New to the Brown Leaf. Decided to try a pipe!

[Kilroy6644]

Thought so. A Briar pipe is a type, not a brand, right? Is a briar my best bet for a new pipe under $60? I would like to try a non-cob pip and don't want to spend too much. Not confident on shopping for a previously owned pipe yet... Any recommended brands or other non-briar pipes?

Most of my experience with briars is with cheap basket pipes, which can be hit-or-miss. But in the last year or so, I've been picking up some "name brand" pipes, and I've been pretty happy with them. In the $20-30 range, I've got a Yello-Bole and two Dr. Grabows. Dr. Grabows are generally regarded as decent starter pipes. So are Y-Bs, IF you get a briar. The cheaper lines are made from a material called Brylon, which has a pretty bad reputation. But the higher-priced lines ($20-30) are real briar, and they're not bad. At the other end of your price range is Stanwell's Brushed Black line, which P&C has for $49.95, and I really like those. I've got three already, and plan on getting more. They smoke nice and they just plain look sharp. As for non-briar, if you're into history, try a clay. Takes you back almost to the beginning of pipe smoking. Pipeshoppe.com seems to be the place to go for those. Not necessarily the best clays (not bad, but not the same quality as those made by artisans), but the most readily available, and decently priced.

 

[NRAM]

Most of my experience with briars is with cheap basket pipes, which can be hit-or-miss. But in the last year or so, I've been picking up some "name brand" pipes, and I've been pretty happy with them. In the $20-30 range, I've got a Yello-Bole and two Dr. Grabows. Dr. Grabows are generally regarded as decent starter pipes. So are Y-Bs, IF you get a briar. The cheaper lines are made from a material called Brylon, which has a pretty bad reputation. But the higher-priced lines ($20-30) are real briar, and they're not bad. At the other end of your price range is Stanwell's Brushed Black line, which P&C has for $49.95, and I really like those. I've got three already, and plan on getting more. They smoke nice and they just plain look sharp. As for non-briar, if you're into history, try a clay. Takes you back almost to the beginning of pipe smoking. Pipeshoppe.com seems to be the place to go for those. Not necessarily the best clays (not bad, but not the same quality as those made by artisans), but the most readily available, and decently priced.

Thanks for the info.
I really like the Stanwell's Brushed Black Line and the price is right! The Freehand style looks pretty cool! I am going to check at the local brick and mortar store and see what they have but these three $20 - $50 pipes look like great options!

 

[Kilroy6644]

Thanks for the info.
I really like the Stanwell's Brushed Black Line and the price is right! The Freehand style looks pretty cool! I am going to check at the local brick and mortar store and see what they have but these three $20 - $50 pipes look like great options!

That freehand IS cool. That was my most recent purchase, and I really like it.

 

[NRAM]

Well, I tried to order the Stanwell Brushed Black #63 Freehand pipe! P&C has it for a great price! Unfortunately they don't ship to Canada. Haven't found this model yet on another site that does ship to Canada. I guess I will see if my local Tobacconist can get it in, but will likely be way out of my price range... C'est last vie.

 

[Kilroy6644]

Man, that sucks!

 

[NRAM]

UPDATE:
I found a way to order the Stanwell Brushed Black Freehand pipe with the help of a local fellow member who has a US mailbox he let me ship to...
Thanks for pointing me to these pipes, Kilroy6644! Very sweet looking pipe! $49.95 from P&C! Great Deal!
I am very happy with this purchase, but I have yet to smoke with it as I am waiting for some nice aged tobacco to arrive that Price has PIF'd to me! The virgin smoke should be with some nice 'Baccy! (Thanks again, price)
I also had to order one of the Ozark Hardwood pipes because they were only $3.95! Can't lose on this one... It looks pretty nice too... build just like the Cobs they make, so I am sure it will smoke just fine. Going to give this one a go today.
Cheers,

 

[Senshi]

Very nice. This Stanwells are great looking pipes. Also the Ozark cobs are really reliable smokers. Enjoy!

 

[Argonaut]

May be too late to warn you, but go slow and easy with that wood pipe, they can't take the heat like a briar or cob and will most assuredly scorch. Let us know how you did with it, enjoy.

 

[Kilroy6644]

UPDATE:
I found a way to order the Stanwell Brushed Black Freehand pipe with the help of a local fellow member who has a US mailbox he let me ship to...
Thanks for pointing me to these pipes, Kilroy6644! Very sweet looking pipe! $49.95 from P&C! Great Deal!
I am very happy with this purchase, but I have yet to smoke with it as I am waiting for some nice aged tobacco to arrive that Price has PIF'd to me! The virgin smoke should be with some nice 'Baccy! (Thanks again, price)
I also had to order one of the Ozark Hardwood pipes because they were only $3.95! Can't lose on this one... It looks pretty nice too... build just like the Cobs they make, so I am sure it will smoke just fine. Going to give this one a go today.
Cheers,

Glad you got your hands on one. It really is a nice pipe. I've got four of the Brushed Blacks now, and I struggle with them a lot. First I struggle not to smoke them exclusively. Then, when I do smoke them, I struggle to not smoke the freehand exclusively. It really stands out from the group, and that's a good group. The Ozark is good too. In my experience (and this has been echoed by other members) they tend to smoke a little hot, but they're still pretty good. It really is like a wooden cob.

 

[NRAM]

May be too late to warn you, but go slow and easy with that wood pipe, they can't take the heat like a briar or cob and will most assuredly scorch. Let us know how you did with it, enjoy.

I remembered reading this somewhere, so I kept it in mind that they can't take the heat, and I took my time, which inevitably needed more relights.. For the most part it smoked just as good as my cob, but there certainly was an underlying taste of what I think was the stain as they had stained inside the bowl as well as outside. Maybe it was a bit of the wood taste as well. I'm not quite sure, but there definitely was a slight off taste. I will give this a couple more smokes and see if this starts to mellow out as it builds a small cake.
Do you think this would benefit from a salt/alcohol treatment, or should I just start building up a cake?

 

[captaincaveman]

My ozark takes the heat just fine. I light aggressively and there is much rim charring but it smokes nicely and I don't intend to make it last my whole life. I smoke it more than any other pipe.

The stain will burn off. No need for cake, I think, just treat it like a cob.

 

[Commander Quan]

I have had the opposite experiences with the Ozark. I needed an Ove'Glove to safely smoke the one I had.

 

[captaincaveman]

Oh...yeah, sometimes it gets a bit hot to hold, rarely hot enough to make me hold it by the shank -- but it's light enough to hold comfortably by the shank.

 

[NRAM]

Had smoke #3 with the Ozark today. I don't taste any of the stain anymore, and it didn't get too warm at all. I must have had a good pack with the tobacco at the right moisture level because I only had to relight once, and that was because I put it down for a few minutes... I'm pretty happy with it so far.

 

[Senshi]

I have had the opposite experiences with the Ozark. I needed an Ove'Glove to safely smoke the one I had.

You need to work on your technique

 

[Deltaboy]

In my experience most women accept Pipes over cigarettes and cigars. IMO Pipes lend you a air of sophistication over the rest of tobacco uses.