First let me say that I have no experience in woodwork and probably have my thumbs in the middle of my hands. :lol:
I started out with a block of briar with a stem.
Then I did some shaping.
And some more shaping.
Then I used some black stain and sanded it off and did the first coat of real stain.
And here is the final product.
I was unlucky with the grain on my briar, no birdseye or nice flame grain here.
I wanted a pipe with really thick walls so it would feel cool to the hand.
I had my first smoke last night and it smokes really well.
Would I do this again? Definitely. It is a great feeling to start from a block of wood and create something. Smoking a pipe you have made yourself (warts and all) is special.
I started out with a block of briar with a stem.
![6417772135_f3ca9a92b6_z.jpg](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7168/6417772135_f3ca9a92b6_z.jpg)
Then I did some shaping.
![6417771807_a72e411e16.jpg](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7155/6417771807_a72e411e16.jpg)
And some more shaping.
![6423360391_cfe621ab8a.jpg](http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6222/6423360391_cfe621ab8a.jpg)
Then I used some black stain and sanded it off and did the first coat of real stain.
![6423359531_d51dfdb156.jpg](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7151/6423359531_d51dfdb156.jpg)
And here is the final product.
![6441368803_7f4be84a68_z.jpg](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7151/6441368803_7f4be84a68_z.jpg)
I was unlucky with the grain on my briar, no birdseye or nice flame grain here.
![6441369315_3db8820504.jpg](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7022/6441369315_3db8820504.jpg)
I wanted a pipe with really thick walls so it would feel cool to the hand.
![6441369597_3781b19732.jpg](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7004/6441369597_3781b19732.jpg)
I had my first smoke last night and it smokes really well.
Would I do this again? Definitely. It is a great feeling to start from a block of wood and create something. Smoking a pipe you have made yourself (warts and all) is special.