More sheet iron work

[Mike Ameling]

Well, having survived my ... bout of family ... for the Holiday (at least I
think I survived - they still just might have a lynch mob waiting for me
come Christmas time), I finally got some more iron work done. The pic
shows the 4 versions of sheet iron pipes I've been ... tinkering ... with.
These are based upon originals that where traded to the Indians from
the early 1600's on up into the 1800's. They look like the clay versions,
just hammered up from sheet iron. The originals were made from sheet
iron and brass. And one original brass pipe from the late 1600's up in
New York still has some cattail leaf wrappings on the stem. So those
early Indians figured out a way to hold them when you really get to
puffing on them and they get hot (just like the clay versions). I made
most of these Monday. Most will go for Christmas presents to friends
and friends of friends. But I still need to hammer up some more.

Thanks
Mikey - that grumpy ol' German blacksmith out in the Hinterlands

 

[stevesteve]

Mike,

Lovely work.

One practical thing strikes me... they conduct heat! Doesn't the mouthpiece get hot?

Cheers,
Steve

 

[jojo]

Lovely work Mike. I s'pose I shouldn't, but I am still amazed every time I see something well made by hand, by a skilled person.

Now, most people can't even imagine making things themselves, everything comes cheap (well , & that will come back to bite us, one day) from China and not made to last.

I should think by the time the heat gets down the long pipe to the mouthpiece, it's cool enough to use. Some nice leather or rope work should make these comfy to use without burning your fingers.

 

[Mike Ameling]

Mike,

Lovely work.

One practical thing strikes me... they conduct heat! Doesn't the mouthpiece get hot?

Cheers,
Steve

No, the mouthpiece ends don't get hot. Only right around the pipe bowl and a little bit up the stem - just like the Clay pipe versions. So they work pretty similar - without the risk of breaking them like the clay pipes. Of course, it also depends upon how hard you ... puff ... on your pipe. Some people are pretty mellow in their use, while others act like a steam locomotive going up a steep grade!

And then you can always wrap a little cord/string around the stem. Or let a friend do a little "sailor's graffiti" on it - some fancy knot/rope work and needle hitching. (He hates it when I call it "sailor's graffiti".)

Here's a pic of my personal pipe that Otter/Loutre did that sailor's graffiti on.

He started doing it when he broke the stem on several of his favorite clay pipes. He glued them back together, but you could always see that break. So he covered it up with needle hitching down the stem, and then added several MW knots. And then he got his mitts on my personal pipe.

Mikey - that grumpy ol' German blacksmith out in the Hinterlands

 

[inthewids]

Are these for sale? Id quite like one.

 

[Mike Ameling]

Are these for sale? Id quite like one.

Yes, I've been known to sell or trade them. And these are all available at this time. Send me a PM or email me direct at ameling@oneota.net - but please put something like "iron pipe" in the subject line to help me pick your message out from all the spam.

But the one with that ... sailor's graffiti ... on the stem is my personal one, and not for sale.

Thanks

Mikey - that grumpy ol' German blacksmith out in the Hinterlands