How to buy a Good Estate Pipe

[Alejo R.]

Plus ca change

I collect old Britwoods
A great number are stamped “Made in London/England”
but I suspect many were made in France, imported into England and “finished” there.

We’re ever at the mercy of the marketers especially where there is a profit in it

and it is worse these days when pipe factories are increasingly scarce

 

[telescopes]

God grant me the serenity to know good and damned well what I experience and not doubt myself.

I can think of a good many Americans right now who share that sentiment. It apparently is a sign of the times.

But lets think about this next statement below:

You could even try it with no wax.

Stripping off a finish, adding wax, oils, or bees wax all impact wood, especially when it is heated.

There's nothing magical about it and yes, I imagine you do see some changes in the pipe coloration of some of the pipes you are smoking.

Pipes that have all been smoked for who knows how long before they came to you.

And yet, once they arrive in your hands, they magically change colors after a few smokes.

Why? Why you?

My guess is that you, good friend Lee, are the variable. You are the independent variable in this experiment and the outcome is dependent on your methodology.

I have purchased many Marxman pipes. None of them color the way your pipes seem to do.

Why? Why me?

Hmmmm. I don't do anything to them other than have them cleaned. Over the course of a few years, some have darkened some, but... my natural colored Super Briars are still uncolored.

Why?

My hypothesis is not that for some reason the "sap" is missing in my Algerian briars, but that I am not doing anything to them other than smoking them.

I can't tell you why some people think the election was rigged, despite so much evidence to the contrary, they just think it.

I can't tell you why some people think Nikki Haley isn't a citizen; they just think it.

And I can't tell you why you perceive changes in the color of your Algerian Briars (I actually think I can as stated above), you just do.

But that's okay. You're okay. I like your stories and I would be happy to smoke a pipe with you anytime or anywhere. Half my friends are Republicans and half my friends are Democrats. The other half of my friends simply don't care one way or the other, LOL.

 

[Hillcrest]

 

[Briar Lee]

My Royal Ascot Deluxe arrived today,

It cleaned up to nearly new with Everclear and a paper towel, the old stain and varnish just melting off. This is a short, medium sized old pipe.

I’ve rubbed it with carnauba wax and let’s see how it colors.

 

[jpmcwjr]

These are "after" photos? If so, what about before you worked on it?

 

[Briar Lee]

The hardest part about being right is not to allow the doubters to sway what you know is true.

Just one smoke, utterly delicious, no pipe on this earth is better, few as good.

 

[telescopes]

These are "after" photos? If so, what about before you worked on it?

That is the question. I can do the same with any pipe I own. Strip the outer finish and apply oils and waxes. Smoke. Change in color.

 

[Briar Lee]

That is the question. I can do the same with any pipe I own. Strip the outer finish and apply oils and waxes. Smoke. Change in color.

Not to this degree in one smoke.



This one is an eBay Power Ball winner, most do not color this fast or taste this good.

If they were varnished it took a long time to color.

If a pure natural finish where they could breathe often a coat of wax traps something red inside the briar, sonetimes on the first smoke.

And it’s hardly a coincidence if they color fast they are outrageously good smokers, over and above expectations.

They don’t get hot, never gurgle, taste divine,,,,it was the perfect briar.

 

[telescopes]

The hardest part about being right is not to allow the doubters to sway what you know is true.

View attachment 282148

If the doubters weren't correct, you would have taken pictures before you changed the finish and smoked it.

What we see is a pipe that has had its finished taken off and brightened as a result. What we see afterwards is a pipe that has clearly had the wax that has been applied to it darken. The wood hasn't changed colors at all.

How do I know. The proof is in the first picture you provided. You provided a picture of a pipe that was smoked for many years. You, in your own words, removed the varnish and "the old stain". You then applied a wax and as wax on a pipe does after smoking, the briar showed a darker color. If I were to remove the stain and wax again, the briar would once again be a lighter color.

What have you proved? That wax, not briar, can work with the pre-existing finishes to create a darker color.

I can do this to my pipes all day long and what am I proving?

Why don't you tell me why any pipe I do this to will darken, and why, any pipe I remove the finish from has an underlying briar that is for untainted?

Why?

 

[telescopes]

Not to this degree in one smoke.

View attachment 282151

This one is an eBay Power Ball winner, most do not color this fast or taste this good.

If they were varnished it took a long time to color.

If a pure natural finish where they could breathe often a coat of wax traps something red inside the briar, sonetimes on the first smoke.

And it’s hardly a coincidence if they color fast they are outrageously good smokers, over and above expectations.

They don’t get hot, never gurgle, taste divine,,,,it was the perfect briar.

Wrong.

I absolutely can.

 

[beefeater33]

The "Magic Sap"..............................

 

[telescopes]

this

This GBD Virgin was cleaned up last week and I cleaned it back to the naturally blond finish it had when I first won it in a pipe smoking contest back in the 80s.

I smoked it the other day. I posted the smoke on the WAYS thread.

One smoke and the color changed to this darker red.

@Briar Lee - How do you explain that? This IS NOT ALGERIAN BRIAR.

I am confused. Why did this GBD Virgin color to this dark red from a nice blond finish in one smoke?

If only Algerian Briar knows this trick, I wonder why Corsican Briar seems to do as well?

 

[telescopes]

@Briar Lee This Charatan's Make was a nice blonde yellowish looking pipe only a few smokes ago. Now, after I cleaned it up and smoked it a bit after adding some wax, it is very red. Red enough that I am frustrated because I preferred the nice blonde color.

Why?

Why Mr. Lee?

LOL

It must be that deliciously hard and great tasting briar Charatan's Make used in the LATE 60s.

Or?

 

[Briar Lee]

The "Magic Sap"..............................

Damn right.

I took my trusty drill and opened the airway.

See that blonde spot? That’s the drill finishing up the air hole. It’s briar.



The entire pipe was about that blonde an hour ago, after I cleaned it using Everclear and a paper towel.



This pipe tastes so good I want to eat it.

I own a hundred or more Lees and maybe I could find two or three that won’t match this little guy but come close.

There’s magic sap in my $7 pipe.

There would be no cigarette smokers if all pipes were this good. The entire world would smoke a pipe, if they smoked at all.

BTW, it has seven fills I can easily see.

They didn’t waste top grade Algerian briar, back in the day. It was not the highest quality of what was exported, but it came from a bag of the highest grade.

 

[Briar Lee]

Anyone who’s smoked briar pipes enough they don’t get tongue bite anymore has bought a new briar pipe and the thing tastes like ass breaking in.

That bad briar taste comes from particulates,,,,,sap,,,,left inside the briar.

Keep smoking it and the bad taste goes away—-but we all know some briar pipes taste better than others.

It’s those particulates inside—-the good sap. The hot ember releases the taste.

Anybody with a spare $25 can buy a low mileage old Algerian briar pipe off eBay and do what I just did.

No promises they’ll be as outrageously good as this one—-but they’ll ruin you for lesser briar.

 

[jpmcwjr]

Note to all: I am sick of this "sap" shit. No more mentions of sap, even in jest.
I will delete such posts and award warning points to those who ignore this draconian measure.

 

[pipenschmoeker123]

Note to all: I am sick of this "sap" shit. No more mentions of sap, even in jest.
I will delete such posts and award warning points to those who ignore this draconian measure.

Thank you! It is the right thing to do. Repeating the same shit again and again is also quite annoying.

 

[sham]

Thank you! It is the right thing to do. Repeating the same shit again and again is also quite annoying.

he started the thread, dont click on it if you can't bear to read it

 

[pipenschmoeker123]

he started the thread, dont click on it if you can't bear to read it

Yes, I know that. But this is not the only thread repeating things about „sap“. Anyways…I enjoy the history of his pipes, that is great stuff.

 

[beefeater33]

Yes, I know that. But this is not the only thread repeating things about „sap“. Anyways…I enjoy the history of his pipes, that is great stuff.

But you just mentioned the "S" word............... NAUGHTY!