Briar works international factory tour

[Charlz9mm]

I toured the Briarworks pipe factory in Nashville. I don't work for them. Watch my video.
https://youtu.be/pJ_7uCMLTto

 

[Ocelot55]

Todd and Pete are doing good work. Almost all the guys working for them are accomplished pipe makers in their own right. Todd offered to show me around a while back, but I couldn't make it down to Nashville. Thanks for posting.

 

[Dutch]

Excellent video Charlz! I had heard about this shop in Nashville about 3 years ago. There's a lot of talent under that roof, and it's amazing how they have found a way to offer high quality pipes in various pipe ranges.

It's a really neat concept they have about getting new pipe smokers started at entry level pricing, and having different levels of quality to choose from. It makes a slippery slope even more slippery. :lol:

Thanks for taking time to make the video Charlz, it was very educational. I have been wanting one of the Briarworks Calabash pipes, but they sell out almost immediately. I'll bet they offer a fantastic unparalleled dry smoking experience.

 

[weedsnager]

I love videos like that, great job!

 

[tslots]

Thanks for the video Charles. Great job!

BWI seems to make some nice looking pipes, but their website seems fairly incomplete at this time. I know Pete said they strive not to keep finished goods inventory in stock, but with the exception of the Neptune line, there is no info on their other products.

 

[eklektos44]

Great video. Very nice pipes, but outta my comfort zone. :shock:

 

[juanmedusa]

Very cool, good work! I enjoyed watching it.

 

[DrumsAndBeer]

Wow, thanks for sharing.

Excellent work, by the way..

 

[monbla256]

Everything is definitely interesting but where are the WORKERS ? Do they have as many folks filling those chairs at those work stations as is shown in the video?

 

[juanmedusa]

Btw, who the heck is Charlz9mm!? Member since last December, only 8 posts, yet he's doing really cool factory tour videos. I've got my eye on you now, Charlz9mm. Yes, my eye on you.

 

[DrumsAndBeer]

I feel some PAD coming on. I want one of those chubby reverse calabashes.

I want one in a bad way I tell you!!

Damn!

 

[Dutch]

Everything is definitely interesting but where are the WORKERS ?  Do they have as many folks filling those chairs at those work stations as is shown in the video?

Michael, Nashville Tennessee just happens to be home to several artisan pipe carvers. Names like Todd Johnson, Jody Davis, Pete Prevost, Bruce Weaver, Steve Morrisette, and Grant Batson.

It's my understanding that those chairs belong to individual artisans not actual employees. It seems like a really cool way for a group of like minded artisans to pool their resources to create a high end pipe carving shop.

Maybe Jesse can elaborate on this. I have no idea for certain what I am talking about, but that is the impression I got from what I heard in the past.

Also, I believe if someone wants to attend a pipe carving school or seminar, Todd and his crew can put together something along those lines. I believe Todd traveled to Denmark and was taught under the tutelage of Tom Eltang, and I have read that he has passed along a lot of what he learned to other up and coming pipe carvers.

Also, what is really interesting, is that Todd's one off's can go for several thousand dollars, and he is one of the premier artisans residing in the USA, yet his interests also lie in making high quality pipes at prices a blue collar pipeman can easily afford.

He is also highly educated with a Masters from Yale, and could have went a lot of different directions in life. He is a relatively young artisan pipe carver, so it will be very interesting over the course of the next couple decades to watch his craft evolve.

 

[Charlz9mm]

Thank you all for watching. To answer some questions: who is Charlz9mm? I am a blogger and YouTuber with 1.5 million hits. I am former writer and an independent product reviewer. Where are the workers in the video? They were on a smoke break. They were camera shy. Again thanks for viewing.

 

[juanmedusa]

Found the blog and the YouTube channel. Pretty easy once you know what you're looking for. Really cool stuff. I knew that factory tour video couldn't have been an introductory effort. Btw, I just watched several yerba mate videos!

 

[Ocelot55]

Maybe Jesse can elaborate on this. I have no idea for certain what I am talking about, but that is the impression I got from what I heard in the past.

In a nutshell, as opposed to hiring any Joe Schmo, Todd has been gathering other part and full time artisan carvers to produce all the Briarworks pipes. It is a mutually beneficial arrangement. Todd provides a steady job, salary, benefits to these carvers, they in turn get access to the equipment to create their own work after hours.Todd also doesn't have to train newbies from the ground up. These folks are well versed in how to make a pipe already. They also have access to Todd's huge amount of knowledge and experience as well as the know how from each other as well. He has assembled a great team of pretty accomplished folks, each quite capable of making an extraordinary pipe on their own. That expertise transfers over to the quality of all Briarworks pipes.

The market is right for a quality factory pipe, especially with the decline of Stanwell, Peterson, Dunhill, etc. I hear they are having a hard time keeping pace with demand.

In addition, Todd is helping other companies with sub brands of pipes. They create separate lines for Pipes and Cigars and Smokershaven where I work. Our arrangement with Todd is that he will replicate old GBD shapes for us and send the unfinished pipes to Premal and I who do the finishing and stamping in house. These are the pipes Todd makes for us and we finish, a reproduction of an old GBD cognac shape: http://www.smokershaven.com/smokers-haven-the-cognac.aspx

More shapes are coming, but as of yet we have no ETA.

 

[Dutch]

Maybe Jesse can elaborate on this. I have no idea for certain what I am talking about, but that is the impression I got from what I heard in the past.

In a nutshell, as opposed to hiring any Joe Schmo, Todd has been gathering other part and full time artisan carvers to produce all the Briarworks pipes. It is a mutually beneficial arrangement. Todd provides a steady job, salary, benefits to these carvers, they in turn get access to the equipment to create their own work after hours.Todd also doesn't have to train newbies from the ground up. These folks are well versed in how to make a pipe already. They also have access to Todd's huge amount of knowledge and experience as well as the know how from each other as well. He has assembled a great team of pretty accomplished folks, each quite capable of making an extraordinary pipe on their own. That expertise transfers over to the quality of all Briarworks pipes.

The market is right for a quality factory pipe, especially with the decline of Stanwell, Peterson, Dunhill, etc. I hear they are having a hard time keeping pace with demand.

In addition, Todd is helping other companies with sub brands of pipes. They create separate lines for Pipes and Cigars and Smokershaven where I work. Our arrangement with Todd is that he will replicate old GBD shapes for us and send the unfinished pipes to Premal and I who do the finishing and stamping in house. These are the pipes Todd makes for us and we finish, a reproduction of an old GBD cognac shape: http://www.smokershaven.com/smokers-haven-the-cognac.aspx

More shapes are coming, but as of yet we have no ETA.


Thanks for the clarification Jesse. I had seen some of these collaborative pipes on Rob Cooper's auctions, and was curious about what was taking place between you and Briarworks. It sounds like a win win situation for everyone, and a fantastic way to give something back, in helping to introduce new pipe smokers to the hobby, at very reasonable price points.

 

[juanmedusa]

I just saw some of these in person at the local b&m. They certainly don't lose any appeal in person! I'm intrigued. I'm not such a Brandy guy but the smokershaven price is not to be missed if you want a Brandy right now. Seriously. A steal. I really like the stubby apple shape for quicker smokes though. I'd love to hear some brothers' thoughts on these after smoking them for awhile. They look as though I won't be hearing any disappointment.

 

[weedsnager]

They had a Huge display at the Chicago show....very nice looking pipes

 

[juanmedusa]

They had a Huge display at the Chicago show....very nice looking pipes

I'm jealous you were at the Chicago show. Lucky guy.

 

[Dutch]

Here is a summary of the Briarworks line posted on Smokingpipes.com-

 Todd Johnson, Pete Prevost, as well a host of other seriously talented folks who work at BriarWorks International, have set out to challenge our very notions of what constitutes a high quality pipe, and what we should expect to pay for the same; the premiere champion of their cause is the Neptune briar. Like many of the competitors currently in BriarWork's sights, the Neptune briar is crafted from Mimmo heath, lavished with a pleasantly daunting, hands-on attention to detail, (in fact, such an attention that it makes many 'one man; one pipe' marques pale in comparison). All Neptune pipes sport comfortably thin, hand-finished mouthpieces, the tenons are adhered in such a manner that fit will remain proper, no matter the humidity of a given region. Further, the stems/bits are milled out with a deep V-groove, filed smooth, sanded internally, and then polished. The smooth stains worn by Neptune briars are the exact same that Mr. Johnson uses in his multi-thousand dollar masterpieces, the darker sandblasts feature a dual stain, and you will find the quality of the actual blasting to be second-to-none. Finally, their champion line will be available in a mightily impressive array of shapes--forms designed specifically for the Neptune briar by some of the most talented artisans in the business.
The key, Todd believes, to bringing in this many cool attributes at a crazy-affordable price point is to apply hyper-efficient, lean sigma work-in-progress processes to a craft which has previously been far less than streamlined. In the words of Mr. Johnson, 'Envision a briar Calabash with a removable bowl, finished to hand-made standards, and available in six different finishes, and now picture a price point of $300 -- it's coming.' Hubris, or a simple matter-of-fact? Only you can decide, and that decision starts with trying out a Neptune briar.

They just listed a bunch of new Briarworks pipes if anyone is interested in taking a look. I am not affiliated with Briarworks or Smokingpipes.com, but that is my loss.

http://www.smokingpipes.com/pipes/new/Neptune/index.cfm?utm_source=Smokingpipes.com&utm_campaign=da1136cf2e-Tuesday_May_19_2015_BriarWorks5_19_2015&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_0e8b6a473f-da1136cf2e-209326361