Commissioned rhodesian: a couple of process photos

I recently did a commission for a gentleman and along the way I took a couple of photos. In general, I'm not very good at remembering to do that. I get into the "muse" and too late think: Ha, I should have taken a pic of that step!

But well, I thought someone would think it's interesting.

 The above photo is of the stummel after the lathe work is finished, with rough shaping started. I normally get it to this stage before deciding on stem length, -shape, etc. There's nothing concrete yet, but the rough idea is there.

Here the drilled stem has been added. I first check that the stem/shank junction is good and then go between the 16 and the 60 grit disc, to get the shape I want going.
This is also the stage I hate the most. The pipe looks like a blob, like a toddler's play dough. It's up to me, what I "see" in my mind, my hands and the sanding disc to try and coax the shape from the briar.

At this stage rough shaping is finished and I have started with sanding at 150 grit by hand. It's starting to look more like a pipe now. This is also the time where the "fine tuning" start. Thinning the shank a bit, taking a bit more off the heel of the stummel, getting symmetry, working on the flow.

And eventually, something like the above will be the result. It always amazes me that in this process, where we take a block of wood and a round piece of rod, something as graceful and flowing as this, can be made.
Every pipe is a little miracle.