What materials are being used in making pipes?
Numerous. Almost countless. Man has tried all imaginable (and unimaginable) materials; even human bones were used when nothing else seemed more adequate! However, nowadays, the most popular and adequate material is the briar. This wood has proved to be relatively easy to work, extremely resistant to heat, and porous. It’s also light in weight, esp. when it has been correctly cured. Another very popular material is meerschaum (seafoam) which is a mineral found only in Turkey. It’s extremely absorbent and very light in weight; the problem with meerschaum is its fragility. Other less common materials include: clay, corncobs, porcelain, olive wood, cherry wood, and maple. An example of quite a rare material is the “morta”, which is fossilized wood (currently being made by one pipe maker in France).
