New Line From Blakemar Briars: King's Imperial.

[mawnansmiff]

Whilst browsing the Blakemar Briars website last week I spied they have introduced a new line to their collection. It is called 'King's Imperial' and is described as "The same quality briar as the Aristocrat range - only bigger. Finished in either smooth walnut or black rustic."
Of the 19 styles on offer, the one I wanted was out of stock (a smooth bent bulldog...bent Rhodesian on the website) so I spoke to Mike over the 'phone and he told me he did indeed have the smooth models but they were unfinished. However he did say he would get one sorted for me so I payed the man.
Well it arrived this morning and all I can say is WOW! It is one heck of a bulldog, considerably larger than the two I have from his Aristocrat range. It weighs in at 72.54 grams and holds 4 grams of FVF so it is a long smoker. In fact I have just put it down after around 50 minutes and am only half way through the bowl!
Below are a couple of pictures, the last one being from the Aristocrat range for comparison.

A whopper of a pipe and at just £39:60 ($50) which included postage and (great) packaging I reckon I got myself a real bargain.
Take a look, there is a pipe there to suit most tastes on his website and he is a great chap to do business with.
http://blakemar.co.uk/pipes
Regards,
Jay.

 

[aquadoc]

Nice pipe, Jay.

 

[cortezattic]

Very nice proportions -- and I think the luster of the finish is remarkable. Enjoy it for many years to come. :clap:

 

[pitchfork]

Cracking bulldog, Jay. At a fantastic price! Glad you're enjoying it.

 

[papipeguy]

Very nice indeed. Looks like I'll be adding a few more Balkemars to the 2 I have. Enjoy.

 

[jpmcwjr]

Very nice looking but at that weight, I won't be smoking them. Great looking finish!

 

[mawnansmiff]

"Very nice looking but at that weight, I won't be smoking them."
John, not being a clencher myself weight plays little in my choice of pipes. I'm a bent bulldog fan and have a few 'regular' sized 'dogs but this one is for those times when I fancy a lingering and lazy smoke ::
Regards,
Jay.

 

[PaulTheScandinavian]

Jay: very Nice a pipe you wont go wrong with Blakemar Briars, although personally I wont buy this big chambered nor too heavy pipes(something I tend to clench too much, need to stop this 'bad habit otherwise I develop these tooth scatters on all my mouthpices excludin acrylic ones) meanwhile I'm waiting my estate Peterson Deluxe flame 606 Pot to arrive anytime soon,

 

[didache]

The Blakemars seem to be incredibly good value. I have never smoked one or even handled one, but the prices make me wonder how they do it.

 

[PaulTheScandinavian]

Didache,I had been informed Blakemar med priced bowls come from Spain and are finished at factory in England,

 

[didache]

paulie66 - that doesn't surprise me. Probably all but a handful of pipe makers do something similar. Even so, less than £40 for a pipe with at least some real human input is very attractive pricing these days.

 

[mawnansmiff]

Paul and Didache, the bowls are indeed turned in Spain but Mike fits and finishes them in Northamptonshire.
They are indeed exceptional value for money and the quality is easily on par with Peterson pipes plus you don't get stain in the bowl ::
I now have five of his pipes and cannot find a fault in any one of them bar perhaps the Hungarian that burns a little hot at times.
Not all of his 'King's Imperial' line have cavernous bowls by the way, they are just larger pipes. Each pipe listed has the cubic capacity of the bowl listed with the other dimensions.
Regards,
Jay.

 

[jensen]

The King`s Imperial has been there for years,just only new to the website.

I have two bents, a smooth and a rustic.

 

[mothernaturewilleatusallforbreakfast]

You can't go wrong with a bent bulldog. Nice pipe! ::

 

[PaulTheScandinavian]

Yes, at least based on my experience so far my Blakemars do perform very well, and this my Pot from Litchbruyere serie I'd say its a exceptional smoker in every aspects,yet the briarwork and overall finishing are flawless, I like my Petersons as well,but I'd describe them being more stubborn'and they requiring take much more various efforts to get them smoke this cool as my Blakemars do(here I refer to braking in period-its always the same with these new era med priced Petersons,over the years have had these more than few examples,so I do know what to expect)

 

[mawnansmiff]

Paul, I would say that 50% of the price of a typical Peterson pipe is for the name alone. Mike of Blakemar, not being as well known simply prices his pipes to sell and by all accounts he sells a heck of a lot of them and good luck to him too!
Regards,
Jay.

 

[PaulTheScandinavian]

Jay,Most probably you are right here, and Petersons cost considerably less in England in comparition with how they are priced by eu continental tobacconists,you may wanna doing some online research say exploring Ebay Italy or Germany,and then I bet you will be amused,