Briar Sourcing

RocheleauPipes · Post by **RocheleauPipes** » Tue Aug 31, 2004 10:52 pm

Jeff,

Maybe that was the price for having the balls to ask for a 10 block sample set

I mean.....10 blocks. That's some sample.

A few months ago I received an email from an Algerian firm (not Briar Grains) that essentially said they were drumming up business. They offered to send samples free of charge. Of course, being in the market as I am, I quickly sent off my address to them. I haven't heard a thing since. Guess they changed their mind. I wonder now who they were. I hadn't heard of them before. Can't recall the name now either. I deleted the info I had on them when I realised they weren't going to follow through with what they said. If I can't take someone at their word, that's usually the last word for me.

John

Pipercats · Post by **Pipercats** » Wed Sep 01, 2004 1:29 pm

RocheleauPipes wrote:Thanks Jeff,

I will likely place an order prior to getting your feedback, as I am almost out of briar. I am not certain how to read the codes on Calabria's price list, but assume that the R 2 1/2 is going to be a standard ebauchon, and not a plateaux. They list plateaux as a separate line item. I am not at all knowledgable on what the other prefixes other than "R" refer to. It is likely the shape of the cut. What I want from them is an ebauchon that is NOT preshaped in either a straight or bent rough form. For Plateaux, I may go to Briar Grains, and pay the extra, as I like the cutting they seem to do.

Two questions for you: Have you found out if Calabria cuts their EXTRA grade to enhance grain direction, or is it related more to minimize visible flaws in the blocks supplied? Also, any input on what the Calbria prefixes MO, MF, MFF, CMF, mean? I saw a picture on their site showing a bin of blocks labelled R 2 1/2 and that seems what I would want from them.

By the way, if anyone has any information on suppliers that they are reluctant to comment on publicly, just send me a private message. I will do the same for anyone wanting comments on JH.

Thanks Jeff,
John

Hi John .. here is an explaination of the sizes for the Plateau that we got from Vito:

The plateaux generally have not size standard.
Because we look the quality. The plateaux middle blaze have the size approximately as the R2 1/4 and the size of the plateaux 3 size blaze are approximately as the R2 1/2, R2 3/4.

We ordered some samples from them about 1 1/2 years ago ... IIRC the grain was nice and the wood was dry. I can't comment on how they cut the plateau as we only had 3 or 4 blocks. Shipping costs were horrendous.

For an idea of shape and size for the MF and MFF and R .. I usually refer to Mark Tinsky's site: http://www.amsmoke.com/Services/sellbriar.html

Hope this helps some.
Bill and Terri

RocheleauPipes · Post by **RocheleauPipes** » Wed Sep 01, 2004 9:06 pm

Thanks Bill and terry,

I'll check out Marks site for further clarification. Yes, those shipping costs are sometime rediculous. I just had a response from Yazid, but he didn't answer my question on the special prices his web site says he offers on bulk orders (and discounted from those new prices someone received from him and posted earlier on in a thread here), plus he quoted a shipping cost of $2 USD per block on bulk orders. That would put a sack of 288 blocks at $576 USD for shipping, which of course is way out of wack. So back to the email process again.

It's difficult dealing with some people when they don't operate in standard business practices, such as estimating the weight of the order and calling their postal service or whatever they use and getting a quote to ship to my location. It's not too much to ask if that's what it takes to get an order I think. Oh well. back at

John

RocheleauPipes · Post by **RocheleauPipes** » Wed Oct 06, 2004 10:10 pm

Hi All,

Briar Grains order

Just thought I'd let you know I received my order yesterday and today. Got 200 "large" Cirta plateaux. I thought at first he short shipped, as I received only 80 blocks yesterday and the package was marked 1 of 1 pieces, but today the balance arrived. It took several weeks for Yazid to ship, but when he did, he shipped UPS Express.

First impressions: They are as advertised. They seem well cured; very wide but somewhat short in length. 3/4 of the shipment was at the minimum length Yazid quotes for large. This is too bad really, as they are so wide. You can't take advantage of the width for the bowl in those blocks, because you then won't have enough shank. That's okay though. They are a good size all in all. The extra width can be used when it allows, and when it doesn't, the extra can become tampers or such. Can't tell of course about the sandpit issue, but on the surface, there is no evidence of pits. There doubtless are pits, but it looks like it'll be far less than Juam's briar. The shipment was well-packed, and accurately counted.

Just waiting for Yazid to give me bank account details to pay him. All in all I think I'll be happy with the purchase.

John

RocheleauPipes · Post by **RocheleauPipes** » Sat Oct 09, 2004 12:00 am

Oh ye of little imagination, repent! Short, wide blocks are absolutely awesome for saucer-dogs and other gutsy manly-man pipes that are not necessarily elegant but scream POWER!

Okay, okay, I'm repenting already. You are right of course; I was just nit-picking. It would be nicer to get the length as well as the width, so there are still limits, but limits can be overcome. Aside from power screamin pipes, there are shank extensions, and then there are normal sized bowls.

The grain is something I am anxious to explore. It'll be less tight and less dramatic than Juam's extra/extra for sure, but hopefully it will also be less sandpit prone. I should be able to enhance and work with a looser grain--I hope, I hope.

John

jeff · Post by **jeff** » Sat Oct 09, 2004 10:28 am

I agree with you on this John. I must admit that I was disappointed with the cuts I received from Briargrains. While the quality of the wood is great, the cutter needs to practice some more or perhaps he needs to look at what other cutters are doing. There are seriously some pieces I got from them that I look at and have no idea what to do with them. Most will undoubtedly turn into little bamboos, but even they will be very small. I have seen some that look just the right shape to make an elephant's foot though.

Jeff

RocheleauPipes · Post by **RocheleauPipes** » Sat Oct 09, 2004 10:34 am

Hi Jeff,

The cutting on most blocks I have received is good as far as the direction of the grain goes. I hope that is true for you as well. Oh well, we'll figure it out as we go eh?

John

sagiter · Post by **sagiter** » Sat Oct 09, 2004 11:59 am

Nothing wrong with little bamboo pipes guys, they sell fairly well as Mr. johnson will tell you

)

Neil

Post by **KurtHuhn** » Sat Oct 09, 2004 10:41 pm

Jeff, John,

I also received an order of blocks (Large Cirta) from Yazid - in fact, I got mine on Tuesday. I have not had any time to do anything with them yet, but I expect great things.

These blocks are quite wide, but as you have both noted, somewhat short. That's fine though - I can' *totally* work with this.

However, one difference can be noted. I sent an email for an order of briar, and it showed up on my doorstep less than 3 weeks later.

jeff · Post by **jeff** » Sat Oct 09, 2004 10:47 pm

Kurt,

3 weeks sounds about right. I think that is roughly the same time in transit for me, although the answer to your email sounds much much faster.

Jeff

RocheleauPipes · Post by **RocheleauPipes** » Sat Oct 09, 2004 11:25 pm

Apparantly the delay in getting mine to me was that Yazid originally shipped by Algerian post, then he found out there were some problems in the system. He cancelled that delivery--got the briar back--and re-shipped to me via UPS, which took 5 days. Yazid now says he will ship all future orders via UPS. Bonus.

John

Clemons · Post by **Clemons** » Tue Oct 12, 2004 6:52 pm

I also picked up a shipment of Algerian from Yazid this week. Nice blocks and I am always happy with the size. I ordered 30 large and 5 Jumbo blocks and after shipping will cost me less than 10 bucks a block. I also like the smoke and Yazid will not sell a block until it is ready to cut. I emailed him a couple months ago and he would not sell me the wood becuase he said it was not ready to work. Just a thought from the peanut gallery!
clem

pipemaker · Post by **pipemaker** » Thu Oct 21, 2004 7:20 pm

I sent an inquiry to Briar Grains asking the shipping cost for 3 dozen blocks.
They quoted me $65 for 30day post and $104 for UPS.

Is this in the ballpark compared to what those of you that have ordered have been paying?

Thanks,

Mike

Post by **KurtHuhn** » Sun Oct 24, 2004 1:11 pm

Those are close. The total shipping cost for 30 blocks of large plateaux via UPS was $99 to Rhode Island, USA. If you're inland, it will likely be a few dollars more.

ScoJo · Post by **ScoJo** » Sun Oct 24, 2004 3:48 pm

So is there a source for cheap briar blocks in small quantities (i.e. half dozen) for a beginner? Is Pimo the only option for something like this? Tinsky? Where is the best bang for the beginner's buck?

Post by **Tyler** » Sun Oct 24, 2004 5:44 pm

Scott,

Those two plus, http://www.jhlowe.com, are the only choices, until the <ahem> new guy gets his act together.

Tyler

jeff · Post by **jeff** » Sun Oct 24, 2004 6:25 pm

Wow, has Yazid ever hiked up his shipping rates. I shipped 35 blocks about 2 months ago for around $40.

Jeff

RocheleauPipes · Post by **RocheleauPipes** » Sun Oct 24, 2004 9:04 pm

Scott,

Juam Hom sells block in packs of 6 or 8 and he has pictures of each block on site that you will recieve. He has different grades, so you can control your price somewhat. People have differing experinces with his briar. his extra extra quality has superb grain structure, but I have found it to contain too many cracks and pits. I have noticed others have difference reports on that subject.

John

Post by **KurtHuhn** » Mon Oct 25, 2004 9:17 am

jeff wrote:Wow, has Yazid ever hiked up his shipping rates. I shipped 35 blocks about 2 months ago for around $40.

Jeff

He has been experiencing problem with exporting via the Turkish Post Office, so he's using UPS now. Higher rates, but lightening fast shipping. All tolled, it's still not all that bad.