First Pipe

[Sprung]

A friend contacted me earlier this year about the possibility of me making a pipe for him. He's already the proud owner of one of my pens and he said he'd rather have me make him a pipe instead of buying one. (Even though he could buy a nice pipe from someone who knows what they're doing for less than he'd be paying me for one.)

I have a little shy of 5 hours into it. I bought a pre-drilled piece of Briar Burl from Vermont Freehand. I trimmed it up on the bandsaw and then did a little rough shaping with an 80 grit disc on a disc sander on my lathe. I spent nearly 2 hours shaping it with various files and then another more than 2 hours sanding - some final shaping with 80 grit, then all the way up to 600 grit. Dyed with some dark brown Fibings, per my friend's request. Buffed out with carnauba wax. Vulcanite stem that I bent using the flame of a candle to heat it.

I'm pretty happy with how it turned out. It was fun to try something new. Has a few flaws and a few things I'd do different if I made another pipe, but I'm probably not going to give another pipe a try anytime soon due to my dislike of hand sanding. I do have one more pre-drilled blank on hand though - I bought two in case I messed up the first one.

 

[Kevin]

Great job. Sure doesn't look like your first!

 

[David Seaba]

Great job very nice.

 

[Sprung]

Thank you, Kevin and David!

I forgot to mention that there's pipe making history in my family, so I was able to get some good advice. My late uncle was a very accomplished pipe maker, even having won awards at national competitions. He was also an avid collector of pipes. When the house burnt down shortly after his widow (my aunt) passed away, insurance wouldn't cover all the loses - they were severely under-insured with a $200k policy. It is my understanding that his pipe collection alone was worth far more than that and that very little of it survived the fire. My cousin still owns and operates the smoke shop my uncle started and they still have some of the pipes my uncle made for sale in the shop. My father learned a fair amount from his brother in the years before he passed away and has made a number of pipes himself, so I was able to receive some very good advice and direction from him, even before I committed to the project.

 

[ironman123]

Great job and great story. Be proud.

 

[ripjack13]

Great job...interesting story. Nice job Matt!

 

[gman2431]

very cool matt!

I've always wondered with pipes is how do you not burn the wood or do you? Just ram the tobacco in and let er rip?

 

[Sprung]

Thanks again, everyone!

I've always wondered with pipes is how do you not burn the wood or do you? Just ram the tobacco in and let er rip?

I am not a pipe smoker, so this is only based upon what I've been told. If you properly smoke and care for your pipe it will develop a layer of, I think, carbon inside that protects the wood - something that is supposedly maintained by the user to be about the thickness of a dime. However, it is also possible and likely to eventually burn through a pipe with enough smoking. My father's burned through a few from heavy use and I'm sure my uncle did in his time. There's even a supposed way to smoke it the first handful of times to start getting it broken in. But I'm not a smoker of tobacco of any kind, so this is only what I've been told.

 

[robert flynt]

Very nice work!

 

[Strider]

Wow! I like it!

 

[LoneStar]

Cool ! Steve Norse at Vermont Freehand is a good friend of mine, and a great guy.
I am very curious who your Uncle was @Sprung ? I know a lot of the old names in the pipe world.

 

[Sprung]

Thanks, guys!

I am very curious who your Uncle was @Sprung ? I know a lot of the old names in the pipe world.

David Sprunger from Mt. Pleasant, MI (and previously had lived in Saginaw, MI) was my uncle. I know he was an accomplished maker and had won awards, even at a national level, but I don't know how well known he was outside of the pipe circles in Michigan.

 

[LoneStar]

Ok, I did not know him but I know several people who do. I bet several more of my friends in the region remember him if I ask.
There is a small memorial to him on a pipe related website I visit.
http://pipesmagazine.com/blog/pipe-...-sprunger-owner-of-smoke-shop-mt-pleasant-mi/
When someone in our community passes, the loss is always referred to as a Broken Pipe. Just so the title is not confusing.

 

[LoneStar]

There are a few comments below the article too, from friends of David. You have to scroll past a few ads.

 

[ripjack13]

Matt, a buddy contacted me about making him a pipe. I'm getting some briar from Christos, 2 just in case i mess up the first one. When I'm ready, can I pick your brain about making em?

 

[Sprung]

Ryan, Thank you - I remember coming across that some time ago and it was nice to read it again.

Matt, a buddy contacted me about making him a pipe. I'm getting some briar from Christos, 2 just in case i mess up the first one. When I'm ready, can I pick your brain about making em?

Marc, I am honestly the last person you should be asking, lol. I made the above pipe from a pre-drilled block I picked up from Vermont Freehand, even though my father had offered to let me borrow his spoon bits if I needed them. That eliminated the hardest part for me - the block was drilled for both the bowl and the stem and was squared up where the stem enters. All I really had to do with the above pipe was shape, sand, finish, buff it, and make sure the stem fit.

 

[barry richardson]

Thats a handsome pipe! well done...

 

[LoneStar]

Matt, a buddy contacted me about making him a pipe. I'm getting some briar from Christos, 2 just in case i mess up the first one. When I'm ready, can I pick your brain about making em?

@ripjack13

I know a guy that makes pipes

 

[ripjack13]

@ripjack13

I know a guy that makes pipes

Ha! Nice....then can I pick your brain instead when I'm ready?

 

[LoneStar]

Sure !