Ebachon Production in Corsica

Log in

SmokingPipes.com Updates

New Cigars




PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

RudyH

Might Stick Around
Sep 1, 2022
53
74
Wisconsin
Very good! It took me a while to get to this video, but I'm glad I watched it. Thank you for posting it.
 

Briar Lee

Lifer
Sep 4, 2021
4,765
13,789
Humansville Missouri
It's the opposite unfortunately. Many pipemakers are reporting that briar quality from the big name suppliers is way down, and prices higher than ever.
When I was a boy there were lots of night hunters and trappers for fur, and back then fur was in such high demand that a good possum might bring a dollar or two.

Can you imagine a woman today saying Oh, thank you honey, I’ve wanted a possum coat all my life? Not even in Arkansas.:)

Even today, in a horrible fur market, the very best is still in demand.

 

Briar Lee

Lifer
Sep 4, 2021
4,765
13,789
Humansville Missouri
Lucien Georges theoretically ought to make the best smoking pipes on earth.

Perhaps Dr Grabow makes the most briar pipes, and they take new hires and train them to manufacture pipes. It’s not that difficult to manufacture a pipe in a pipe factory it cannot be taught.

But only an old man in Corsica who has made pipes all his life from native briar could select the best briar there is for pipes that he makes. His knowledge of briar took fifty years, and is priceless.
 

bullet08

Lifer
Nov 26, 2018
8,932
37,918
RTP, NC. USA
An interesting video about a man who used to produce a half million briar blocks a year:


It seems to me our pipes are made from the burls of a shrub that has been growing for ages on rocky hillsides around the Mediterranean and as demand decreases only the very best will be brought to market.
In theory, that's true. However, when supply is high and demand is low, companies will try anything to maintain their revenue. Instead of improving the quality of their products, they will go after the cheapest labor available, and cheapest materials.

Maybe individual pipe makers will choose best briars possible, but I doubt most factories will give shit.
 

PipeIT

Lifer
Nov 14, 2020
4,376
26,150
Hawaii
The video certainly makes it look like he was a big briar dealer in his times.

I only found one of his pipes online for sale, to bad there aren’t many others, as he seems like he was a big contributor to the pipe world. hmm 🤔