Supplies

buster · Post by **buster** » Mon Apr 20, 2009 4:25 pm

Just wondering where to buy the best and cheapest briar in small quantities. I was checking out PME it seems like quality stuff but seems a little high in price. Is this the type of pricing I should expect ? I have the same question about there rods also. One more thing, I was considering buying their staining kit, is it worth it ?

pipeyeti · Post by **pipeyeti** » Mon Apr 20, 2009 4:58 pm

Yes to all of the above. If you are buying small quantities those are the prices. They (PME) provide the pipe hobbyist with a valuable service.

Post by **KurtHuhn** » Mon Apr 20, 2009 5:43 pm

As a general rule, buying small numbers of blocks means that your per-block price is going to be fairly high. The price per block will go down significantly if you want to commit to a larger order and deal directly with the mills.

It's also worth noting that even when dealing directly with the mills, the price for quality briar is still not what I would call "cheap". Have you looked at PIMO's prices? They tend to be somewhat less than PME's.

buster · Post by **buster** » Mon Apr 20, 2009 7:03 pm

Yes I have looked at PIMO's stuff too. Is their briar the same quality as PME ?

Post by **KurtHuhn** » Mon Apr 20, 2009 7:32 pm

PIMO and PME get their briar from different sources last I checked. I have used both, though it has been several years for PIMO's blocks. PME's brair will be of consistent quality with relatively few sandpits and flaws. From what I recall, PIMO's is the same.

The real difference will be in the briar itself - how it's cut, sized, and graded. PIMO uses the sizing and grading system that a lot of other places use (EM/MF, ER/R, Extra, etc). The cutter that supplies PME uses his own system of grading and sizing that is unique to his mill.

I have been using the same briar that PME supplies for the last 3 years almost exclusively. As with any wood product, you can't bank on carving into a $25 block and expecting to get a flawless pipe. But, I prefer these because I've developed a relationship with the cutter and I understand how he cuts his blocks and accounts for grain direction. That and I really like the way they sandblast. I recently got a batch of briar as a test sample from another region of the Mediterranean, and had to completely re-learn sandblasting. That may sound silly, but briar from different places will blast much differently.

FWIW, I suggest trying briar from all the different sources you can get your hands on so that you can formulate an educated opinion on them. Briar, depending on where it orignated from and the cutter who processed it, is going to vary greatly.

Sasquatch · Post by **Sasquatch** » Mon Apr 20, 2009 9:42 pm

I've gotten about a dozen or twenty blocks from PIMO now, and had all kinds of successes and failures. Some of the ebauchons have been incredibly good, with wonderful even grain and no pits. Others have been pretty unremarkable, and some percentage of both have had serious pits and/or fissures that I thought were bad enough to not be rusticatable, and had to change designs radically or put things in a "seconds" bin.

The plateaux they sell is not all that great for grain.... at least the two blocks I've done weren't special at all.

The pipes smoke really well though, so the most important part is being done right somewhere along the line.

Post by **KurtHuhn** » Tue Apr 21, 2009 9:58 am

Sasquatch wrote: The plateaux they sell is not all that great for grain.... at least the two blocks I've done weren't special at all.

I'm assuming you got the Cirta grade instead of Tassili? If that's the case, that's to be expected. The Tassili grade will be more pricey due to the strength of the grain, evenness of apparent pattern, symmetry of the cut, and tightness of the burl.

jeff · Post by **jeff** » Tue Apr 21, 2009 10:46 am

PIMO and PME offer wood that is not at all similar in terms of quality. By quality, I'm talking about grain orientation on the block, surface and integral flaws, and overall grain structure. PME leaves it dead in the water. I've had a few PIMO blocks that were worth keeping, but not many.

However, if you are just starting out and want to practice, Pimo's wood is fine. You might also try Tim West for the same quality and (I believe) origin. PME's mini sized ebauchon blocks or mini Cirtas are also good budget blocks.

Best,

Jeff

Post by **KurtHuhn** » Tue Apr 21, 2009 11:10 am

jeff wrote:PIMO and PME offer wood that is not at all similar in terms of quality. By quality, I'm talking about grain orientation on the block, surface and integral flaws, and overall grain structure. PME leaves it dead in the water. I've had a few PIMO blocks that were worth keeping, but not many.

That's what I was trying to say - but Jeff did it much better. Thanks, Jeff.

RadDavis · Post by **RadDavis** » Tue Apr 21, 2009 2:03 pm

I've still got Greek plateaux minis for sale at $7.00 per block.

Rad

Post by **Tyler** » Tue Apr 21, 2009 8:20 pm

Hey Rad, what are the dimensions on those minis? Long enough to make a reel seat?

Sasquatch · Post by **Sasquatch** » Tue Apr 21, 2009 8:49 pm

Kurt, I was referring to the PIMO stuff, which is not as far as I know the same source (Algeria) as PME, who uses the Cirta/Tassili designation.

If a more usual grading would be "regular" "extra" and "extra extra" I would be surprised if the PIMO plateaux met anybody's expectations for "extra" in terms of grain (and they do claim so). Both my blocks were shaved at about 45 degrees from the surface of the briar, greatly reducing the possible size of a straightgrain, and the grain itself was great in places and just totally unacceptable in others.... like, cracked knot in the middle kinda thing. I think I'm done with PIMO.

I have ordered some Cirta from PME and expect it to be better. My skills are not Tassili worthy yet.

pipeyeti · Post by **pipeyeti** » Tue Apr 21, 2009 10:35 pm

Rad
Plaese give me a call tomorow, my cell # is on my web site. I need more of those blocks.
Larry Faulkner

Post by **KurtHuhn** » Wed Apr 22, 2009 9:31 am

Sasquatch wrote:Kurt, I was referring to the PIMO stuff, which is not as far as I know the same source (Algeria) as PME, who uses the Cirta/Tassili designation.

Ah, I gotcha! Thanks for clarifying. Yes, PIMO and PME get their briar for different sources. The PIMO briar isn't crap, if you ask me. At least my recollection of it is favorable. But the PME briar really is much better. That being said, I do suggest to folks that they try briar from a bunch of different sources so that they can formulate an opinion on briar from different regions and cutters.

Sasquatch · Post by **Sasquatch** » Fri Apr 24, 2009 10:51 pm

Uh, got my PME briar today. It looks waaayyy better than the PIMO stuff.

The ebauchons are mediums, and about the same size as PIMO's largest....

The plateux are cut nice and square to the outer surface, grain looks really good (and this is the Cirta grade.).

WOO HOO!!!