How a pipe is born

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In this part of the site we want to describe the various processing phases for the production of a pipe in its different types. The first distinction is made between free-form pipes and flared pipes according to predefined models. In fact, starting from the piece of briar, draft or plate (the difference will be clarified later), there are two possibilities:

THE SHAPE

Autograph

The first is the well-known free-form pipe such as the Savinelli Autograph or Artisan. In this case the shape is drawn on the piece of briar following the characteristics of the wood, the fantasia and the inspiration of the moment.

THE WOOD

Predefined model

The second possibility is to create a predefined model with precise proportions studied a priori and with proven technical and aesthetic characteristics. Such as the Giubileo oro. 

Whoever reads these lines if he has never visited a pipe factory could imagine at this point science fiction machines, which, once the piece of briar has been inserted, churn out finished pipes, ready to smoke and perhaps already packaged! 

Nothing could be further from the truth. In reality, the briar pieces are manually brought back to the right dimensions using special machinery

THE WOOD

Wood and countersinking

It is not possible to purchase briar pieces of predefined dimensions for a specific model: in fact, there are only pieces cut manually in the sawmill, which have minimum size requirements and are therefore different from each other. In pipe manufactures they are subjected to a process called flaring in jargon: that is, the pieces are turned one by one using two coupled blades, which simultaneously create the bowl hole and the external shape of the vessel up to the height of the barrel.

THE WOOD

Machining

A second turning creates the barrel and finally milling creates the lower part of the bowl. These are all so-called machining processes. At this point the skilled hand of the craftsman must intervene in at least another 90 subsequent processes. Among these, however, the main ones should be remembered.

THE PROCESS

Rasping

Manual rasping to round the base of the stove by connecting it to the barrel. It goes without saying that extreme precision and great sensitivity are required. Then there is the choice of the mouthpiece and its assembly, the cleaning, i.e. the smoothing of the external surface of the pipe, and the matching between the barrel and the mouthpiece. All cleaning operations are repeated many times with increasingly thinner sandpaper, in order to make the surface of the pipes perfectly smooth

THE PROCESS

The colour

At this point the pipe must be coloured. The colors are applied manually and removed using special fans. 
In fact, there is no predefined colour, but various colours, which when expertly used, allow the grain of the briar to stand out at its best. There are then various waxings which give the pipe, among other things, a homogeneous feel typical only of quality products. The last process I want to mention is painting. In this case there are notable differences between manufacturer and manufacturer.
 
Painting is the process with which the pipe is made shiny, at the same time fixing the previously used colors. Unfortunately, a transparent varnish sprayed on the pipe is often used, which hides imperfections and fillings, but has the terrible flaw of not letting the wood breathe.

At Savinelli, to make the surface of the pipe shiny, it is coated with a product of natural origin. This procedure has the disadvantage of not hiding the small aesthetic defects of the briar, indeed it often highlights them, but it has the priceless advantage of allowing the wood to breathe, thus making smoking pleasant and natural.

THE PROCESS

The briar

After having completed the various production steps, let's talk about briar. It is acquired either in sketches or in plaques.  The latter are generally larger in size and with a better flaming, as they are cut only from the external part of the log which is the oldest (the heart, on the other hand, is the youngest and least veined part: the plants grow from the inside outwards and not vice versa). 

The outlines, however, are of two different types: the Marseillaise (for straight pipes) and the raised (generally for curved ones). However, one should not think that the sketches are necessarily lacking in character, indeed sometimes one finds some of incredible beauty. However, the judgment can only be given once the pipe is finished and not before.

THE PROCESS

The drying of the briar

The choice of plates is carried out after bleaching, an operation which serves to make the grain of the wood and the presence of any defects more visible. The most important process for the raw material is drying, which must be slow, long (for at least tre years) and totally natural, i.e. without forcing (such as hot air ovens or dryers), which could alter the integrity of the wood.

To conclude, without taking anything away from free-form pipes, when you come across a pipe with a predefined flamed model and without defects you find yourself faced with something unique and very precious, in a pipe made of free form you can always intervene by slightly correcting (with obvious limitations) the line while in the first case it is nature that gives us a perfect piece; the chances are infinitely smaller.