Does heavier briar denote... higher quality?

[jlee]

Weight alone is not a perfect measure of porosity or density. Diffusion would indicate porosity and something like specific gravity would probably be a better measure for density. I would suggest that weight is not a sure-fire way to determine if your pipe is more porous or less dense relative to a pipe with more weight.

 

[loneredtree]

Yes, weight is not a measure of density. But if the volume of wood of two pipes is the same, the lighter one is the less dense. I do not know how one would measure porosity. Maybe the less dense one has more air voids and is more porous.
:crazy:

 

[nemrod]

Weight alone is not a perfect measure of porosity or density. Diffusion would indicate porosity and something like specific gravity would probably be a better measure for density. I would suggest that weight is not a sure-fire way to determine if your pipe is more porous or less dense relative to a pipe with more weight.

Specific gravity is the ratio between the density of something compared to a reference material. In other words completely irrelevant to actually measuring density.
To get the density of a piece of briar weight it (let's ignore gravity, you'd be weighting the different pipes at the same gravity anyway unless you're in a plane going somewhere or the stars happen to align as you do the measurements ) and then measure the volume (by putting it in a bowl of water and measuring how much the water rose for example) and divide the two. Repeat for several pipes. What naturally follows with that formula (mass/volume) is that the lighter the pipe the lower the density.
Now that we've established that weight actually IS a sure-fire way to determine the density (no one suggested not taking volume into account - a huge pipe will obviously weight more than a small pipe - we're not stupid) the only thing left to argue about is the impact that difference in density actually has on smoking qualities.
Considering the obvious difference in smoking quality between a porcelain pipe and a clay pipe we can easily tell that porosity can have a major impact on smoking quality. The difference in porosity between two pieces of briar will naturally never reach those heights, but without some different sample pieces of briar and a lab to conduct absorption and heat conductivity experiments in it's not that easy to tell just how much the difference in density will impact smoking.

 

[jpberg]

Well, we're taking more bites out of this sandwich, but we're nowhere close to finishing it.

At what point does cake render any absorbtion charateristics a moot point?

 

[jlee]

If you held two pipes in your hands and they were the exact same weight - would they also share the exact same density or porosity?

To get the density of a piece of briar weight it (let's ignore gravity, you'd be weighting the different pipes at the same gravity anyway unless you're in a plane going somewhere or the stars happen to align as you do the measurements ) and then measure the volume (by putting it in a bowl of water and measuring how much the water rose for example) and divide the two. Repeat for several pipes. What naturally follows with that formula (mass/volume) is that the lighter the pipe the lower the density.

Weight is a measure of gravity's effect... hard to ignore it. Weight is still an imperfect measure for density and you explain why right here: mass/volume. Mass, as a measurement of inertia, is universal (and why it's different than weight - semantics in our field of gravity perhaps but not insignificant and must be accounted for in any equation measuring as much). I didn't see any talk of volume and that is a primary reason why weight alone is an imperfect measure of density (as you and loneredtree suggest). If weight were truly a sure-fire way to measure density a ton of lead would have the same density as a ton of feathers. Density Scales.

Specific gravity is the ratio between the density of something compared to a reference material. In other words completely irrelevant to actually measuring density. []

I would think that specific gravity could be a useful metric to determine the relative density against our known reference (water). It came to me because I seem to recall that SG is measurement for different types of wood - someone somewhere has probably determined the specific gravity of briar for that matter. Seems that it isn't completely irrelevant to this particular conversation.
This did get me thinking about ambient conditions on briar - doesn't wood take on the ambient humidity of it's environment? Wouldn't seasonal changes or changes in locations with large differences in relative humidity have noticeable effects?

 

[igloo]

Yawn . Less weight eguals more seasoned briar . Seasond pipes smoke better . Why ? Because God made it that way .The wide open pores disapate heat faster resulting in a cooler smoke . Ever wonder why a older pipe smokes better or why some pipes just take forever to break in . The reason is the curing of the wood . Trust me no one wants a green pipe .Yucky . The evidence is clear in almost every pipe makers shop you will see a bag of briar ageing and drying . Once the cake is built up to protect the wood in the bowl . How in the sam hill are the resins and such going to permeate the pipe after the cake is built . As the wood heats up the wood pores open and release the heat .Yet the cake holds the embers of joy . :nana:

 

[jchaplick]

Yawn . Less weight eguals more seasoned briar . Seasond pipes smoke better . Why ? Because God made it that way .The wide open pores disapate heat faster resulting in a cooler smoke . Ever wonder why a older pipe smokes better or why some pipes just take forever to break in . The reason is the curing of the wood . Trust me no one wants a green pipe .Yucky . The evidence is clear in almost every pipe makers shop you will see a bag of briar ageing and drying . Once the cake is built up to protect the wood in the bowl . How in the sam hill are the resins and such going to permeate the pipe after the cake is built . As the wood heats up the wood pores open and release the heat .Yet the cake holds the embers of joy . [:nana:]

Thankyou, probably the best way to put it so far

 

[igloo]

Engineers and scientists design stuff , figure everthing out with theories and math . Then the janitor comes along and fixes stuff so it works . :rofl:

 

[jchaplick]

sounds about right doesnt it

 

[nemrod]

Weight is a measure of gravity's effect... hard to ignore it.

The gravity difference in a single specific place on earth exerted on similar pieces of briar within seconds or minutes of each other are obviously negligible and can safely be ignored for our purposes (which is comparing the relative density of two pieces of wood).

I didn't see any talk of volume and that is a primary reason why weight alone is an imperfect measure of density

So you think that because we didn't mention volume we thought it wasn't a factor? No one ever mentioned weight alone, completely disregarding the common sense and logic that size matters. It's implicit and thinking otherwise isn't very bright.

I would think that specific gravity could be a useful metric to determine the relative density against our known reference (water). Seems that it isn't completely irrelevant to this particular conversation.

specific gravity would probably be a better measure for density

No, specific gravity isn't a better measure for density. Density is a better measure for density. Mixing specific gravity into the mix is just complicating things and has no practical purpose for comparing the density of two pipes. It's still irrelevant.

 

[chopz]

wood can absorb an enormous amount of moisture, and the weight can be changed drastically. although with such a small piece of wood the amount of weight added might seem negligible. look at humans, more than 80% of whose weight is water, as an example of how living things tend to do that.

 

[PeriqueMyInterest]

I didn't see any talk of volume and that is a primary reason why weight alone is an imperfect measure of density

Two pipes of the same size with different weights have different volume. If two pipes have the same measurements and one is lighter wouldn't it have less volume which means that it would be less dense?

 

[docwatson]

Engineers and scientists design stuff , figure everthing out with theories and math . Then the janitor comes along and fixes stuff so it works .

:rofl:
Then the TOOLMAKER comes along and fixes stuff so it works .

:rofl: :rofl:

 

[philip]

Things you might consider when buying a pipe:
Weight

Density

Specific gravity

Molecular structure

Barometric pressure

Altitude

Relative humidity

Grain quality

Absorption rates
Or you can keep it simple. If you like the looks of a pipe and it feels good in your hand, buy it. Then if it gives you a pleasurable smoke you can rest assured that you did well.

 

[jlee]

So you think that because we didn't mention volume we thought it wasn't a factor?

No, I don't think that. I simply think that weight alone is an imperfect measure of density. I try my hardest not to assume what others are thinking as it's difficult for me to know. You will also have to excuse me for my obliviousness to the obviously negligible, the safely ignored, and (implicit) common sense - apparently.

...and thinking otherwise isn't very bright.

You're in good company there as my lack of brightness is well known (just ask my wife!). At least the internet got it's quotient of self-important immodesty filled.
Personally I'm with Philip: If it feels good - do it.

 

[tobakenist]

How did this post get so heated ? It was a good question but not a question of great importance and not one that needed such scientific debate and such one-up-man-ship, :worship: come on behave and smoke your overweighted and underweighted pipes. :puffpipe:

 

[igloo]

You can not clench a heavy pipe as well as you can a lighter one . By the way weight has little to do with strength .

 

[lordnoble]

By the way weight has little to do with strength .

You're telling me... If that were true, I'd be able to lift a small elephant. :lol:
I think this question is valid, and while I kind of got lost in the scientific jargon (can you tell science was never a strong suit for me?), it seems that the answer is, no and yes. Just to not clarify anything. Glad to add a useless statement to an otherwise valid question! :lol: :roll:
I do admit to being guilty of the heavier is better thing. Not with pipes, I buy them for their looks and value. I'm talking about other things.. If I'm spending money on a nice kitchen knife, I'll initially lean toward a stainless steel blade even though I know from experience that a ceramic one will be just as good if not better.
-Jason

 

[PeriqueMyInterest]

Personally I don't care much about the weight of a pipe because I don't clench for long periods of time; I drool. I do however prefer many things to be heavier: lighters, knives, harmonicas, etc.

 

[pipevilleworld]

If it's good for you, do it... true indeed but... physics and etc. help one come to the conclusions as to WHY... they feel they like it. Everyone knows that they love a particular model wireless phone, home theater speaker system or LCD screen but... does anyone care to know why? Why a pipe is a generally desirable one, ought to be studied a bit; broken down... torn apart. I mean... we have plenty of articles to read in order to help us understand how the multitudinous blends of pipe tobacco are processed and etc. but... hardly any as to what we should look for in purchasing a quality pipe and why.
I mean... wouldn't one like to be able to give a better answer to the question, "Why is this pipe cost so much" or... "Why do you like this pipe more than you do... THIS pipe" other than... "I don't know dude. I just like it."