How to Carve a Tobacco Pipe

Tobacco pipes come in many different shapes.

A tobacco pipe is an instrument used to smoke the leaves of a tobacco plant. Tobacco pipes can range in complexity from a roughly carved piece of wood to a highly prized work of art. Most tobacco pipes have five basic elements: bowl, chamber, draught hole, shank and mouthpiece. While many pipes have upward of 10 elements, a wooden tobacco pipe with the five basic elements is easy to craft and functional.

Things You'll Need

• 5 by 2 by 2-inch block of wood
• Electric hand drill
• 1/4-inch drill bit
• 150-grain sandpaper
• Rotary carving tool
• Ruler

Instructions

1. Carve out a small bowl near one end of the block of wood you are working with using the rotary tool. According to Jeff Strong, author of "Woodworking for Dummies," a rounded sanding bit will work best for this task. The bowl should be approximately 1 inch wide, 1 inch deep and 1/2 inch away from one end of the wood block. This completes the bowl and chamber of your tobacco pipe.

2. Drill a hole, straight into the center of the block, starting from the opposite end of the wood that houses the bowl. When drilling the hole, measure to find the center of the wood, 1 inch in from each side. Drill straight through the length of the wood until the hole connects with the bowl on the other end. If you get near the end of the wood block and have not connected with the bowl, remove the drill bit from the wood and drill a new hole, slightly higher toward the bowl. This completes the mouthpiece and shaft of your tobacco pipe.

3. Use a small sanding bit on your rotary tool to smooth and widen the point where the shaft hole connects with the pipe's bowl. Do not widen it too far, only wide enough so tobacco leaves will not clog the opening. This completes the draught hole of your pipe.

4. Smooth the tobacco pipe with 150-grain sandpaper. Use quick back and forth motions over the length of the wood. When sanding the bowl, place the sandpaper over your index finger and sand in circular motions.

5. Run the pipe under water to wash away any wood dust from the sanding and drilling. Run water through the mouthpiece and shaft of the pipe as well.

6. Allow the pipe to dry before smoking from it.

Tips & Warnings

• According to Peter Korn, author of "Woodworking Basics," you should never use a wood polish on a tobacco smoking pipe as the chemicals will burn and release toxins into the smoke.

References

• "In Search of Pipe Dreams"; Rick Newcombe; 2006
• "Woodworking for Dummies"; Jeff Strong; 2003
• "Woodworking Basics: Mastering the Essentials of Craftsmanship"; Peter Korn; 2003