Making a Bent Bulldog Pipe - Pipemaking from Start to Finish

This time around, I wanted to show you all how to create a slightly more complicated classic shape than I did in my billiard video. The bent bulldog, or Rhodesian, has been around for more than a hundred years and is a little tricky to make well because of the diamond shaped shank. This introduces a problem with the internal drilling as the shape of the stummel’s bottom is often too thin in older factory production versions. In mine, I alter the drilling to turn the bowl shape one one axis and drill the chamber on another-which solves the problem, though it takes some patience to keep the alignment true.
Once the pipe comes off the lathe, I roughly shape it with a grinding disk before machining the mouthpiece out of ebonite. Then comes the next part of the shaping process in which the mouthpiece and the briar remain united throughout. This is critical when working on flush-fitting mouthpieces like this pipe. The shape is roughly shaped, and then refined with higher and higher grits of sanding wheels. Next I refine the shape further with files and sandpaper again. The briar portion is taken to 220gr since it will be sandblasted, while the mouthpiece is finished to 1000gr before polishing. Then the pipe is blasted, stained, and finished on the polishing wheels.
I make these videos rarely enough that I forget camera settings in between my filming sessions and managed to have the audio recording volume too low on one of the cameras. So instead of listening to the sounds of the workshop, you’ll have to deal with the joyful noises of license-free music. Or you could just turn the volume down.
Machinery Recommendations (not exactly the same as mine, but good quality and can be used for pipemaking):
10x22 Metalworking Lathe: amzn.to/3Pxwmzo
Quick Change Tool Post & Holders: amzn.to/3B4r0r9
The Smallest Bandsaw I'd recommend for cutting briar: amzn.to/3yR734F
A much better Bandsaw equivalent to the one in my videos: amzn.to/3IT8J1V
Sanding and Buffing Arbor System: amzn.to/3B3H4cR
7" Shaping Disk Backing plate: amzn.to/3PqR5Fm
7" 36gr Grinding Disks: amzn.to/3oicLrb
Rough File Used to Shape Mouthpiece: amzn.to/3aWbYcn
Fine File Used on Mouthpiece: amzn.to/3OkC2vG
Swiss File set used on Mouthpiece Slot: amzn.to/3OkY3KS
As always, please visit my links to see what I'm up to currently, buy pipes, gear, or to learn pipemaking from me in person: linktr.ee/jalanpipes

[@greggklotz1407]

Have to admit, new pipe smoker, but after watching this video multiple times, my new favorite shape is three words, bent, rusticated bulldog.

[@PhillipRivara]

Jeeeze! That audio on lathe kicked in and nearly tossed my phone, lol. Nice work

[@jalanpipes]

Sorry about that

[@StamperTamper]

Haha..yeah it got me too, even after I read your comment. The video had me a bit memorized, well done Jeff and thanks for posting. Very inspirational!

[@OrangutanArmpits]

Jeff Gracik is one of the world's finest pipe makers. Jeff, I own only three of your pipes but each one has been the best pipe I ever smoked... until the next one arrives... and then it's the best pipe I ever smoked... until the next one arrives... and so on. Loved the video and thank you for sharing with your literally thousands of fans! Steve Fallon (Pipestud)

[@jalanpipes]

Oh man, you can't pay for a compliment like that. Thanks for the vote of confidence. Now, I just have to keep living up to such high expectations!! :)

[@joecrable4042]

Wonderful vid. Thanks for sharing. I miss making pipes.

[@davidmontgomery3757]

I see an addition to my rotation!!

[@CrossTimbersSon]

I love how this all started as with a nice block of briarwood, a pencil and a cup of coffee ☕️ It’s amazing to watch a beautifully crafted pipe emerge from roughly drawn construction lines.

[@jalanpipes]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@pitsnipe5559]

Nice! I had a nice little collection of pipes back in the 1970’s when I was in the Navy. Wish I had kept them, real works of art.

[@jalanpipes]

Very cool. Sorry that they’re gone, but glad to know you enjoyed them while you had them.

[@roberttai646]

Please keep creating the pipemaking videos. Love to see the craftsmanship. Thank you!

[@jalanpipes]

Thanks! I'm working on some new ones...

[@patrickkoenigsfeld1253]

There are moments in this video that I'm blown away at your precision. Excellent work of art!

[@jalanpipes]

Wow, thank you!

[@ericrussell2378]

God! That was awesome to watch! Bent bulldog is my all-time favorite shape and the danish freehand inspired flare you gave it turned out amazing! Maybe one day I’ll be able to afford one of your pipes or maybe even get a lesson from you. I’m still a novice with only 15 pipes under my belt, but you have definitely been a great inspiration to me.

[@jalanpipes]

Very cool! Thanks for watching and I’m so glad to know that the videos have been helpful and inspirational to you. That’s why I make them. :)

[@silasscott8969]

Awesome work!

[@Saudiprints]

That was another beautiful pipe and another well-shot video to show us your methods. Thank you!

[@jalanpipes]

My pleasure!

[@jalexander3112]

Great work Jeff! Glad to see you still making it look easy. 👏

[@jalanpipes]

I try

[@tomkeene14]

Beautiful pipe, it looks so tactile!

[@corksauve4949]

Loved watching this video. Great looking pipe.

[@jalanpipes]

Thanks 👍

[@ParsimoniousPiper]

Fascinating peek into the process. And a lovely piece!

[@jalanpipes]

thanks for watching!

[@TubeOJacob]

Incredible work, as usual! Thanks again for being so willing to share your process. It’s great to see

[@jalanpipes]

My pleasure!

[@seasmokepipes5533]

beautiful pipe! relaxing video. thanks for sharing

[@jalanpipes]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@TheAlibion]

Wonderful! Haha, i had to laugh when i saw you drawing the lines! I do technical drawings with laser and whatever on my briar blocks, and you do it like a sketching 😄 Could you plz do such a movie each and every week? Its much more entertaining than rhe latest movies ive seen 👍😄

[@jalanpipes]

:) Yes, lots of pipe makers do very precise drawings like you. But so many unexpected things happen when we make pipes that I don't think there's a reason to lock oneself in to a pattern. This 'loose' approach lets me pivot when I need to without problems. I wish I had time to make more videos, but sadly it's not possible. I'd like to make one per month...but we'll see

[@1cleandude]

Really splendid pipe art thanks for sharing!🙏🙏🙏

[@jalanpipes]

My pleasure!

[@user-vp4ii5it5d]

Absolutely beautiful work. I would love to own this pipe

[@GREMLINS516]

I don't smoke anymore but this pipe is a beautiful objet to handle superb work congrats

[@ChipAK49]

That's a great piece you made, thank you for sharing this with all of us. All the best.

[@jalanpipes]

Many thanks!

[@pipesofold8066]

That was a well executed cut running both axis at once. Thanks for the new video.

[@jalanpipes]

Glad you liked it!

[@mohammadkarimpourkarim6681]

thank you for sharing this great video, always a pleasure to watch and learn.

[@jalanpipes]

My pleasure!

[@pioner1030]

Beautiful pipe...amazing 👍👍👍👍

[@jalanpipes]

Thanks 👍

[@petrantobaccopipes]

Thank you for sharing. Great work!

[@jalanpipes]

Thanks for watching!

[@adeljubran1987]

perfection !! a day will come and i purchase one of your great pieces , thanks for this amazing video.

[@jalanpipes]

I'll be here when you're ready. Glad to know you enjoyed it!

[@Amati66]

Great Work.

[@jalanpipes]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@The-man-with-the-many-pipes]

Great Work 👍 👌

[@jalanpipes]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@Tafolllopez]

Magnifico,ver tus videos es mejor que ver tv, antes de aplicar el color que añadistes? Algun tipo de cera?

[@J-DSPIPEDREAMS]

Great video thank you sir, my wife and I just started our YTPC channel, its allot of fun, happy new year. We just subscribed.

[@ryaaaaanwhat4072]

Everything about you is perfect,, you’re a perfect man,, talented,, Smart and everything you do is perfect too perfect. Awesome!! Great job 👏

[@jalanpipes]

😂😂 I’ll take the compliment. 😊

[@jkr3008]

Oh my, what a great design

[@jalanpipes]

thank you!

[@atsunoriful]

Perfeito! uma obra de arte!!!👏👏👏

[@jalanpipes]

Gracias!

[@ThePonderingPiper]

Just awesome! 👏👏

[@jalanpipes]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@tonnymirthful1054]

Beautiful pipe you made.. gorgeous piece of art! Can I ask you, what did you use as a "treatment" inside the bowl? I wonder what it is if it doesn't affect tabacco taste or arome when it burns. Thank you.

[@garbagemanpiper]

Jeff that was awesome thanks for sharing🍭🐓👶

[@jalanpipes]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@MiguelDeMarchena]

Una pieza de arte exquisita.

[@jalanpipes]

grazi!

[@AntonioGarcia-nj3cd]

Love it! You're still filming the best pipe-making videos available. Those drills take more than patience... do you use the dots on the block as a reference for holding it to the lathe? Thank you for your work and for showing us how it's made.

[@jalanpipes]

Thanks! Yes, that's what the little blocks are for. Glad to know you are appreciating my content. :)

[@sully4875]

True art 🔥🔥🔥🔥

[@jalanpipes]

thank you!

[@salvatorecaruso2493]

Un capolavoro 🔥

[@jalanpipes]

Gracias!

[@jeffvandeyacht7280]

I really enjoy your videos. You continue to push me beyond my comfort zone to try new techniques in my hobby pipe making. My question on this one is - It looks like the draft hole is drilled just outside of the mortise hole in the end of the shank. Do you fill that? Or do you just let the shoulder on the stem cover it when inserted?

[@jalanpipes]

Glad you're enjoying them! Yes, that little notch is normal on bent pipes. The mouthpiece covers it up. Some pipe makers plug the notch, but I think this is a bad idea since you need to eventually ream the airway with a drill bit or reamer anyway.

[@nat-hs7mb]

Great work! I really like it! I am a Chinese pipe smoker, but due to my financial ability, your pipe is very expensive for me. Of course, it's not your fault, but I still want to collect a piece of your work

[@jalanpipes]

thanks for watching!

[@bagorsuhartono5009]

Mantab bagus sekali cangklongnya,

[@PeacePipeMan]

Jeff, absolutely awesome! Thanks for sharing. Now could you make me one?? Art

[@jalanpipes]

Sure thing! 😊

[@FabioMarchioniGOLDENPUFF]

Blessed hands and a lot of technique make this seem simple! Amazing!! Someday I will have a pipe made from You!! Regards from Brazil !!

[@jalanpipes]

Thank you very much!

[@addeniz]

Bravo Alan Eline sağlık

[@jalanpipes]

🙏

[@NVFirefighter]

Can I ask where you source your tower jaws from? Thanks, great video!

[@newcenobium8872]

Beautiful work. I am new to woodworking and love to experiment with making pipes. I was wondering if you could tell me what lathes you've used in this video?

[@jalanpipes]

I use a Precision Matthews 11x27 & an old 12x36 Craftsman

[@newcenobium8872]

@@jalanpipes Thank you very much. Great work again!

[@PKD-ze4hr]

That is a beauty. Would you mind telling what clamp you use to hold the briar.

[@jalanpipes]

Thanks. If you mean the one I use to put in the bowl to secure it in the vice, it's an expandable pipe reamer

[@carlosloynaz5893]

Hi man! I'm really fan of your work! The pipes are amazing. I'm trying my self making my own pipe but I'm not sure what product to use for finish it. If you can help me I would reeeaally appreciate it. It is a briar piece and I want it the most natural color as posible.

[@jalanpipes]

for a natural finish on your first pipe I'd recommend a simple oil finish, like Watco with some curing time and then wax.

[@doghousegames8490]

I see in all these pipe making videos, not just yours, it looks like an improvised disc sander made from a sanding pad and a spare motor you guys have lying around. Is this a secret tool from a specialty shop, or a known homemade tool, or do I just not know what I'm looking for? Is this preferred to an off the shelf disc sander? All questions aside, it's beautiful work.

[@jalanpipes]

7" Shaping Disk Backing plate: amzn.to/3PqR5Fm 7" 36gr Grinding Disks: amzn.to/3oicLrb The backing plate can be easily modified to fit the Beall Arbor: amzn.to/3B3H4cR

[@doghousegames8490]

@@jalanpipes Awesome. Thanks so much for the quick reply!

[@snatchbox89]

What is the dye you used in the bowl? Is it safe for smoking? Also I love your work that is a beautiful pipe and I'm sad to say it is likely way out of my budget. Keep up the good work. And as far as mistakes go they are the best teacher.

[@jalanpipes]

It is a bowl coating mixture with activated charcoal as the primary ingredient making it black. Glad to hear you enjoy the videos!

[@johnsuffill6520]

Great looking pipe. What I would like to see however is how to make a pipe using just hand tools. No lathes, bandsaws or sanding discs, just basic hand tools. Not even a Dremel!

[@jalanpipes]

Sounds cool, but you won't see me make that video. :)

[@johnsuffill6520]

@@jalanpipes I wouldn't make a vid either 🤣

[@zorkkete]

Ok. I'll take it :)

[@robertneilson2780]

Hell yeah I needed some new AirPods lmao

[@matsjohansson1882]

fint jobb , hur mycket kostar en sådan pipa. MVH SWEDEN

[@jaredyoung5340]

Today I realized what a great idea having a carpeted catcher at the buffing station is ...while putting a new shine on my most cherished pipe with my new beall polishing system 😭😭😭

[@jalanpipes]

It only takes one such mistake to start exploring options.

[@entornopipero1984]

simply a wonderful job 👏👏👏 At minute 15:00 you use a paste for preaculated. Can you share the recipe?

[@jalanpipes]

Mine is activated charcoal and water glass based. I won't share it precisely.

[@jefflavenau6805]

What tool Do you have that arbor and sanding disk running on? Is it a full on bench grinder, a buffer, or something else?

[@jalanpipes]

It's a 3 phase motor with a vfd controller to manage the rpms. The arbors can be custom made or purchased as part of the beall wood buffing system.

[@pavelkulbaba6259]

It's a great! But i still confuse Bulldog or maybe Rhodesian?

[@jalanpipes]

More or less the same thing.

[@potatokitty]

More please.

[@jalanpipes]

Working on it...

[@potatokitty]

@@jalanpipes Yay

[@dhanaissimo]

Wowww!!

[@jalanpipes]

thanks. :-)

[@dhanaissimo]

@@jalanpipes big big big fans of yours, hope i get to own your pipe(s) soon!

[@k.g9863]

Beautiful, may i ask what the dimensions are?

[@ef2967]

When is your website going to be working to be able to purchase the french wheel?

[@jalanpipes]

Sorry, I don't offer tools on the website at this time.

[@robertcornelius3514]

What kind of sandblast media were you using?

[@jalanpipes]

Glass bead usually works best. Aluminum oxide can also work well, but needs to be cleaned up with glass bead after.

[@maliklennert2633]

What did you Staind inside the pipe?

[@kingkezz9188]

I want to buy one of these pipes.

[@jalanpipes]

:)

[@wanmuhammadfakhrullahwan8078]

👍👍..

[@pipasrodz9958]

😍😍😍😍

[@The_Proper_Salute]

Where do you purchase your briar?

[@CaitlynWongSkate]

what is that red block of wax you use to finish your pipes?

[@jalanpipes]

Tripoli--a polishing compound

[@lfcrafts]

what rpm's are you turning at?

[@showell5414]

May I ask what is happening at 13:12 to get the texture?

[@vuonghuy3413]

Em muốn mua gỗ thạch nam mua ở đâu vậy bác

[@vutran1961]

What oil do you use to finish?

[@jalanpipes]

Sandblasts are finished with shellac and powdered carnauba wax

[@vidkiauta4192]

could you tell me where to find drill bits for this

[@jalanpipes]

Which ones? Some are from the hardware store and others are modified or fabricated by me here in my studio.

[@leniltoncarvalho8265]

👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏🤜🤛

[@jalanpipes]

thank you

[@UnusualAttitude2389]

What’s the sanding disc called?

[@UnusualAttitude2389]

I’ve been looking for that tool but can’t find the correct term for it. Thanks for your help.

[@Impulsive_TV]

What is that sanding tool

[@jalanpipes]

I made it

[@pelonete5000]

I never saw how he did the air flow hole as the drawing he made on the wood.

[@jalanpipes]

If I didn't get a shot of it, it's probably because my head was blocking the camera angle. Oops.

[@pelonete5000]

@@jalanpipes Too bad!!! hahahahaha that is where I 'm stuck , I'm trying to learn and I do not understand how to drill the air flow for a bent pipe. Thanks for your answer anyway. Regards from Mexico, Jeff

[@ineedadrinktoo]

Almost made me want to smoke. Also made me hope you are putting your great skills to making things more worth while than pipes. Nice video too.

[@jalanpipes]

🤷‍♂️

[@ancomm_uk]

Great video. I'm not normally a fan of the bulldog shape, but yours is the most visually appealing I've seen. I think it down to it being more flowing and less harsh lined. Anyway, as a junior pipe maker, I have a question :) What do you use for a bowl coating? I'm currently using a water, icing sugar and powdered charcoal, but it never dries black enough...

[@jalanpipes]

Thank you! The mixture you use is fine for coating bowls. Mine uses water glass as a binder.

[@saeedavval5729]

Hello Jeff do you need student?

[@jalanpipes]

You can take video classes with me. see my website for details.

[@ItAintMeBabe99]

Sure love a video where I don’t have any idea what he is doing, what he is applying, what he is sanding with, or any information at all. It’s great being kept in the dark.

[@jalanpipes]

You're welcome

[@RenaissancePeopleNYC]

Completely annoying music

[@TacticalTupperware]

This music is so awful and repetitive that I literally could not make it past three minutes of this video.

[@bagorsuhartono5009]

Mantab bagus sekali cangklongnya,