From: ????????????????????????? (Martin Ott)
To: ????????????????????????
Subject: Pipes, Tobacco and AD&D2nd


Hi pipers,

I would like to ask you for some information on making pipes and
tobacco. Sure I could read a book or look it up in an encyclopedia.
But I think I need the knowledge of people who have actual expereince
in doing these crafts.

if you know AD&D2nd, I would like to ask you for some help (you can
skip the next paragraph).  If you don't know what AD&D2nd is, please
read on, you may even be of more help, since you apparently dont waste
time with it and spend more time with pipes...

AD&D2nd is short for Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd Edition.  It is a
rule system for fantasy role playing games. The system allows to set
up a very detailed personality and abilities of a player/character.
The setting of the play is often a civilisation like the roman empire
or medival times (f.i. Tolkien). In these worlds live lots of
interesting and dangerous creatures. Our group is very story oriented
and very often invent a new skill/proficiency which is not in the
official rule book. Recently, my bard started to learn the trade of
crafting tobacco pipes. Since in ancient times the trades of craftsman
were highly specialiced, one can not simply make a pipe if one already
had 'crafting wooden shoes' before. (cf. the different types of
smiths...).

Now I want to do a write up for 'Crafting Tobacco Pipes'.  (If you'd
know a better title, please let me know. But 'Crafting Pipes' might by
confusing with flutes.)

Since I almost know nothing about crafting pipes or production of
tobacco (I just use it) I would like to ask you for some input. Please
bear in mind that 1000 or 2000 years ago the trade of pipe making may
have been different from to day.

'Crafting Tobacco Pipes'

Points of interest are:

What do you need to make a pipe.  (Tools, woods, workshop or 'on the
road')

How long does it take to make a pipe.  (Experience, tools, wisdom,
dexterity, patient wife...)

What is the _relative_ value of the pipe when it is finished.
(a formula based on wood quality, time of labour, artistic abilites,
final quality of the pipe...)  Please, dont put the final value in
terms of US$.  The fantasy world has a price system that is based on
relative values, like 100 eggs is about one goose, or rather more
dependend on the time and knowlege it requires to produce something.

How long will pipes last. (quality, usage,..... ) [My first one,
though of good quality, lasted one year, then the neck broke due to
heat damage]

Anything else to know ?  (If you have some historical knowledge, it
would be very welcome.)


'Tobacco manufacturing'
Points of interest are:

The growing and harvest of tobacco plants would be in the domain of
the farmer's trade, I think.  Here I am looking more for the steps
from after harvest until the tobacco is ready to smoke.  If I recall
corectly, tobacco was available in Europe only after the Spaniards
brought it back from America.  Of course, in our fantasy world tobacco
is available at all times.  To make it short, points of interest are
similar to those listed above under Pipe making.

that's it, finally.  Ah, of course, when you mail me something, I take
it that I can use it in the Net.Bards.Book that I am writing.
Certainly this will be done under the no-profit ettiquette and you get
your acknowledgement.

Sorry Steve, maybe this long mail should go into the Pipes Digest
Supplement...

thanks to all 
Martin

[ A tall order, Martin! But it sounds like fun! I'll attempt a few
preliminary answers. Hope someone else will help me out!

A crude pipe can be made by an eight-year-old with a pocket knife. (I
know from personal experience. :-) But it takes a fair amount of
woodworking skill to make a good one.  Depending on the tools you're
using, and the effects you're trying for, it can take from an
afternoon to a week.

Briar is a _very_ hard wood, so briar pipes will be the toughest to
carve. Meerschaum is much softer, hence easier to work, but you'd
still have to make some hard fitments, so it would last. And
meerschaum carvers go in for fancy artwork and fitted lined hard
leather cases. A corncob can be made by anyone in minutes, including
an eight-year-old with a pocket knife.

Materials: Block briar root, sandpaper, rouge, walnut or similar
stains, carnauba wax. Possibly bone or amber for the stem. (I guess
vulcanite, or any other plastic, is out for AD&D purposes...)

Tools: At the minimum, leather gloves and apron, a drill and bits
(metal bits, not wood augers), fine-tooth saw, sharp carving knife,
vise, small paintbrush for the stain, rags for buffing. A lathe would
help, for turning the pipe, as well as sanding or buffing it; so would
some sort of a grinder. I'd love to have a flex-shaft, especially if I
was trying to carve complicated artwork on the pipe. (Which I can't,
personally...) As the number and power of the tools increases, the
time to make the pipe decreases.

The value of the pipe depends on the quality of the wood. There's a
large chance factor, because you can hit grains of sand and other
defects that you can't see, as you carve. I'd say the effort is about
equivalent to making a good wooden chair.

Pipes can last forever if they're well-designed and well-cared for.
Stems will typically be the first thing to break, usually in about
five years, by sheer chewing.

Don't have the history handy, but I can check it. I'll send you Bill's
write-up on tobacco growing by separate mail. No problem with using
this, and if you do put in an acknowledgement, please mention the
Mailgroup. And please let us see, too! -S. ]


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