Today's pipe was sent in by a fellow Canadian pipe lover for a bit of TLC, including an overall cleanup and a new stem to replace the original that had seen better days. As you can see in this initial series of images, the pipe is a Soren Hand Made Danish Freehand with some lovely… Continue reading Recreating an Original Detail while Re-Stemming a Soren Freehand
Welcome to 2024, everyone! The move into a new year should be a time for looking forward to new experiences, new events, and better times ahead (or at least wishing a heartfelt good riddance to parts of the previous year we'd rather not repeat), so while I extend my best wishes to you for the… Continue reading Working Around a Shortage of Acrylic Stems
The COVID pandemic disrupted supply chains worldwide as countries sought to limit the spread of the disease. Probably the most well known example of this disruption was the shortage of computer chips used in cars, trucks and vans that resulted in long delays by manufacturers delivering new vehicles to dealerships. Pipe making supplies were also… Continue reading Customizing an Acrylic Cumberland Stem Blank for a Bari Wiking Handmade Stummel
Meerschaum pipes have long been known for their capacity to be carved into an extraordinary range of shapes and styles, from sleek classic shapes like a Billiard or Bulldog to fanciful smokable sculptures. The pipe on the worktable today provides a rather geometric take on the venerable Egg & Claw shape. As this initial series… Continue reading Cleanup and a New Stem for a Unique Egg & Claw Meerschaum
Ask any pipe smoker or collector and they will tell you that pipes can be a lot more than simple smoking instruments. They can become conduits through which the pipe steward is connected to a person, place or philosophy that holds deeper meaning for them. Many of us have at least one pipe, stand or… Continue reading Rescuing an Heirloom Lion Head Figural Meerschaum
Working with translucent or transparent pipe stems can be a real test of patience and skill. As everything is (almost painfully) visible, there is no margin for error when drilling, shaping or slotting Perspex (aka clear acrylic). To complicate matters further, cleaning clear acrylic with alcohol can lead to the formation of cracks inside the… Continue reading The Trials of Perspex – A New Stem for a French C.G.T. Elite
As I've mentioned before, a broken tenon is by far the most common pipe repair, and for good reason. The stem tenon is the smallest structural part of a pipe and is subjected to a disproportionate amount of stressors as the pipe smoker removes and reinserts the stem in the shank. An overly-enthusiastic twist with… Continue reading Splinting a Broken Stem for a Castello Sea Rock
This project was a first for me - hand cutting an Acrylic stem from rod stock. OK, not quite rod stock, as the chunk of acrylic I used was actually an off-cut from a 1" diameter by 4" long acrylic stem blank, so the airway drilling was already done when I started work. A stem,… Continue reading Making a Hand-Cut Acrylic Stem from Rod Stock for an Algerian Briar Bamboo Rhodesian
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