Peace Pipe

[John Wasmuth]

I thought bowls were made of bloodstone. I may be mistaken or catalite may be bloodstone but it sure does'nt look like what I call bloodstone. Then again It may depend on where and when and maybe there may be more than one rock commonly called bloodstone. I was looking at animal efigy pipes from Ohio moundbuilders. Very interesting it was as some of the animals were from far away places. Manatee and elephant for instance. Pipes were used for ceremonies other than "peace pipes". The animal efigy pipes were used by shamans in "animal medicine" ceremonies.

There is a lot more to the pipe than most people can ever understand.

 

[Troy Allen Christianson]

Nicholas, check out this site. It sells unworked raw catlinte stone as well as kits to make your own bowls Link Good luck with your project and post some pictures when your done!

 

[kansas_volunteer]

Catlinite can be bought from quite a few folks around Pipestone, MN, it's found all around there, not just at the NDN mine. It's generally sold by the pound, at least that's the way I bought mine there, several pounds of it. Try elderberry for a stem, just run a red hot wire down through the pith.

Catlinite works easily with woodworking tools.

See the MYO Pipe link on the left of the previously cited page.

 

[boar]

I second the elderberry for a stem. Its what I use for my pipe stems. :thumbsup: Dilly

 

[BrianL]

Sumac will also work very well for a stem as the core is easy to remove with a hot wire and the wood is easy to work

 

[Black Hand]

I thought bowls were made of bloodstone. I may be mistaken or catalite may be bloodstone but it sure does'nt look like what I call bloodstone. Then again It may depend on where and when and maybe there may be more than one rock commonly called bloodstone. I was looking at animal efigy pipes from Ohio moundbuilders. Very interesting it was as some of the animals were from far away places. Manatee and elephant for instance. Pipes were used for ceremonies other than "peace pipes". The animal efigy pipes were used by shamans in "animal medicine" ceremonies.

There is a lot more to the pipe than most people can ever understand.

Very true!
It is not something to be made, used or displayed lightly.

 

[LaBonte]

Catlinite was not the only material used for the bowl - amongst many of the Northern tribes such as the Blackfeet, the Crow, and Flathead steatite aka soapstone was more widely used for making a "medicine" pipe, a more "correct" term, but still one that needs understanding of the tribal ways to understand.
Then again not every catlinite or soapstone bowled pipe was a "medicine" pipe and in some tribes it was the stem that was more important than the bowl.

 

[Troy Allen Christianson]

I made this pipe from catlinite 9 years ago from a piece I bought at a trade fair. It works like very dense wood but is much more brittle obviously. I used small drill bits to hollow out the bowl and progressivly used larger bits. Slow and steady.