When christopher columbus discovered the americas, He also discovered the tobacco pipe. The pipe was an important part of native culture To be shared during times of negotiation and celebration. Columbus and other explorers brought the concept home, And the rest is history. Since the 19th century, pipes have been made from briar, A hard, fire-resistant wood From the root of a mediterranean heather shrub. After the briar has cured for several months, The pipe-maker saws it into a rough pipe shape. Using a lathe and chisel, he rounds the larger block To approximate the shape of the pipe bowl.
He bores through the center To carve out the tobacco chamber. Then he slims down the stem, Marking the center for drilling later. The pipe-maker finalizes the shape by hand. He now sands both the inside of the tobacco chamber... ...And the outside of the pipe bowl. Next, the pipe's mouthpiece takes shape. The pipe-maker pierces a piece of hardened rubber Called vulcanite to establish the center And then drills a channel through it.
Using a grindstone, he sculpts one end, Taking it from round to oval, A shape that fits more comfortably Between the lips.
He checks his work with a sizing template... Then shaves the exterior of the mouthpiece, Reducing it considerably. He shapes the other end to form the tenon, Which fits into the pipe stem. He polishes the tenon with a special compound. The smoother surface makes this part easier To join to the pipe stem. Using a series of sanding disks with progressively finer grit, He gives the exterior of the mouthpiece a sleek finish. Then he steadies it in a clamp And widens the hole in the center of the mouthpiece To broaden it into a funnel-shaped cavity. Attention now turns to the seam Between the rubber and wood parts.
He sands it to make them perfectly flush. Hand-filing removes blemishes And adjusts the thickness for a more comfortable bite. The thickness can be customized for individual preferences. He drills a tiny hole into the top of the mouthpiece... ...Then dips a thin plastic rod in glue And inserts it in the hole. He sands it down, leaving a white spot, A marker that indicates the mouthpiece is right-side-up. For bent or curved pipes, The mouthpieces are heated in an oven at 320 degrees fahrenheit. This makes the vulcanite flexible enough To be shaped by hand. The pipe-maker bends the mouthpiece to the desired shape, And a quick cool-down in water re-hardens the vulcanite, Fixing its curve.
Next, he buffs the wooden part of the pipe. This removes fine scratches and brings out the wood grain. It also gives the wood a glossy finish. But for a different finish, A craftsman sand-blasts the briar wood, Giving it a ripple texture. He stains it darker with an alcohol-based dye, Working the stain into every crevice. And now for a neat trick. He sets it on fire, And the alcohol burns off to set the stain. The pipe doesn't go up in flames, Proving it's truly fire-resistant. He burns up to 10 layers of stain into the pipe, Depending on the effect he's trying to achieve. Finally, he stamps the company name And other information into the pipe. After a final quality inspection, This handcrafted briar pipe Is on its way to making a statement at the country club.
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