No Finish (Natural) Pipes

[rhogg]

OK.... so I have 3 Savinelli Natural pipes with no finish, 2 of them have vulcanite stems, and the other has a lucite stem with a greenish silvery swirl to it. As far as I know these pipes were meant for greater things, but they had too many fills et cetera, so they do not get fully finished. The bowls are not pre-carbonated and the exteriors are raw. They typically sell from $30 - $50 new.
They smoke like a dream. All three of them are awesome. I have lots of expensive pipes, but the these pipes are the ones I reach for. There is something about the way they smoke, that I honestly cannot define. I even have other Savinellis that are three time as expensive, but these pipes just smoke better.
I have come to wonder if because of the lack of an exterior finish the briar breaths better or something. I mean these are basically beater pipes but the tobaccos just come through so awesome. To be perfectly clear.... literally almost every tobacco I have tastes better out of these pipes. With exception of one pipe that I have devoted to Virginias and VAPERS because it seems to have the perfect bowl for that type of tobac, these pipes are hands down awesome.
Does anyone out there have similar experiences with unfinished briar pipes?
Sages of the pipe.... please explain.

 

[zanthal]

I am no sage, but I tend to think those pipes smoke best for you because the size of the draw hole and the shape of the bowl accentuate your smoking technique.
It's hard to believe that the finish has anything to do with the flavoring of the tobacco, especially after many smokes.

 

[hobojoe]

Rhogg,

All my briar's are finished. The ones I half way carved are from

Pecan,wild cherry wood and Crepe myrtle. The best smoker is Poker from

Crepe Myrtle. It has only wax on it. I think it's the better one because

of natural grain look and I take time when smoking it.

I hate to stain over a nice grain. It seems that a sharp looking

pipe is only noticed by other pipe smokers. There isn't another pipe

smoker in a 2 mile square around me. The Briar's do not get noticed

when I smoke them around people but the natural ones do.

Maybe the bowl breathers better than a highly finished bowl.

Hope i did not kill this topic for you as I do others.

Joe

 

[kennerth]

There should be merit to your point about no finish and breathing. If you buff it with carnuba, then you'd be sealing it the same as any briar, as most have only stain and carnuba.

 

[yuri66]

I have a couple of unfinished Briar's and have found the same thing they smoke great, now I cannot say that's because they are not stained, but they do smoke great. I purchased my first unfinished because an old codger I know had one and I asked him how he stained that pipe with the color and finish, and he told me that there is no finish on it its all oils from his hand, it looked great, so I bought one and I have noticed that as it "ages" it looks differend every time and it gets better looking.

So to answer the question, Ha! no clue if they smoke better due to lack of finish thus letting them breathe easier, but they do smoke great and I love the fact that they are a constantly changing their color.

 

[rigmedic1]

I smoked Edward's natural pipes for decades, and found they were always good and cool. Having said that, I have many pipes that are finished and smoke cool as well. Technique may have just as much to with the way a pipe smokes as the finish. On the other hand, heavily lacquered or varnished pipes seem to always smoke hot for me, no mater what I do. I only smoke those outside in the winter. ::

 

[rhogg]

Well I am still not sure how much merit there is to my idea. What I am going to do is seek out Natural type pipes of different shapes and sizes. Of the three that I have the shapes are different. Two have bowls of what look to be somewhat similar, but the third has a larger bowl for sure. They don't really smoke identically considering the shape differences.
Nording makes some "natural" pipes, but the bowls are pre-carbed. Pipesandcigars.com has a natural line they sell. Does anyone else now who makes pipes with no finish and virgin chambers?

 

[rhogg]

There may be something to this. I have found other pipes threads on the subject. Don't want to bore everyone to death so I'll attempt to update this after I acquire various sizes and brands of unfinished pipes.

 

[lordnoble]

My Sav Natural has a fill that goes all the wa through the bowl up at the top, but it smokes great. I'd rate it as one of my best. You might be on to something...
-Jason
P.S.- Move to Pipe Talk sub-forum

 

[sfexeter]

Who sells these? I don't think I've seen them.

 

[docwatson]

Virgin finished pipes (no stain) are great pipes. Like fellow members say, they change color dramatically while breaking them in and acquire a wonderful patina over the years. Personally I also believe that they breathe better than any lacquered or heavily waxed pipe, my opinion only. Some really high grade virgin pipes are marketed by Castello (stamped Vergen), and also the Savinelli Corallo finish. They are exceptional smokers. And even some very inexpensive UNFINISHED pipes can turn out to be some of your favorites.

 

[atuukson]

Natural "unfinsihed" pipes from pipesandcigars.com

 

[tobakenist]

I don't believe in the breathing briar bit, the important part is that the inside of the bowl is porous, the vast majority of pipes are heavily waxed, even most meerschaums are waxed, some very expensive pipes like Davidoff's advertise that they are double waxed and no way is the outer briar is porous. I like to see the natural wood of a briar but don't think it contributes to a dryer smoke, they may dry out better and quicker between smokes though.

 

[pentangle]

I have a natural virgin Savinelli "corallo di mare" probably made in mid seventies it's a nice pipe, but i can't find differences between top quality pipes.They all smokes perfectly.I find differences only due to the briar thickness and sometime due to the shape.It's more a question of beauty or better what we mean for beauty

Maurizio

 

[kennerth]

100% of the pipes I have smoked without a finish smoked well. I cannot say the same for finished pipes (granted, I am looking forward to further research!)

 

[rhogg]

I looked at the Mark Tinsky pipes. They look really nice, and I am sure they are worth it. They have quite a few available in the "naked" finish. http://ssl.cybersun.com/4Dscripts/webcatalog4disapi.dll/4dcgi/view?AMS-11_XMAS_DC~101618585~1
Does anyone know of other pipe makers or brands out there that make unfinished pipes? So far all I can really find are the Savinellis, and "natural" pipes at pipesandcigars.com.
The price range goes from $50 straight into $160 range without any choices in the middle.

 

[rhogg]

hobojoe,
Do you sell pipes that you make? I never heard of a crepe myrtle until I moved to Virginia, and I have never heard of anyone making a pipe out of it. Very Cool!

 

[nsfisher]

i got a med VFQ with other estate pipes few weeks ago. I took 1000 grid wet paper an removed finish. took it down to bare wood then rubbed extra virgin olive oil. I like it so much more now and especially the way it darkens with use. I am gonna keep it that way but i dont think it smokes any diff, just looks cooler

 

[hobojoe]

Rhogg,

No, I do not sell the pipes I make. they are too primitive.

There is something about my abilities that will not let me get perfect.

I am retired at 63, worked 50 to 60hrs a week and never got to do different things.

So I try what i would have like to have done and if it turns out 11/2 way I stay with

It. Maybe when I am gone, my kids might be able sell them to an unsuspecting buyer. :D

I went to a Wood working trade show and bought 4 inch high x 6 inch round blocks of

different type of exotic woods for $3.50 each.

On a different note the Olive oil is new to me. Thanks for the tip Nsfisher.

Leather workers use Vinegar and steel wool also for staining leather.

Joe

 

[hobojoe]

Here is a picture of a Crepe Myrtle Wood pipe. Not all natural light maple stain and wax.

I like to see the grains on sanded wood.

Joe