Hard vs.Soft Briar

[rsilverman7]

Dear Friends,
It is common when seeing pipe ads for the vendor to note that the briar is particularly "hard." It is less likely to see it claimed to be "soft," but obviously briar can be characterized on this continuum.
I would welcome learning what the smoking consequences are of pipes having various hardness of briar. I have seen claims that soft is better at absorption, which would give a good smoke. This is also a counterintuitive claim.
So, what do you say about this?

 

[pstlpkr]

Rsilverman7, this is a new one on me.

The are only things I can think of that may actually address any perceived differences in the briar used to make a pipe, would be grain quality... Considering that all the briar comes primarily from the same general region. And, the second is what part of the briar root is used for any particular block... Which may produce the differing qualities of grain.
Some others may have some opinion on this.

My offering is only a supposition on my part and shouldn't be considered factual.

 

[papipeguy]

Sounds like an Uncle Arthur question.

 

[pstlpkr]

ARTHUR

 

[cortezattic]

The only thing I've heard about soft vs hard briar wood, and this doesn't answer the question, is that

sandblasting removes the relatively softer wood, and generally reveals interesting grain and ring growth patterns.
As to smoking quality, like Lawrence, the only discussions I've heard focus on grain characteristics

-- but maybe that's because the grain is the easiest property to evaluate. e.g. Bird's-eye, or end grain, is more

absorbent, but pipes sporting a lot of bird's-eye require most rest. (BTW, I don't know for a fact that this is true.)
Additionally, I've heard that "bald", or grainless pipes tend to be lousy smokers that also require a lot of rest.

So maybe there's a connection between the amount and density of grain and hardness.

 

[mlaug]

I've never heard of a soft briar. Maybe its a marketing scheme like the venerable "dead root" briar controversy a certain carver uses to tout his own line of pipes?
:?:

 

[ejames]

My feeble brain can't remember who it was or where I saw it but I SEEM to remember reading an article about a well know pipe maker( Danish or Italian) He used briar from different ares because of the difference in hardness.I'm thinking it was the Algerian variety that is softer-don't quote me on that.

 

[kcvet67]

It's a marketing ploy, they're trying to blow smoke up your posterior. It's true that briar from different areas can have difference characteristics, but all of them have hardness that is nearly the same. Very hard.
The only briar that might legitimately be called "soft" might be the heart of a burl. This "heartwood" is totally useless for making pipes and is thrown out.

 

[nmbigfoot02]

The only thing I've heard about soft vs hard briar wood, and this doesn't answer the question, is that

sandblasting removes the relatively softer wood, and generally reveals interesting grain and ring growth patterns.

This is what I've read as well. One other piece I read in regards to sandblasting was that by removing the softer parts of the briar caused the pipe to smoke cooler, with the theory being that the softer parts retained more heat in the pipe.
Disclaimer: I'm only relating what I've read; I have never experienced this behavior firsthand, so take the information for what you will.

 

[stephendownie]

There can be a huge difference in briar hardness and I can tell what blocks are going to blast well, which ones are going to wear out my sanding pads ahead of time and which ones will never be brought within sight of a blasting cabinet. You can feel it by scraping a finger nail against the wood, feeling the weight of a block, even in the sound the block makes when you tap it. As far as smoking is concerned I personally don't think it makes a huge difference unless the wood is really hard or really soft. I generally feel that harder, more dense woods will allow a maker to make the walls of the pipe a bit thinner and I look for hard wood when I'm making featherweights. That said, extremely hard woods can be more prone to cracking, while really soft woods can burn through very easily.