Olive Wood pipes

[geirove]

Do you have any experience with pipes made out of olive wood?

I just came across a spanish crafter that use olive wood for his pipes, they look nice

 

[mso489]

I've heard good things about olive wood, pear, and maybe cherry. The only non-briar I have experienced is Mountain Laurel, and it seems as good as briar, although it doesn't exhibit the grain as fully; but Mountain Laurel and pipes made from it are hard to get. The carver who did mine doesn't sell online, only at the state fair and annual pipe show. He's a mountain guy and doesn't want any more business than he has. I think the other non-briar wood, other than morta, may not be quite as durable as briar, but if you have a number of pipes, I doubt this would ever be a problem.

 

[jitterbugdude]

I made one about 5 years ago. It is an excellent smoker. I would recommend one. I treat it somewhat like a meer though (don't know why) in that I do not let cake build on it.

 

[geirove]

I wonder, all his pipes was light in colour. Can it be rusticated or coloured?

 

[bcharles123]

Good point Mr. MSO, if any pipe is part of a large rotation the wear and tear durability lifetime issues become a much smaller consideration.
One bowl every month is a couple hundred bowls in a lifetime where, I think, back in the day, a guy might have smoked the same pipe or two every day 3-10x a day.

Then we are talking many 1000's. The gun guys understand this. A hunting rifle might only see 10, 20 rounds a year (and that's to sight it in) and 100 rounds in its owners life. Where as a reloader dedicated shooter type can put 1000's of rounds through a barrel. Anyway, dramatic difference.
And I would add strawberry wood to the list but haven't actually seen or tried one.