Pipe Making supplies and sources

[Knucklehead]

OK Tom Eltang. You had me looking at Former & Eltang. I just finished a Former and Eltang 086 in briar. I really like that one but somebody already beat me out of it. That's the picture above. The bamboo is Chinese and they only sell in lots costing about $1000.00. Out of my league. Occasionally they do group buys on the pipe makers forum, but they haven't had one in awhile and I really don't have enough call for it to get it in bulk. The next one I plan on doing for myself is the Tom Eltang 250.
Wallace

 

[CoralReefs]

God damn I wish I had a tenth of your talent!

 

[Knucklehead]

God damn I wish I had a tenth of your talent!

Thank you sir. I only have about a tenth of my father's talent, but what I lack in talent I make up for in bullheaded stubborness. Growing up under his tutelage was a blessing. I have a lifetime of woodworking experience but pipe making requires applying that experience in a totally different way. Trying to nail the little technicalities of what makes up the so called "classic" shapes is giving me a hard time because I've seen so few pipes in my life. I'm only working from pictures.

 

[Knucklehead]

Maks - You can save some money on shipping if you cut that piece off to the left of the crack. It doesn't have much pretty grain and it will save alot of weight.

 

[rainmax]

Ok, I'll do that. Maybe I found another piece. I remember It's verry hard wood and difficult to process. It can crack easily. And it's quite heavy too.

 

[Ashauler]

Thank you sir. I only have about a tenth of my father's talent, but what I lack in talent I make up for in bullheaded stubborness. Growing up under his tutelage was a blessing. I have a lifetime of woodworking experience but pipe making requires applying that experience in a totally different way. Trying to nail the little technicalities of what makes up the so called "classic" shapes is giving me a hard time because I've seen so few pipes in my life. I'm only working from pictures.

Hit up some flea markets, estate sales, garage sales, etc.....look for old used pipes, referred to as estate pipes in the pipe "biz". You should be able to find examples to use for 1-2-3 $ each. If in good enough shape, you could recondition them, make a new bit, and whala....you have another pipe.

 

[rainmax]

Renewing old pipes. Recycling is good for trees. Sounds like free wood, less time, lots of pipes, action on prices? fast smoking. huge money.

btw., knucklehead, olive is traveling.

 

[Knucklehead]

Hit up some flea markets, estate sales, garage sales, etc.....look for old used pipes, referred to as estate pipes in the pipe "biz". You should be able to find examples to use for 1-2-3 $ each. If in good enough shape, you could recondition them, make a new bit, and whala....you have another pipe.

Now that's a good idea. Could also resell a few.

 

[Knucklehead]

Finished another one today. Dublin style.

 

[johnlee1933]

​wow !

 

[Knucklehead]

​wow !

LOL Thanks, but I got F-ups all over the place on this one. I do like the way the stain came out, I came up with a new technique. It's gotten some good reviews on the pipe makers forum. (the stain process, not the pipe) I'm just showing the good, the bad, and the ugly. This is the bad one. I'll post the good one someday.

The wood is beautiful isn't it? I just got in some new briar. Big blocks this time. I can make all kind of shapes with this stuff.

How you digging my avatar? JBD set off an avatar frenzy when he finally got one. LOL I thought it went pretty well with knucklehead.

 

[johnlee1933]

How you digging my avatar? .

I kinda think you are more a "road runner" type.

 

[Knucklehead]

I kinda think you are more a "road runner" type.

I did have a 68 Plymouth Road Runner. It was bad ass.

 

[Knucklehead]

Redid the Dublin I screwed up so bad. I'm alot happier with it now. The proportions are much better, and the left and right side of the bowl match now.

 

[Ashauler]

snip.....This is the bad one. snip.....

Dang, you coulda fooled me!! Pretty damn nice for a bad one. I'm amazed at how well you're doing with such short experience. Excellent work.

I pretty much just smoke cob's and am set in my ways or I'd commission one from you.

 

[johnlee1933]

am set in my ways

Funny you should mention it. Friends say I'm not "set" in my ways, I'm "rigid". I just smile and say, "Not any more or not yet depending what time slice you choose."

 

[deluxestogie]

The proportions are nice. I like the long shank. My impression is that the axis of the bit is at an angle to that of the shank.

Bob

 

[Knucklehead]

The proportions are nice. I like the long shank. My impression is that the axis of the bit is at an angle to that of the shank.

Bob

I noticed that after I posted the pictures. Apparently it got warm enough on the belt sander to have bent while I was reducing the diameter of the shank and stem. I reheated it with a candle and straightened it back. Good eye, Bob.

 

[Aaron]

Redid the Dublin I screwed up so bad. I'm alot happier with it now. The proportions are much better, and the left and right side of the bowl match now.

Wow Knucks! She's a beauty. Somehow this thread had gotten buried in my unread list. You've been a busy man. I had to scroll up to see what it looked like to start. I do have a question though. In the pictures it looks like the stem angles upward a little. Looks like if you bent the stem down just a hair it would put it more in line with shank center. That may just be the shadows messing with me. I love the birds-eye grain

 

[Aaron]

Oops, guess I should have read further. I see you've already corrected that