Pear Wood, Is lighter weight.

[aeropuffer]

I don't like having a lot of weight hanging in my mouth. It feels like it's trying to pull my teeth out. Pear wood is less dense. Therefore, it has greater insulative ability to keep the pipe cool to the touch. It being less dense makes it less expensive to manufacture. Thereby keeping the cost of the finished pipe at a more modest outlay to the final buyer. For me pear wood would be one of the best woods for pipes.

 

[jazz]

Hmm, I am perhaps a little unsure as to what you are getting at. You do know you can buy pear wood pipes, right?

 

[markus]

I have a pear wood pipe (MR. Brog Amigo) and it smokes pretty good except it tends to smoke a little hotter than my briar's. I sometimes smoke a little hot anyway if I'm doing something or distracted while smoking and I have to be more careful while smoking that pipe and really pay attention to my cadence, or it feels like it will burn up.

 

[markus]

Sorry, double post.

 

[jefff]

Strawberry wood is said to be lighter than briar.

 

[pappymac]

I have 4 pear wood pipes. The smoke hotter than my briars unless I am real careful with my cadence.

 

[mso489]

Mountain Laurel is lighter than briar and smokes fairly cool. The only trouble is that it is not widely available. I think only part of the tree/shrub is safe, so it may not be good to harvest it yourself. During WWII, it was used as a briar substitute in the U.S.
I think Mr. Brog pipes come in both pear and briar, and maybe other woods. People seem to be fairly happy with his pear wood pipes, and some prefer them.
I like my Mountain Laurel pipes both for their good smoking characteristics and their relative scarcity. The carver who made mine doesn't sell online. You can only buy from him at the TAPS pipe show coming up April 9 in Raleigh, N.C. (if he is there this year... I don't know that), or at the N.C. State Fair in October. I think only a limited number of his pipes are Mountain Laurel, most are briar.

 

[username]

My first pipe was a Mr. Brog it's about as heavy as my briars. If you want lightweight can't beat a meer.

 

[mawnansmiff]

"It being less dense makes it less expensive to manufacture."
Aeropuffer, how on earth do you reach that conclusion? I would wager the reason pearwood pipes are cheaper is because pearwood grows pretty much everywhere as opposed to (quality) briar.
In my (limited) experience of smoking pearwood I would also say that the pipe burns considerably hotter than briar.
Regards,
Jay.

 

[jpmcwjr]

Density of wood has virtually no bearing on cost to manufacture, but the rub, as Jay points out, lies in it's being cheaper to acquire as it's more available (and less desirable).
Density alone does not determine heat transfer. My one pear wood smokes very hot, but also has a thinnish wall. I don't smoke that one pipe.

 

[hawky454]

I have had a pear wood pipe and I gifted one to my brother. His burnt out pretty quick and I prefer briar by a long shot.

 

[jefff]

Pine and basswood are also lighter weight.
Not to mention Balsa!

 

[ericusrex]

If you're looking to try one, aeropuffer, there be lots on etsy.com

 

[tmb152]

I have not bought a pearwood pipe but if it is lighter and less dense as you say, then that would be a disadvantage, and will not only burn hotter in your hand but will not last as long.

 

[velotrain]

Sounds like what's needed is a pear wood super volcano, or a pear wood pipe with heat sink cooling fins, sort of like the Porsche pipe.
Here's an oddity I found, although will admit it's rather ugly:

 

[mawnansmiff]

Velotrain, that is indeed one hell of an ugly pipe but you can bet your bottom dollar, somebody out there will think it a work of art :crazy:
Regards,
Jay.

 

[velotrain]

Jay - since it looks like a reverse calabash, you would think it wouldn't need the additional cooling.

I wouldn't say it's a work of art, but the more I look at it the more I'm getting used to it, and find myself curious about what it would be like to hold it.
Here's another pipe I found with cooling fins.
Somewhat better looking, but I suspect it has a rather strange hand feel.

 

[crashthegrey]

I'd agree with all the above that pearwood smokes hot, but Mr. Brog makes some quality pearwood pipes if you are interested in one. If pipes feel too heavy, I'd also consider looking for a shorter pipe with a smaller bowl, maybe a very slight bend. A well made pipe that suits you can disperse the weight better. Look around, buy a few more pipes, play with ideas, commission a pipe from a good carver, they will help you 'fit' your pipe right.

 

[hextor]

does pear wood give the tobacco a certain taste to it?

 

[mawnansmiff]

Hextor, I would very much doubt it unless one smoked so hard as to scorch or burn the bowl. If one is looking for a cheap though perfectly good pipe I would suggest buying a few estate pipes from Ebay and restoring them. It really is not as difficult as it sounds and is actually very relaxing.
Also one can get lucky and get a pipe from a manufacturer who is known for producing quality pipes. I know this to be true as it has happened to me many times. I have even bought recently a Dunhill 'Cumberland' straight billiard for a mere £6 (~$9) or so. About 4 hours work on that pipe was the only other 'cost' to me. Smoked it for the first time tonight and it's great.
Regards,
Jay.