I don't know about culling but I do occasionally consider refining/curating my collection. Other than that I have broken a couple of pipes and given away a few more.
Culling the Herd: Anyone Else Feel the Need to do So?
- Thread starter metalheadycigarguy
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I only have a dozen or so, but I've had most of them for 3 decades and only smoke about half of them. I'm thinking I will sell the others off as I don't really need them, and someone else will enjoy them.
I've been slowly selling some of my collection. I just have way too many, as I don't smoke as much as I used to. I'm dipping more, for the better or the worse.
I really dig sandblasts, and I've sold or selling all of my smooth pipes. A few closet queens that I never smoke are going to auction too.
I really dig sandblasts, and I've sold or selling all of my smooth pipes. A few closet queens that I never smoke are going to auction too.
I definitely need to thin out my collection, as time has passed my tastes have changed and I’m not so interested in pipes that I was very keen on two or three years ago. I’m definitely keeping my old Brit woods and Kaywoodie’s but aside from a few of the others I have that are kinda rare they need to hit eBay. I don’t know how I managed to accumulate over two hundred of them (I stopped counting at that point) but I’m focusing and refining my collection and the weird system pipes, Longchamp, Kiko, Upshall’s and others I picked up will be going to auction so I can invest in my latest obsession, old Sasieni’s.
For those of you thinking of attending this year's Chicago Pipe Show, you might be interested to know that the Buy, Sell, Swap will now have free tables. So if you're thinking of thinning the herd, bring some pipes and tobacco to sell to the show!
As with many hobbies, pipe collecting can get out of hand quickly. At some point, I realized that I didn't really care about keeping the pipes I wasn't smoking and sold those off on the Bay.
Aside from some spare MM cobs and hardwoods that I keep in reserve in case one in current service suffers an unfortunate accident, I don't keep pipes that I don't smoke. I only have nine briars as of right now, and I'm pondering selling at least two of those.
I say let them go. Pipes are meant to be smoked.
Aside from some spare MM cobs and hardwoods that I keep in reserve in case one in current service suffers an unfortunate accident, I don't keep pipes that I don't smoke. I only have nine briars as of right now, and I'm pondering selling at least two of those.
I say let them go. Pipes are meant to be smoked.
I wish I saw this before buying a second meer lol. I have a different pipe for my three favorite blends and I find the excess to be too many. However I think some of those carvings are aesthetically valuable.
As I was primarily a cigar smoker for many years, and someone that doesn't smoke every day; at one point I had over 60 pipes. Many sat for long periods of time without ever getting smoked. I decided that if I'm not going to smoke these then they need to be moved along to someone that will. With 40+ pipes still, I decided it was once again time to sell off more pipes. It's time to move some of these on to people that will enjoy them. After all that's what they were made for. After I sell off the ones I've decided to move on, I'll still have 28 smokers. Which is still a big number for me, but one I'm comfortable with at the moment.
Yes, I do feel the need to cull the herd from time to time. Especially the pipes that don't smoke well for me. I hope to one day reach a point where I'll be happy with all the pipes I have, they all smoke great, and don't feel a need to buy anymore...one day.
I have just executed a cull, 25 pipes in total but I do have a devilish plan to create a 7 day set to replace what's now moving on to a new home.
So what kind of 7 day set are you looking at? All one brand, all one shape or a mixture?
I've had multiple inquiries since posting this thread, and another one today regarding certain pipes for sale. I appreciate all the inquiries, and for those out there that have purchased one of my pipes, thank you. I hope they treat you well as they did for me. I still have a few pipes up on that bay sight for those interested.
For those that have inquired about the Peterson bent billiard meerschaum, I'm still very undecided about that one. If I do decide to sell it, I'll check with those that have inquired about it through a PM before posting to that other forementioned site.
For those that have inquired about the Peterson bent billiard meerschaum, I'm still very undecided about that one. If I do decide to sell it, I'll check with those that have inquired about it through a PM before posting to that other forementioned site.
I've done this periodically over the years. Pipes, like Tribbles, are all too easy to accumulate. And I just don't like the sense of materialism that comes with a surplus.
After several decades with pipes, and a few rounds of serious culling, I'm finally down to the point where it's extremely difficult to cut any deeper. The pipes I have remaining are custom commissions and those with which I have a special connection. There are maybe three dozen now (I refuse to count them). At my peak I had over 200. Never again.
I have similar issues with tobacco. I've accumulated far more than I can ever smoke, but I've been making a dent on that, too.
After several decades with pipes, and a few rounds of serious culling, I'm finally down to the point where it's extremely difficult to cut any deeper. The pipes I have remaining are custom commissions and those with which I have a special connection. There are maybe three dozen now (I refuse to count them). At my peak I had over 200. Never again.
I have similar issues with tobacco. I've accumulated far more than I can ever smoke, but I've been making a dent on that, too.
Buying is easy, selling is hard. When I started collecting I could purchase 2-3 a week on eBay, no worries.
When it came time to sell, 2-3 a week was work.
At it's peak I probably had close to 250-300 pipes in my collection, it took several years to get that back down under 100 and it's ongoing.
When it came time to sell, 2-3 a week was work.
At it's peak I probably had close to 250-300 pipes in my collection, it took several years to get that back down under 100 and it's ongoing.