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This is a picture of two briar trees to the left. The bottom round part of the tree is the burl. The burl acts as the trees root system and is also the part used to make briar pipes. The briar slices to the right are Plateau briar blocks. Plateau briar blocks are slices of the outer diameter of the burl. Ebascean briar blocks are harvested from the inner diameter of the burl. Pipe makers buy the briar in large burlap bags in the form briar blocks shown above. A briar block is usually just big enough to yield one briar pipe.
This article is designed to use with any Briar pipe whether it has a round bottom interior or one that is pointed like my design.
Remember: Briar is a type of wood and every wood has a point at which it will burn. Briar is no exception if enough air is forced through the tobacco the temperature will rise just like a blacksmith's fire. The more air the hotter the fire and you could scorch the wall. This is when your pipe is at its most vulnerable state with bare wood walls and a very hot fire. So allow plenty of time to slowly and diligently smoke your new Briar pipe with a cool fire. If you do, it will reward you with a lifetime of good smokes.
Your first step will be to pack your pipe properly so that you will not create any hot spots. Hot spots can be created by not packing the bowl evenly. If one side is too light the loose side will get more air and remember what more air does?
A simple way to eliminate loose areas is with pipe in hand and tobacco in front of you, take very small amounts of tobacco and sprinkle in until loosely full. Now with a finger (preferable) so you can feel the pressure, or a tamp push the tobacco to about one-third of the way from the bottom to the top. Sprinkle lightly again to the top and press to two-thirds from the bottom to the top. Repeat this procedure one more time, but now press and weave the tobacco together with the meat of your thumb. Now it's ready for lighting.
Now some of you are surely wondering whatever happened to the method of only filling the bowl part way up? And then only filling more as the bowl chars and cakes from the bottom up. Your right this is probably the best proven method available and 60 percent of you probably already do it this way. This is the easiest method of keeping the pipe walls cool by using a smaller cooler fire. A proper cake is very essential to the coolness and life of your pipe. There is also an old wife's tale that says it will never smoke to the bottom if on the first bowl you only smoke it part way. Don't press your luck! Many people will prepare the bowl for the first smoke by using honey, water, saliva, or spirits before packing tobacco. You can judge for yourself what is best for you.
Now you're ready for lighting and smoking your pipe. You have found a relaxing quiet place and feel good. You're about to give your Briar wood a chance for life. Like an oak seed without water it will never mature fully if not given time and essential care. Your pipe will, however, fully mature quicker than an oak tree, thank God! So lets get to it.
Your pipe is packed properly to one-third, two-thirds or full you have a light, tamp and cleaners. Take your pipe and place it comfortably in your mouth and pull air through the pipe to make sure its air flow is not blocked. If the air flow is blocked use a pipe cleaner to clear the air passage. Now with a lit match or lighter in hand hold the flame over the bowl and circle it while you draw air in so that the tobacco lights and starts to char. When you pull the air do not use short quick puffs use slow and even puffs filling your mouth. This will help evenly light the tobacco. Five to ten pulls should do the trick. Now notice that the tobacco has probably expanded and mounded up from the flat pack you started with. Well this is going to have to be pushed back down so that the fire can be up against unburned tobacco and it will be easier to keep lit. Proper tamping is a necessary part of every smoke. Now after tamping the first fire may be out. I think that it should be allowed to go out. Use a second light so that the fire will get a deeper burn and more even burn around the edges. Remember the fire must touch the wall or the carbon cake will never form. Once formed the cake will protect the wall. The cake provides a second wall or insulator barrier between the pipe and tobacco. It will build very slowly at first. When the cake is formed the heat at the wall will lower and it's at this point that the smoke will cool down. It takes ten the fifteen bowls before it starts to cool. It's during this period that you must take all the care you can give your pipe, by smoking it cool so it will be allowed to fully mature like that Oak Tree.