My pipe carving project

[chispa]

Shaping is done and now I'll work on smoothing the surface. Not sure about the sand pit and the couple of cracks though. I spent so much effort making the shape smooth and the transitions between the curves that I'd hate to rusticate and hide that. The grain on this pipe isn't anything special though so...?

After I've smoothed it out I'll do something with the edge of the bowl. Its pretty sharp now. I'm thinking just a bit of sanding to round it just a little bit.

What do you guys think I should do with the edge?

 

[olderthandirt]

I honestly don't think there would be any negative effect to the flow of the shape you've accomplished if you were to go the rustication route.
Leave a solid band of smooth briar at the stem/shank juncture and also leave the bowl rim smooth. The sharp edge at the top of the bowl would be broken up by rustication as well.
My $0.02 (-:

 

[chopz]

i think your instinct is right - rounded outer edge.

 

[irish2fish]

:worship:

 

[chispa]

I collected some walnuts and will make a batch of walnut hull dye. I also ordered some dyes from PIMO and some carnuba wax. I'm thinking of a dark stain to color the grain then sand it and apply a lighter walnut hull homemade stain to finish.
Instead of fully rusticating I'm considering just rusticating the area around the shank where the pits are. Not sure yet but I think the pits would bother me and I don't want to rusticate the whole pipe.
Anyone know what shape this would be? Does it fit into any of the commonly accepted shapes or is it just a freehand? What would you call it?

 

[olderthandirt]

Acorn?

 

[chispa]

After staining black, sanding, sanding, and sanding from 320 to 400, 500, 1000, then 2000 grit

 

[aussielass]

That is one very impressive journal, and an even more impressive almost finished pipe! Excited to see it finished & particularly love the walnut dye idea.

 

[igloo]

Gosh that is nice work . Doubt if my fingers would still be intact at that point . :lol:

 

[spartan]

That is a beauty. Very nice job.
How does she smoke?

 

[chispa]

Here it is with the 2nd color of stain. An analine dye from PIMO called virgin. It came in powder form in a small plastic bag. I mixed it up with some alcohol and applied with a qtip then set it on fire. That really dried it out fast.
Rubbed it down with a papertowel to polish it a bit.

 

[chispa]

I got a small sample of 3 waxes, white, yellow, and carnuba. I rubbed the wax on the wood and then buffed it by hand with a cotton cloth. I have a buffing wheel but its down in the shop and I still might use it later to apply some carnuba. I like the semigloss look it has now.
The stem polished up nicely too.

 

[chispa]

I think a big bowl of Frog on the Bayou or Shortcut to Mushrooms will be the first smoke. I'm not going to bother with any elaborate breaking in procedures. Just gonna fill it up and light it. Kinda chilly outside so I'll wait to the sun is shining and the weather is nice.