Choosing a pipe
Pipes come in a variety of materials, shapes, sizes, and textures. Most of today's pipes are either briar or meerschaum although cherry, olive, corncobs, clay, porcelain are also available.
Briar is from a burl that forms in the root system of the White Heath tree, indigenous to the mountains in the Mediterranean region. Briar is used because of it's ability to withstand heat. Since it is not excessively oily, and because is is quite permeable, the pipe absorbs moisture and heat as it is smoked.
The quality of a briar pipe depends on many factors including age of the burl, curing of the wood (air-dried or kiln-dried), craftsmanship and luck. Most of today's finest briar pipes are made in Italy, England, Denmark, and France.
Meerschaum is a sedimentary stone formed from seashells and corals. The best quality meerschaum is mined in a small area in Turkey. Meerschaum is a very permeable material, and darkens with use. It goes through shades of pink, yellow, tan, brown, and eventually black. Pipes made from good quality meerschaum have cool, airy smoking characteristics. When first mined, it is still soft and can easily be carved into busts, figures, and intricate patterns.
Size and shape are a matter of personal taste for the most part. Generally, thicker walls around the bowl of a pipe will provide a cooler smoke. The pipe smoker who leaves a pipe in their mouth most of the time tends to prefer a bent shape for comfort reasons. However, if you do leave a pipe in your mouth, excess moisture will tend to collect in the stem. The pipe smoker who holds a pipe in his hand usually prefers a straight stem, which has less tendency to collect moisture. A pipe should be comfortable to hold and should not feel awkward in the mouth.
Briar pipes are available in a variety of finishes. Often times it is sanded smooth or sandblasted to reveal the grain pattern, or hand-rusticated (which exposes more surface area and is said to help dissipate heat). Some of the most beautiful Italian high-grade pipes incorporate a combination of finishing techniques.
We have pipes ranging from the inexpensive to some of the most renown British and Italian handmade briars. Most inexpensive pipes are made from younger wood that has been kiln-dried and machine turned. These pipes are adequate for the beginner, but due to variations in the amount of moisture left in the wood after oven-curing, they are not always consistent in quality. Popular brands use a higher grade of briar and are much more consistent. These pipes tend to "break-in" a little quicker and provide a better smoke. The finest briar pipes are made from much older wood that has formed a denser grain (more capable of dissipating heat and absorbing moisture). They are slowly air-cured to achieve consistency and better smoking qualities, then handcrafted into an object that is not only beautiful to look at, but a pleasure to smoke!
One cannot say one brand or style of pipe is the absolute best. Because of the differences in the smoking character of various tobaccos and the different smoking habits of the individual: what works for one person, doesn't necessarily work for the next.
Pick a pipe that suits your taste, whether it be an unusual shape of a Danish freehand, a classic shape in a British briar, the flair of an Italian handmade or an intricately carved meerschaum. The important thing is to pick a pipe that suits your personality, pocketbook and will smoke well for you.
We stock a tremendous variety of pipes, click here to view our current pipe selection.
