Briar or Boring

[Briar Lee]

Sitting here in the cool of the evening darkness, I’m puffing PS Luxury Navy Flake in a Pre War Kaywoodie Flame Grain.
Briar will never be better than Kaywoodie used in the late 1930s.

My pet pre war Kaywoodie is a delicious smoker, but so are my hundred Lees.

I believe a good smoker has old, aged, and cured briar plus it must be bored correctly.

But which is more important, briar or boring?

Care in briar selection or care in contstuction?

I’m leaning towards boring, or in other words, good construction.

The best briar is no good if the pipe is not bored correctly.

Your opinion?

 

[warren]

Why either or? Why not go for both good briar and a proper boring. That's why I inspect a pipe prior to purchase. Judging from that briar you posted yesterday?, with all the hideous fills, construction is obviously more important to you. We all have various criteria for a pipe purchase.

 

[Briar Lee]

Why either or? Why not go for both good briar and a proper boring. That's why I inspect a pipe prior to purchase. Judging from that briar you posted yesterday?, with all the hideous fills, construction is obviously more important to you. We all have various criteria for a pipe purchase.

A few fills in an excellent hard, old, aged and cured briar hurts the soul, but does it the smoke?

Wd want good briar and good boring, and every Lee I own has both.

But like a wood burning stove, good draft capability ina smoking pipe is likely more important than briar quality.

I have sold pipes with great briar, that smoke wet, or go out too much, or are not pleasant to smoke.

It’s art to get all the variables right in pipe construction, I’m convinced.

I have a Tim West that just smokes itself.

From the description it was a Tim West refurbished and reworked basket pipe.

It’s stained nearly black.

 

[warren]

This is why I'd never purchase a pipe online, unfondled and inspected. I want good briar, no fills ever and good construction along with eye appeal and a good fit in my fist. I don't do either/or with briar nor with meerschaum. Cobs? They're disposable in my book so fit and finish aren't really a consideration. Eye appeal? They're cobs, I buy them by the card.

 

[Briar Lee]

This is why I'd never purchase a pipe online, unfondled and inspected. I want good briar, no fills ever and good construction along with eye appeal and a good fit in my fist. I don't do either/or with briar nor with meerschaum. Cobs? They're disposable in my book so fit and finish aren't really a consideration. Eye appeal? They're cobs, I buy them by the card.

A Missouri Meerschaum pipe has a cob bowl.

But MM has been boring pipes for over 150 years. It will have a perfect draw.

You can buy and inspect a pipe in person, but the maker’s reputation is your only assurance it will draw correctly after you buy it.

This is an area where a name brand pipe like a Peterson has an edge over an unknown artisan.

Peterson has to tool up, to produce a shape.

Somebody there smokes the tool room prototype, you know?.

 

[Brendan]

Always Briar, never a Bong.

 

[anotherbob]

Always Briar, never a Bong.

you say that now but wait till you get old. I know so many old people that never liked always against it and now rave about how much it helps.
Back to the original post. Magic it's always magic. Why is this pipe great? Magic! Why does this pipe suck? Bad magic! It's as good of an explanation as we'll get till someone does extensive controlled experiments that will only get funded when one of us strikes oil and says instead of moving to Beverly hills I am going to crack the pipe enigma once and for all.

 

[TheWhale13]

Good or bad flavor vs a bad or good smoker is the question.

Flavor wins it think for a lot of people.

 

[jpmcwjr]

I thought flame grain had to be vertical. No?

And too many worry too much about not having 'perfect drilling'.

 

[jpmcwjr]

<< Snipped bits out >>

You can buy and inspect a pipe in person, but the maker’s reputation is your only assurance it will draw correctly after you buy it.

<< Snipped bits out >>

I'd much rather inspect the pipe before purchase. Even top names sometimes send out a clunker.

 

[cigrmaster]

This is why I'd never purchase a pipe online, unfondled and inspected. I want good briar, no fills ever and good construction along with eye appeal and a good fit in my fist. I don't do either/or with briar nor with meerschaum. Cobs? They're disposable in my book so fit and finish aren't really a consideration. Eye appeal? They're cobs, I buy them by the card.

Warren, have you never had a commission done for you? I have bought pipes from smokingpipes, Pulvers Briar, Briar Blues, Pipes2smoke,MKE-LAW and a few others, but the bulk of my collection if from artisan makers and some from ebay. In only one instance back in 2012 I got 2 pipes from a guy and I quickly sold them as the stems had shit vulcanite. A lesson learned and it didn't scare me from buying many other commissioned pipes. Now granted almost all of my commissions were from Rad Davis and Jack Howell but there were others and only one that I can think of wasn't as good as I was expecting.

My situation is that I don't have a b/m with pipes that I would want to own so I have to use the internet. You should try a commission some day if you find an artisan whose work speaks to you and is in a price range that works for you.
My last 13 pipes were all commissions from Jack Howell and I would still buy more if he was still carving. Working with an artisan can be fun as long as you understand that you have to have a bit of flexibility. For example if I told jack I wanted nothing heavier than 50 grams and the pipe came in at 55, I would never not take it for a few grams of weight.

 

[warren]

I appreciate your advice but, for me the pipe is simply a tool. I'm not a collector and look for nothing more than a satisfactory smoking experience. The need to own a "one off" is nonexistent.

 

[AppalachianPipe92]

I appreciate your advice but, for me the pipe is simply a tool. I'm not a collector and look for nothing more than a satisfactory smoking experience. The need to own a "one off" is nonexistent.

I agree that it is a tool, like a knife. But I think the allure of a commision is the option to specify dimensions. Like a knife, you could specify the exact size and shape that is most comfortable for you. This results in a "tool" that is suited to your specific needs and comfortability.

To each their own, I just think it's more than the need for a one off.

 

[telescopes]

I appreciate your advice but, for me the pipe is simply a tool. I'm not a collector and look for nothing more than a satisfactory smoking experience. The need to own a "one off" is nonexistent.

In that vain, the Mona Lisa is a wall decoration. David is a centerpiece for the floor. Corinthian Columns hold up the ceiling.

 

[cigrmaster]

I appreciate your advice but, for me the pipe is simply a tool. I'm not a collector and look for nothing more than a satisfactory smoking experience. The need to own a "one off" is nonexistent.

I have never done a commission for the purpose of it being a one off. I bought mine based on how well do I think it will smoke my favorite blends. When I do a commission or buy any pipes I find out every dimension on the pipe as I know group 4-5 sized pipes smoke my flakes the best. I am also a freak about the stem and it's construction as I won't put up with any turbulence. It has been a long time since I had to think to hard if a pipe will fit my goals. I recently culled 60 pipes so I am down to 38 fantastic smokers. I moved out plenty of good smokers but only the very best made the cut. I have a glass door cabinet that holds 15 pipes which is empty and constantly calling to fill it. So far nothing has caught my interest. I am a lover of the classic shapes and have not been seeing the shaping I expect for the price points people are asking. I am patient and in the meantime I smoke great pipes and nothing but aged tobacco. I have no complaints.

 

[hugodrax]

It's boring alright. Boring.

 

[didimauw]

you say that now but wait till you get old. I know so many old people that never liked always against it and now rave about how much it helps.
Back to the original post. Magic it's always magic. Why is this pipe great? Magic! Why does this pipe suck? Bad magic! It's as good of an explanation as we'll get till someone does extensive controlled experiments that will only get funded when one of us strikes oil and says instead of moving to Beverly hills I am going to crack the pipe enigma once and for all.

Right on my friend. Been saying that myself for the past couple years. Everyone thought I was crazy, now they are all on the bus with me.

 

[Chasing Embers]

I thought flame grain had to be vertical. No?

No, it can be cross cut.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Always Briar, never a Bong.

Yep

 

[Chasing Embers]

I go for material and bore. If dissatisfied with either, in the trash it goes.