Ebay'd Briar?

[bscofield]

Never ran across anyone doing this before but take a look at this guys inventory:

http://stores.ebay.com/GreatGoodsRUS_Br ... inksQQtZkm

[jeff]

As far as I can tell, based on the other Spanish briar I've seen on ebay, this briar comes from Jaume Hom. It doesn't look like the quality is very good. The grain, though really straight in places, is pretty inconsistent and shallow.

Jeff

[Nick]

I purchased some a while back. I think it was the same outfit, but I'm not positive. The briar is very nice if less seasoned than I'd hoped, but I was disapointed with the communications. Essentially I put a bid on a lot, and only then though to ask how long the pieces had been drying. Only after the auction was done, and I'd won the pieces did they reply telling me that the wood had been drying for 6 months. Not quite what I'd hoped for, but all in all, the wood still looks very good.

[KurtHuhn]

Jaume's ebauchon, now that I've made a few pipes with it, *is* less seasoned than one would hope. Jaume seasons his briar for a year, then it is shipped out. My opinion is that it should cure for another 6 months, at least, in a controlled environment. Another 6 months on top of that would be great.

However, It's plenty workable as-is, and even the ebauchon has good grain structure (for ebauchon). I can't comment on the plateaux, as I've never seen Jaume's plateaux. I've been careful to let the briar rest for a month or so before using, to acclimate it, and then allowing it to rest after boring, and then again after rough shaping. Haven't had a problem yet, even on the couple test pipes I've abused like only a big, bald, pipemaker could abuse.

I will say, though, from the look of the pictures in those auctions, he's selling "seconds". Those ebauchon blocks look pretty bad, and not at all like what I got. I got one or two that were that dark, but none that were misshapen like those. In fact, if you look at 'em, those aren't even ebauchon, they're cutoffs and castoffs. Not worthy for pipes.

The plateaux, I don't know. The pictures are not good enough to really see if the grain structure is good. And, like I said, I can't really comment on the plateaux, having never used Jaume's plateaux.

[MikeStanley]

Hi;
Most of the briar I have used has been from Great Goods r Us. I have no complaints. While I'm a rank ametuer at pipe making. Iv'e smoked afew pipes. I don't usually open a box and start cutting. I usually let it sit a month, drill the tobacco chamber and the draft hole and it sits for another month. I have no complaints. The photos could be better but I always get exactly whats shown in the auction.The pipe I have posted in the gallery is one of thier blocks. I think the grain speaks for itself. It smokes as well as anyhting else I've ever made or smoked from new.Just my 2 cents
Mike Stanley