Good Briar Grain.

[crusader]

Hey all! Something hat has been rattling around the ol'nogin lately.

It seems as though that there has been a ton of blasted or rusticated new pipes for the last couple of years. Anything with straight, or even interesting grain is minimal and quote expensive.
Are the days of mid tier pipes with interesting grain history?

 

[Chasing Embers]

Some carvers use straight grain for blasts. It often produces tight ring grain.

 

[fireground_piper]

Define expensive?

 

[Chasing Embers]

Define expensive?

I thought about asking that as well. This one was less than $200.

 

[Hillcrest]

I wondered the same thing and whether I was just wasn't fast enough to find them. There seems to be a huge inventory of black sandblast and rusticated on some sites. Larger bowls seem fewer now as well. Maybe I'm not looking in the right places.

 

[Chasing Embers]

You need to make friends with an artisan or two. Online sites are mostly just department stores that stock what regularly sells.

 

[Hillcrest]

You need to make friends with an artisan or two. Online sites are mostly just department stores that stock what regularly sells.

I am at that point where I may have to commission something as I am not finding what I might like...although I don't need more pipes and don't smoke all I have. In defense of the black pipes, my Vauen Olaf is a black sandblast with incredible concentric ring grain and is a fabulous low maintenance almost daily smoker so I do see the advantages.

 

[Honkytonk Man]

Define expensive?

10 BUCKS!
Buddy of mine can't understand our fascination of the briar, meer, clay, etc...

 

[bluegrassbrian]

I like a good cross grain with lots of birdseye. It's a bit more common and easier to achieve than a really great straight grain
I've found new pipes with terrific cross grain for under $200, and estates for under $100.
Straight grains definitely command a higher price tag.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Buddy of mine can't understand our fascination of the briar, meer, clay, etc...

Tell him some of us have other problems.

 

[Chasing Embers]

I like a good cross grain with lots of birdseye. It's a bit more common and easier to achieve than a really great straight grain
I've found new pipes with terrific cross grain for under $200, and estates for under $100.
Straight grains definitely command a higher price tag.

Cross grains can be straight grain as well though.

 

[CallMeSangy]

I thought about asking that as well. This one was less than $200.

View attachment 222439

Was that bought as an estate or new? Less than 200 dollars has left me wanting in both size and grain in the lastest i've bought, and that looks like it could easily go for 250 or more. Well, to my eyes untrained anyway haha.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Was that bought as an estate or new? Less than 200 dollars has left me wanting in both size and grain in the lastest i've bought, and that looks like it could easily go for 250 or more. Well, to my eyes untrained anyway haha.

Last year's Christmas commission. Albanian briar with a three piece cumberland, white juma, and black ebonite stem. The shank accent is white juma, black ebonite, and deer antler. The chamber is .92"×2". That's why I mentioned making friends with artisans.

 

[CallMeSangy]

Last year's Christmas commission. Albanian briar with a three piece cumberland, white juma, and black ebonite stem. The shank accent is white juma, black ebonite, and deer antler. The chamber is .92"×2". That's why I mentioned making friends with artisans.

Ah makes sense. You describing it makes it sound just as beautiful as it looks.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Ah makes sense. You describing it makes it sound just as beautiful as it looks.

He knows me too well. I'm on a "surprise me" basis when I ask him for a pipe.

 

[bluegrassbrian]

Cross grains can be straight grain as well though.

View attachment 222474

I think that looking at some I've had. Pipe makers can be a funny bunch.

 

[Hillcrest]

Hey all! Something hat has been rattling around the ol'nogin lately.

It seems as though that there has been a ton of blasted or rusticated new pipes for the last couple of years. Anything with straight, or even interesting grain is minimal and quote expensive.
Are the days of mid tier pipes with interesting grain history?

Have you noticed on SP.com that this weeks Genod pipes bear a striking resemblance to Peterson's especially the Arklow series as well as some Savinelli shapes ??? Maybe they are going with what sells ??? ... some seem to be better interpretations ...

 

[Pipeoff]

Cross grains can be straight grain as well though.

View attachment 222474

 

[Pipeoff]

Great pipe but a true straight grain should be 360 in my book.

 

[simong]

Hey all! Something hat has been rattling around the ol'nogin lately.

It seems as though that there has been a ton of blasted or rusticated new pipes for the last couple of years. Anything with straight, or even interesting grain is minimal and quote expensive.
Are the days of mid tier pipes with interesting grain history?

It seems that way doesn’t it. For several years now a lot of lines from petersons have been devoid of any grain whatsoever. Briar shortage or the Chinese getting the lions share are what’s being touted on the rumour mill.