pipe making

[smokelessfire]

hey folks, got any ideas on how to make a smoking pipe in nature, without modern tools, such as a power drill lol. the drilling part is the biggest problem, or the stem making, i should say. also, what materials.

[Atomic]

You could make a bow drill. It would more than likely have to be two part. A cob pipe sort of thing.

[chiggersngrits]

i have made one out of corn cob using a piece of stalk as a stem. all you need is a pocket knife and a little time. the middle of the cob is easily removed using your knife like a drill. use the same technique to make the stem hole taking time to get a tight fit. make the stem hole as close to the bottom of the bowl as possible. then take a long thin stick about the size of a toothpick and pass it through the stem into the bowl. next make up a small mud pattie and coat the inside of the bowl with the mud. before it completely hardens gently remove the thin stick leaving a small hole from bowl to stem. also put some mud at the stem bowl juncture to seal it up. that is how i made mine and you can skip the mud part if you like to smoke cob.:p i only smoked on mine once just to test it out. if you do use the mud be careful tapping out the ashes or you'll knock your mud out.:eek:

[Rick]

Assuming you make it out of wood. You could also use bone or soapstone.

[danmc]

clay.

bamboo is hollow. In the southeast we have asian bamboo and also river cane. I've used bamboo as a blow tube for burning out a wooden bowl. I see no particular reason why it wouldn't work in the opposite direction.

There are other plants with hollow stems. If you're making a pipe out of plant material, just make sure you know what it is and if it is safe (or at least no worse than smoking...). For example you could probably carve a nice looking poison ivy vine pipe that would make you suffer tremendously for your last day on earth. Joe pye weed is hollow but I'm not sure about smoking through it.

-Dan

[smokelessfire]

good advice.thanks fellas

[RobertRogers]

ha, "poison ivy pipe".

[coldkill13]

I've experimented with making pipes before using bamboo without much success. Bamboo makes a smell/taste that I'm not particularly fond of, and mine have always burned up even when using green bamboo. I've never tried the mud thing though. People never believe me when I tell them that we have bamboo in our backyard, but actually, it grows like a weed! Im not sure if its the species or climate but it only gets to about 3/4" diameter, maybe 1" tops. Im not even too sure why I was doing it, I dont smoke. Just boredom I guess.

[Gray Wolf]

People never believe me when I tell them that we have bamboo in our backyard, but actually, it grows like a weed! Im not sure if its the species or climate but...

What area do you live in?

[danmc]

ha, "poison ivy pipe".

well... I have heard a horror story which I don't know if it's true or not about a group that used green mountain laurel branches for roasting hot dogs over a fire.

For all its beauty, a mountain laurel is deadly poisonous if ingested.

-Dan

[danmc]

I've experimented with making pipes before using bamboo without much success. Bamboo makes a smell/taste that I'm not particularly fond of, and mine have always burned up even when using green bamboo. I've never tried the mud thing though. People never believe me when I tell them that we have bamboo in our backyard, but actually, it grows like a weed! Im not sure if its the species or climate but it only gets to about 3/4" diameter, maybe 1" tops. Im not even too sure why I was doing it, I dont smoke. Just boredom I guess.

I didn't realize it grew as far north as Michigan. It will certainly grow like a 30' tall weed here.

Ever put whole sections in a campfire? The 'bang' can be pretty impressive. I'd keep back until it blows though.

[tacmedic]

Japanese honeysuckle, which is an invasive species in many areas, has naturally hollow woody stems that could be used for a pipestem I would think.

[tsitenha]

I would try river clay to mold one out

[tsitenha]

you could use a piece of wire to burn/drill out a hole in the stem, to the bowl.

[crashdive123]

Ahhhh. Just quit smoking.

[Beowulf65]

In the old days the colonial pipes were made of 1. All clay, 2. Sandstone with a reed stem, 3. Clay with a reed stem. And the Native Americans used Catlinite (pipestone)to make there peace pipes as the whites call them although the Native Americans just called them pipes.
Catlinite (pipestone)
http://img294.imageshack.us/img294/4052/pipestoneas6.th.jpg (http://img294.imageshack.us/my.php?image=pipestoneas6.jpg)
Clay Pipe
http://img257.imageshack.us/img257/4756/claypipekp9.th.jpg (http://img257.imageshack.us/my.php?image=claypipekp9.jpg)
Red clay pipe with reed stem
http://img294.imageshack.us/img294/7422/redclaypipeva9.th.jpg (http://img294.imageshack.us/my.php?image=redclaypipeva9.jpg)
I have one of each and all are good smokes with some Kinni-Kinnick Native American Tobacco.
Beo,

[crashdive123]

Carved bone will work.

[Rick]

Lt.!!!!!

Beo! Get out of the evidence locker. Now!! and put the Kinni-Kinnick back!!

[Beowulf65]

Here is a pipe a friend of mine has, I like the tongs with the tamp and pick on the handle ends.
http://www.shrewbows.com/rons_linkpics/smokin_stuff.JPG

[canid]

what; kinicknik's only mildly narcotic, and it blends so well with tobacco and willow bark.