Ok, so I said I wasn't going to make any more, but as I find work orders piling up on my workbench, I thought that I would "go fishing," so to speak. This one was my second pipe. I'm just making something interesting to smoke about town and to show off at my pipe club meetings :wink:
The stummel was a $5 ebay score, but everything else is of my own hand. I did sand the stummel down and re-stain it to get the look I was going for with this one.
I was originally going to make a more elaborate Inuit style carving in the silver band with abstract lines suggesting nostrils in the beak and detailing the beak. But, as I got to looking at the balance of the grain on the stummel and the grain of the Cumberland stem, I thought that I would leave it simple, with just the eyes and shape of the silverwork to suggest a bird. And, yes, I am a bit bulldog crazy right now. I was really wanting a slightly bent bulldog with one of those Dunhill or Comoy style stems, but I wanted a bit of my own flair. The "Great Bird" can soar over my bowl as I smoke, evoking thoughts of the "Great Spirit." I've already dedicated this one to spicy Balkans, as I just can't wait to photograph them before I fire it up. I would make a lousy pipemaker. I'd have to pre-smoke all of them, ha ha.
This stummel was from a box of 1905-20 stummels made in France that I picked up from a friend who owns a local pipe shop. I just rusticated it, stained it, and made the bone stem, and of course the silverwork. This one has a garnet added to the band to bring out more of those maroons in the stain around the bowl. The overlay is of the Navajo style, with layers of carved silver soldered to make a 2D pattern in 3D. In my paintings and jewelry designs I like to incorporate these abstract shapes that can lead the viewer to see either monsters or flowers, teeth, petals, patterns, just relax and let your imagination be the guide.
I am dedicating this one to straight Virginias as I write this, mmmmm... McClalland's Red Cake to build a black cake.
I really like the bone as a stem material. It's not as hard on my teeth as acrylic, but so far I think that the biggest drawback is that it will eventually wear away as my teeth grip it. But, I can always make another one. It's not actually bone, but some moose antler (or rack) that I picked up on a trip to Alaska, years ago. I had been meaning to try to make jewelry out of it, but I just never found an appropriate design for it. I may make a few more stems for myself with it. The grain is very cool, but it smells like burning flash when you cut it, blah!
Anyways, as I make these and explore how these amazing utensils work, I am even further in awe of the real artisan pipemakers out there, and once again my hats off to them. I was just showing off my attempted handiwork. Maybe sometime I will post some of my grip designs for pistols and the eyeframes that I have designed. Eh, it gives me something to do when I want to kill time before starting the next wedding ring or necklace order. I hope this provides some interesting eye candy. At least no one will mistake one of my pipes for theirs, ha ha.
The stummel was a $5 ebay score, but everything else is of my own hand. I did sand the stummel down and re-stain it to get the look I was going for with this one.
I was originally going to make a more elaborate Inuit style carving in the silver band with abstract lines suggesting nostrils in the beak and detailing the beak. But, as I got to looking at the balance of the grain on the stummel and the grain of the Cumberland stem, I thought that I would leave it simple, with just the eyes and shape of the silverwork to suggest a bird. And, yes, I am a bit bulldog crazy right now. I was really wanting a slightly bent bulldog with one of those Dunhill or Comoy style stems, but I wanted a bit of my own flair. The "Great Bird" can soar over my bowl as I smoke, evoking thoughts of the "Great Spirit." I've already dedicated this one to spicy Balkans, as I just can't wait to photograph them before I fire it up. I would make a lousy pipemaker. I'd have to pre-smoke all of them, ha ha.
This stummel was from a box of 1905-20 stummels made in France that I picked up from a friend who owns a local pipe shop. I just rusticated it, stained it, and made the bone stem, and of course the silverwork. This one has a garnet added to the band to bring out more of those maroons in the stain around the bowl. The overlay is of the Navajo style, with layers of carved silver soldered to make a 2D pattern in 3D. In my paintings and jewelry designs I like to incorporate these abstract shapes that can lead the viewer to see either monsters or flowers, teeth, petals, patterns, just relax and let your imagination be the guide.
I am dedicating this one to straight Virginias as I write this, mmmmm... McClalland's Red Cake to build a black cake.
I really like the bone as a stem material. It's not as hard on my teeth as acrylic, but so far I think that the biggest drawback is that it will eventually wear away as my teeth grip it. But, I can always make another one. It's not actually bone, but some moose antler (or rack) that I picked up on a trip to Alaska, years ago. I had been meaning to try to make jewelry out of it, but I just never found an appropriate design for it. I may make a few more stems for myself with it. The grain is very cool, but it smells like burning flash when you cut it, blah!
Anyways, as I make these and explore how these amazing utensils work, I am even further in awe of the real artisan pipemakers out there, and once again my hats off to them. I was just showing off my attempted handiwork. Maybe sometime I will post some of my grip designs for pistols and the eyeframes that I have designed. Eh, it gives me something to do when I want to kill time before starting the next wedding ring or necklace order. I hope this provides some interesting eye candy. At least no one will mistake one of my pipes for theirs, ha ha.