Oak Pipe

[rmorrison]

Just after a bit of information on the subject as I'm new to pipe making, I managed to get hold of a piece of 700(ish) year old oak heart wood (tough as steel at this point). Would anyone have any advice on the best ways to reduce the risk of cracking/ burning etc. for when it's finished?

 

[aldecaker]

You mean when you first start smoking it?

 

[rmorrison]

Sorry for not being clear, I meant when I've put everything together but not "finished it" as such and certainly not smoked it yet.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Being a forum for pipe smokers, you might better find what you want at one of the pipemaker's forums.

 

[cigrmaster]

I think I heard one time that oak was toxic and not recommended for pipe making.

 

[zack24]

I think I heard one time that oak was toxic and not recommended for pipe making.

Nope- lots of nasty woods out there like rosewood and other tropicals, but oak is fine... Morta is nothing more than oak that's been buried under swampy crap for a few thousand years...
If you're going to try it, just smoke it very gently for the first few times to minimize cracking....or even better-give Steve Norse at Vermont Freehand a call and get a predrilled briar kit- it will be drilled right and you'll have a much better chance of ending up with a smokeable pipe after you've spent hours hacking away at it. Once you've finished that, then move onto the nasty, gnarly hunk of oak...

 

[jerwynn]

I had a Mr. Brog pipe made out of white oak... GREAT dandy little pipe and a fun smoke! Thoroughly enjoyed it and the variety of it. About a year ago, it went to the same place mateless socks go from the washer/drier... MUCH to my regret. There is a standing APB regarding its rescue in our house and I hope to some day get it back. Also, seasoned red oak is a favorite of mine for the fireplace... have had some pipe-dreaming about making a smoking pipe out of that... just to get that essence in the smoke. (Never noticed ANY "essence" different from briar with the Brog white oak btw.)
Incidently, NOTHING has ever come back from the Bermuda Triangle of The Washer/Drier Zone.(cue TwiZone music) Nothing... ever.

 

[jerwynn]

Oh no, Billkay! At least Brogs are easily/cheaply replaceable. I wonder if there's a patron saint of pipes (St. Claude???) where we could bury a statue of the same upside down in jar of hi-test flake and our lost pipes be miraculously found! Anyone know of such?

 

[tuold]

There is a lot on the web regarding wood toxicity. It seems some types of oak are associated with nose and throat cancer, but that's if you breath the dust or smoke from a fire. It would give me pause, but the burning tobacco probably has a much higher risk than the pipe burning it.
I read an interesting story in looking this up from Pliny the Elder in 70 AD reporting mass casualties from people drinking wine that had been stored in yew casks. Just so happens that yew was used as a source of the chemotherapy drug, Taxol before it was synthesized.