Aiwana Kuk'ee

This one took me a while to finish!  Made out of a little block of Maple, this pipe was inspired by Native masks of the Western coast, but was too small to fit all the details I originally intended.  As it turns out, this pipe has the shape and depth of a mask, but the eyes and mouth were carved too small for further detailing.  It still gave out a very decent piece of work.

This is by far the toughest pipe I've carved yet!  It could get thrown full strength against a brick wall, and wouldn't break.  The shape and the grain of this sturdy wood would most likely dent, but never break, so this is a pipe for someone who doesn't want to take too much care of it and toss it wherever it may land.  The pipe also stands upright for more of a 'totem' feel.

The tattoos on this face are made by needlepoint, which is a very meticulous method of carving.  holding a sewing needle between thumb and index, the tip is pushed in the wood, then stirred gently to gain a small hole no bigger than the needle's tip itself in the wood.  The hole doesn't show much until the oil is applied, where it deposits in the holes and give them a darker color.  This method is very precise; if the holes are too close to one another, they will collapse together and simply chip the wood.  This is working on a millimeter scale.

The bowl was sanded down to give it a wider opening for a funnel feel, and the entire pipe was oiled with three coats to give it reasonable shine.  Perfect size for a pocket pipe, and with such sturdiness, will not be a problem for the risk taker, the pipe will always be there, ready to spark!
(For those who wonder, the name is a homonym of 'I want a cookie' and holds no other meaning.)