I've come across references to "briar wood" in various articles and tool discussions, but I find it a bit confusing. Is briar a type of tree or something else entirely? It often gets mixed up in my mind with "bramble". Can someone clarify what briar is, where it comes from, and what kind of species it belongs to?
2 Answers
Yeah, briar is interesting because it doesn't have a pronounced grain direction like other woods, which means it can be polished nicely without issues. Perfect for items where a consistent surface is key!
Briar wood actually comes from the Heath tree, which I thought was just an ecological area! It's used for making things like pipes since it has a unique burl structure that doesn't have a strong grain pattern. This allows for a smooth, uniform finish, making it easier to work with for small items.
Thanks for the info! That clears things up a lot.