The Imitation Game

[lohengrin]

Well, I always try and make new and original shapes, yet when I saw this Tatsuo Tajima's pipe on Pipesart.com

I fell in love with it and could not resist to make a copy (not a clone cause I made a bigger one and with some different details) It represents the model of my aim in pipemaking: modern design enhancing the briar.

This is the outcome:

 

[clickklick]

Overall that is a nice piece of wood! Two areas that standout as throwing it off in comparison to the original, is that the edges on yours are rounded, whereas on the original they are sharp and crisp. Also, the stem on yours seems to be bent in a non continuous curve.
Other than that, it is a beautiful pipe and I hope it smokes well for you!

 

[lohengrin]

Hi Clickklick,

I'm not sure if I correctly understood your statements.

Edges: if you mean the bottom, yes, I preferred a more round shape.

Stem: I was bending the stem to reach the same level of the bowl's hole and sicerely I think I got a continuous curve. Maybe the pictures don't show it or maybe I misunderstood your words. Let me know.

Meanwhile I'm sending two other pictures.

 

[perdurabo]

At least this wasn't another Penzance Thread.
Nice. Very close. Click has a better set of eyes than I.

 

[clickklick]

Each point on the original are sharp points (3 points: bottom of shank face, shank to bowl angle, and front of bowl face). From the pictures, it looks like you've buffed yours a bit more, causing them to be a bit more rounded. Not seeing it in person, the pictures look it to me.
Also, Either your stem is longer than the original or you started your curve higher up on the stem so there is too long of a "straight" length of pipe where it meets the stummel.
Those are just what my eyes caught from the pictures. It is a darn fine imitation and good work! Sorry, didn't want to come across as bashing you, just a third party's feedback and constructiveness.

 

[lohengrin]

Don't worry Clickklick,I have still a lot to learn and I always appreciate expert criticism.

Maybe it was better to start the curve at a lower point,as you say, and even better would have been drillig the mortise hole lower on the stummel.

As I said at the beginning it is an imitation not a clone and the differece of dimensions depends also on the piece of briar I used:
Tajima: Lenght 140 mm., Chamber depth 33 mm., Height 40 mm.
Mine: Lenght 160 mm. (briar 120 mm.), Chamber depth 39 mm., Height 57 mm.

 

[clickklick]

Let me add that it is a better imitation than I could make! You might be right about the mortise being lower.

 

[weezell]

and could not resist to make a copy (not a clone cause I made a bigger one and with some different details)

I think this quote speaks to his intentions. I think it is a beautiful piece of work...

 

[gloucesterman]

When the images are rotated to similar profiles Click's observations are right on. The stem angles are quite different and the curvature of the two top faces on the original is more pronounced. All that said it a wonderful individual interpretation buy itself. Quite nicely done.

 

[mso489]

I think inspiration from other work is a fine tradition. This isn't pretending to be someone else's pipe, just picking up on the general concept. Very nice. I'm not a carver, so I'm not in a position to offer any constructive criticism per se, but for various reasons, I prefer the "layout" of your pipe better than the "original." I like the fact that the bowl and brim sit more vertically and the balance looks better. Granted, the first pipe is more edgy and artistic, but if I were packing a bowl of Va/Per, I'd tend to pick up yours.

 

[clickklick]

In all fairness it is a wonderful rendition! I kind of derailed it with my initial comments and I regret posting them.
This is an imitation, not a clone or exact copy attempt.
But as been said by all before, this is a solid pipe and a very nice one at that!

 

[lohengrin]

Thanks everybody for the nice words and the useful suggestions.

I don't forget anyway that here the real value is of Tajima's idea and of the good briar I could find.

When I look this pipe one side I'm happy because it's really gorgeous (more than pictures can show), on the other side I am sad cause none of my original works raised the same feeling to me.

In any case this is an incentive to try and increase the design side of my works.

 

[epsilon2]

Very nice!I think I have to try something simular on olive!