Bog Oak In Pipe Making

Pipes can be made from a wide variety of materials. In addition to the popular briar, there are a number of other materials suitable for pipe making. This article is about the so-called bog oak (morta). These are oak trunks that have lain in the absence of air in moors and swamps for centuries. These then come to the fore when they are drained. Over time, the oak reacts with the water and goes into a subfossil state. The wood becomes darker and can take on colors ranging from dark yellow and brown to deep black.

Drying is difficult because it should be done very slowly and gently. Otherwise there is a risk of cracking. Bog oak can still be processed well. What is interesting is the porous structure, which can absorb condensate well and thus promises good smoking properties. Sometimes, as a precaution, an insert made of briar is worked into the pipe. The background is that, depending on the age, storage, drying and starting material, there are varying wood qualities with different fire resistance. Various freehand pipe makers use high quality bog oak for pipe making.

Due to the complex processing, mass-produced pipes are rarely made from bog oak.