First Billiard with a handcut stem.

[Rick Markham]

I've been busy :D School, moving to a new house (I closed today on it) I'm getting shop space!!! But I've decided to pursue another turning related interest, and thought you all might like to see the first of this endeavor... Remember it's the first! C&C welcome and appreciated.

Briar burl billiard with hand cut stem. tobacco chamber is 3/4" in diameter with hemispherical bottom, 1 7/8" deep. Enjoy! Thanks for looking!



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[Michelle Rich]

great to see something different posted. Very handsome pipe!

[Thom Sturgill]

I once lived up in NC mountains not too far from the old Dr Graybow factory in Sparta. I once got a box of rejected (drilled) briars and found ONE that was still workable and carved a pipe with a face. It was interesting wood to work. I used a stem from another pipe and was able to sell the pipe for $80. That was about 1975 and that was Christmas that year as I was unemployed.

Looks like a nice job!

[Greg Just]

Rick - that is just fantastic. Love seeing new and different things - this could be a new business opportunity for you. Thanks for sharing.

[Tim Rinehart]

very cool...and for a first, well, that looks outstanding!

[Steve Schlumpf]

Now that is really nice work! Great form, finish and I really like how you have your name on the pipe! Thanks for sharing!

[Doug W Swanson]

Very cool! I love the color and look of the burl....

[Scott Lux]

Very nice. I bet it will look even better after a few uses. A friend asked if I could make him a pipe. After researching a little I declined. You are a braver man than I. But then you're a better carver than I too.

Love the signature on it.

[Don Nicholas]

Very well done, I am impressed with the stand you used for your photos.

[Jim Burr]

That looks amazing Rick. To the unschooled of us...what is the difference between a pipe and a billiard?

[Steve Busey]

I'm not a smoker, but that's one smokin' pipe! Well done!

I always wondered - what prevents the pipe material itself from burning?

[allen thunem]

billiard is just the name of the shape of the pipe.

[Rick Markham]

Thanks guys, it's a start in a different direction, maybe one day it will amount to something, in the meantime it's been an interesting journey so far. As allen pointed out, billiard is just the style of the pipe. I myself don't smoke, but for some reason I'm drawn in this direction. Hopefully in time (and with a ton more practice) I'll be able to produce some nice ones.

Don, thanks for the comment about the stand, it's a piece of a prototype part I made a few months ago. It just happened to work out nicely for this.

[Ted Calver]

It's a real beauty Rick. Can you tell us what the stem material is? I'm guessing that hand cut means you shaped the stem with rasps and files and polished/buffed it?

[Rodney Walker]

Nice clean simple lines. Well done! Looks like a pleasure to smoke.
Rodney

[Scott Hackler]

Rick,
That is a cool project and you did a fanastic job on it.

[Bernie Weishapl]

Really a beauty Rick. I like the simple lines.

[Rick Markham]

Ted, the stem is acetal rod, and yes it's filed to shape sanded and buffed. The whole pipe making process is kind of interesting art form, certainly another lifetime's worth of learning.

Just a note to anyone, if you strongly dislike lots of sanding... pipe making probably isn't gonna be your thing

[David DeCristoforo]

That's a "smokin" pipe Rick! (Sorry... couldn't pass it up...) I would love to get my hands on a big piece of that wood!

[Baxter Smith]

Not a smoking or sanding fan Rick, but that is a great looking pipe!

[Rick Markham]

Baxter, I'm not a smoker either. I'm not planning on starting either so I'm using a few contacts that are "learned" pipe collectors/smokers and going to use them as guinea pigs to make sure I can generate pipes that smoke great, hopefully during that process I can start perfecting the hand shaping techniques. It's definitely very different from anything I've done before.

David, Thanks! I've seen a place or two online that offers whole briar burls, though nearly everytime I've checked they have been sold out. I suppose if you stalked the site one could be had eventually. I managed to score a couple of large pieces off of ebay a few months ago, that's what started all of this...

[allen thunem]

hey rick i would like to be the first test subject on smokability of your newest creation.
a note to david, briar does it not usually found in 'BIG' chunks it is the root of a heath bush or tree. usually from the mediterranean region of the world. the really good stuff is very hard to find as the worlds best pipe makers get the first pick of what is harvested. lots of cracks and checks in briar and usually not on the surface. you can be carving a piece and dsicover interanl cracks which make the chunk unusable for high end pipes and gluing to repair them is not usually an option.
just my .o2 worth

[Ken Glass]

Rick,
Even Bing Crosby would be proud of this one. A great looking pipe and a wonderful way to present it as well. Very well done.

[John Kent]

Rick,
For you first attempt that is a wonderful looking pipe. I am a pipe smoker and have made a couple of pipes. Your pipe is much better than either one of mine. I smoke the first one that I made and gave the second one to an older gentleman that I know. There are many tricks that pipemakers know and they are generally a very generous group with their knowlege. If you haven't already checked out the (pipemakers forum) you should, as there is alot of information on there and a great bunch of guys. Great job!!

[Scott Hackler]

OK here is a stupid question.... What keeps the bowl from igniting when the tobacco is lit? Curious minds what to know!

[Norm Zax]

Rick - an elegant pipe indeed! I smoked them for a year, way back. The odor of a guy smokin good tobacco mixtures is great while the taste is ...well...lets say "different". How did u put the name on? Is that delicate carving or stamping? Keep em comin!

[Rick Markham]

Thanks guys!

Allen, I'll put you on the list! :)

John, I've been lurking (and studying) over at the pipemakers forum for a couple of months, they seem like a pretty good bunch of folks.

Ken, Thank you. I'm not sure this one is up to Bing's standards yet... soon though ;)

Norm, I agree, I always loved the smell of pipe tobacco, the taste... it's not for me. (besides if I smoked I would want to try all of them out, and who wants a used pipe?)

Scott, There are two schools of thought in the pipe community regarding bowls, coated and uncoated. Uncoated (raw briar) seems to be "en vogue" right now, while coated (with a carbon coating that is applied, allowed to dry and then burnt on) seems to be a favorite of a small group of smokers/pipemakers. It seems the community has shied away from a carbon coating due to perceived health concerns (uh.... smoking is still bad either way.) Hopefully one of the more knowledgeable afficionados will step in, but as you smoke an uncoated pipe, the tar from the tobacco coats and essentially forms a "protective" insulated layer on the inside of the bowl. That being said, I think the bowl eventually does succomb to the heat and fire.

[Rick Markham]

Whoops, sorry Norm, I didn't mean to miss part of your question. It's a pipemaker's stamp that I had made. As you can see from the photo, my stamping technique needs a little tweaking. I wish I could say that it was a delicate carving, I can't even write with a pen that neatly! :D

[Kathy Marshall]

That's a fine looking pipe Rick! Not that I know much about pipes, but the wood, shape and finish all look great to my eye!

[Johnny Taylor]

Rick, that is one nice looking pipe! As that's your first(but looks good enough to be your 100th!!!) I think you are going to do very well creating these. I made one last year, for a friend, and can confirm it really isn't easy. Mine looked nothing like as good as yours!! I hope you are very proud of it, excellent work:)

[Peter Lamb]

Well done! By the way Bill Hunter started out making pipes
Keep up the effort

[Marvin Hasenak]

Good looking pipe! It has been years since I made one, ran across some old supplies a few weeks ago, now you have me wondering if I still have the touch to make one.

[Ronald Campbell]

Very nice. Michelle is right, it is nice to see something new and different. Ron