| Frequently Asked Questions:
1 - What is a tamper?
2 - What is the difference between Briar, maple and ash
for a pipe material?
3 - Do you put any kind of finish on your pipes?
4 - What kind of stain do you use?
5 - From where does your briar originate?
6 - Do you do hand cut mouthpieces?
7 - How do you clean an 18" wooden pipe?
8 - I have jammed a pipe cleaner down the stem of my pipe.
How do I get it out?
1 - Q: What is a
tamper?
A: When tobacco is lit in a pipe
it expands and forms ash. When this happens the draw becomes lessened and
the pipe is harder to keep lit. Frequently pressing down the tobacco with
a tamper or pipe tool regulates the draw and keeps the fire burning. During
the duration of the smoke the tobacco will have to be tamped down several
times as needed.
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2 - Q: What is the
difference between Briar, maple and ash for a pipe material?
A: By far briar is the best wood
for making a pipe. The grain can be beautiful and complex. It is hard yet
can be very light in weight. It is durable, costly and will last several
lifetimes if properly cared for.
Maple is a close second. It is dense, polishes very well and smokes
somewhat like a meerschaum.
White ash is third. It’s grain is coarse and the wood is relatively
light in weight for it’s density. If you want a very pronounced grain,
white ash is the way to go.
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3 - Q: Do you put
any kind of finish on your pipes?
A: Yes, normally a generous coating
is buffed on for a hard wax finish. Many pipe styles are not waxed and will
darken naturally over time. These are usually unstained rusticated or sand
blast finishes which can be left natural or waxed as well.
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4 - Q: What
kind of stain do you use?
A: Only alcohol based non-toxic stains
are used. Even after the pipe becomes warmed up there is no "off gassing"
such as petroleum based stains nor are there any spotting or leaking from
analine or water based dyes.
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5 - Q: From where
does your briar originate?
A: Greece, Tuscany, Corsica and occasionally
Algeria. Each smokes well and every batch from each country has great color
variation from dark red to blond.
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6 - Q: Do you do
hand cut mouthpieces?
A: Yes, by special order a mouthpiece
can be made to your exacting specs. Mouthpieces can be made from acrylic,
vulcanite, Cumberland as well as nontoxic wood species and other plastics.
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7 - Q: How do you
clean an 18" wooden pipe?
A: Just dip the tip of the
optional 52 foot long coil of pipe cleaners in some potable alcohol.
The swab out the stem several times. When the tip of the coil gets
too saturated, just snip off the end of the pipe cleaner with wire
cutters.
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8 - Q: I have jammed
a pipe cleaner down the stem of my pipe. How do I get it out?
A: Sorry, you'll need a new pipe.
I have tried over the years to re-stem pipes but because of the tobacco
juice saturation, a new stem will often fall off.
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