How to Make a Peace Pipe for Tobacco
- 1). Trim any small branches from the white ash branch, and peel the bark away with the carving knife. Using the wood saw, cut about 1/4 inch off each side so that the pith (the inside of the tree branch) is exposed. Sand it with the sandpaper if you like; if not, just leave it raw.
- 2). Turn on the propane torch and heat one end of the metal skewer until it is red hot. Alternatively, you can heat it in a fire.
- 3). Hold the branch vertically and push the skewer down through the center of the branch, going in as straight as possible. The hot metal tip will burn away the pith with gentle downward pressure. Reheat the skewer as needed.
- 4). When you have reached the middle of the branch, turn it around and repeat the procedure from the other end. Heat the skewer and push it straight through the center, slowly applying pressure, until you have hollowed out all the pith inside. Blow through the stem to expel any ash.
- 5). Use the pencil to draw on the piece of soapstone the general shape for the bowl. Mark the exact dimensions of the hole for the stem by using it as a guide to trace around the circumference. Cut off any extra stone with the saw, and then carve the bowl with a chisel, using the files and rasps to smooth and shape it. The bowl should be deep enough to have a connecting hole for the bowl and to hold the tobacco.
- 6). Using gentle pressure, connect the stem to the soapstone bowl, pressing the stem through the hole. There should be no need for glue or another bonding material. The pipe is ready to use as is, or you can decorate it first using feathers, strips of leather, precious stones or tufts of animal hair.