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Gents/Ladies(?) -- Started (and stopped) making pipes and smoking them in the '60s; now retired and starting again.

But first, a couple of tobacco questions (since I'm assuming many/most of you fellow pipemakers are also pipesmokers . . .), if you don't mind.

In the '60s, I liked Borkum Riff, but recall it being pressed into a cake and sliced. Am I remembering wrong? I can still find it, but can no longer find another favorite, Balkan Sobranie. Is it extinct? If not, available anywhere?

Still smoking the Borkum Riff, but would like to find a brand that is a bit easier on the tongue, but is nicely aromatic. NO FRUIT OR BOOZE FLAVORS, PLS! Suggestions?

Couple of pipe questions: Do "unfinished" briar bowls "breathe" when smoked? If so, does a "clear coat" preclude this from happening and create a "hotter" smoke? Anyone aware of a more affordable source of "plateaux" briar blocks (preferably 3 x 3 x 2 inches - wide) that don't cost the equivalent of "an arm & a leg?" Maybe in "mini-bulk" orders of a dozen or two?

Thanks much! Hope to pick up some great info on this forum!

paulallen, greencastle, IN

Briar don't breathe.

Have you tried Caledonian Highland? It has a whiskey-note just as Borkum Riff (i presume you smoke that one and not the cherry one) but it is subtle.

If you would like a non-aromatic I would recommend Old dark fired from MacBarens HH-serie. Acctually most of the HHs I have tried has been good.


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I made pipes in the 1970s, gave it up, and resumed in 2016 after retirement also.
Breathing briar seems to be an old wives tale as far as I’m concerned. Briar certainly absorbs moisture and tars, but these same tars should make”breathing” impossible, and why would briar “breath” any easier under a coat of wax vs. some other finish?
As for your tobacco questions, Balkan Sobranie disappeared from the market years ago but has been resurrected- I can’t say if it is similar or not.
Can’t help you with the Borkum Riff question.
One of the joys of pipe smoking is trying different blends. Check to see if there is a pipe club near you. Pipe smokers are always willing to share tobacco. Alternatively, there are groups on line who swap tobacco samples.
Premal Chheda sells briar through RawKrafted https://rawkrafted.com/ and Steve Norse sells Briar through Vermont Freehand-https://vermontfreehand.com/ check out their sites. Todd Bannard uses eBay for briar.
DocAitch

Lane 1-Q and RLP-6 are two common, easy to find easy to smoke aromatics that I like. They are not too goopy. The RLP-6 has vanilla notes but is not 'fruity'. The room aroma is pleasing even to non-smokers and sometimes that is a good thing.

I LOVE SPC plum pudding. My everyday smoke. Give it a try!