when you are in the market for a new pipe, what do u look for? do u just look for quality craftsmanship, or are there other specific features you are looking for? are you looking for a new pipe to smoke a certain tobacco in, or do u just buy it and decide later what you will smoke in it? also, what is an immediate turn off for u when ur looking at a ?new pipe
What Pipe is Right for You?
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My collection consists of American hand made sandblasts in varying light shades from no stain to moderate brown stain. I mostly go after the classic billiard, lovat and Canadian shapes with somewhat thicker than average bowls. I do tend to snatch up pipes that just seem to talk to me even if they are outside of my usual shape preferences. Although I like black acrylic stems, I do seem to gravitate towards Cumberland stems although keeping them pristine is a challenge.
I never buy a pipe considering what type of tobacco I will smoke in it. I let the pipe tell me after I get it and try different tobacco types in it. I'm sure others here who have been smoking pipes for awhile will tell you the same story, but often I've had pipes that I tried to make work with one tobacco type but found out later that the pipe really sings best with something else in its chamber.
An immediate turn off when I am looking at a pipe? Well, I sure don't want anyone around here thinking I'm picky or anal, so I'll take a pass on that question. :wink:
Best,
Pipestud
I never buy a pipe considering what type of tobacco I will smoke in it. I let the pipe tell me after I get it and try different tobacco types in it. I'm sure others here who have been smoking pipes for awhile will tell you the same story, but often I've had pipes that I tried to make work with one tobacco type but found out later that the pipe really sings best with something else in its chamber.
An immediate turn off when I am looking at a pipe? Well, I sure don't want anyone around here thinking I'm picky or anal, so I'll take a pass on that question. :wink:
Best,
Pipestud
I owned six or seven pipes for a long time, that I bought at shops where I could look them over in person.
I think I chose them on the basis of design; first of all, did I find them especially well shaped, textured,
finished, and secondly, were they sound, sturdy and with good fit and few flaws. When I went to shopping
online to some degree, and could look at thousands of pipes over five or six months, I think I became much
more aware of brands, different national styles of pipes, categories, shapes, and materials. With over forty
pipes in my array, now a pipe has to be much more distinctive to me, or I think, I have one similar to that, or
it fills the same niche and purpose as one I already have.
I have never saved up for pipes and bought high end, new or estate. Were I starting over, I might settle for
many fewer pipes, and work up to twenty or so higher end pipes, at the $250 to $500 level. But I like much
variety, both in pipes and tobacco. And I am impressed at the quality that can be found, with a lot of judicious
shopping, in pipes at the $100, or even the $40 level. If the briar is good, and the workmanship, you can get
some first rate smoking in some inexpensive pipes. For that reason, I am content.
I think I chose them on the basis of design; first of all, did I find them especially well shaped, textured,
finished, and secondly, were they sound, sturdy and with good fit and few flaws. When I went to shopping
online to some degree, and could look at thousands of pipes over five or six months, I think I became much
more aware of brands, different national styles of pipes, categories, shapes, and materials. With over forty
pipes in my array, now a pipe has to be much more distinctive to me, or I think, I have one similar to that, or
it fills the same niche and purpose as one I already have.
I have never saved up for pipes and bought high end, new or estate. Were I starting over, I might settle for
many fewer pipes, and work up to twenty or so higher end pipes, at the $250 to $500 level. But I like much
variety, both in pipes and tobacco. And I am impressed at the quality that can be found, with a lot of judicious
shopping, in pipes at the $100, or even the $40 level. If the briar is good, and the workmanship, you can get
some first rate smoking in some inexpensive pipes. For that reason, I am content.
Since I only smoke meerschaum pipes, I first consider the history of the pipe carver. If the Carver has more happy customers than upset ones, I then try to find out if the carver actually smokes pipes (I do this by google imaging the carver's name and trying to find any pics of the said carver puffing a pipe, it's not always possible though).
I do this because I like to go by the saying "Built by a pipe puffer for pipe puffers". An example of this would be Fikri Baki, he carves meerschaum pipes and he smokes meerschaum pipes. His pipe engineering skills are likely to be better than a carver who does not smoke pipes, because a pipe smoker would know what a pipe smoker wants (I would hope). And there are many meerschaum carvers that actually do not puff pipes themselves. The nonsmoking meer carvers may produce beautiful pipes, but their pipe engineering could be finicky.
I'm really not particular on what type of pipe tobacco to smoke in my meers, but I do lean more towards aromatics. As for style, I like my meer pipes just like I like my women; long shanks and big curvy bottoms (or bowls)...I can feel my wife's hands strangling me spiritually for some reason...
I do this because I like to go by the saying "Built by a pipe puffer for pipe puffers". An example of this would be Fikri Baki, he carves meerschaum pipes and he smokes meerschaum pipes. His pipe engineering skills are likely to be better than a carver who does not smoke pipes, because a pipe smoker would know what a pipe smoker wants (I would hope). And there are many meerschaum carvers that actually do not puff pipes themselves. The nonsmoking meer carvers may produce beautiful pipes, but their pipe engineering could be finicky.
I'm really not particular on what type of pipe tobacco to smoke in my meers, but I do lean more towards aromatics. As for style, I like my meer pipes just like I like my women; long shanks and big curvy bottoms (or bowls)...I can feel my wife's hands strangling me spiritually for some reason...
If I'm buying a new pipe or an already cleaned estate I has to be something I ponder and think about before doing, in other words I have to justify it's purchase. Now if it's an antique store score then it's all impulse and little thinking other than can it be saved.
~Ron
~Ron
I decide what pipe I want next and look for it. Tonight, I bought a made in Canada, 2 Dot Brigham off E-Bay. I have been looking to add a second Brigham and I have been waiting to find a made in Canada estate. I am always on the lookout for a Pre-Republic Peterson to add to my collection. That is most often how I buy pipes.
I only buy a pipe if I believe it can be smoked hard day in, day out and never let me down. My 1970's yello-bole centura and my peterson fit that bill well. I am noticing that larger more open draws contribute to a drier pipe, and smooth transitions inside the mortise, shank, and stem are critical. I like a small or medium bowl at most. I want a pipe that looks good on me and I'm proud to smoke outdoors. I don't have many pipes because I need to see my pipe in person before I'll buy it, and not too many pipe shops around here anymore.
I'm definitely in the "the pipes' gotta speak to me" camp. And judging from the sheer motleyness of my collecton, I appear to understand a variety of languages. The biggest concentration is family era Barlings. But I also like late '20's early '30's Kaywoodies, Talberts, Cannoys, Tatums, Fillenwarths, Larrysons, Von Ercks, and a whole lot of one offs that caught my eye. As I stated earlier, motley.
Since I mostly buy estates, a turn off would be signs of overuse and abuse. And while I should be ashamed to admit it. I don't care if my pipe enjoys sunsets and long walks on the beach.
Since I mostly buy estates, a turn off would be signs of overuse and abuse. And while I should be ashamed to admit it. I don't care if my pipe enjoys sunsets and long walks on the beach.
I like variety, but am drawn to straight grains or nice birdseye. That being said, if I buy a gorgeous pipe that just doesn't work with my smoking style, I will sell it and look for that next great pipe. Pipes that are gifted to me on the other hand I always keep for sentimental reasons whether they smoke well or not.
Build quality first and foremost, I try to look at a wide sample of a pipe makers work before I purchase one of their pipes. Once I find a maker I can trust I tend to buy multiple examples of their work. It's been my experience in almost all things, that you can feel quality, at least I can. I buy pipes that I expect to still be smoking sixty years from now, I treat my pipes with care and expect the maker to take as much pride in crafting the pipe as I have in ownership. BTW, price and quality do not always go hand in hand, there are some very famous pipe makers whose work either doesn't impress me or I simply find shoddy, given the asking price, I won't name anyone but you need to do your homework and touch/ feel as many pipes as you can. There are also some pipe brands that are; or rather were, made as well as pipes costing tenfold their price that are equal or better as far as build quality and smokability. It's all about finding a maker or brand you feel you can trust to deliver a quality pipe day in and day out.
After a lot of starts and stops, I finally decided on four pipe makers (MM Cobs, Peterson, Comoy & GBD and their seconds). Then I went for stem style - I like a quarter bent or less. I'll admit it, I'm a sucker for a bulldog, but I also like the Prince style. I go for the feel in my hand, it's right or it isn't.
Since I'm not an expert (by a long shot) on tobaccos, it comes down to like or dislike. I smoke what I like in anything I've got. BUT, I am really looking forward to trying Trout Steam in one of my cobs.
Where I live, it's extremely rare to find anything pipe related in antique stores, so an impulse buy isn't probable. Let's face it, pipes are very personal and it depends on your personality and tastes. Good Luck!
Since I'm not an expert (by a long shot) on tobaccos, it comes down to like or dislike. I smoke what I like in anything I've got. BUT, I am really looking forward to trying Trout Steam in one of my cobs.
Where I live, it's extremely rare to find anything pipe related in antique stores, so an impulse buy isn't probable. Let's face it, pipes are very personal and it depends on your personality and tastes. Good Luck!
It depends. I bought my Peterson system because I had wanted one for about a year and finally couldn't resist pulling the trigger. Then there's a couple "what the heck" fleamarket purchases. I can say my Stanwell billiard screamed "buy me!" even though I was only looking around on ebay to pass the time and didn't feel like spending money. Now that I have more than enough pipes, however, future purchases will be based on a lot of premeditation regarding firstly shape/size and maker, then quality of finish. I really only smoke latakia blends, so most of my pipes have roughly the same "purpose," except in ranging from "knock around" to "dress" grades.
Since my collection is eclectic I have some way out there pipes and some classics as well. I also don't go specifically for briar, meerschaum etc. as I have pipes made from Morta, Rock (from Native American reservations, i.e. pipe stone which is black and red stone from Monument Mountain) corn cobs, Olive Wood and Strawberry Wood.
I prefer rusticated, blasts etc. don't care if they have virgin wood coloration or are stained, I do own some outstanding straight grained pipes that have a smooth finish and plenty of eye popping birds eye.
First the pipe has to have a certain bowl size group 1-3 being my favored sizes, a group 4 or 3 are in my collection but I seldom have the time to really sit and enjoy a pipe for that long of a period.
The pipe has to speak to me and have the look, i.e. well conceived and completed and it must smoke very well or it won't end up sticking around in my racks or rotation.
I prefer rusticated, blasts etc. don't care if they have virgin wood coloration or are stained, I do own some outstanding straight grained pipes that have a smooth finish and plenty of eye popping birds eye.
First the pipe has to have a certain bowl size group 1-3 being my favored sizes, a group 4 or 3 are in my collection but I seldom have the time to really sit and enjoy a pipe for that long of a period.
The pipe has to speak to me and have the look, i.e. well conceived and completed and it must smoke very well or it won't end up sticking around in my racks or rotation.
I'm still fairly new at this, but I'm in the market for a few more pipes, so here's my current thought process...
I need a pipe or two that will work both as a functional, enjoyable smoking instrument and as a visual part of a Steampunk outfit. Briars were basically invented during the Victorian era, so nearly anything from a Dublin to a Bent Billiard would work from an historical perspective, but I'm kind of drawn to the brass-and-wood look of a couple of Tsuge's recent models (even though the bowls are rather small). A 'Dress Black' model would be another possibility, to go with my formal kilt and jacket ensemble.
I also need a briar specifically for smoking English blends. I've got one that's pretty much all aromatics all the time, and another that I've only used for Va/Per blends. The cobs I have are nice, but I'd like a dedicated briar as well - so I need to review the topics in here again to remind myself of the proper bowl type/shape/size for English/Lat blends. My preferences run to larger bowls (group 4 and up), and I'm currently drawn toward either a straight billiard style or a fairly chubby Author style (Savinelli 320 KS). Or maybe a Bulldog...
Once those two itches are scratched, I'll probably be in the market for another bent pipe, preferably with a saddle bit like my Viking Classic bent apple - I like the way it hangs when clenching, and I would like to have another one to rotate in on those rare weeks when I get to smoke more than a bowl or two. I tend to be drawn to smooth pipes rather than blasts or rustication, but I love my blasted Stanwell and there are a couple of partially rusticated Nordings that draw my eye as well - and I don't currently have any rusticated pipes, so I might well decide on that basis.
Oh, the endless possibilities... :D
I need a pipe or two that will work both as a functional, enjoyable smoking instrument and as a visual part of a Steampunk outfit. Briars were basically invented during the Victorian era, so nearly anything from a Dublin to a Bent Billiard would work from an historical perspective, but I'm kind of drawn to the brass-and-wood look of a couple of Tsuge's recent models (even though the bowls are rather small). A 'Dress Black' model would be another possibility, to go with my formal kilt and jacket ensemble.
I also need a briar specifically for smoking English blends. I've got one that's pretty much all aromatics all the time, and another that I've only used for Va/Per blends. The cobs I have are nice, but I'd like a dedicated briar as well - so I need to review the topics in here again to remind myself of the proper bowl type/shape/size for English/Lat blends. My preferences run to larger bowls (group 4 and up), and I'm currently drawn toward either a straight billiard style or a fairly chubby Author style (Savinelli 320 KS). Or maybe a Bulldog...
Once those two itches are scratched, I'll probably be in the market for another bent pipe, preferably with a saddle bit like my Viking Classic bent apple - I like the way it hangs when clenching, and I would like to have another one to rotate in on those rare weeks when I get to smoke more than a bowl or two. I tend to be drawn to smooth pipes rather than blasts or rustication, but I love my blasted Stanwell and there are a couple of partially rusticated Nordings that draw my eye as well - and I don't currently have any rusticated pipes, so I might well decide on that basis.
Oh, the endless possibilities... :D
I buy pipes with certain criteria in mind. How well will it smoke my flakes. Is it light enough, is the stem design what I enjoy, is it from an artisan who I trust. I buy only classic shapes like Dublins, Rhodesians, Billiards, Apples, Lovats, Brandy's and one Cherrywood. I buy sandblasted pipes with nice ring grain blasts mostly from American artisans. Of the last 29 pipes I have bought 27 were American artisan, 2 of those were smooth, 1 was a smooth Castello and one was a Tonni Nielsen sandblast. I have sold off a number of pipes that did not fit my criteria as my collecting has become much more focused.
I will only buy a pipe that never needs a pipe cleaner to soak up excess moisture, I will not buy pipes that are too heavy or too big. I only smoke flakes and group 4-5 is what I prefer. Now when I look at a possible new purchase, I plug in my criteria if it does not fit them all, I pass on the pipe. A pipe does have to have a certain amount of eye appeal for me, but knowing a pipe will be good smoker, also makes it attractive. I will also only buy pipes with vulcanite stems( the one exception is the Castello I bought) because I like the softness of them.
I used to buy pipes based on looks and have found over the years it just does not work for me. I was all over the place not thinking about stem design and comfort, not thinking about the weight or how it would smoke the tobaccos that I smoke. I finally learned what types of pipes smoke my favorite blends the best and have gotten a ton of great pipes using my criteria. My flakes just don't smoke very well for me in group 6 and larger pipes with large bowl diameters.
I will only buy a pipe that never needs a pipe cleaner to soak up excess moisture, I will not buy pipes that are too heavy or too big. I only smoke flakes and group 4-5 is what I prefer. Now when I look at a possible new purchase, I plug in my criteria if it does not fit them all, I pass on the pipe. A pipe does have to have a certain amount of eye appeal for me, but knowing a pipe will be good smoker, also makes it attractive. I will also only buy pipes with vulcanite stems( the one exception is the Castello I bought) because I like the softness of them.
I used to buy pipes based on looks and have found over the years it just does not work for me. I was all over the place not thinking about stem design and comfort, not thinking about the weight or how it would smoke the tobaccos that I smoke. I finally learned what types of pipes smoke my favorite blends the best and have gotten a ton of great pipes using my criteria. My flakes just don't smoke very well for me in group 6 and larger pipes with large bowl diameters.
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