My New Billiard Pipe... Excellent Smoker

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Apr 26, 2012
3,352
5,165
Washington State
So about a year ago I was on Skype with Chris Morgan (premium pipe maker) and pipe carver Scott Harris (Sparkys Pipes). Chris had these old pipes, I think he called them stemals, in a large jar in his shop. These old pipes were roughly carved about 50-60 years ago and were in different shapes (brandy, bulldog, dublin etc.). He sent me a billiard shaped pipe along with a vulcanite stem that looked like it came straight out of the press as it still had the rough edges on it. Now I'm no pipe carver/maker so it sat in my shop in two pieces until last week. Last week I went to Scott's house as we were having our annual NW Pipe Meet Up and while hanging out with Scott together we turned that rough pipe and stem into a real smoking pipe.
Scott drilled out the stem and tapered it, I filed the stem down, flared out the draft hole, I filed down the rough edges of the pipe and sanded down the shank on Scott's lathe and then filed it down more to fit a brass band on it. He used his sand blaster to put a blast finish on the pipe. I stained it and then polished the pipe and stem on the buffer with Scott's help. I went with the blast finish as there were two pits in the pipe. My friend that was with me dubbed the pipe the "Raining Blood Billiard" after Slayer's song Raining Blood. As I'm a Metalhead and I used an Ox Blood stain on the pipe it seemed appropriate.
Here are a few pictures of the making of my pipe. It smokes great with a perfect and effortless draw and smokes cool.








 
May 31, 2012
4,295
34
Damn!
That's killer!
What a great experience and a nice pipe that came out of it.
I'd love to have a blasting cabinet.
Now that Slayer song is thrashing in my head!

 

blueeyedogre

Lifer
Oct 17, 2013
1,552
30
It is always a great way to start when your first time making something is with a seasoned maker. You learn so many little tricks that you'd never would have thought of doing it yourself. The first knife I made was with a great maker looking over my shoulder and it made the experience so much better with that extra guidance to help you along. Beautiful pipe, well done and I hope its a good smoker!

 
Apr 26, 2012
3,352
5,165
Washington State
Thanks guys. The pipe turned out very nice and it smokes great. It was a very cool experience and very fun. I'm fortunate to have a nice relationship with Chris and Scott and we converse on Skype from time to time. I've also been able to hang out with Scott on several occasions. These guys are great to talk with and are very knowledgeable about all things pipes, though we talk about other things too.

 

natenice1

Can't Leave
Jun 15, 2014
418
0
It's great to say "My friends and I made this one." Nice rustication, all around great classic Billiard enjoy it!

 
Apr 26, 2012
3,352
5,165
Washington State
It was fun making the pipe, and I learned it requires a lot of patience and a keen eye for detail. Not that this is the prettiest pipe to look at, but the information I got was an eye opener for what many pipe makers do on a daily basis to make premium quality pipes. There are ways to make a nice pipe and then there are ways to make a great premium quality pipe. I don't think I would have the patience that those premium pipe makers have. I also learned there are lots of ways I could cut or hurt myself trying to make a pipe. LOL

 
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