The Easiest Smoking Pipe I Own

[Briar Lee]

For Christmas, one of my legal assistants gave me a pear wood pipe. I had to smoke it, of course, and I was determined to act like I enjoyed it.

This year marks fifty years I’ve smoked a pipe. In all that time, I’ve never enjoyed an easier smoke than my pear wood pipe using 9mm filters.

Pear wood is vastly superior to briar in two respects. My pipe tasted like a sweet pear for about three smokes while it broke in. Not even a Lee breaks in easier. Then after it’s broken in, a pear wood pipe smokes much cooler than briar, and is cooler to hold. You must try one, to appreciate how easy that pear breaks in, and how well it insulates.

My pear pipe came with one Vauen brand filter, and they work so well I bought a hundred for ten dollars. These are the best filters I’ve ever tried. They absolutely smooth the smoke and remove any bite, and trap moisture. About three smokes and you’ll need another one.

I don’t claim a pear wood 9mm filter pipe will be your best pipe.

But it might well be the easiest, coolest, mildest pipe you’ll ever smoke.

 

[weezell]

Nice!...

 

[Ahi Ka]

I find it exciting that you still get surprises after smoking for 50 years.

 

[Laurent]

Great looking pipe!

 

[Grangerous]

Now if we could just find that perfect $500 block of Pear wood….

But I digress.

 

[forloveoffreedom]

Anyone using pear wood out there?

 

[telescopes]

Anyone using pear wood out there?

i am seeing more of these pipes being sold.

 

[Briar Lee]

I’ve smoked cherry wood pipes made by Missouri Meerschaum for fifty years, and they seem to be about as good as a cob.

I’ve read of pipes being made from Mission Briar and mountain laurel during WW2. I knew cheap pipes were made of ebony and rosewood, advertised on eBay.

But who’d have thought, a pipe made of pear wood is not as beautifully grained as Mediterranean briar but it breaks in far, far easier and smokes much cooler?

There are commercial pear orchards all over the world, and all orchards have a definite life, where the trees are past their prime and must be replaced. My pear pipe probably came from that. It’s only commercial use of pear wood I’ve ever heard of.

And while I’ve heard of 9mm filters I couldn’t imagine just how well they work, either.

I’ve tried my pear pipe without a filter and it’s the same as any well broken in, exceptionally good smoking briar pipe.

Stick in a fresh filter (they turn brown in one smoke, gooey dark brown in two, and almost black in three) and suddenly my pipe is as mild as a cigarette. These actually work!

I don’t let a cake build up, but my pear wood pipe seems to want to form a cake.

The wood shows pores, and it’s plain straight grain.

But as a wooden tobacco smoking device it’s hard to find any better.

 

[username]

Anyone using pear wood out there?

Mr brog is the only brand I know of that immediately comes to mind.

 

[The Amish Tyrant]

Scotte has a pipe kit on Amazon with a pouch that holds 2 pipes, redwood handled pipe tool (that I believe @Briar Lee praised previously), decent reamer, pipe cleaners, plastic pipe stand, and a pear wood pipe for about $35. Mine came with a tobacco pouch too, but I haven't seen the pouch included recently.

The accessories were worth the price of admission alone. The pipe is a bent billard or brandy that is a little heavy with a smaller than expected diameter.

The pipe is decent enough for the price (although I never tasted sweet pear) and smokes cool.

Is it my favorite pipe? No. Does it have sentimental value? No. Does it meet it purpose effectively without frustrating me? Yes.

Buy one and find out for yourself. As said, the accessories with the kit are worth the price of admission, so you won't be out much. And if disappointed, take a page out of a recent thread and donate the pipe to a new member (btw nice job @Simmerdown).

 

[sablebrush52]

Pear wood is vastly superior to briar in two respects. My pipe tasted like a sweet pear for about three smokes while it broke in. Not even a Lee breaks in easier. Then after it’s broken in, a pear wood pipe smokes much cooler than briar, and is cooler to hold.

Sigh...I'll just have to make do with my inferior briar pipes...

Though they do have one advantage. During cold winter nights I can put one in the corner of my bedroom and use it as a space heater.

 

[Briar Lee]

Some facts about pear wood:

What Is Pear Wood? (with picture)

Pear wood is wood from any species of tree in the Pyrus genus. The main characteristics of pear wood is its hardness, its...

www.wise-geek.com

Pear wood comes from any species of tree in the genus Pyrus. The wood from these trees is very hard and can be carved into intricate designs without splitting or breaking. Woodwind instruments have historically been made of pear wood, which is also used to make furniture. When burned, the wood gives off a distinctive odor and imparts a flavor that makes it useful for smoking meats.

A relatively expensive wood, pear wood is harvested from pear trees, which grow slowly and do not reach great heights. These trees are usually cultivated for their fruit, and in most cases, the wood is harvested once fruit bearing trees stop producing. It can take decades to grow a pear tree from seed and wait for it to stop producing fruit. Though the wood can be harvested earlier, the trees are valuable for their fruit and are not often grown solely for lumber.

With its extremely hard consistency, pear wood is prized for its ability to hold up to heat, moisture, and woodworking tools. It is difficult to break or crack and can be carved into intricate designs that would be impossible in softer woods. Though its usefulness is limited by its small size, furniture that is carved out of this wood is often ornate and will hold up well over time.

Historically, pear wood has often been used to make woodwind instruments. Clarinets, oboes, recorders, and other instruments have been made out of this wood, which is strong and easy to work. Woodwind instruments require precise carving, and working with a wood, such as pear, that will not crack easily when drilled, helps instrument makers make changes to the wood without breaking it. It also holds up well when wet, which is an important quality for woodwind instruments, as they become filled with condensation when they are played.
—-

So why haven’t pipe carvers used pear wood for over a century?

It’s not beautifully grained, but as a wood for a cheap pipe, it smokes cool and sweet as a pear.

 

[Streeper541]

Mr brog is the only brand I know of that immediately comes to mind.

I have two Mr. Brog pearwood pipes. They are both good smokers.

 

[mortonbriar]

I like your angle on appreciating the pear flavour, my very first purchased pipe was a pear wood, and I found the flavour competing with the tobacco somewhat. Maybe a perspective change would make some difference.

Pear wood pipe - don't discriminate, ruminate.

 

[alexnc]

I guess I better try one! I have 2 olive woods that I don’t smoke. Maybe I should have been more patient with those. But I like experimenting, I have a morta that smokes nice - kind of didn’t fall in love with Meer. So, pear is next!

 

[Sweet Home Alabama]

For Christmas, one of my legal assistants gave me a pear wood pipe. I had to smoke it, of course, and I was determined to act like I enjoyed it.

This year marks fifty years I’ve smoked a pipe. In all that time, I’ve never enjoyed an easier smoke than my pear wood pipe using 9mm filters.

Pear wood is vastly superior to briar in two respects. My pipe tasted like a sweet pear for about three smokes while it broke in. Not even a Lee breaks in easier. Then after it’s broken in, a pear wood pipe smokes much cooler than briar, and is cooler to hold. You must try one, to appreciate how easy that pear breaks in, and how well it insulates.

My pear pipe came with one Vauen brand filter, and they work so well I bought a hundred for ten dollars. These are the best filters I’ve ever tried. They absolutely smooth the smoke and remove any bite, and trap moisture. About three smokes and you’ll need another one.

I don’t claim a pear wood 9mm filter pipe will be your best pipe.

But it might well be the easiest, coolest, mildest pipe you’ll ever smoke.

View attachment 119914View attachment 119915View attachment 119916View attachment 119917

If you want a better gift pipe, increase their pay...LOL!!

 

[JKoD]

I prefer applewood for my pipes. It’s superior because I can leave my bacon out and smoke it with scrumptious applewood flavoring while enjoying a pipe. Two birds. One stone. Who knew ?‍

 

[OzPiper]

Are we to expect a change in your user name from @Briar Lee to "Pear Tree" anytime soon ? ?

 

[Briar Lee]

Are we to expect a change in your user name from @Briar Lee to "Pear Tree" anytime soon ? ?

Not hardly, I still love my Lee briar pipes.

But to recommend a pipe to somebody who doesn’t have a pipe and wants one, a pear wood pipe with a 9mm filter is now my best advice.

There are bad, hot smoking briar pipes out there. I’ve owned some, that never break in.

Most briar pipes are horrible to break in.

And it takes a few years to appreciate a strong, full flavored pipe. Beginners get their mouth and tongue burned, easily.

I’ve long said, when the fellow fired up the first briar pipe, it’s a miracle he didn’t put it down and say we won’t use the root of a heath shrub again, the nasty hot tasting thing.

The first smoke of a pear wood pipe, is like smoking a sweet, fresh pear. The pear flavor fades after a few smokes, but it’s a pleasant surprise.

 

[OzPiper]

@Briar Lee ,
Appreciate the review of your pear wood pipe.
I'm sure there are members looking for an alternative to briar, or just on the lookout for a cheap(er) starter pipe who would enjoy reading your review.

I had a (real) cherry wood pipe when I first started on my pipe journey in the '70s. It was cheap (I was an impoverished undergraduate then) and rustic looking. To be honest, I rather like it's rusticity and its different looks. I loved smoking aromatics in it. I gave it away eventually because of its small bowl size.