2018 Christmas Pipes and Boats!

Several years ago I started a tradition of making Christmas pipes for my sons. They all three smoke, one a little less than the others, but all three enjoy the tradition, or at least humor me with it! The top secret 2018 Christmas projects are finally placed and I can share them on-line without fear of ruining Christmas!

The 2017 Christmas pipes are Cherry Woods again, but smooth this time. And my Grandson, Calvin, who  was 2 1/2 years old gots Dump Truck from various scrap, reclaimed, and repurposed woods I had in the shop. The 2016 Christmas Pipes were blasted Cherry Woods with natural plateaux tops, 2015 Christmas pipes were bent bulldogs, mostly blasted, but with smooth tops, 2014 Christmas pipes were contrast blasted bent eggs w/celluloid, 2013 Christmas pipes were Blasted Lovats, 2012 Christmas pipes were blasted straight bulldogs, 2011 Christmas Pipes were smooth Lovats, and Christmas 2010 was the first year of making the boys pipes for Christmas. They were different shapes for each. The very first 2006 Christmas pipe for for my middle son, John, who loves Bulldogs and loves Christmas, and was the only son smoking pipes at the time.

Drumroll please! This years pipes are 1/8 bent freehand blasted dublins with smooth tops and bottoms. Chris’s and Daniel’s have Cumberland stems, and John’s is black Ebonite (he does not like Cumberland, or at least didn’t at one point). And my grandson, Cal received boats this year. The sailboat should actually sail. It has adjustable sheets to trim the sails and a well balasted keel (centerboard). For now it’s voyages are limited bathtub runs, but come Spring, my hope is he’ll be able to get it out on a pond in Central Park at some point. I also made him a couple of little paddle boats powerd by rubber bands. Lots of fun coming up with these, and the sailboat offered a lot of interesting challenges, not the least of which was sewing the sails and fixing the gromets. First sewing I’ve done in 45 years!