 |
Fall 1997 Volume I Issue 2 |
|
|
Fall 1997 Volume I Issue 2 |
Many years ago, , while on a business trip, my traveling partner suddenly realized that he had forgotten to pack his pipes. That in itself is a sin, but it happens. What was not forgivable, however, was his reaction to the situation.
"We've got to find a pipe store!" he said, panicked.
Sure, I could understand that. What I couldn't understand was how he was able to dash into the first tobacco shop we came to, grab the very first pipe he spotted, pay the bill and race out of the store, all within a five-minute time span. Surely, this was not the mark of a seasoned pipe pro, someone who knows the meticulous ins and outs of pipe selection.
Indeed, buying a pipe is very much like purchasing a car. Or a suit of clothes. You don't just rush in and buy it. You ask for a brand name, something with a reputation. You inspect the craftsmanship. You search for quality. You don't mind paying a little more for workmanship, but neither do you want to get ripped off. And you want to make sure that it fits you and your lifestyle. These are exactly the same criteria that you use when buying a pipe.
A quick glance at the mounted wall racks and display cases of an pipe shop will instantly tell you two things: There are a lot of brand out there, and there is a tremendous spectrum of prices. To help alleviate the confusion, here are some of the things you should take into account when buying a pipe.
You may also encounter pipes made of meerschaum, a handsome white material that is very often carved into rococo busts of Bacchus, eagle's claws, and similar designs. Meerschaum, which means "sea foam" in German, is really a mineral called magnesium silica, and is primarily found in Turkey, where it is mined and carved for export. A unique feature of Meerschaum pipes is that they change color over the years as they are smoked, and gradually transforming from white to tan to brown to, eventually, a dark chocolate. Unfortunately, meerschaum pipes are fragile and must be handled quite carefully, as even touching the bowl while smoking them can affect the coloring process. For these reasons, meerschaum should only be thought of as a pipe for the smoker who already has a selection of briars at his disposal.
Other pipes you may spot are corncobs (which are very inexpensive, very absorbent, and hence, tend to become very rank; they are not the ideal choice for long-term smoking endeavors), and clay pipes, which smoke hot and are so fragile we should exclude them for anything other than historical reenactments. So, for all practical purposes, briar is the material of choice for an initial pipe purchase.
Most pipe smokers tend to favor smooth-finished briars, primarily because of their beauty and individuality. Briar his a grain running through it and, nature being what it is, no two patterns are alike. There are three classifications of grain patterns that you should be aware of, because they will affect the price of any smooth-finished pipe. Straight grain, in which the lines of the grain run vertically on the pipe bowl, is usually viewed as the ne plus ultra of pipe making. And consequently, it is the most expensive. Next comes bird's-eye, which appears as tiny swirls on the bowl. And finally there is a random grain, with swirls and lines but no apparent symmetry. This is the least expensive pattern. Ironically, the grain pattern has no effect on the smoking quality of a pipe; it is strictly cosmetic. However, one thing you do want to avoid is a smooth pipe with no grain (usually called a "bald spot") on all or portions of the bowl.
Now let's talk about pipe shape, of which there are only two: bent and straight. It is said that bent pipes "hang" better in the mouth, but straight pipes look more sophisticated. It is all a matter of personal preference, so take your pick. The same goes for style. Pipes are either "classic" in shape or "freehand." Classic pipes are the ones Cary Grant and Bing Crosby smoked in the movies.
Freehands are more like modern sculptures and are somewhat non-traditional.
Again, it's a matter of personal taste; one shape will not smoke any better than the next. However, the manner in which a pipe is made will definitely affect the way it smokes.
First, most pipes are made of briar, a hard, Mediterranean-grow wood that will char but is resistant to burning. That's why it is used for pipes. Briar flavors the smoke to a minor extent, and is porous, which means that it will burn relatively cool. Older briar usually has much more porosity and is therefore lighter in weight, both very desirable attributes in pipemaking. However, older, well-cured (aged) briar i also more expensive, a fact that will be reflected in a higher price Normally, moderately priced pipes are made of briar that is approximately 25 years old or less. More expensive pipes are made of wood that can be 50, 100, or even 250 years old. There are also some interesting and less expensive pipes made of cherry wood or olive wood, but these woods are softer than briar and will not hold up as well for a primary pipe.
There are three finishes of briar, and the quality of each is reflected in the final cost of a pipe. The most expensive and the most coveted is a smooth-finished pipe, in which all the natural graining and marks (and flaws) in the briar are permitted to show. Next comes sandblast, wherein what started out as a smooth pipe is subjected to a tremendously powerful jet spray of tiny grains of sand, beads of metal, or glass, so that all of the softer wood is blasted away. The result is a rugged-looking, rough-textured bowl. When the blasting is properly done on a premium grade of wood, sandblasted pipes are quite attractive, and are usually less expensive than smooth pipes, as the pipemaker doesn't have to be as concerned about the appearance of grain. Finally, there is a carved or rusticated finish, in which the pipe bowl is chiseled or gouged by hand with special multi-pronged tools to create a textured finish. Some rusticated pipes have the appearance of a sandblast, but the rusticated surface is usually coarser. Do not confuse these expertly carved pipes with the crude figural carvings of cheap souvenir pipes. But no matter what the finish, the pipes you want to stay away from are those with lacquered or varnished surfaces, as this treatment seals the wood so that it cannot breathe; the end result is that these pipes burn "hot." And so will you if you buy one of these bargain-basement junkers.
Continued on next page...
