pipemakersforum.com

Dear Pipemakers!

I am looking for Algerian Briar. I found 2 sources
Pipe Makers Emporium and http://www.briargrains.com/

But Briargrains do not react. As far as I know Pipe Makers Emporium have their briar from briargrains.

So does someone know a further source?

Rgards David!

PS: here my last one

David,

A quick search found no sources. I'm sure that Kurt, Tyler, Heinz, and/or some of the others here have some sources. It appears that Algerian briar is in short supply other than the sources you listed.

--Michael

As far as I know, the market of Algerian briar has bascially dried up and been cornered by Pipe Makers Emporium. Yazid is not, as I can tell, selling his briar direct any more. You need to go through pipemakers.org to get any (at least in North America).

I, for one, cannot afford to pay the prices pipemakers.org wants to charge for Yazid's briar. It's good briar, but it isn't that good. Essentially, the prices per block have doubled and tripled. Personally, if I'm going to pay that much, I'm going to get the best damn biriar I can - direct from the cutter.

I can't find briar anywhere on the Pipemakers Emporium site.

Does anyone have a link?

rad

Listed right on the front page, but nowhere else:
http://www.pipemakers.org/

I don't see a button to buy, so I assume you have to email to purchase.

Thanks, Kurt.

My link in my favorites goes to a different page, and there doesn't seem to be a way back to the home page from there.

Rad

KurtHuhn wrote:Listed right on the front page, but nowhere else:
http://www.pipemakers.org/

I don't see a button to buy, so I assume you have to email to purchase.

There is an order form at the top, you click on that and you order from that. The $100.00 minimum initial order is a real turnoff...

Try calling or e-mailing Andrea and she may waive the $100 min first order.

BD wrote:Try calling or e-mailing Andrea and she may waive the $100 min first order.

How many pieces of briar can you possibly get for less than $100? You have to expect that certain economies of scale are built into any company's profit margin. I wouldn't walk across the street for less than $100, especially if it was going to cost me $50 to do it. Andrea has to make money, otherwise you guys are looking at real minimum orders on things.

Todd

I did not mean to imply that companies don't need to make money. I was just commenting that if $100 was too steep for someone that it was possible that that could be worked around.

By the way, I would walk across the street for $100 and while I'm over there I would pick yours up and bring it back for you.

Bill

I agree completely. $100, in pipe making circles, just isn't going to get you much of anything. When I go to order nice briar blocks, I anticipate dropping $1000 to start, and it goes up quickly from there.

However, when it comes to hobbyists, $100 might seem a little steep. In that case, there's always Pimo, J.H. Lowe, or Mark Tinsky.

I bought some of the Algerian briar from Andrea. It is first class briar!

Even hobbyists need to be willing to spring for some good briar. Heck, a friend of mine likes to golf. He spends a bundle ever month on that hobby. So springing $100 for an initial order from Andrea is not out of kilter.

I read it as needing to order a minimun of $100 to 'establish an account' not to make an order.

I made my first order of $48 total online, it was filled with no comments made by them. I since have made two further orders of $50 each. I have made all online, paying with plastic, received emails from them confirming all orders and yet no one has ever mentioned the $100 minium.

bob gilbert

The Algerian plateaux from Andrea at PE is excellent. I think it's worth the money, and you don't need to order tons of it like you would if you went direct (I'd love to be ordering from Mimo, but don't have the capital, and missed out on the deal Todd put together). Without something like that it's tough getting the cred to rate a cutter's better stock. They very understandably save their best pieces for established customers.

My experience so far is the Algerian Tassili grade has as good a chance as any I've used of making a decent smooth straight grain, and so far it's the best I can afford. The Certa grade is very decent for the price, and so far has worked out well for blasts. It's not near as clean on average, and the grain is much wider with some major fallout in some blocks. Still, if you want to make blasts, it's great option. The ebauchons are very decent too, but I don't think they are any better than what I've received from Tinsky or West.

You'll make the $100 minimum in a hurry with a few chunks, and get some German Ebonite and Cumberland Rod while your at it. As mentioned, if you can't stomach that, I think Andrea will work with you.

I'm VERY greatful for PE! Without them it would be nearly impossible to get top quality materials is small quantities.

Gents,

I buy my briar from Jean Pierre Soler. He doesn't answer emails very quickly (I understand somebody else act as proxy for his online communications) but his service is high quality, and he has very good briar to boot. I bought 50 pieces of ebauchon for 500 euros, and he dropped several pieces of very nice plateaux just because.

His website (http://www.geocities.com/solerpipas/) is available in spanish only. But here is his contact info:

Joan P. Soler Molina
Passeig del Firal 30-40
17170 Amer (Girona) Spain
Tel (34)972 43 02 49 - 972 43 10 70
Fax. (34) 972 43 02 49
solerpipas@hotmail.com

Thanks a lot for your comment! I have ordered some briar from Pipe Makers Emporium. Looking forward to receiving it.

baff