Good First Briar

[crashthegrey]

Pipe kits are absolutely fun and a great way to have a personal pipe. However, I leave you with a few words of warning:

The pipe kits are not usually the prettiest piece of briar and are not always drilled perfectly. The stem is usually acrylic and a bit thick, you'll likely want to rework the stem for comfort. Then you will discover that nothing was quite the way you wanted it and before you know it you may build a workshop, acquire a lathe, spend a ton of money on materials, and start making a bunch of pipes in your "spare time," of which you will have less and less every day. You may then struggle with when the right time to sell a pipe is, how good a pipe should be before selling it, and becoming obsessive over little details of every pipe. Or you may carve one and be perfectly happy and skip all of the ridiculousness which I just mentioned. YMMV. Godspeed.

 

[gordon28]

I can only imagine crashthegrey lol I have made a few small pipes before just whittling and drilling, nothing fancy just some single wood pieces similar to carving spoons but my only tools so far have been a knife and sandpaper, I think I will get some files for this one though

 

[bullet08]

"How does one crack a pipe? From smoking, or did you drop it or drive over it? Pics please!"
from smoking. either i smoked too hot too often, or try to keep relight the tobacco at the very bottom. now i smoke much slower, and don't relight if what's left in the bowl is near bottom.

 

[rdavid]

I smoked my first pipe so hot, it bubbled up the varnish coating. Dr Grabow Grand Duke and still smoking it today. Looks like hell though.

 

[crashthegrey]

I made some nice pipes with a knife, one file, and sandpaper. It's quite possible.

 

[dante]

oh yeah i gave the guy an extra $25 and it came back all cracked like this...

 

[gordon28]

Cool pipe Dante, I like it....

 

[jpmcwjr]

Rdavid- Re: your pipe that has bubbled varnish, are you interested in refurbing it? If so, post a photo or two.

 

[dante]

it's got a lot darker with smoking it.It's kind of lost the dynamics but i still love it

 

[mrmachado]

Although I am far from an expert and some of the forum members may know this by know, my first briar was this Savinelli and it's doing great. It cost me $75 and it's perfect for me atm. I also find it beautiful.
It's a Savinelli Piazza Di Spagna Rusticated 602

I think Savinellis around this price are worth it for beginners (like me).

 

[rdavid]

Rdavid- Re: your pipe that has bubbled varnish, are you interested in refurbing it? If so, post a photo or two.

Hey jpm. Yes, definitely going to refurb. I’ll start a new post with pics etc. Probably be a few days.

 

[rdavid]

Dante that pipe looks great. Wasn’t going to order the extra lightning finish but you definitely changed my mind. Thanks.

 

[rdavid]

Hey Machado. I have that same pipe but in a smooth finish. It’s one of my best smokers. Got it as an estate (unsmoked) for $80.

 

[jpmcwjr]

M- Good choice, fine pipe.

 

[mrmachado]

Yes. If he buys one of these (or a similar Savinelli) I bet he will not regret. Cost-benefit is perfect.

 

[bnichols23]

Totally concur -- Savinelli or Nording, either should be available from SPC or other quality vendor. Bang:buck, cost: benefit is a guaranteed.

 

[krizzose]

Well covered ground already, but Savinellis/Rossi for sure. I own several of both and have never been disappointed

 

[whiteburleydude]

Just gifted a friend of mine his first briar. He’s new to the hobby. It was a unsmoked Rossi 673. He loves it. Grab one for $40.

 

[mrmachado]

Sorry for resurrecting this thread, but why has basically no one recommended him a Stanwell?
Since it's cheaper than Savinellis, and also a good smoker as you guys said, I thought it'd make sense.

 

[rogerrodger]

My first briar was a Savinelli second basket pipe. Then a Rossi estate from smokingpipes.com. Both are great smoking pipes. The total expense for both was $90. My first non-briar pipes were Missouri Meerschaum corncobs, also excellent pipes, total expense $30.

My next briar was a Peterson Derry Rusticated. Even though it is now smoking well, it took several days of running bristle cleaners through the stem to get the draw acceptable. I'm glad it wasn't my first briar. It might have turned me off to briars altogether.

I'm waiting right now for a bent Cayuga billiard that was on sale for $49. Based on all the testimonials praising Cayugas on this forum site, I think that one of the Cayugas from Paul's Pipe shop would be a good first briar pipe, too.