What a wonderful gesture by my Brothers

[Briar Spirit]

Ken, I'm not referring to the kits you guys are so kindly getting sent to me, I honestly have no idea what to sell them for, will have to see when I have made pipes from them, I'll ask you guys here I think is best.

I'm still trying to find a source for Briar blocks which is reliable, it's not as simple as I thought to be honest, I can see why guys like Paul Hubartt go to select the Briar in person, out of my league I'm afraid so I'm going to need to rely on the vendor being trustworthy.

I'd love to be able to order from Vermont Freehand, he strikes me as a level and honest guy but his prices are quite high because he's a middle man.

This guy seems like he does a good deal: http://stores.ebay.co.uk/Alexander-Briar/_i.html?rt=nc&_sid=1029427117&_trksid=p4634.c0.m14.l1581&_pgn=3 any of you know anything about Alexander?

 

[Anonymous]

Until you can get better tools, I'd think you'd stick to kits. Others here who actually make them can certainly give better advice.

One thing I built that might have application was with a couple of 1" bearing blocks I got at a used tool store. Not sure if you have such a source. I put mine on a scrap chunk of maple I had and threaded both ends. I could mount a buffer and had a large 3 jaw on one end that I could use for quick change. The other end I used to mount buffing wheels. With a small motor and 3-step pully arrangement I could control reasonable speeds. I didn't use it as a sanding setup but it wouldn't be hard to do. Beyond the real precision work, it might do.

You really need to ask better informed folks about going beyond where you are at. I think you've seen that trial and error don't provide you with the results you are looking for.

I'm not sure what the others paid for shipping but imagine that Mark was able to give a break by sending multiple kits your way. With his most expensive option under $40 and some in the 20's, it is a way to get by until you can get equipment. To do that and show a profit, you need to get a decent price so that you can get more kits and cover all costs with a profit.

My shipping was $15 Not sure how much it'd go up from that for say 4 kits but I'd guess it might be $5. I'd think that'd all equate to roughly £100. So if you sold each of them for that, Your raw cost would be 25%. That'd let you start accumulating seed money for tools.

Hopefully, one the the people who know building pipes can give you better advice on minimal tooling and how to progress.

 

[i.keenum]

Brother you make beautiful pipes now. I wouldn't worry about pricing them too high, I've seen much worse stuff sell for way more. You have a talent, be proud of it. :cheers: 

 

[Briar Spirit]

Until you can get better tools, I'd think you'd stick to kits.  Others here who actually make them can certainly give better advice.

One thing I built that might have application was with a couple of 1" bearing blocks I got at a used tool store.  Not sure if you have such a source.  I put mine on a scrap chunk of maple I had and threaded both ends.  I could mount a buffer and had a large 3 jaw on one end that I could use for quick change.  The other end I used to mount buffing wheels.  With a small motor and 3-step pully arrangement I could control reasonable speeds.  I didn't use it as a sanding setup but it wouldn't be hard to do.  Beyond the real precision work, it might do.

You really need to ask better informed folks about going beyond where you are at.  I think you've seen that trial and error don't provide you with the results you are looking for.  

I'm not sure what the others paid for shipping but imagine that Mark was able to give a break by sending multiple kits your way. With his most expensive option under $40 and some in the 20's, it is a way to get by until you can get equipment.  To do that and show a profit, you need to get a decent price so that you can get more kits and cover all costs with a profit.

My shipping was $15 Not sure how much it'd go up from that for say 4 kits but I'd guess it might be $5.  I'd think that'd all equate to roughly £100.  So if you sold each of them for that, Your raw cost would be 25%.  That'd let you start accumulating seed money for tools.

Hopefully, one the the people who know building pipes can give you better advice on minimal tooling and how to progress.

Marks prices for pipe kits are exceedingly fair I must admit that much, but what with shipping, import duties then parcel force adds their administration fee and they then charge you again to deliver the goods from customs, kits from America are no longer a sustainable or affordable option Ken.

 

[PozzSka]

What about www.RomeoBriar.com ? I don't know how good it is.

Re: Alexander Briar from Greece, I have a Poker by him, and it's nice. Medium Brown smooth finish with a cumberland stem. The draw isn't quite as open as I would like, but the briar is nice. A nice bird's eye on my poker.

 

[somedumbjerk]

i'm using alexander briar right now. it's really really red. sounds odd, but it's true. it's no mimmo or cut above but it's affordable. out of four blocks, one had a big flaw, one had none, and the others had small sand pits. they all smoke really well and are breaking in just fine. the flaws aren't a big deal, just rusticate it if it's a big one or leave the sand pits. my next order will probably be a cut above or mimmo once i get done saving up for a lathe/tooling. and kirk, we are all helping you out because you are a nice guy, and you have talent! you need to make a profit my man! you need tools, tins of tobacco for inspiration, and some extra coin to take the family out to dinner every once in a while so they are okay with you disappearing for hours playing with your pipes!

 

[Briar Spirit]

I get the message guys, you guys are so caring it's astounding, I will consider pricing more, no promises there, I like the idea of making them affordable to 'everyone'.

I thought about A Cut Above but he is a cutter, the blocks are still very wet from him so will need at least 18 months of continued drying before the blocks from him can be used, an ideal place to buy from once one has a stockpile of Briar to be used now. I'm waiting on a contact from Sasquatch for a source of Briar that can be used now and is pretty good stuff and not pricey as hell like RomeoBriar, I have seen his Briar and know it is top-notch but way too pricey for affordable pipes to be made from, I may consider some of his Briar for some top notch pipes once I'm better at carving of course.

 

[somedumbjerk]

I get the message guys, you guys are so caring it's astounding, I will consider pricing more, no promises there, I like the idea of making them affordable to 'everyone'.

I thought about A Cut Above but he is a cutter, the blocks are still very wet from him so will need at least 18 months of continued drying before the blocks from him can be used, an ideal place to buy from once one has a stockpile of Briar to be used now. I'm waiting on a contact from Sasquatch for a source of Briar that can be used now and is pretty good stuff and not pricey as hell like RomeoBriar, I have seen his Briar and know it is top-notch but way too pricey for affordable pipes to be made from, I may consider some of his Briar for some top notch pipes once I'm better at carving of course.

yeah his briar is nice, i always thought he used mimmo. let me know if i'm wrong. especially if it's cheaper :cheers: 

 

[ZuluCollector]

No matter where a pipemaker gets briar, there can always be problems. Briar is an unpredictable and frustrating medium.

In working on this year's Passion for Pipes POY, Jack Howell had 10 blocks in a row that had to be discarded because of flaws. There are a couple that might be able to be made into another shape, but they were unworkable for the 284 shape he was making. I should add that these blocks were hand-picked. Needless to say, this was a big expense and constituted a lot of waste. Hard to believe, but it's true.

Given how tough it is to know what's inside a block, it strikes me as possibly a little harsh to characterize someone as dishonest just because the briar they sell has internal flaws which are invisible to anyone looking at a block. I think people try to do the right thing on the whole. Most briar sellers I know want their customers to have good experiences and great pipes come from what they sell. This brings people back.

 

[Briar Spirit]

Neill, I don't believe any one has called a Briar vendor dishonest, I have seen posts on other forums openly calling some vendors 'crooks' and actually naming the vendor, that is certainly not happening here. We are openly discussing sources of Briar right now, folk are going to mention bad experiences as well as good, this is after all the nature of discussion, you cannot demand people only speak about the good things, it is not right to try to silence people when they have something bad to report either, folk want to know where they stand with a vendor, how can they do this if people conceal bad occurrences, there comes a risk of a false impression then being gathered about a source, now that isn't fair on the customer is it.

 

[Anonymous]

I agree that our expertise may not be as solid as yours, Neil.

What got this going is in another thread. Kirk bought some drilled briar and that wasn't drilled properly. It wasn't represent as some kind of second either. What would you say about that?

 

[Briar Spirit]

To be honest Ken I'd rather folk didn't get into that subject any more, the guy has threatened to take me to court if I tell people who he is or say anything to damage his business. I despise people who use intimidation to silence an unhappy customer but I've been told he can screw me three ways to Tuesday because the Law favours the money hungry business man to the pesky irrelevant customers, weird that without the waste of space customers there would be no businesses, but what do I know. Either way Ken, dragging that dead horse out to flog it some more could get me in more bother than I can handle mate.

 

[Rob_In_MO]

Kirk - once again, Brother, you're worrying too much. I've seen what you can do with estate pipes, and I was thoroughly impressed. I've seen what you've done with kits, and once again was thoroughly impressed.

Charge a fair price. If you can't make a little off it (tools to support the hobby & the occasional tin), then you're killing yourself for nothing.

With what I've seen you make, they will sell. Don't give them away or sell them at cost. You do damn good work, and you should be proud of it. Sell them, make a little money at it, upgrade your shop, then make more to sell.



Lighten up or I'll shine that mini-maglite in your face! :lol: 

 

[ZuluCollector]

Kirk and Ken, I really don't mean to stir trouble or make accusations.

It seems that it is impossible to know the whole story, so I will just be quiet now.

 

[Briar Spirit]

Kirk and Ken, I really don't mean to stir trouble or make accusations.

It seems that it is impossible to know the whole story, so I will just be quiet now.

Oh good heavens no, please don't feel at odds chap, your opinion was well made and you are very correct that a fellow shouldn't be judged so quickly with anything in life. I relish reading any comment, be it good or bad, of course I get unbalanced if a chap who is a friend seems at odds with me but anything else is the opinions and considerations of a fellow citizen of our World, all of which have value to me, your opinion and position is valued and respected, of course one may not always agree with a chap but then this is why we are so different, we all see things our own way, please please do not feel your opinion or position has no weight or value, to me it has both. If our discussion has seemed at odds with any chap or chap'ess in particular then it has not been meant that way. :heart: 

 

[Briar Spirit]

I got 2 wonderful parcels in the post today, no less than 3 pipe kits from Mark Tinsky, 2 have Plateaux tops and each has a delightful acrylic stem, I have only had chance to take pictures of the first in a parcel by itself, batteries ran out in the camera!

This is the phone I got pictures of, I am really looking forward into getting this one going, I will post a step by step progress of the pipe being made.

Thank you so very much chaps for helping me get my Briar Spirit Pipes Project under way, still a ways off getting everything together but I have stock on the way from Germany and Spain so this is very exciting.

 

[Anonymous]

Hope the custom's people were reasonable!

 

[Briar Spirit]

No problems there at all Buddy, Mark's a good man, marked up as what it was a 'wood block' and valued at (cough) £10, no problems there at all.

 

[Kyle Weiss]

Make 'em pretty; make us proud, Kirky.

 

[Briar Spirit]

Make 'em pretty; make us proud, Kirky.  

I am certainly going to try my best Kyle, I was working on getting the bark off this one today, long tedious job with just a cheap bendy tooth pick but I've got about half of it off now, took a good long while to do so mind you, still a ways to go there, I'm very excited I must say. Just hope I don't muck them up is all! :affraid: