My wife bought me a pipe carving kit for Christmas. The pre-drilled block is all but useless, so I decided to repurpose an existing pipe. The pipe I used was an Unstamped Brandy. Engineering is spot on and ebonite stem is very nice.
It began at 69 grams with a smooth contrast stain. Although well executed it was a very heavy pipe to clench and the "jowls" were uneven. One side carried significantly more weight.
Currently down to 57 grams (17% weight reduction), added two facets to oval shank/stem, reduced height, and flattened heel to make it a Sitter. I'll continue to remove briar to reduce bowl size and make it more symmetrical. I'm tempted to sandblast it. 100 grit and hand files are my tools thus far:
It began at 69 grams with a smooth contrast stain. Although well executed it was a very heavy pipe to clench and the "jowls" were uneven. One side carried significantly more weight.
Currently down to 57 grams (17% weight reduction), added two facets to oval shank/stem, reduced height, and flattened heel to make it a Sitter. I'll continue to remove briar to reduce bowl size and make it more symmetrical. I'm tempted to sandblast it. 100 grit and hand files are my tools thus far:
