't know how it's going to turn out, but I'd at least like it to look half descent when I'm done with it. But if it doesn't, it will still be a learning experience and hopefully a descent smoker :D Wish me luck everyone.

 

cobguy

Lifer
Oct 18, 2013
3,742
15
Anthony, I did mine last year the same way ... no power tools.

You've got your work cut out for you!

I had to chuckle when I thought back to my sore arms and bloodied hands.

The bottom pic especially reminded me:
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Good luck and happy filing! :D

 
Jan 8, 2013
7,493
733
Cobguy, so you understand! :rofl: My arms are definitely getting a work out, but I've been lucky enough not to take too much skin off the knuckles so far. Did you feel like it was all worth it when you finished?

 

allan

Lifer
Dec 5, 2012
2,429
7
Bronx, NY
Anthony
Thanks for sharing these photos. I congratulate you on taking on this project. You certainly will have a new respect for pipemakers after this is done.
Good luck

 

gmwolford

Lifer
Jul 26, 2012
1,355
5
WV, USA
Now THAT'S a pipe! I'm Glad that you're enjoying doing it all the old fashioned way: by hand. I've not had the time to even start mine yet but this is really get me excited to get at it!,

 

cobguy

Lifer
Oct 18, 2013
3,742
15
Did you feel like it was all worth it when you finished?
I'm glad that I did it once but would never repeat the experience! :)
My step-son has a lathe / grinder / buffer set-up now and I think I'll give that a shot next.

 
Jan 8, 2013
7,493
733
Allan, I already have more respect for pipemakers after taking this on. Especially those that do it by hand. Cobguy, I'm thinking about doing another after this one, but I might use a dremmel next time. Not sure yet. I was grinding away with the wood rasp yesterday on this thing (taking off about a millimeter of briar an hour... maybe) and think I popped a vein in my brain.

 
Mar 30, 2014
2,853
78
wv
Looking good so far. I love plateau tops. I've been thinking of getting a kit for a while.

Keep us posted on the progress.

 
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