Briar Grain, Algeria

Brendhain · Post by **Brendhain** » Fri Dec 17, 2004 10:44 am

Has anyone used these guys? I live in Sweden so the shipping charges aren't bad but I am a bit nerveous because the prices are so good. The prices are half that of most others. I need some practice wood now and some stock for the future. Are their Ebauchons good? Whats the difference between their two grading of plateaux? Is it extra quality and extra-extra quality? Is the wood consistant or do you get the 10% of crap block, e.g. cracked or warped? How is the smoking quality?

I would like to get some feedback before I invest in the stuff.

Does anyone know of any other good value european suppliers?

Please, make-up and answer any additional questions I have left out!!!

Yes, I am a newby who has only made a few pipes and all of them on my own, hence, all of the questions.

geigerpipes · Post by **geigerpipes** » Fri Dec 17, 2004 11:19 am

Hi brendhain

Nice to see a fellow swede in here

As for briargrain there stuff is good for the price but a bit on the small side so I would recomend there largest blocks of whatever bblock you deside to get as for working with it i've only made 2 pipes so far so i havent studied them that much but i've sanded around 80 blocks of their tassili quality and their nicley cut but with some spots to the surface..
Send me an email and we might be able to help eachoher out as Im in the smae part of the earth I have some advice on where to get stuff

Best
Love
www.geigerpipes.com

Post by **KurtHuhn** » Sat Dec 18, 2004 1:02 am

The Briar Grains stuff is very good for the price, in my opinion. Get the Large size though - they tend to be on the small side as far as length goes.

aaron · Post by **aaron** » Sat Dec 18, 2004 1:03 pm

Hey there,

I have lots of briar grains cirta blocks here at the house, I love it. I find that 95% of their blocks only have a few sand pits, and the graining is excelent. also, one side of the block is already squared up for you, so you can just grab a block and start drawing. I agree that their blocks are a bit smaller, but I have no problems with the size of pipes that I have been able to make. Next time I will order their larger blocks.

any other questions?

Aaron

RocheleauPipes · Post by **RocheleauPipes** » Mon Dec 20, 2004 10:34 pm

Hi there you guys,

I have started to work with the 200 blocks I ordered from Briar Grains. They are "Cirta" quality. I find them relatively free of sand pits. The sand pits that are present are very small, and easily overcome by more sanding. The brair I was using before was from Juam Hom. His extra/extra Plateaux is very good on grain, but the sand pits are usually large, deep, and not easily overcome. There are also large cracks in his briar. It's a shame because the working qualities and smoking qualities are very good. Anyway, Brair Grains is an improvement on Juam's briar.

Here are three links to pipes that I have created from Briar Grains briar:
http://www.members.shaw.ca/johnroch/60page.htm
http://www.members.shaw.ca/johnroch/59page.htm
http://www.members.shaw.ca/johnroch/58page.htm

If Juam's briar was more sand pit free, I wuold prefer it for the working qualities. It drills better, shapes better, and stem fit is easier with his briar. The sand pits though are a real problem, so my vote goes to Briar grains for best overall results.

Hope that helps,
John

Brendhain · Post by **Brendhain** » Tue Dec 21, 2004 5:37 am

Nice pipes John! I do see what you mean about the briar, not too bad. Especially compared to the Pimo blocks I have.

I have only used the Pimo blocks so far and therefore no nothing about drilling different briar from different sources. So, can you help me with something you wrote.

It drills better, shapes better, and stem fit is easier with his briar.

What makes this difference? Is it the length of time it has cured (i.e. how dry the wood is?) or is it the source georgraphy an climate. I have read that Greek wood is softer, hence, sandblasting gives can give deeper cuts.

Post by **KurtHuhn** » Tue Dec 21, 2004 10:40 am

For more examples of Yazid's Cirta quality:
http://www.pipecrafter.com/pipeimages/cutty1-alt2.jpg
http://www.pipecrafter.com/pipeimages/apple7.jpg
http://www.pipecrafter.com/pipeimages/bull7.jpg
http://www.pipecrafter.com/pipeimages/saucer4.jpg

Like John said, the briar does have some sandpits, but they are small, few, and easily worked around.

robert · Post by **robert** » Tue Dec 21, 2004 12:31 pm

I am glad to read you all are fairly happy with Briar Grains. I just wire transfered money yesterday for some blocks of Yazid's briar. I too was buying from Jaum and found the same pits as you all have described. This is good news for me regarding BG. thanks

Robert Green

Brendhain · Post by **Brendhain** » Wed Dec 22, 2004 8:35 am

Kurt: That is some very nice work, especially that last, bigger bulldog. Very nice wood, too.

If that is their Cirta quality then their Tassili quality must be really something.

Are all of the shank extensions your personal taste or is it because of the "short blocks" that Briar Grains cuts?

Does anyone have any experience with their Tassili quality wood?

Post by **KurtHuhn** » Wed Dec 22, 2004 11:59 am

Brendhain wrote:Kurt: That is some very nice work, especially that last, bigger bulldog. Very nice wood, too.

Thanks!

Brendhain wrote:Are all of the shank extensions your personal taste or is it because of the "short blocks" that Briar Grains cuts?

Does anyone have any experience with their Tassili quality wood?

I add the stem rings because I feel they add an aesthetic appeal. They add uniqueness to the pipe as well, and offer a more "finished" look. Mostly I just really dig the way they look. I do shank extensions from time to time, but I really find stem rings to offer a much more finished appearance.

I have made a couple pipes out of Tassili quality, and the quality is very high. The grain is tighter, more striking, and the blocks I had didn't show a single sandpit. That's not to say there weren't any, but if there was, they didn't exhibit themselves at all during shaping.

hiway · Post by **hiway** » Wed Dec 22, 2004 9:11 pm

The brair I was using before was from Juam Hom. His extra/extra Plateaux is very good on grain, but the sand pits are usually large, deep, and not easily overcome.

I agree. I am working with Juam's briar now and finding the same problems. I've pitched two blocks this week because of splits.

Previously, I had some Tasili quality from BG. Very nice briar but the blocks were on the small side. The briar from BG also seems to smoke very well. Here is an example of the Tasili grain. You may have to right click on this to get to the pic in the gallery.

Dave