Grading Briar

Grading could also be considered "pricing". Its really a system for a pipemaker to sort his products according to whatever level of finish or craftsmanship he was able to achieve for each pipe.

Theres no standard for Grading pipes. Its up to each individual pipemaker to create his own system, and then its up to the pipemaker to sort his pipes according to that system.

In most cases this ends up being a value system where the highest number of pipes fall into a lower value bracket and the very few that come out as perfect examples of the art end up in a very small (very expensive)number of high grade pipes.

In some ways you could compare it "classes" of cars. Compact, Midsize, Fullsize. Each one is descriptive of the type of car you're looking at, but at the same time each one reflects in increase in price.

Zanthal, are you asking about grading the blocks of briar BEFORE they're cut into pipes? Or grading AFTER they're turned into pipes? If it's AFTER, then I agree w/ Lonestar.

+1 Lonestar

I make my own hardwood pipes. There are two classifications:

1. Mediocre

2. Downright Ugly
I follow all the accepted parameters of machining construction. They all smoke very well.

I make my own hardwood pipes. There are two classifications:

1. Mediocre

2. Downright Ugly

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:rofl: That's great!

I think its cool that each Pipemaker has their own grading system. Its one more thing thats unique about those pipes, and one more bit of lore to pick up about each maker.

I think its cool that each Pipemaker has their own grading system. Its one more thing thats unique about those pipes, and one more bit of lore to pick up about each maker.

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I agree 100%.

I think that grain has something to do with the way pipe makers grade finished pipes.

Age and weight are very intangible when it comes to grading a pipe, they dont have a lot to do with a grade. Unless you're talking about a pipemaker whose niche in the market is using particularly old briar, or particularly light briar. If you're talking about a specific line of pipes like a "Featherweight" or Trever Talberts "Ligna Bretagne", then you can expect the featherweights to be light, and the Bretagnes to be old briar.

Grading almost always has to do with the quality of fit, finish, grain and shape. The more attention to detail, the prettier the finish, tighter the grain and more beautiful or complicated the shape, the higher the grade will typically be.

Trying to specifically answer your question though, you have to break all of this down between the "Grade" of a pipe and the "Line" of pipes. A Grade is usually meant to assign a level of quality to a finished pipe. A Line means a pipe that is made in a style specific to that series of pipes.

If the age of the briar has an effect on Grade, its usually only when the age effects the beauty of the finished piece. So, you could have a piece of briar aged for 50 years that receives the same Grade as a block aged for 2 years. They both look good.

Usually if the weight of a pipe comes into play, it is because the pipe is a specific Line made to be lightweight, or a pipemaker with a reputation for making lightweight pipes. Most pipemakers dont Grade according to weight, unless thats what they're known for.

It all comes down to knowing the specific makers Lines and Grading system to know anything about what the stamps on a pipe means. Theres no way to tell the weight of a pipe or the age of the briar just from a photograph. You could make wild guesses, but you would be wrong as often as you are right.

That's a very good answer.