A Closer Look at Briar Grain
- Thread starter Briar Lee
- Start date
SmokingPipes.com Updates
Watch for Updates Twice a Week
PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor
Site Sponsors
PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor
PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor
PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor
PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor
Beauty of grain is, of course, in they eye of the beholder in some sense, but when I think of beautiful grain, like most pipe smokers, I think of straight grain or birdseye grain.
I have a lot of pipes with beautiful grain. Some were $50. Some were $500. But to illustrate the point, have a look at the photo below. I’ll avoid making any outright comparison to your Weber’s for reasons listed in the above paragraph, but not a single one of these pipes cost more than $95 in today’s money. A few of them were half that. Brand new, not estates. And for that matter, none of them are Italian either
Well, I have driven a Ferrari, and let me tell you something: those Hondas kick Ferrari ass.
But seriously, I own several Dunhills, a couple of Castellos, ditto Ser Jacopos, the usual Savs and Petes, an Ingo Garbe, Stanwells, a Weber or two, and several Edwards--the latter marked ALGERIAN. I'll submit to being lynched if I can tell the difference in smoking qualities of any of them. If I absolutely had to pick a pipe of mine that smoked noticeably better than any others, I would reluctantly choose a Jean Lacroix Diamante billiard, of all things. Close second would be one of those Wilke house branded pipes that you might have plucked off the wall display in their old store on Madison Ave in NYC. Sold for 15 bucks or something. Wonder if they were ALGERIAN?!!
Each to his own. Amusing thread, though. I like it.
Jean LaCroix pipes are no joke man. I have a Drucquer & Sons Carmel 1032 he made, and it is a dead ringer clone for a 1968 Dunhill EK I also own. It was 1/10 of the price (although I did have to restore it). I guess Jean worked for Dunhill for a spell, so not hard to believe, but they smoke equally well and the LaCroix damn near matches the Dunhill aesthetically.
This middle fifties Dr Grabow Royal Duke is full of 1792 right now and this pipe cannot be exceeded for a good smoke. I just want to eat this pipe, it’s so good.
I bought it new, found behind a cabinet in the Lead Mine Store about 1990 where it was mislaid over thirty years. The price tag was $9.95, and what I was charged.
When it was new, it sat atop the Dr Grabow display with the little dollar pipes on the bottom. It must have fallen off.
I can see hand tool marks inside the hand rustication. Every atom of this pipe was first class.
But if you smoked it you might not like such a robust, strong, rich and hearty smoker.
Mild, sweet, and light it ain’t.
If the only pipes left were Dr Grabows, I'd smoke happily.This middle fifties Dr Grabow Royal Duke is full of 1792 right now and this pipe cannot be exceeded for a good smoke. I just want to eat this pipe, it’s so good.
View attachment 274456
I bought it new, found behind a cabinet in the Lead Mine Store about 1990 where it was mislaid over thirty years. The price tag was $9.95, and what I was charged.
When it was new, it sat atop the Dr Grabow display with the little dollar pipes on the bottom. It must have fallen off.
I can see hand tool marks inside the hand rustication. Every atom of this pipe was first class.
But if you smoked it you might not like such a robust, strong, rich and hearty smoker.
Mild, sweet, and light it ain’t.
We all would. Pipe > No Pipe. That’s like the first thing I learned.
The most distinctive briar pipes I own are Lees. Lee had a sugar cure or something.
He advertised it. It’s beat you over the tongue obvious in a new Lee, and then fades with use. Mainly it helps on break in.
Why an Italian pipe may taste a little different is Italy produces briar and Britain doesn’t. Italy might buy the local product and the fanciest get exported, or vice versa.
Best response incoming: Do you like the pipe? Do you like how it smokes? You do! Good, then shut up and smoke it.
I’ll be damned.
Here is my champion Marxman to color.
Four smokes
Buffed with 4/0 steel wool
Half an bowl and it’s recoloring.
There is a differnce.
Only the softest and spongiest briar will color that quickly.
And this pipe is beyond a dynamite good smoker. It refuses to get hot, too. It smokes so dry I couldn’t make up a lie about it.
Some briar is as porous, or more so, than meerschaum.
Here is my champion Marxman to color.
Four smokes
Buffed with 4/0 steel wool
Half an bowl and it’s recoloring.
There is a differnce.
Only the softest and spongiest briar will color that quickly.
And this pipe is beyond a dynamite good smoker. It refuses to get hot, too. It smokes so dry I couldn’t make up a lie about it.
Some briar is as porous, or more so, than meerschaum.
Last edited:
This comment is awesome. I have had so many people insist they can't tell or taste a difference and that means people who can are delusional. Love having someone say something this true. On the original subject the difference I notice in pipes is rarely dramatic. My Rattray always tastes sweeter and more clear shockingly. My Brebbia is just mellower to the point that already blander blends get too mellow. Wouldn't say any is better or worse just not the same.
They all color, even at $25 the most expensive regularly cataloged factory pipe on earth in 1940, this 400 # D 334. Usually they color like this, evenly all over, a bit darker on the bottoms.
Earlier today
Two smokes later
Yes, that’s a fill on the bottom.
Marx used a putty the same color as the initial pipe color, and it’s in a carving. Eventually the putty darkens too.
This monster size 125 gram 400 weighs about four times as much as the $5 Benchmade A, which is a standard medium size forties pipe.
Earlier today
Two smokes later
Yes, that’s a fill on the bottom.
Marx used a putty the same color as the initial pipe color, and it’s in a carving. Eventually the putty darkens too.
This monster size 125 gram 400 weighs about four times as much as the $5 Benchmade A, which is a standard medium size forties pipe.
Last edited:
If you're buffing it off after smoking, that's coming from an external source. Likely oil from your hands.
I was very careful this time to only clench that pipe and not touch it except with a rag.
The wax itself may be turning that color, but there’s just not much heat.
And it comes right back if you sand it off.
And note only the bottom and one side is doing the wild coloring. Most of the pipe is coloring evenly and slowly like they all do.
Where that’s coloring so wildly has hundreds of little lines in the briar.
It’s soft as a sponge. Something is oozing out.
This 400 is more typical.
Frank bringin the heat with the vocab love it! Also where can i get that burger for $10?
Until proven wrong I’m still gonna say best burger driving distance from us is Gwin’s lodge, Sterling hwy. A few days of backpacking or fishing prior may or may not affect reviews
Tommy’s Burger Stop in Anchorage. Best burgers in town. Gwin’s ain’t bad at all. Like you said though, being beat down from chasing fish definitely has an impact, hahaha.
