First pipe

This is where it started. A hobby block from pipes and cigars. I got two of them for, I think, $30. I watched a few you tube videos and read a little bit before starting, but I've worked with wood so I was comfortable with diving in and figuring it out as I went along. Tools used: hack saw, coping saw, assorted files, clamps, caliper, a broom handle, sand paper, hands, eyes, fingers.

My intention from the beginning was to be a poker. When I got this much done I was feeling pretty confident that it would be a successful project. I also stopped here for a long time before continuing to the back side were I knew shaping the bowl around the shank would be tough. At this point, I was a successful pipemaker. I enjoyed that for a bit before potentially messing it all up.

The process starts to complete the bowl. You can see a couple of guide cuts I made to get out some wood. Here you can see the tools I used, also. I did not spend more than $30 to get big box hardware store brand tools. Pretty sure I was smoking MM965 For those interested. That's what I smoked almost exclusively while working on it.

Really getting to work on the stummel. This was using a round file to get the shank done. You can also see a crack in the bowl at the bottom. This was natural in the wood and I never could work it out. I actually kind of like it. Also, I didn't know what to do other than cut off that much of the bowl. With only hand tools that wasn't going to happen.

Stummel coming together! Shank beginning to take shape. It was still flat on the sides, and you can see a mistake that exists to the finished pipe. Saw blade marks on the bowl from when I cut off for the shank. They were too deep to sand or file out and their location made it impossible to go deeper without messing up the transition. First pipe problems.

Shank you very much. Rounded and blended, and the top brought down to (almost) the final shape and curve. The shank process took a long time and I worked VERY slowly and carefully. Without putting the right radius from the shank to bowl on all sides it makes the shank look like it's crooked or bent at an angle. It's an interesting optical trick. Also, now is a great time to mention how difficult it is to shape a perfectly even cylinder. Again, be patient and take off VERY little material at a time.

There's a big gap in progress pictures at this point, even though it doesn't look like much was done. This is what it looked like after continuing to shape the stummel at the transition, making the bowl even, and sanding 100->220->400.

Other side. Saw marks still visible on the bowl next to the stem. This picture was taken when my brother in law (who I'm making it for) visited and actually got to smoke it. It was such an amazing feeling to watch him smoke the pipe that I've put many hours into. He left it for me to stain and polish. But as you'll see things got way out of hand....

I was exploring the Vermont freehand site dreaming of buying tons of tools and exotic briar blocks when I found these cherrywoods. I had an unfinished pipe that didn't look too different from these! I started to look at my creation and feel like it wasn't complete. I also started to challenge myself as a Craftsman. If I left it as a plain old poker nobody would respect me! It didn't show any style, no eye for the possibilities of a piece of wood! Am I a Craftsman or a scared hobbyist? I MUST KEEP GOING!

I texted my brother in law and told him I was going to make some "special modifications" as Han says.

I started with a simple canted bottom. This was really cool to do since I was doing it all by hand. I tacked a sheet of sandpaper to the workbench and just started rubbing it. It took a long time to make it flat and even on all sides so it didn't lean. It was a slow and very enjoyable process. I wanted the bit of the stem to be, basically, parallel. I thought it looked really good here and gave it some character and style. But I kept looking at those cherrywood pictures. ONWARD TO THE FILES!

I Dived into filing the curve. This was the first time in the whole project it was really a point of no return. I got kind of nervous and took about a week to really think about how to make it even, since I was not planning on going all the way around the bowl with the curve. I was confident in my abilities to to it, but I had to make myself stop and plan before taking material away that can't be fixed. Also you can see the sandpaper tacked to the workbench. It stayed throughout the project to do the top and bottom. Since I was filing close/on the edges I would give it a few swirls from time to time to keep the edges razor sharp. Also I did this to where the stem sits on the shank. Made it look real pro.

Another angle.

Welp. Here it is. This isn't stained or polished yet, only wet to show the grain. I am going to try to stain it as close to this color as possible though, I love it. I do wish the Birdseye and tiger stripes showed as well in pictures as they do in person.

Thanks for looking!