I Carved A Non-Tipping Desk Pipe From Canadian Arbutus ??

[canucklehead]

A friend of mine that lives in BC on Vancouver Island digs out arbutus root burls that grow there, and cuts, boils, and ages them for pipe making. He sent me a couple blocks a while back and I finally got around to doing something with one of them.

Arbutus is very similar to its cousin briar, but somewhat less dense, and the grain is more chaotic. I carved this with an Olfa knife and the stem is a cheapo acrylic Dunhill imitation that I bought a bag of off Ebay a couple years ago.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Strawberry wood is a great alternative to briar. Sandblasts look gorgeous.

 

[verporchting]

Very cool! Lovely grain.

If I tried to carve a pipe like that I’d have to change my name to Frodo and lie about how I lost the finger(s).

 

[python]

I like that swirl grain pattern. ?

 

[Toast]

Nice! How does she smoke?

 

[canucklehead]

Nice! How does she smoke?

I haven't smoked it yet, but the other arbutus pipes I have smoke great. It is a little more porous and less dense than briar. I drilled it with a fairly open draw, so it should work well.

@shermnatman I was thinking of honeying the bowl as I have done that in hardwood pipes with some success. ??

 

[Toast]

I haven't smoked it yet, but the other arbutus pipes I have smoke great. It is a little more porous and less dense than briar. I drilled it with a fairly open draw, so it should work well.

@shermnatman I was thinking of honeying the bowl as I have done that in hardwood pipes with some success. ??

Fingers crossed this smokes the same!

One of these days it's something I'd like to have a go at. I'm sure it won't look anywhere near as good.

 

[canucklehead]

Fingers crossed this smokes the same!

One of these days it's something I'd like to have a go at. I'm sure it won't look anywhere near as good.

You should totally make your own pipe, I think every pipe enthusiast should at least once.

 

[olkofri]

How does it smoke? It's piqued my interest.

 

[olkofri]

You should totally make your own pipe, I think every pipe enthusiast should at least once.

It's the making of the stem that deters me. You probably do need a lathe for that.

 

[canucklehead]

It's the making of the stem that deters me. You probably do need a lathe for that.

There's a large variety of premade stems available.

I have an old Craftsman lathe that an uncle have me years ago, I almost have my wife convinced that it's a good idea to set it up in the basement. My main purposes for it would be making large (8-10") chess pieces for backyard chess sets, but I'm sure I'll try to make some pipes with it too.

 

[shanez]

Very cool!

I'm not going to lie. I read that title probably 10 times before I realized you didn't carve a desk.

 

[canucklehead]

Very cool!

I'm not going to lie. I read that title probably 10 times before I realized you didn't carve a desk.

Thanks!

I carved holes in a few desks when I was a kid, does that count?

 

[weezell]

Nice job! I couldn't come close to making something that nice... ?

 

[canucklehead]

Nice job! I couldn't come close to making something that nice... ?

Thanks!

 

[anotherbob]

Very cool!

I'm not going to lie. I read that title probably 10 times before I realized you didn't carve a desk.

Yeah I was thinking wow a special pipe smoking desk. Wonder how that works.

 

[canucklehead]

Very cool! Lovely grain.

If I tried to carve a pipe like that I’d have to change my name to Frodo and lie about how I lost the finger(s).

Thanks! I worked at a custom cabinetry shop when I was younger, I was the only one besides the secretary that had all my fingers. The boss said it was because i was a slacker.

 

[canucklehead]

I like that swirl grain pattern. ?

Arbutus has some wierd grain, it's not quite as uniform as briar.

 

[canucklehead]

Strawberry wood is a great alternative to briar. Sandblasts look gorgeous.

I wonder if this would be powerful enough for briar and/or other pipewoods...?

 

[alaskanpiper]

Cool!!!