Anyone Else Like A Well-Worn Pipe?

[bentmike]

I like to keep my briars and meers tidy and neat. Corn cobs are for banging around in the workshop. They're the only ones building "character" in my collection.

 

[blueeyedogre]

Everything I have gets used by me. I've never been a "collector" That keep things on the shelf all nice and pretty. My pipes, my guns, my knives, and my truck are all about getting used. If they don't get used then they generally are gotten rid of.

 

[lawmax3]

I like old worn pipes. It takes the "worry" out of smoking them. I don't worry if I drop it or scuff it up. It is kinda like not worrying about getting grease on an old pair of jeans.

 

[mso489]

I like to call some of my more "broken-in" briars one-owner estate pipes. Especially cobs and pipes that start out

unfinished show wear quite pleasingly. Or any pipe that is well used but regularly cleaned.

 

[dixcreek]

I enjoy my reclaimed pipes and the few I bought over 25 years ago. I try to keep them in good smoking condition, clean and sanitary that is. I still have old pipes that I prefer to smoke over the new ones in my collection, they seem to smoke better, I think. They are kinda like the difference between my old cast iron cornbread pan and my new one, the bread is just better from the old one. Go figure I guess that is just a case of familiarity.

 

[bryanf]

All my pipes are well worn. Even the pipe my wife bought me, which I intended to keep new looking...I did recently scrape about an 1/8th inch of cake out of it.
I'm a smoker 100%, not a hobbyist. I've been smoking for 6 years, and still only smoke 4 pipes, of which 1 gets used every day, and the other 3 about once or twice a week each. Yes, they're a bit worn, and I like them.

 

[petes03]

I like to keep my pipes in pretty good shape, but I'm not insanely meticulous about them. About once a month I'll give them a nice outer cleaning and stem polishing. As for the internals, I only take them apart for a deep cleaning as I feel is needed, i.e. the pipe stops smoking sweet or smooth. I always run a pipe cleaner (or two) through the stem, and twist a U-shaped pipe cleaner into the bowl after each smoke as well as wipe the stem down with my shirt. I try my best not to drop or ding them, but it happens. I always carry my pipes in a pipe pouch, never in my pocket! Like I said, I'm not quite OCD about my pipes, but I like for them to be in fairly nice condition.

 

[jmill208]

[Everything I have gets used by me. I've never been a "collector" That keep things on the shelf all nice and pretty. My pipes, my guns, my knives, and my truck are all about getting used. If they don't get used then they generally are gotten rid of.]
It's taken me a while to adopt this way of thinking, but this is exactly how I feel about "stuff'. Old and banged up is fine if it's still functional. I have both shiny and abused pipes and i use 'em all.

 

[anglesey]

Oddly I thought i'd agree, but somehow with pipes I just don't. My landrover's held together with mud and duct tape but my pipes must be fresh. I can't be doing with estate pipes for some reason, everything must be new.

 

[matchstickman]

But anyone else here take a utilitarian stance towards their pipes and appreciate the look and feel of a well-worn, happy pipe?

I started to think I was nuts for thinking this, but quite a few of my pipes have been resorted to very utilitarian usage. A lot of the rims are scorched to shit. I don't abuse my stems too badly but some of them get some lip crud buildup on them(don't mean to be gross but that's just how it is). I take care to clean them after each smoke and when the rim scorch gets bad enough I tackle it with some saliva and a q tip, but like Perique, the smoking mechanics far outweigh aesthetics, and a clean and sweet smoking pipe is a happy pipe.

 

[brudnod]

I like to fix up old pipes; the ones which have seen a smoke or two. I don't enjoy broken stems but burned up rims, practically obstructed shanks and corrosion on the fancy work are all fun to bring back to their past glory. The nicks and scratches are something entirely different; I like the knocked around look when it does not detract from the function: smoking well. One of my favorite pipes is a smooth poker Charatan which the previous owner (or more distant than that) banged the ashes out on what must have been concrete. The rim is clean but looks almost rusticated with all of the abuse. But it smokes like a dream and looks pretty good otherwise. I ALWAYS wish I had the back story of these old pipes and question a seller from whom the pipe might have had history. The insides I keep clean; I prefer the taste of the current tobacco, not the history of years of past gunk...

Spencer

 

[bryanf]

I can't be doing with estate pipes for some reason, everything must be new.

I totally understand.
I don't mind if my own pipes (all my pipes, but one were bought new or never smoked)have crud, burnt rims, cake, etc...but I also can't do estate pipes. I bought a dunhill a couple months back for $10 at the local antique shop. I reamed it down to wood, did the cotton ball alcohol deal, pipe sweetener, had to use a bamboo skewer to get all the crap out of the airways. It was completely disgusting. Then I tried to smoke it. I just can't do it. I'll probably try and send it out one of these days for Ozone treatment, because I can't stand it having any kind of smell from the previous smoker. I know it's psychological at this point, but I can't enjoy a pipe that belonged to someone else....all their old slobber...etc...I wish to heck I could, because there's lots of good deals!

 

[latbomber]

I like my pipes in generally good condition, but wear/marks dont bug me.

 

[rangerearthpig]

My cobs are my "off road" pipes. They definitely have a beat up look. The briars I try to keep looking nicer. Since I don't own a buffer, none of mine look like museum pieces. :lol:

 

[dragonslayer]

All my current pipes fall in the beater category IMO. Some are nice, but not what I'd consider "show off" pipes. Now the cake and airways are perfect and every few months I'll hit the buffer with them all. I spent the last year working on nothing but a cellar and my shop. Now that both are in good shape I'll be looking for those pipes, both new and those needing some work. I also have some designs and a box from Tim West that stares at me from the shelf. So the year long TAD is over and it's open season on the PAD.
My beaters, most needing some work, are worn in for a simple reason, they're great smokers and smoked every other day.
During the last year a couple birth year Dunhills became available with all in the $300 range. A little pricey for me. The Savinelli Miele's hitting the scene put the hurt on me. On release most had beautiful grains, now what's left lack that uniform flame I like. Now that people are dumping them on Ebay I've been watching one for months that falls in my acceptable even grain and may pull the trigger the beginning of the month, my first PAD. OH NO!
Craig