Little Green Wizard

These little break pipes are very fun to make. The small steck stems are fun to use. The simplicity of the design and the green die make for a pleasant pipe that fits nicely in the hand. The balance of work and family time makes it difficult to spend time making pipes, but I've realized that I spend a lot of my family time being a maker. Projects with the kids from bird feeders to zip lines are all pleasant ways to spend my creative energies.

Twisting Wizard

    Sometimes there are aspects of work that seem particularly satisfying. The twisting hills and valleys of The Bamboo Churchwarden are such an aspect. I had originally created the Bamboo Churchwarden for myself out of a piece of briar which had some odd discoloring that made me suspect it's density. I figured it would be a good chance to try out using bamboo for my stems. I discovered that I enjoyed the bamboo stem but that I should have left a nodal for the bit of the stem. But even more did I enjoy the feel of the bowl in my hand. The complexity of twist and softly rising hills and valleys make it one of the most pleasant pipes I've ever held. So I returned to the style for the twisting wizard and once again I find it to be delightful.

Pax!

Twisted Spring Tobacco Pipe

This new tobacco pipe took two ideas. First there is the ridge that runs along the bottom length of the pipe. Second is the bit, for which I used a standard square tapered bit, but I lined it up like a diamond taper and then twisted it to line up. Also the black and blue dye came out beautifully. The way that the ridge comes out on the top of the bowl made me think of flower bowls and spring. This was a really fun pipe to make.

Blowfish Wizard

The Blowfish Wizard is a sturdy freehand pipe with a quarter bent double ball freehand stem. The  use of the orange and blue dyes leaves the bowl with just a slight greenish tint in the darker grains while leaving the forefront color an almost natural brown. It sits pleasantly in the hand. Many a pleasant evening can be spent over a chessboard with the earthy tones of tobacco smoke pouring from this pipe as one enjoys the company of a good friend. 

Gandalf's Branch

It is a pleasure to present Gandalf's Branch. This freestyle (wizard) pipe features a beautiful bamboo churchwarden stem with a brass tenon and a pipe bowl in the the same family as The Trunk and the Branch. I realize in previous posts I have made digs at certain churchwarden pipes being considered for travels but of course for Gandalf I must eat my own words. Of course Gandalf must be able to safely store such a pipe as this at any time. Why else would his hat be so tall?

Bamboo Churchwarden

I am experimenting with stems right now. The Bamboo Churchwarden is a fairly interesting tobacco pipe bowl with a long bamboo stem. I am smoking out of it to test how the bamboo will hold up. One thing I already have discovered is that you have to pull it straight out as the bamboo doesn't have the grain strength to twist out. The brass collar is attached to the stem and reinforces the tenon where it goes into the bowl. 

The Wizard's Prow

The Wizard's Prow tobacco pipe was a gift pipe made for a young lady of whom I am quite fond. It is the first time I have used a Steck stem, as well as the first time I've made a straight freehand wizard pipe. It is a smaller break/lady pipe size bowl. The pipe ended up being wonderfully light because of the smaller bowl and an excellent little all around good pipe.

The Lazy Wizard

Howdy, howdy. It's been a while. Mea Culpa. I've had a new full time job for nearly six months and it has cut into my pipe making time. I also made a couple that were sold before I had photographed them. Any hoo, here is The Lazy Wizard tobacco pipe. This is possibly my favorite pipe yet. I have been smoking from a similar pipe since I made it and featured it here. It is one of my favorite pipes. It lights and stays alight well. It tends to smoke a little cooler than others. 

The Prow (ed) pipe

The Prow (ed) pipe is another break pipe. The chamber is bored to only 5/8" diameter and only 1 1/4" deep making it perfect for smoking during your lunch break or any other time you don't have much time. The stem has been turned and shaped from a piece of vulcanite rod whereas many of my other pipes have modified cast vulcanite stems. Small, handsome and a goofy ships prow all make this a pipe to be proud of.

The New Dominion

The two tobacco pipes of The New Dominion were commissioned by a friend of mine (upon whose name dominion is a bit of a play) for himself and his brother. This has been the first set of pipes I have made. The two pipes are similar but with significant differences. I had given them three options to choose between and both brothers asked for the same thing but one wanted a churchwarden stem. I am thrilled  with the outcome. The shields with the initials in them came out particularly well. 

The Wizard's Horn

The Wizard's Horn tobacco pipe is a very different pipe. I am not entirely sure how well I like it. Visually it is beautiful. The straight grain of the plateaux briar is stunning and I have been improving on the way I use the dyes which have given this pipe an amazing finish and the rough outside of the root burl is always fascinating. What I am not happy about is the curve, and how that has effected the way it sits in the mouth. This is not a lazy pipe, all the weight is out at the end and the stem doesn't displace any of the weight from out to down. Still it is smokable and looks amazing, you just might want to build up your biceps before smoking this one.

I want to give a return shout out to Catholic Stuff Podcast created by the willing minds of Fr. John, Fr. Peter, Fr. Mike, Joe Doman, and, last but certainly not least, the esteemed Nathan Goebel. Joe recently lead a podcast on our own St. John Kemble and encouraged the listeners to check out this site, so thank you gents over at Catholic Stuff. Listen to this podcast, they have some amazing topics and deal with them thoughtfully and enjoyably. 

The Irish Potato

I like the potato pipes and this one sports a lucite stem. They are basic pipes but the eyes give each one it's own flavor. I know that Irish potatoes are one of the most over used stereotypes and this stereotype is only made more fascinating by the fact that potatoes, like tobacco, are a new world plant. So no one really knows what the Irish ate before Columbus discovered America.  Enjoy.

The Lucky Pipe

I've made a couple pipes in honor of the upcoming St. Patrick's day. This tobacco pipe is the first that I am posting. The most striking feature is obviously the bowl shape. After having experimented with square bowls I feel pretty confident in using other shapes. So this is my first attempt at a four leaf clover. It might also remind one of a bubble pipe design which we all had as children. 

This Pipe also has a green hue which is the result of using both a blue dye and a light walnut dye. I removed more dye than I usually do, allowing the grain to really shine through and there is some beautiful grain to show off. 

A Well Balanced Hammer (plus a free game)

There is a great game I have been taught called "Stump". To play you will need a stump (preferably hardwood),  a hammer, and a nail for each person who is playing (16 or 20 penny in length). Each person starts his nail into the stump. You want most of nail still exposed but started deep enough that it won't just pop out if it's hit weird (that's one way of losing the game). The goal is to knock everyone else's nails into the stump before your own nail gets knocked into the stump, the last nail standing wins. The hammer makes it's way around the circle of people playing and each person tosses for strikes. This is where it is both fun and dangerous, use your intelligence and give the person throwing plenty of space. The person throws the hammer and must catch it again on the handle. The rotation of the handle is a multiplier, one rotation x1, two rotations x2, three rotations x3, four, well I've never seen that happen so do what you want with it. The base number depends on the throw, straight up in front of you is 1, thrown from under the leg is 2, thrown behind the back is 3. So if I throw the hammer from under my leg (2) and it has 3 full rotations (x3) I get 6 strikes I can use to pound in other peoples nails. If you don't catch the hammer at all or if you don't catch it on the handle you don't get any strikes. When your nail is completely pounded in beneath the surface of the stump you are out. Enjoy this great little game and my newest pipe, The Well Balanced Hammer. 

The Well Balanced Hammer is an amazing sitter. The pipe balances on what would be the claws of the hammer and has such a light and beautiful look. DeProfundis suggest making my pipes look lighter by having them curve under towards the bottom and I think this one fits the ticket. 

A Couple of Experiments

The two pipes I'm posting today are both experimental pipes that I myself have been smoking from. There are three primary experiments on the first tobacco pipe. It is an Apple-wood pipe made from an apple tree my brother in law took out of his backyard. This pipe has a longer stem than a regular pipe, but not as long as a churchwarden stem. Also I used a varnish finish on it instead of a carnauba wax. 

The Second pipe also has three things I'm trying on it. This pipe is a cherry wood pipe, with a squared out tobacco chamber and has been finished with shellac. 

The different woods change the flavor of the smoke at least in the early break in smoking. The apple wood is quite crisp, and the cherry has a bit of a rolling flavor. The downside to these woods is that I noticed the wood already taking some of the burn. Hopefully that will stop or slow as I get the cake built up. 

I like the longer stem. It is a little cooler when it smokes and has a comfortable reach. 

The square tobacco chamber looks great but is a little more tricky to build the cake on. 

I am not satisfied with either finish. The both start to feel a little tacky while I'm holding them but I haven't had any issues with the finishing bubbling from the heat. Next time I'll spray them instead of brushing them on. One issue I had with the shellac was it reactivated the die and spread it around. I'm hoping that spraying it will eliminate the die movement.