Softwood pipes

[PaulTheScandinavian]

a week ago I ended up buying an unexpensive New Old stock French prince shaped pipe from early 50ies,name says Robinson*its a light weight and comes with smaller paneled bowl and has reddish finish on it,my understandig is that this might be likewise Cherrywood pipe but hardly briar,has anybody had experience with cherry,or pearwood pipes,?Are they Good for nothing?

 

[markus]

I have a Mr. Brog pear wood pipe that I smoke occasionally, it smokes a little hot, but is a decent pipe otherwise.

 

[jpmcwjr]

I have a cherry wood pipe that smokes hot- that is, the bowl conducts heat all too well. I don't smoke it.

 

[didache]

People have smoked cherrywoods since the 1800s. There is even a mention in The Copper Beeches of Sherlock Holmes smoking 'a long cherry-wood'. Watson goes on to say that Holmes was wont to smoke the cherrywood, when in 'a disputatious rather than a meditative mood.'
From this alone, I would suggest that cherrywood (or Pear) would be fine provided the smoker was aware of its particular qualities.
Mike

 

[mso489]

Woods alternate to the briar are always a subject. I've heard cherry, olive, pear and maple are at least satisfactory and some really like them. Probably slow sippers get better use because they don't heat them up too much. Strawberry is supposed to be especially light weight. My personal experience is with Mountain Laurel, which was used during World War II when briar was nearly unavailable; Jerry Perry carves some of his pipes of Mountain Laurel, but you have to go to the N.C. State Fair in October or the TAPS pipe show at the Fairgrounds in April to buy his pipes because he doesn't sell online or elsewhere. He also carves some from maple; I don't have one of those. I also have a Cocobolo pocket pipe by Perry, a bent freehand, which smokes well and is excellent for pocket or travel. For most new pipe smokers, who don't have access to Jerry, it's a good idea to stick with cobs or briar. One less issue to address.

 

[PaulTheScandinavian]

Thank You Guys for the added info, we'll see how this Oldie would work further,a little bit apprehensive about it,unavoidable I gotta have a few of these smaller lighter units' on hand for quicker and hotter smoke,

 

[archangel]

Saw a churchwarden on ebay that I'm thinking about buying. Its a pear wood bowl and a willow wood stem. Any thoughts on this? thanks guys.

 

[aldecaker]

Balsa makes for a super light clencher, but it's a really short smoke, if you know what I mean. :wink:

 

[winton]

I have some pearwood pipes. They are fine, but I don't reach for them very often.

 

[winton]

From a woodworking perspective, all the woods described above (except for Balsa) are considered hardwoods. A softwood be pine, cypress, etc.

 

[PaulTheScandinavian]

as expected smokes pretty hot

 

[saltedplug]

I've seen some of the mountain laurel pipes but not bought, not knowing if the wood would withstand the heat. Two olive wood pipes were fine, and I smoked hell out of one.

 

[elvishrunes]

As Mr Winton mentions, fruit woods are hardwoods... Pine, cedar, spruce, stuff that keeps its needles/leaves all year are considered soft woods, but no idea how alternative hard woods smoke... My guess is not that well or why would English and European folk source Mediterranean Briar as they already have plenty of hardwood at home, oak, maple, ash, etc...