Briar of old days better than today's?

[ChronoB]

Was the briar available for pipes before the 70s better than the briar pipe makers are getting today? I've seen this discussed before, but I didn't put much stock into it until recently. I inherited a pipe that was in need of restoration. Now that I've got it back, turns out it is the driest, best smoker I've got. I also own a Peterson, Bjarne, and Dunhill (new, not estate).

The pipe in question is a french pipe made in the 50s or 60s (no way to know exactly when, you can read more about it here: http://www.clubstogie.com/vb/showthread.php?t=117515 ) The guy that restored it (more here: http://www.clubstogie.com/vb/showthread.php?t=144343 ) said that is was a very good piece of briar, very dense but very light, and well engineered.

Now, it might just be that this pipe smokes so well becuase it was well made, or because it had the hell smoked out of it before I ever got it. But it might just be that those things are secondary to the quality of the briar. People covet old Dunhills and the like, and I'm beginning to see why. What do you guys think? Is the briar of yesteryear better than what's available to pipe makers today?

[maboman]

I'm no expert but from what other pipe smokers I've talked to the general thought would be:

1. The pipe was well broken in
and
2. The briar itself has had 50 + years to continue to age and cure...

I would think the second is the biggest factor

Maboman

[ChronoB]

Originally Posted by maboman

I'm no expert but from what other pipe smokers I've talked to the general thought would be:

1. The pipe was well broken in
and
2. The briar itself has had 50 + years to continue to age and cure...

I would think the second is the biggest factor

Maboman

Good points, but would that briar have aged and cured so well if it wasn't great briar to begin with? This pipe had the hell smoked out of it. The cake was so thick inside you'd be lucky to pass a q-tip through the bowl. The guy who restored it said that with most pipes in that state the briar underneath would have turned to swiss cheese. Would a mid-priced pipe today age that well?

[wharfrathoss]

i'm no expert, but from what i understand briar was left to cure longer in the past-say in the 50's, a pipe maker might be using briar his great grandfather set back to cure, but in the 90's a maker might be using some that they dug themselves-the only other thing i've heard is about the quality of algerian briar, which isn't readily available i guess these days-i know i have a pipe from the 50's, a Mastercraft made from algerian briar that's my best smoker, lightweight & very hard-it's a mass produced piece out of the factory that produced Dr. Grabow, so it's not a high end piece but smokes better than my more expensive ones

[gvarsity]

Again no expert but some of what I have read suggests it might have to do with the age of the briar when it was harvested. Briar is a very slow growing plant with a life span in the hundreds of years. Older briar from what I understand is better for pipes. Almost all of the 50-200 year old briar plants have been harvested so what they are using now is significantly younger plants than what were available years ago and that youthfulness lacks some of the qualities of the older plants. So even mid-grade briar, in regards to grain and pitting etc... from 50 years ago likely came from a siginicantly older plant than the same grade would now and maybe a better smoker than even a higher grade contemporary pipe. Again could be way off base but it makes sense.

[billhud]

Originally Posted by ChronoB

Now that I've got it back, turns out it is the driest, best smoker I've got.

I'll hazard a guess ---- for volume, it's one of your lightest pipes too, if not the lightest.

[The Pirate]

This has been discussed many times and no real conclusion has been reached. The problem is that nothing is measurable. And if it were measurable, there are so many variables which would only lead to furtherdebate.
In my own experience, my older pipes...Custombilts, Marxman, and Mastercraft smoke great. On the other had, my Dunhill, Tinsky, Alan Stevenson, LJ, and Ken Erickson all smoke great.
I am slowly arriving at my own conclusion, which is,,,,the mechanics of a pipe pay a more important role than the age of the wood. I have never heard a pipesmoker say "Yuk, this briar tastes like it is only 15 years old!".
My conclusion is that a well made pipe will smoke well.
Ken

[paperairplane]

So this old estate - it has been restored, so would this pipe be better, the same or worse today if it had never been smoked in the first place?