How a Pipe Is Made

The answer to how a pipe is made lies in the decades-long journey of a root burl underground. Briar, the main raw material of the modern pipe, is the woody burl of the Erica arborea plant that grows in the Mediterranean basin; it's held to need at least 30-40 years to mature before it can be harvested, and much longer periods are cited for the best blocks.

This entry covers the production stages that take a pipe from raw material to finished product, from both the factory and the craftsman tradition.

Preparing the Raw Material

Extracted root burls are kept continuously moist so they don't crack. The burls are sawn into pieces called "ebauchon" blocks, and boiled to draw out their sap; the duration varies by manufacturer, from 10-12 hours up to 24. The boiled blocks are then air-dried on racks for six months to a year; some manufacturers shorten this process with accelerated dryers. The dried blocks are sorted by size and quality. In handmade pipes, makers generally prefer top-grade blocks cut close to the burl's outer bark, called "plateau."