The OTHER pipes thread

[Dakki]

When I was reading up before buying my first pipe I definitely knew what I wanted; a traditional briar pipe in an elegant, classic shape, something that would remind me of the pipe smokers in the old mystery novels I read by the bookcase-full as a kid.

Lately I've been looking at getting a second pipe, and things aren't so immediately obvious. Reading up online I've found there are many "alternate" pipes out there, such as Falcons, Kirstens, olivewood, cherrywood, walnut, single and double-wall clays and so on. Some of these are different because of their construction, others because of the materials used, but all of them have a different aesthetic - and they probably all smoke different!

There's a ton of information here and elsewhere about traditional briars and to a lesser extent meers and corncobs so I thought I'd ask, what experience have you had with these "other" pipes? Where do you buy them? Are they good smokes, or "alternate" for a reason?

Anything non-traditional goes, from stone Mayan replicas to 21st century materials!

 

[Falconer]

Dakki, there's probably some others more experienced to reply on this then me but I will tell you I've tried meerschaum and clay. The meerschaum was a gift. I like it now but it seemed to take a long time to break it in or get to a place I enjoyed it. With that said I smoke it rarely.
The clay pipe I tried back a long time ago (35 yrs?) and didn't like the experience at all. It had a wierd taste that was overbearing to the tobacco. It broke about a month after I bought. It was more fragile than I thought. I prefer the briars, haven't tried any of the other woods.
I will say however I'm intrigued by the Kirsten. I've been reading about it and since I'm going up to Seattle this fall. I might have to pay them a visit.
If I had any advice for you, since this is only your second pipe. I'd say try a different briar shape. There's so many to choose from. If you have a straight pipe now you might want to try a quarter or half bent or vice versa. Even the bowl size can make a difference in your smoking experience.
My motto with smoking is find a good pipe and a great tobacco. The blend is what really makes the experience most pleasurable.
It's all a personal choice, pipe shapes and style and brands are a reflection of your personality. I've been smoking for 40 years plus and have but 14 pipes. (two are Canadian) and I'll bet there's others out there with 40 pipes in their collection and not one a Canadian.
Have fun making your next choice.

Oh and I don't recomend a roley.
:roll:

 

[Natch]

I own several Kirstens and find them far and away the best of the "nontraditional" types of pipes. But contact Mike Brissitt (pipemaker on this board) and see if you can get him to make a bowl or two. The standard Kirsten bowls don't do much for me, but with one of Mikes custom bowls, it becomes a great pipe. Also, I think the largest models (Lancer is their large straight radiator stem) smoke the best.

Natch

 

[mark]

tcfullerpipes has some offbeat "other" material pipes,,,,bocote, bubinga, black locus, walnut,,,
Spanu offers olive and lemonwood
Kirstens,,what Natch said,,
had a clay tavern pipe but they're quite fragile, and mine gave kind of a funky taste to the smoke,,,your experience may be different,,,
quality meers in all their various shapes are hard to beat
cherry pokers have a long history

Are they good smokes?,,,only your tastebuds can answer that

 

[St Fiacre]

I have a meer and it was my second pipe and I have to say it is one of my favorites. I have ten other pipes and they are all briars which I like but I think the meer provides a cooler smoke and provides a fuller flavored smoke. I think that briar can give a certain taste to tobacco, which I like but the meer does not add anything and there is no break in period like a briar. I would truly recommend getting a meershaum pipe as your second pipe for a different style of smoke and they do not need to rest as long or as often as briars, you cannot go wrong.

 

[Dakki]

The Kirsten straights and quarter-bents are ugly as sin (to my eye) but the full bents have a sort of Art Deco look to them that I like. Does anyone have one? How does it smoke?

I'm also curious about cleaning them. It seems to me they should clean more easily and "ghost" much less than regular briars, given the construction. Aluminum shouldn't soak up any tobacco juices, right?

Also from a cursory Google search it seems Ropp and Zenith have ceased making cherrywood and double-walled clay pipes, respectively. Who makes these nowadays? Where can you buy? Do you recommend them?

 

[Anonymous]

Dakki,
Here we carve from African wild olive, Pink ivory, and blackwood!
Olive being the best for me. the first couple of smokes impart an olive taste to the tobacco but it is very faint.There after it smokes and cakes just like briar.
Gourd Calabash pipes are made locally with clay linings and smoke the same as meerschaum.