I've been wanting to find some small briar pieces and make something similar (but not as nice). I often use reed or bamboo to make a churchwarden type thing from a cob. I don't use a bit, just stick a reed in a cob stem essentially. I've had TMJ issues so I try to avoid clenching and a stem without a bit is more comfortable. I'll clamp on a bit every time.
Sometimes I'll fit a short, smaller reed to the end of the reed to have a more comfortable mouthpiece.