Detours...

"As many of you know, I have a site devoted to my carving, www.windjammerpipes..... I have decided that site should remain a showcase for my carving and any discussion of my processes or experiences in carving will remain here on my blog, which would seem logical. Any carver, whether the professional or hobbyist, knows that Briar can be unpredictable. It is a gorgeous wood, but unknown headaches can lie buried beneath. I have heard of carvers going through 3 or more pieces of wood just to complete a pipe because it was riddled with flaws or one particularly large monster was hiding just below the surface. Many will not do custom orders for this very reason. I have recently experienced this headache, but with a pleasant outcome."

The rest can be seen here: The Eager Beaver's Briar