Best New Briar Pipe for under $200?

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kane

Can't Leave
Dec 2, 2014
429
3
Hello and happy new year,

all of my pipes are older estate pipes, I have never bought a new pipe. After seeing the post for the Layton Sloth pipes I have been inspired to buy a pipe, and my budget right now will allow something under $200. I know that there are scores of nice new factory pipes for under $200, as well as some Boswells and the Layton Sloths, and I am sure many that I am not aware of. If you were to buy a new briar pipe for under $200, what would you buy and why? I prefer a larger bowl to a smaller bowl, and something not too big as I like to clench by pipe, but I am not opposed to a freehand style though most of my pipes are straight stem pipes.

Your opinions and input are greatly appreciated!

Thank you

 

freakiefrog

Part of the Furniture Now
Dec 26, 2012
745
2
Mississippi
Stanwell, Savinelli, Butz-Choquin these are my standard go to brands for the money you can't beat the quality and engineering. I just picked up a straight billiard from Savinelli for $144.00 plus 7.00 shipping.

 

mrenglish

Lifer
Dec 25, 2010
2,220
72
Columbus, Ohio
Definitely check out the Icarus line from Briar Works. I have one, a sandblasted volcano, and its smokes freaking good.
Icarus
Please do not buy the light sandblasted apple. I want that. I need that. Just need the money. hahaha
They are on the smaller side so keep that in mind.

 

blueeyedogre

Lifer
Oct 17, 2013
1,552
30
Rattray are among my favs but they are made by Butz-Choquin so look at both brands. Chacom makes a few very decent pipes and quite a few artisan makers are offering a cheaper line now like Morgan and a few others. For online buying I find that getting the specs on a pipe you already have and like help a lot in comparing its measurements and weight to a pipe being offer online so you can get a feeling for the size of pipe you're looking at. Take your time, find the pipe that "speaks to you", and let us know what you get. Happy hunting.

 

freakiefrog

Part of the Furniture Now
Dec 26, 2012
745
2
Mississippi
I should throw Neerup in there too they have some slick looking pipes some are pricy but most are with in your price range.

 

mso489

Lifer
Feb 21, 2013
41,210
60,433
I think you need to look for discounts and sales. I made a little pot of money selling a relatively long piece of writing

and used it as an opportunity (excuse?) to buy a Ser Jacopo blast Dublin in a spot smokingpipes.com sale, a pipe

with an MSRP of about $230 sold for $175, and that would now go for around $350 I think. High end Savenellis can

sometimes be spotted for deep discount. But you have to wait your time and be ready to jump, but have in mind

brands and shapes, etc., that would be worth jumping on, so it isn't an impulse purchase.

 

northernneil

Lifer
Jun 1, 2013
1,390
1
Smokingpipes has one Sébastien Beo pipe left, a bent billard. At $85, you will be hard pressed to find d a better pipe at under $200.
I recommend them because of you comment on size and clenchability. These Beo's are made in the classic french tradition which tend to be smaller in size.

 

iamn8

Lifer
Sep 8, 2014
4,248
14
Moody, AL
The least expensive and most used pipe as well as my only "new" pipe was a ligne bretagne from Talbots online store for $190. Great lil piece of briar, finished by one of the great american carvers. And there is one for sale now! Grab it it'll be gone soon!! Damn.... If I hadn't blown all my cash this weekend I'd buy it myself...
The one I bought here
Anyone who is interested, grab it now

 

lochinvar

Lifer
Oct 22, 2013
1,687
1,632
In that price range for a new pipe I would look at Butz Choquin/Rattray, Chacom or Savinelli. In truth though, if I had $200 for pipe purchasing, it would be off to the estates I would go for maybe a family era Sasieni, a Castello, a Ser Jacopo.

 

kane

Can't Leave
Dec 2, 2014
429
3
Hey folks,

I just got back home after posting this morning. Thank you so much for all of your great advice and recommendations. I really appreciate the specifics and experience you're sharing. Now I've got some good ideas and things to look for. it seems that there are a lot of great affordable pipes out there.

Nate, thank you very much for the heads-up on the Ligne Bretagne. Alas, by the time I was able to read this (just a few minutes ago) that pipe had sold. Very nice. I like the bulldog style and the sandblasted finish looks great.

Well, the hunt is on. But keep 'em coming, I am learning a lot.

 

sablebrush52

The Bard Of Barlings
Jun 15, 2013
19,632
44,857
Southern Oregon
jrs457.wixsite.com
If you are interested in the Ligne Bretagne pipes, get no Talbert's mailing list. You sill have to act fast, but at least you have a shot. Excellent pipes. I have five of them and I like them as well as any Talbert.

 

brudnic1

Starting to Get Obsessed
May 13, 2012
158
0
Why not look at Peterson? I am surprised no one has mentioned them. Go for the slightly more expensive ones still made in Ireland.

 

delkhouri

Can't Leave
May 4, 2013
446
22
Columbus Ohio
Many Artisan Pipe makers have lower lines of pipes, often called "handfinished" Basically it is a pipe that they make by hand but instead of cutting and finishing a stem from stock, they use a pre-made stem. Then they take the stem and open up the airway and do some hand finishing. This process takes considerably less time and the savings is passed on the the consumer.
If I had $200 todrop on a pipe right now and wanted a brand new pipe, I would look these places.:

BriarBird - Albatross line

Chris Askwith - Handfinished

Icarus/Neptune from Briarworks

Solomon Pipes - A young up and comer who just moved into a workshop with Nate King. His pipes are usually sub $200

 

ssjones

Moderator
Staff member
May 11, 2011
18,322
11,088
Maryland
postimg.cc
I have a Ligne Bretagne and a Chris Askwith Hand Finished. I can highly recommend either. Askwith bowls are precarbed, Talberts are not. Both smoke quite well and I consider them equal to any of my more expensive pipes. As sable mentioned, you have to get on the Talbert mailing list for a shot at them. Askwiths don't move quite that fast. He sells off his website and occasionally on Ebay (I think there may be a few on Ebay right now).

 

fordm60

Part of the Furniture Now
Dec 19, 2014
598
5
I have two non sloth Layton pipes. There are about 6 members (likely more, I just did not count lol) in the last month or two who have also purchased at least one Layton commission. Everyone who has one indicates they are extremely pleased with their pipe. I do not think you will find a factory pipe that is engineered as well as the work Clark Layton does. Maybe a Dunhill, but from the reports I have read and the posts online indicate that Dunhills are over priced and their quality control is not too good. I notice every Dunhill bent pipe I see that lists if a pipe cleaner passes from bit to bowl, it always says the Dunhill will not pass the cleaner. Every pipe Clark makes will pass a big fluffy cleaner from bit to bowl, straight or bent.
For less than or equal to 200 dollars, IMHO, you will not find a better pipe than the Layton Sloth.
(I love my Petersons, Nordings, Ferndown, Ben Wade, and my cobs, but none of them smoke like my two laytons!!)

 
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