Hey guys. I was thinking about carving my own pipe and I was wondering what the best wood is to start with?
Beginning Pipe Making
- Thread starter frennchy11
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Briar produces, at least I would imagine, the best result if you actually wanted to smoke it, but I have heard of some other guys who make pipes out of Walnut and Pear wood. I don't really know what would be good for pipe making beyond these.
Most fruit woods will give you a decent pipe. If you plan to get into doing briar the only way to learn is by carving briar. It is a completely different critter.
I think I have the remnants of a cherry tree that my father cut down some time ago. How good a pipe would that produce?
Briar is the standard, of course. Please, please PLEASE don't just pick up any old piece of wood and start carving as some can be quite toxic (for more details, check the internet). Fruit woods and olive wood are sometimes used, but don't quite have the same staying power as briar.
One thing to keep in mind when it comes to cherry wood... there is a pipe SHAPE called a "cherry wood", which is basically a poker with the stem angled up (like a branch angling up from the trunk of a tree). So a pipe being sold as a "cherry wood" might still be briar.
One thing to keep in mind when it comes to cherry wood... there is a pipe SHAPE called a "cherry wood", which is basically a poker with the stem angled up (like a branch angling up from the trunk of a tree). So a pipe being sold as a "cherry wood" might still be briar.
If you Just want to make a pipe to see if you enjoy it and for some practice at shaping by all means other woods are fine. If its to really get the feel of making pipes and something you might want to stick with keep in mind what Unclearthur says " briar is an entirely different critter"
The best infos you could possibly find on making your own pipes is on pipemakersforums.com
And I'd suggest starting with briar as well, it's an incredibly hard wood and turns completely different compared to other readily available woods.
And I'd suggest starting with briar as well, it's an incredibly hard wood and turns completely different compared to other readily available woods.
Mr. Brog has a few oak pipes available, methinks. Should be alright, though I can't speak for the quality as I only have one of his pear wood pipes.
pipemakersforum is still up and going - just need to drop the s in your link -
http://www.pipemakersforum.com/forum/
http://www.pipemakersforum.com/forum/
Still very active with the above change in the url, and the most information you could possibly ever find on pipe making.
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