Smoking Pipe

I figured it was high time I made myself a pipe.  I grow my own tobacco, and my corn cob pipe has a plastic mouthpiece that pleases me not at all.  I found a flawed chunk of mesquite and started work.

I started the big hole with a one inch bit.  Then I drilled the long hole with a quarter inch bit angling down to the big hole.

Then I finished the big hole out, so that it went just below the small hole.

Then I carved away and sanded till I was happy with it.  The flaw does not hurt the pipe, and the draw is the best of any pipe I have ever used.
Pipe

Pretty enough after rubbing in some safflower oil on the outside.

Pipe

I seasoned/washed out  the bowl with a bit of Japanese plum wine.

Pipe

I broke a small leaf of home grown, air cured,  native tobacco up in it and made a test run.

Pipe

Smoked great, left no char marks on the pipe.

Pipe

Above you can see the crack in the wood that kept me from using this for any other project.

Pipe

Now I can use it to point and gesture like the rustic old coot I am!

Rustic old coot

Bob

4 comments to Smoking Pipe

  • Walter_Lars

    nice work now that you have been smoking it for a while any problem with build up in the flat bottom of the bowl ?
    also any problem with the 1/4″ draw hole seems very large for a pipe ?

  • Thanks, Walter!

    The large draw, if anything seems to make it a cooler smoke. Less concentration of air flow to a small point, I guess. If I had the habit of holding the pipe by my lips or teeth then the bore might be an issue, but as it is, there is no problem and I suspect it will be easier to clean.

    I have only smoked it twice, I try to smoke once a day, but I often forget to, so I have no idea on build up yet. Looking down into the pipe however, It shows no sign of it having been used.

    I am in the habit of tearing off bits of leaf and making a bundle with the bits all parallel to each other. This goes in the pipe so the leaves are all lined up vertically. I rarely smoke to the very bottom of the pipe, so the leaves at the bottom often don’t get smoked. This is OK, since the tar builds up in them and the last bit of smoke is t he harshest. This method also reduces build up at the bottom.

    I wash my pipes out with vodka or a sweet wine every now and then as well.

    It took about 15 minutes to make this. Two drill holes, one drilled in two parts, and then cutting to shape using Japanese Saws with a pattern makers vise. Finer adjustments in shape with a few paring chisels and a touch of a fine rasp to gently shape. Norton 3x sandpaper made quick work of smoothing and finishing it.

    With a flawed block of wood, half a sheet of sandpaper, a few drops of safflower oil and 15 minutes work being the major cost for this project, if it has any issues down the line, I will just make another.

    Bob

  • Joe G

    Very nice work! (Saw your woodnet posting) The gesturing, pointing, and poking is by far the best part of pipe-smoking.

  • Ben L

    I have been looking at pipe making websites for a few days now and I just came across this site of your pipe. Your pipe is going to be the inspiration for my first pipe. I am still looking for that right piece of wood to make it out of. Happy smoking.

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