Shell Briar vs. Root Briar

[toehead]

What is the difference?

 

[unclearthur]

Yes.

 

[dd951]

I am glad someone ask this question, I have wondered for ages

 

[bytor]

If you are talking Dunhill pipes:

- Shell briar is a line that is sandblasted with a dark stain.

- Root briar is a line that is smooth with a light stain.
I've never heard of shell briar in any other reference.

 

[unclearthur]

A myth

 

[pstlpkr]

True dead-root briar, long since harvested into extinction, does not require any such special processes. As Vesz says, dead-root briar has been “cured by nature for hundreds of years,” and the effect is a dry, dense wood that imparts a sweet taste to the tobacco smoked in it.

Julius Vesz Pipes
I found the above.... I don't know about the "imparts a sweet taste", but opinions are like belly buttons.

 

[ohin3]

every different pipe maker has different names for their rustication techniques and styles. I have heard rough root, shell, rind, old antiquary, sea rock, old church...etc...all to describe some sort of rustication style.

 

[unclearthur]

Quote from a Greg Pease article :

There are a great many myths present in the lore of pipe smoking, including the smoking characteristics of briar of different provenance, the magical qualities of the rare (in fact, non-existent) "Dead Root" briar, the effects of arcane incantations over the wood by some makers, and so on. But, that lore, those myths are part of the romance, and romance, at least to me, is a very important part of the overall experience.

Hope it's OK Greg to borrow a few words from you.

 

[toehead]

Thanks for the responses. I have just been looking at some pipes on ebay and noticed those two names in connection with some Dunhills. I just did not know if they was a difference in the quality of the briar or not by those names.

 

[cortezattic]

I tried a Julius Vesz dead root briar, and what he claims for them is absolutely true:

for about 25 or 30 smokes you really get an improved taste. After its cake builds up

it becomes a pretty ordinary smoke.

My advice, buy 2 or 3 Savinelli's instead.