Briar from Morocco

[Skip]

We got a e-mail from a fellow in Morroco wanting to send me some samples of briar. Any one get the same message? His name is Ahmed Benkiran. I have such a large stash from so many scources that I could not use it all up in my life time at the speedy rate that I make pipes.
Has any one heard of this guy? Just curious.

Skip

[caskwith]

Nope never heard of him. Would be happy to have some samples though

[Tsunami]

Me too! me too!!!!!

[Mike Messer]

I Google searched for "Ahmed Benkiran Morroco briar" and found this, at pipes.org
from: Pipes Digest #265 -- November 17, 1999

From: "benkiran" <??????????????????>
Subject: briarwood

Benkiran Ahmed

Quartier Industriel, route de F=E8s

16200 Ouazzane

- Morocco-

( : + 212 7 90 77 51=20

FAX : + 212 7 90 85 70

E- mail : ??????????????

Our comapny has been specialised in pipe briar-blocks manufacturing
since 1970.Two things have hepled us to be among the leading company=20
that export briar blocks towards Europe and America : Our experience=20
and the high quality of our products.

Our factory is situated in Ouazzane, a city in the north of Morocco.
The sizes of pipe brair blocks is made according to 3 main models,=20
each having various categories of qualtiy and volume.

1 - Plateaux=20
2- Marseillaises=20
3- Relev=E9es=20

INTERNATIONAL SCHLEDULE OF BRIAR-BLOCKS SIZES

[Long, unformatted table deleted. -S.]

If you are interesting contact us.

Best regard.

A. Benkiran

[GbpBulgaria]

Hi
i've received same message few days ago.
If anyone knows if the source is safe, please share.

Best
George

[Skip]

I had already googeled the guy. The question I should have asked is if any one had used his briar.
About 10 years ago I got a similar message from a fellow in Algeria. I asked for the samples and he sent them. Most of them were not that great but good for blasts and rustication. For some reason he also sent samples to my wife. Go figure. When I tried to order briar he did not respond even though I asked for a full bag. I think that these guys think that they are dealing with companies that need multiple bags at a time. While I do own The Briary we are a retail operation and I am the only pipe maker. I have next to no time for pipe making so there is no need for multiple bags. When I first started I bought a bag of ebachaun from Mark Tinsky and later a bag of large blocks. I bought a additional bag of small plateau from Tim West. Since then I have bought smaller quantities from several sources. I have not made a noticable dent in any of these groups so no, I will not order any from Morroco. I was just curious as to the quality.

[GbpBulgaria]

Well, I would like to know the quality too as far as i have had problem with Algerian briar. Last time i have purchased from Yazid the parcel come 1 YEAR later. However, it come at all and the quality is good for the price. I presume that this Moroco briar is now offered because the problems with Stanwell factory, as they buy up large quantities as far as I know. I have such briar and the quality is good but i have received it from a source where i am sure the blocks were selected.
Anyhow, now i am planing to purchase next year briar but have doubts about the quality at all.

BR
George