Pear wood - how does it hold up?

[geopiper]

My wife purchased me a Fashion Pipes Lord of the Rings churchwarden with a pear wood bowl. I'm not familiar with pear wood and am wondering how it holds up to smoking.
Any thoughts or advice?

 

[anthonyrosenthal74]

It's not as durable as briar. I've had two. Shanks cracked lengthwise on them both. Possibly user error. I may not have let them cool down enough after smoking. They certainly smoked well, though. I would be extra careful with it.

 

[daniel7]

In my teenager years I used only pear wood pipes and I didn't take care about them. I had only one at a time and I smoked a lot. Sometimes 6+ times a day the same pipe of course. Within 5 years I used only two. One was burnt through, the other one I still have somewhere and it has only some charring on the outside. I smoked them very fast and very hot sometimes (black gold and borkum riff), still they served well for a long time. Their price was around 2-3€. I think if you smoke and clean them carefully, they can last for years.

 

[mortonbriar]

I cracked a shank, but that was me being careless I think, things just went pear shaped.

The other point to note is I remember it imparted a slight flavour to the smoke, not a bad flavour and I did not smoke it long enough (first pipe purchased) to find out if a full cake would have eliminated this.

In my experience, gifted pipes are not usually what I would have chosen but have a sentimental value of their own regardless.
Isaac

 

[tulsagentleman]

I have several Mr. Brog pear wood pipes and think they are OK. I do not smoke them that often so they should last a long time. If you only smoke it occasionally it should be fine. The fact that your wife gifted it to you makes it special. Enjoy it and tell her you love it.

 

[geopiper]

Thanks everyone.

 

[mso489]

The posts on this thread speak for themselves. Many briar pipes smoked in a fair sized rotation will last a lifetime or close to it, so mostly I'd stick with those, I'd say.

 

[bogfire]

http://pipesmagazine.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/album/19774/current-favorite-pipe-450x600.jpg
I think I have a similar pipe.I wanted a Lord of the Rings Churchwarden and ordered one off Amazon made of pear wood. One of my best smokers. The bowl does become hot after a while. but I just place my had over the shank and continue smoking it. Used in rotation it has lasted me two years. The pipe came from Turkey and the maker wrote me a thank you letter.