Where to find certain woods and a reed stem question

[CJN]

Hi there everybody! Been doing a lot of reading the last few days, and I am ordering a briar kit tonight because that seems to be the best way to jump in. However, I'm also planning my next moves and I really like the idea of making pipes from different woods.

I haven't been to the lumber yard yet (closed on the weekends) but I'm sure when I get there I'll be able to find rather a lot of maple and probably cherry. However, I'm in New Jersey, so there won't be much olive wood or mesquite laying around. Does anybody know where to find them in sizes that can be useful for pipe crafting? I see a lot of pen blanks, but no good sized chunks.

Additionally, I'd like to make at least one really rustic looking pipe complete with a reed stem. I know that the nearby lakes and ponds don't have reeds in them, so it looks like I'll need to source some from elsewhere. Any hints on where to find that? Additionally, is it possible to bend a reed stem? I think I'd make it as a nice long churchwarden.

Thanks for any help you might offer!

[deBeaupre]

Welcome to the forum, I am new also.

Briar is not that expensive and you will probably be happier with the result at the end of it. Contact "Vermont Freehand" for your briar purchases. He is on this forum.

Cheers,
Matt

[wdteipen]

I think VermontFreehand (Steve) also has olivewood, strawberrywood, and morta on occasion, too.

[CJN]

Thanks for the responses. It's not price that makes me want to try other things, some of it is the way they look and work. I've heard olive wood has a different taste than briar, so it's something I'd like to try. Morta I don't think I'll be touching until I've had a good number of pipes under my belt.

Coincidentally, Vermont Freehand is who I purchased my briar from, so it's good to hear that I'm on the right track!