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Briar Cigar

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istanbulin

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I just saw that a pipe shop is selling something new to me, a briar cigar. I don't know if you guys are familiar. Actually they call it something like "pigar". I searched it through google and saw that it was designed by Morgan Pipes.

http://www.alpascia.com/pipes/d/The-Briar-Cigar-014-i23281x2.html

getImageVar.asp


Using a fine cut tobacco is advised in the web page. As said in the page, owing to "reverse calabash system" they (may) smoke cooler but I think tobacco chamber may get really hot. Also it's advised to rotate "the cigar" while smoking (like a real cigar) to avoid burnts.

Actually, the so-called "reverse calabash system" is not something new. It was first used by Peterson and named as "dry system".

Page12.jpg..........
Peterson_cutaway.jpg


For a bigger image: http://www.pipedia.org/images/0/0d/System2.jpg

They also mention about the "crust" in the tobacco chamber. I don't know if it's not absolutely necessary.

It looks good for short time smoking.

Well, has anybody smoked a briar cigar ? What do you think ?

I guess it may be easier to make when compared to the regular pipes, except the bit because it looks different than regular pipe bits .

Actually when I saw this, I suddenly thought about a "corncob cigar" or a "meerschaum cigar".
 
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deluxestogie

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Nice find. Very amusing. It looks like a charming and wholely impractical collector's item. Who would invent such a thing?

I have the very same Peterson pipe shown in the illustration (the same exact shape as well). The metal tube that extends into the drip well is a messy thing, and the pipe is difficult to adequately clean. (Not to mention that the "Peterson" bit, with its offset lips and tiny, upward-facing smoke hole is truly annoying, impossible to properly clench, and problematic for passing a pipe cleaner.) Though beautiful to view and hold, the Peterson is my stinkiest pipe (in an olfactory sense), by a wide margin--and that's with proper pipe tobacco. I can't even imagine how foul it would smell with cigar leaf. (And, its sterling silver shoulder cap requires frequent application of silver polish to prevent it from tarnishing. I guess that if I had a butler and house servants, that would not be an issue.)

The cigar concept pipe would seem to be the equivalent of holding a pipe in an orientation that allows the burning tobacco embers to freely fall out onto your clothing.

Bob
 

leverhead

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To me it looks like a "one hitter" that has been scaled up for tobacco use. A change in materials to suit the more refined tastes of tobacco smokers with jobs and the respectability that goes with a high school diploma. Before the Lawyers got to the high school shop class, one hitters were a common project. If they actually got a patent on this, it would just be another reason for abolishing patent systems entirely.

sigaretta_per_sniffare.jpg

On a happier note. I really like the idea of one of these made from a corn cob, the smaller cobs available from sweet corn would be perfect. Thanks to our wonderful administrator, I have a well seasoned cob to work with.
 

istanbulin

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Actually there's a really easy way to avoid falling ashes or embers from the chamber, don't hold that like a pipe but like a cigar (or more upwards). There's no mention about the tobacco type, so I guess smokers (there're videos of people smoking this) generally use pipe tobaccos, not cigar leaf. I think cleaning of this briar cigar is easier than Peterson (actually, I've never had any cleaning problem with Peterson, it's not easy but managable). I don't know how this "briar cigar" smokes (probably not very good) but as written in the web page ; "Designed in U.S.A. - Made in Italy". :)
 

deluxestogie

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Tobacco pipes are usually designed with a dependent "elbow" between the tobacco chamber and the bit, which prevents the bitter condensation from easily reaching the smoker's mouth. The edges of my tongue curl at the very thought of smoking a linear pipe.

I admit that the briar cigar is a clever and attractive artifact. But if I owned one, it would spend its days in a display case, and remain a virgin.

Bob
 

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Though beautiful to view and hold, the Peterson is my stinkiest pipe (in an olfactory sense), by a wide margin--and that's with proper pipe tobacco. I can't even imagine how foul it would smell with cigar leaf.
Bob

Now I wonder - I find cigar leaf in the right pipe to be rather "clean" compared to most commercial pipe tobaccos. Just had a big bowl of Havana Corojo; the pipe doesn´t stink at all afterwards (at least not to my nose). But it is aged (from 2012, though not kilned), and on the dry side.
 

David Ruddell

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I'm normally a lurker on here, but I've picked up a lot of knowledge, I read some of the earlier posts about the Briar Cigar and couldn't help but write my first post!

I own one, I've been a pipe smoker for a scant 8 years, I own about twenty good pipes and a drawer full of pipes ranging from basket pipes to corn cobs (which I really like as take anywhere, lose it, don't care, pipes)


The Briar Cigar (I'm referring to the Chris Morgan original not one of the cheap knock offs) is a remarkable pipe.
I was very sceptical, even after reading glowing reviews from industry stalwarts like Gregory L. Pease.
I took a gamble and ordered one, with my own hard earned cash (I have no connection to the maker, wish I did!) from my favourite baccy merchant (in the UK) GQ tobaccos. (All hail Glynn Quelch, vendor and blender extraordinaire)


In simple terms it smokes like a champ, cool, dry, easy to maintain a light, but requires a little more tamping than a trad pipe.
I've just been smoking mine with Germains rich dark flake (VERY like Stonehaven) normally I get a little residue in a trad pipe and if smoked hard a little gurgle.
With the Briar Cigar....not a trace of moisture left in the pipe. To be fair it's not a huge chamber, you get a 15 to 20 min smoke. but it's a great carry round pipe, you can load her at home, cap it and smoke it while you're out.
After a full bowl, I run a pipe cleaner through her and around the chamber and the pipe cleaner comes out with a tiny dusting of ash and NO moisture at all.
The baccy doesn't fall out neither does the ash, (helps if you occasionally gently tap the ash out) and although it is recommended to smoke using finer cut baccy, I've smoked rubbed out flakes and even Peterson mixtures that have flake chunks using the Briar cigar too.
I've smoked it with US aromatics (Hobbits Weed et al) again very little moisture, no gurgle, a clean smoke and no hint of bite.


My only criticism? Some baccys have a very slightly different flavour profile when smoked through this then a regular pipe.
My guess is this because of the coolness of the smoke.
Couldn't recommend this pipe highly enough, I'll buy more so I can smoke em in rotation. (I rest it just like any briar for at least 24 hrs after smoking)
Also makes me very intrigued to try a more traditional shape reverse calabash pipe to see if it smokes as good as this.


it's not a gimmick, (I've tried the Vauen Zeppelin pipe, nothing like this ) If you get a chance try it, if you can, buy one.


Think you'll be pleasantly surprised!
 

deluxestogie

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David,
Welcome to the forum. It's interesting to read that you have found the briar cigar to be a successful device that functions as advertised.

Bob
 

Desertpipe

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I have owned several cigar pipes from the early 1900's, they were popular then and are very collectable now.
They were marginally useful, and took great care in the preparation of the tobacco, requiring a dryer tobacco to be successfully smoked.

Chris Morgan is one of the young pipe carvers who can successfully think outside the box, and execute an idea by staying with it until it works. Come to think of it, he can work with the box, as well, and his box (literally) pipe is an interesting pipe. A bit of research into his pipes has one deep into new shapes, adaptations of old shapes, and all I have heard and seen leads me to believe his final products are top notch.
 

ArizonaDave

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Nice find. Very amusing. It looks like a charming and wholely impractical collector's item. Who would invent such a thing?

I can't even imagine how foul it would smell with cigar leaf. (And, its sterling silver shoulder cap requires frequent application of silver polish to prevent it from tarnishing. I guess that if I had a butler and house servants, that would not be an issue.)

The cigar concept pipe would seem to be the equivalent of holding a pipe in an orientation that allows the burning tobacco embers to freely fall out onto your clothing. Bob

Funny stuff, Bob!!!
 

Zeppelin

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I realize that I'm re-opening a very old thread, and doing so on a first post even. I hope my audacity doesn't cause upset. This thread is one of the top results in my searches about how to smoke a Zeppelin.

I just ordered a new Vauen Zeppelin, on impulse, because it's so crazy looking! If anyone has any more suggestions on how to smoke it please let me know! I'll try my best with it.

My idea so far is to treat it like a cigar. A cigar stays lit because the fire burns with the grain of the rolled up leaf. Ordinary "shag" pipe tobacco would be a problem because there's no continuous grain to conduct the fire. My thought is, if I carefully pack a flake in there, taking care to preserve the grain / fiber in the right direction, and packing to get the right amount of draw, I might get it to smoke like a cigar.

Thoughts?
 

deluxestogie

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A curious theory. Cigars made from chopped or shredded tobacco usually burn as evenly as those made with long filler. So I doubt that the orientation of the flakes of tobacco is a meaningful consideration.

As a long-term smoker of both pipes and cigars, I find the concept of the Vauen Zeppelin a bit odd. I suspect that the horizontal fill of it would require greater attention to the moisture content and packing/tamping of the contained tobacco. Trial and error. And then there's the need for an extra long tamper, which may require a visit to the hardware store.

Bob
 

Zeppelin

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The Zeppelin pipe has arrived! I will try it out. It is really odd to see it. It has the main lighting hole in front, and two "breather" holes on the side. I suspect that if the tobacco is packed just right, and maybe with careful modulation of flow through the breather holes, this thing could be smoked successfully.
 
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