Non-Traditional Color Briars

[mso489]

From the Forums photos and from posts, I think that the majority of members,

by a wide margin, favor traditional colors in briars, as do I. Has anyone taken

the leap for some of the bright green, blue or other color stains for one or two

of their pipes, and if so, how has this worked out? Does the colorful briar get

pushed to the side as a novelty, or has someone out there taken on a green, or

other unconventional color briar, as a regular rotation? I know one member has

done wonderful things replacing stems with beautiful colored ones, but that's

a different question. I'm talking other than variations of the traditional stains or

unfinished pipes, the bright green, blue, and other colors. I have thought of adding

one of these -- I said one -- to the rack, but I have a lot of pipes, and I don't want

anything I won't grab for a smoke on a regular basis. And I am an old goat set

in my ways. What do you think? What's your experience?

 

[plateauguy]

I have a Peterson Irish Sea - it's a beautiful blueish green. I bought the Irish Sea to honor my Grampa Wallace, so it's smoked only on St. Pat's Day and Grampa's birthday. I also have a Killarney Red.
Both pipes are beautiful,and I'm glad that I have them, but I find that I lean towards the traditional.

 

[jonahtke]

One of the ones I pointed out to my wife as a suggestion for fathers day/birthday gifts was in the savinelli alligator series which has a pretty interesting texture and come stained in either green, blue, or red with lucite stems to match(as well as traditional black and brown).

 

[cortezattic]

Good question! I was wondering if anyone had experience with the Butz-Choquin line of colored pipes.

 

[jonahtke]

@cortezattic that is a cool pipe. I saw that smokingpipes carries some of his stuff (not one as ornate as that one)and they seem pretty reasonably priced assuming they smoke well.

 

[colorduke]

I own and smoke alot of colored pipes.

 

[waznyf]

I don't personally own any pipes of this sort, and at this time I have yet to find any that I feel I'd enjoy. Some of the color schemes are cool though.
-Frank

 

[zack24]

I saw a beautiful green briar with a green Cumberland stem- can't remember the maker. Absolutely incredible!
On the more unusual side, I'll be making a pipe this month for my wife based loosely adapted from a ladies Dunhill design from the late 50's. Small bowl tinted with a rose color, leading into an ivory bead, a section of bamboo stem topped by another ivory bead and a hand cut rose colored Cumberland stem...Actually doing it for a display at one of the top Wine & Shoes events for women in the country...
Ya won't see me smoking that one at the beach anytime soon...

 

[ciderguy]

I love the way Talbert's green pipes look and I'll purchase one eventually. I also think that Olie Sylvester makes some very interesting pipes that I would classify as avant garde.

 

[kashmir]

Cortez, I'd buy that pipe. Gorgeous. In general, I'm conservative with regards to strumel and bowl, less,si on choice of stem.

 

[shaintiques]

I have a racing green Peterson churchwarden. It smokes well it just doesn't get smoked too much because of transportability. I don't smoke at home very often.

 

[ejames]

I stained a pipe "Forest Green" once. In about 6 months the green had been replaced with brown.

I do have a bunch of colored pipes,but they ain't stained,and don't change colors.
I prefer light,natural colors.

 

[bambam]

I have an orange Dr. Grabow that I smoke during the Cleveland Browns games, hasn't helped the team but it has helped me enjoy the games a bit more, it smokes fine, I also have a Vector Bulldog that looks very much like the Butz-Choquin that is pictured and it has been dedicated to Orlik Golden Slice It loves it ::

 

[mso489]

Extending my post a little bit, someone mentioned that a stained pipe didn't hold its color. I guess that's one

of the things I think about. Brown, black, unfinished, reddish toned, etc., pipes tend to age in a pleasing way.

They may show some wear, but they tend to do this in a pleasing way. Has anyone bought a green, blue,

red, orange pipe, and smoked it regularly, to say how this bright color ages? I can't quite see it. It seems like

it might just wear off and leave a kind of sad, faded look. Has anyone seen a bright colored pipe that is about

15 years old, to know how that works?

 

[gmwolford]

My son has a Savinelli Alligator in green that he smokes regularly and loves; I kind of like the red, myself. I had a Mr Brog that was supposed to be a kind of mahogany but was a terrible (to me) purple. It smoked really well but I couldn't get around the color; it's classic black now. ::

 

[mso489]

Wow. That's both sides of the argument, Greg. Thanks. I guess it depends on the pipe maker entirely,

as most quality questions do. If Savenelli is going to make a pipe in a bright color, they're going to figure

out how to make that color last the life of the pipe. Good for you to correct the color that went awry.

 

[ejames]

I've noticed that lacquered pipes will not change colors--unless the lacquer chips or peels.

 

[mso489]

I guess I would trust Savenelli, Chocom, and Peterson to make pipes in bright colors that would retain

the lacquer finish, mostly if not invariably. Any other makes that might do that? These seem to have

some experience with it and probably retain the knowhow. Peterson isn't doing bright colored pipes

right now, or at least they aren't pushing them in this country, whereas Savenelli and Chocom seem to

be playing up more colorful bowls.

 

[simnettpratt]

The only green pipe I've ever liked was a smokingdragon cob. Other than that, traditional for me.

 

[cigrmaster]

The only colored pipe I own is this red Rad Davis billiard. It has darkened somewhat since this picture was taken and is more of a wine color. I honestly was not crazy about the color when I bought it, but it has grown on me. I bought it because I thought it was going to be a great smoker and as it turned out I was right. It was the third Rad I ever bought. I am definitely a traditionalist when it comes to the pipes I buy.