Make a Ceremony Pipe
Ceremonial pipes have been used as part of Native American rituals for thousands of years. As with many other Native American traditions, the process for creating a ceremonial pipe is passed on from person to person by word of mouth and demonstration. If you are interested in creating a ceremonial pipe for your own use, you can make a pipe that is both beautiful and traditional, but it may take a little practice. You can create a ceremonial pipe from raw stone.
Instructions
1. Choose the shape of the pipe, and draw it on the stone, using a black marker or pencil. The general shape of the pipe should be a modified "T," with the bar in the T placed about one third of the way into the top. Begin cutting the shape out with a hacksaw (for simple designs) or bandsaw (for curved designs).
2. File the stone piece down to the desired thickness. Using the file, make sure your pipe looks straight when standing. There should be a ninety-degree angle from the bowl to where the pipe stem is inserted. Create a nice, proportional shape that is pleasing to the eye.
3. Center a ¼-inch drill bit in one of the arms and drill a pilot hole, being careful to keep the drill very straight. Drill the three holes so that they meet in the middle; then re-drill the holes with a 3/8-inch bit. Use a cone-shaped rotary file in the hole where the tobacco will go to make an indentation large enough to hold tobacco.
4. Continue filing the pipe to create two groves on each side, shaped like a deep "V" in the stone. Use the rough side of the file, and remove all the corners on the pipe, and continue rounding the pipe with your file, smoothing all of the parts of the pipe. Shape the stone according to the way you want the finished product to appear.
5. Refine the shape of your pipe by using the smoother side of the file to remove rough edges, gouges and imperfections that make the pipe look lopsided or out of shape. Spend time on the area where the top and bottom parts of the bowl join. You are finished with this step when the entire pipe is smooth and round.
6. Begin sanding your pipe all over, starting with the 100-grit sandpaper and moving to finer-grit paper. Dip the 400-grit sandpaper in water as you continue sanding to get the smoothest finish you can.
7. Heat your pipe until it is hot enough that beeswax melts on the pipe. Cover the pipe with beeswax, and then put it aside to cool. After cooling, remove excess wax with your fingernail, and then shine the pipe with a soft rag.
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