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Post by longtrail on Jul 30, 2009 9:24:07 GMT -5
I was discussing the making of pipe stems with an injun friend, and he said that his people, that of the Selitz from northern CA. and southern Or. in the ol days, use to dig out some of the pith, put a certain beetle in the stem, plug the stem and the beetle would eat its way out to the other end. I guess Id never heard that trick, but Im sure some of you must have. Interesting. lt
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Post by joanne2 on Jul 30, 2009 9:59:42 GMT -5
Ya it is.
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Post by caretaker on Jul 30, 2009 11:45:38 GMT -5
don`t know? mabe beoudro can shed some light on this. would be cool to know what kind of wood an what kind of beetle. definately worth investigatin.
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Post by longtrail on Jul 30, 2009 14:01:20 GMT -5
Ill see if I can find out.
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Post by beaudro on Jul 30, 2009 14:22:02 GMT -5
When I seen my first real peacepipe , i wondered how they got the hole through the stem. I went asking around and heard about the beetle, but I was told it was just a fable , I can't remember what type of beetle it was suppose to be. It was later told to me that the beetle won't eat the pith anyway, he wants the wood around it. I don't know what to beleive about it really. I do know that Sumac is the most common wood used , and the Sioux were the ones that built the most elaborate pipes. I buy sumac when it's seasoned just right, PA sent me some a while back that was just perfect. It needs to set up and the pith rot without checking or splitting, sometimes for a couple of years. Then the pith can be pushed out with a stiff wire real easy. It's only about an 1/8" hole, or 3/16" at most. I found one that I just picked up and blew the pith clear with my mouth, it was about 18 inches long. Thats my opinion on how it was done, sumac works best, other woods are going to be real tough to get a hole through.
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Post by Cody ( The Patriot ) on Jul 30, 2009 18:33:58 GMT -5
That beetle thing true or not sure brings to mind that folks back then were real patient
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Post by beaudro on Jul 30, 2009 19:51:03 GMT -5
Thats what it's all about Cody,, and quality over quanity.
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Post by Cody ( The Patriot ) on Jul 30, 2009 21:45:33 GMT -5
aint it so
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Post by beaudro on Jul 31, 2009 0:20:34 GMT -5
I had started on a pipe two nights ago, I got a little done tonight, you can see the pith a little on these pics and how I run a wire through it. Also I'm carving on catlinite , it's easy to work with. all the tools you need this one has the wire all the way through, i used the drawknife and shaved it down to a rough shape the night before. starting on carving with a rasp, the vise helps more than anything. roughly finished , a little smoothing up , and then drill the holes for the bowl and stem.
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Post by beaudro on Jul 31, 2009 0:27:48 GMT -5
I should mention, the dust from carving on catlinite, or soapstone isn't any good for you, so wear a mask. The dust contains silicates that are as bad as asbestos. That first pic shows a white pipe bowl, thats soapstone, or talc. It's really soft , i'm told after it's smoked a while it becomes harder as the resin builds up from smoke. I've never smoked one , but i would want some kind of coating on it before I use it, otherwise your probably breathing silicate fibers.
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Post by Buckskin Billy on Jul 31, 2009 7:53:54 GMT -5
looking good pard. what would you use to coat that pipe. beetle dung? ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
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Post by ThunderMoon on Dec 2, 2010 14:18:52 GMT -5
I know when they made flutes the wood was split hollowed and glued back together and held in place with rawhide or such.Cedar was especially good becuase of the grain it was almost inpossible to see the split and does better in temp changes. I will be playing mine later.
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Post by chaz629 on Dec 2, 2010 18:41:35 GMT -5
the pipes that i've made when they are done i put a small fry pan on the stove at a low heat and heat the stone up then rub bees wax completely over the hole thing let it cool and polish it up
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Post by Cody ( The Patriot ) on Dec 2, 2010 19:31:08 GMT -5
I missed the later part of this thread really cool Beaudro .I dont smoke but always wanted to make one.
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Post by ThunderMoon on Dec 4, 2010 0:04:01 GMT -5
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