Which Pipes Are Best?

[merterje]

I wonder what pipes are the best, think about wood? I look 4 different, it's ebony, sandalwood, briar and black / red wood. Ebony is a hard tree, sandalwood is very expensive woodland, briar is very solid to process and black / red wood I know little about. But which are the best pipe wood of these? I see that someone is sandblasted and some are handmade.
Edited by jvnshr: Title capitalization (please check Rule #9)

 

[sasquatch]

Briar. No other wood handles heat or wet/dry cycling as well as briar.

 

[alan73]

Briar all the way. Why f with tradition . beautiful grain, leads to spectacular smooth pipes and some carvers can make awesome sandblast pipes, that highlight different grain patterns. But as In life, try many things , choose what you like or don’t like.

 

[alan73]

“Someone is sandblasted”. Sounds painful. :wink:

 

[sablebrush52]

Briar, though olive wood and pear wood are also used.

 

[mso489]

Briar is the standard and difficult to beat. The best closest that I have on my racks are Mountain Laurel, but you have to find them. They have their own subtle beauty, but not the lavish (or subtle) grain briar can have. So in the array of woods, it is briar, no contest.

 

[64alex]

Leaving cosmetic considerations aside and considering only smoking qualities briar is not the only material and there other materials you would like to consider, some of then potentially even better. In the high price range I would consider meerschaum and morta, in the low price range clay and corn cob pipes.

Keep in mind until the second half of the 19th century pipes were made of clay and meerschaum. Briar was started to be used at that time mainly because with the introduction of cigarettes and cigars pipe smoking was disappearing and briar came in place as it is more robust and less fragile than many other materials and cosmetically beautiful. But as smoking properties the other ones I mentioned can be equal or better than briar and worthwhile exploring.

 

[hippiebrian]

The best pipes are those that are used and enjoyed, no matter the material.

 

[mothernaturewilleatusallforbreakfast]

Billiards made of briar with ebonite stems. :D

 

[jpmcwjr]

Briar.
Start with that, and after you've learned more, you could branch out. But many of us are happy-very happy- with briars and meerschaums. A few are fan of corncobs, too.

 

[mikethompson]

I was going to mention meers but jpmcwjr beat me too it.
Asking a pipe forum which pipe is best is akin to asking a car forum which car is best, its all personal preference.

 

[danielplainview]

No one has mentioned Pine yet.

 

[sablebrush52]

No one has mentioned Pine yet.

Nor balsa wood or masonite.

 

[phantomwolf]

Spalted Maple or Padauk. :wink:

 

[danielplainview]

Balsa. Dammit, Sable... I raise the white flag. :rofl:

 

[newbroom]

I've been intrigued by the (Tom) Spanu Lemon wood pipes.

Not the BEST example, but:

Here's another Spanu made of zebrano (?)

 

[nevadablue]

The best is what you have. Cob included...

 

[didimauw]

Yes cobs are the best wood!

 

[ron123]

Bring back asbestos!

 

[5star]

The General’s cob is the best of course ! ( wink )
Actually there are many good pipes and a wide range of preferences that are worth some personal exploration to see what You personally prefer.

- Mac