New Pipe for Christmas

[assaad]

Butz Choquin Fait Main

Maitre Pipier
I've wanted one of these perfect swan neck pipes for a long time. Finally found one at Briar Blues.

 

[dottiewarden]

Congratulations on a very elegant pipe!

 

[tarheel1]

Congrats. I am getting a new pipe also as long as it is here in time. It is coming from Northern Briars and was shipped on Saturday.

 

[natenice1]

Nice grain!

 

[oldreddog]

oh lá lá !! Chouette :puffpipe:

 

[blueeyedogre]

That's a nice BC you have there. Love the Calabash shape to it.

 

[jeepnewbie]

Amazing looking pipe, congrats. Being the guy that I am I wonder how it was drilled, looking at the curve it looks close to impossible. Let us know how it smokes.

 

[tanzebjorn]

Congrats! I really like the shape an grain on this one :D

 

[toby67]

Very elegant and a beautiful pipe, but someone please explain how on pipes like that do they drill the shank to get the draft hole sitting in the centre of the bowl? Is the bowl itself drilled at an angle allowing for the daft hole to be drilled on an angle after the larger shank drill to fit the stem?
EDIT : Or is that an extension fitted over the shank fitting the stem and looking at the picture would the draft hole run roughly horizontally?

 

[rigmedic1]

Graco had a tool that would make a curved air passage in similarly shaped pipes. Could be the same in this one. Graco no longer makes them that way. I wouldn't mind having one, myself. Nice pipe!

 

[assaad]

Thanks for the very nice comments everyone! The stem is drilled with a curved tool and the draft hole opened up through the bowl to finish it off. It does pass a pipe cleaner, however the cleaner comes out curved! These were made by Alain Albuisson for BC, I think it's from the 80's judging by the inlay. The only other company I know of that uses these curved tools is Ser Jacapo but I could be wrong.
@Toby, there is no extension.

 

[mcitinner1]

I don't understand how you can drill a curved air hole. The bit would have to be flexible, so how do you control it? Any ideas on where to look for specific info on this? I have always admired the look of this type of pipe. 8)

 

[toby67]

I was about to ask the exact same question mcitinner
Anyone have a picture of the flexible drill bit?

 

[laytonpipes]

nice pipe! that shank is awesome. It doesn't look possible it is so bent.

 

[assaad]

http://www.apassionforpipes.com/neills-blog/2011/12/8/boris-starkovs-magic.html
This is a link to a curved shank pipe. Follow the links in the comments for more information. There is a drawing and explanation in french on drilling.

 

[Scriptonic]

Very VERY nice pipe.

 

[darwin]

 

[andya27]

Stunning grain. Congrats.