Briar buying?

Fuente81 · Post by **Fuente81** » Sat Dec 13, 2008 2:27 am

Hello,

Can anyone give me info on where I would buy my briar? I have seen several places online but most are either import in large lots or blocks from other pipe makers. I am looking for a more direct sale type of purchase if possible and without importing. Any info would be great!

Thanks!

Eric.

alan · Post by **alan** » Sat Dec 13, 2008 2:51 am

At pimo.com you can buy small batches of briar, preform stems, and a bunch of other stuff. The folks who run the site are wonderful.

Another is the Pipe Makers Emporium at http://www.pipemakers.org/
I haven't shopped there so someone else will have to say what dealing with them is like.

Also http://www.jhlowe.com/

Fuente81 · Post by **Fuente81** » Sat Dec 13, 2008 10:01 am

Thanks Alan. I knew about Pipe Makers Emporium but have not tired them or Pimo. I was hoping to cut out the middle man and not have to pay a mark up. I guess I can only do that by importing briar myself. And I don't mind doing it for the right price and amount, I have imported all kinds of stuff from all over for years. So I am ok with the paperwork and all, it is just a pain in the arse sometimes and if you can get a direct vendor / dealer in your county, then of course thats ideal! But I do not see that happening anytime soon! lol!

E.

Post by **KurtHuhn** » Sat Dec 13, 2008 11:43 am

The only way you're going to cut out the middle man is to go direct to the cutter, and since you won't find a cutter in the U.S., you'll have to import. It's really not that big a deal, though you will want to read the sticky elsewhere on this forum about importing wood products - lest your shipment fall victim to incineration.

Frank · Post by **Frank** » Sat Dec 13, 2008 3:40 pm

Here's an organized list: http://pipedia.org/index.php?title=Pipe ... d_Supplies

If you haven't yet browsed Pipedia, run by Scott Thile a member of this forum, it's worth a look.

smokindawg · Post by **smokindawg** » Mon Dec 15, 2008 3:13 am

I purchased from PME recently. In fact I made a trip to Phoenix and picked out my own briar, although really don't know much about it. But I have to say, they are a good place to purchase briar. They supply many well known US pipe makers also. So they are doing something right and I wouldn't hesitate to make future purchases from them.

ToddJohnson · Post by **ToddJohnson** » Tue Dec 16, 2008 11:27 am

I'm very likely going back to Taggia in July. I would be willing to put together another group buy for you guys if you want. I don't know what Mimmo's minimum order is, or what the shipping costs are these days, but I'm guessing they haven't changed all that much.

Todd

Alan L · Post by **Alan L** » Tue Dec 16, 2008 1:30 pm

Hey Todd, if it breaks down to be sufficiently cheaper than PME, I'd be up for a group buy. Nothing wrong with PME, I've been enjoying their Algerian ebauchons and plateaux, but they are pricy. Pricier than I like to think about, anyway, but then I'm a tightwad.

I bought a bunch of their Spanish plateaux when they were clearing it out, but then I figured out why they were clearing it out.

Buying a whole package from Mimmo has been out of my price range. If enough of us join in I bet we could get a decent deal. Any other takers?

kbadkar · Post by **kbadkar** » Tue Dec 16, 2008 2:22 pm

ToddJohnson wrote: ...if you want...

I wants.

bscofield · Post by **bscofield** » Tue Dec 16, 2008 5:12 pm

Alan L wrote:Hey Todd, if it breaks down to be sufficiently cheaper than PME,

I wouldn't count on that... Mimmo's stuff is good- not cheap. And I mean that in both ways, expensive and worth it!

ToddJohnson · Post by **ToddJohnson** » Tue Dec 16, 2008 5:33 pm

bscofield wrote:
Alan L wrote:Hey Todd, if it breaks down to be sufficiently cheaper than PME,
I wouldn't count on that... Mimmo's stuff is good- not cheap. And I mean that in both ways, expensive and worth it!

Yeah, it is expensive. The savings is on shipping and an ability to buy only a few blocks at a time as opposed to his minimum order. I don't know how much that is these days. Don't expect to save money on a per block basis over a domestic source, though.

Todd

Frank · Post by **Frank** » Tue Dec 16, 2008 6:28 pm

This will give you some idea: http://www.romeobriar.com/briarshop/us.html

Alan L · Post by **Alan L** » Wed Dec 17, 2008 12:43 pm

Actually, that is a savings if I only want five blocks. It seems to work out to about $30 per block, which is less expensive, i.e. a geater value for a given quality, than the Tassili plateaux from PME, which is what I was hoping for. If enough of us pool our resources, I think it looks good!

Even if with shipping it works out about the same, I agree that the quality makes it worthwhile. Didn't mean to sound like a cheapskate (although I am

).