I'm having a bit of an issue deciding what to purchase as my first briar pipe. At first, I was just going to buy a new dr grabow or kaywoodie pipe. These seem to be rather difficult to find for me (no b&m nearby) as most of the sites are out of stock or have a single option open. I'm not sure about buying an estate pipe but I am looking at several options. As I'm new to pipe smoking I was only hoping to spend $20-$30. If this is unrealistic please let me know. If you know of a site let me know.
Buying My First Briar Pipe
- Thread starter mdre0b
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Check on ebay. I just got a NOS Unsmoked Medico Medalist Zulu filter estate pipe for $20 delivered. Has some hokey tobacco leaves carved in it, but it do smoke just fine.
4noggins has 1 option in a briar and 1 in brylon. I'm not going to buy something I don't think I'll be happy with. I'll continue to smoke my $5 MM Ozark and wait for more options. P&C and 4noggins advertise selling Medico, Dr Grabow, and Kaywoodie but are out of stock of almost all.
Stay away from the Brylon. Occasionally someone will say they are fine but generally, they are regarded poorly. I think the above advice is probably the best. Ebay has some great values when you are looking at no-name or basket pipes. You'll probably find something you like for under $20 shipped. Maybe even under $10, especially if you're willing to put a little elbow grease into it.
The best advice is probably message Daniel though. The generosity of pipe smokers has never failed to impress me.
The best advice is probably message Daniel though. The generosity of pipe smokers has never failed to impress me.
Dr. Grabow pipes are fine, I have owned several that I enjoyed.
Most bang for your buck is probably going to be a well cleaned refurbished estate pipe. Talk to Daniel or just keep watching the For Sale section here.
The key thing is, if you don't want to learn to clean and refurb estates, find one that has this done already.
Most bang for your buck is probably going to be a well cleaned refurbished estate pipe. Talk to Daniel or just keep watching the For Sale section here.
The key thing is, if you don't want to learn to clean and refurb estates, find one that has this done already.
I think it's good to start out with a lower priced pipe from a good brand, a new one, probably without a filter (unless you are devoted to a filter, your choice). Check out the Rossi pipes, made by Savenellli, at the smokingpipes.com site, some as low as forty-four bucks, or the Chapuis-Comoy brand, good French pipes, at tobaccopipes.com -- fewer shape choices, but enough variety to select a first briar, for thirty to fifty dollars. I'd stay in this mode for three or four pipes, until you get the feel of briar. Then you can decide whether to save up for a more expensive pipe, or graduate to mid-level, but shop carefully. With five or six briar pipes on your rack, you might venture into estate pipes; I'd do that on smokingpipes.com where there is dependable restoration and sanitation, and accountability for the quality. But shop a lot before you buy. Go slow. It's easy to buy a bunch of pipes in a hurry, then discover you want something else. You can even stay with low-priced pipes and do well, if you invest the sweat equity of shopping and learning a lot before you buy. Remember, what ever you buy may last for decades or your entire life. I have the first pipe I ever bought in the mid-seventies. It's a really pleasing shape and smokes great, so I'm glad I really like it.
I just got two unsmoked natural billiards and a 2 pipe horseshoe stand for 17.00 on the flea site.
These pipes are probably taking a chance, but they're nice enough looking and have the imprimatur of Borkum Riff, so I figure they're going to be a fairly decent production pipe. It's a lot of fun to shop for something, isn't it?
These pipes are probably taking a chance, but they're nice enough looking and have the imprimatur of Borkum Riff, so I figure they're going to be a fairly decent production pipe. It's a lot of fun to shop for something, isn't it?
Really suggest you PM Daniel, if you haven't already. Members here have all been great.
Saving up a little is a virtuous endeavor and will give you time to shop around a bit. You can expect substantially better quality for $50 plus range.
Also, you might consider upgrading your cob to a General or a Freehand. Bigger bowls and great smokers. I have a couple of racks of briars but I'm smoking a Freehand as I write this. Not knocking briar and if if that is what you want, go for it.
I will vouch for MSO's observation that it is easy to get a bunch of mediocre pipes that will not satisfy in the long run. Better to save and get decent quality.
Briarblues and MKELaw offer great buys on estates, one or two in the sub $50 range.
Pax
Saving up a little is a virtuous endeavor and will give you time to shop around a bit. You can expect substantially better quality for $50 plus range.
Also, you might consider upgrading your cob to a General or a Freehand. Bigger bowls and great smokers. I have a couple of racks of briars but I'm smoking a Freehand as I write this. Not knocking briar and if if that is what you want, go for it.
I will vouch for MSO's observation that it is easy to get a bunch of mediocre pipes that will not satisfy in the long run. Better to save and get decent quality.
Briarblues and MKELaw offer great buys on estates, one or two in the sub $50 range.
Pax
My advice would be save up a bit more, say in the $50-$100 range, and go with a lower end Peterson, Savinelli, or Butz-Choquin. It'll be a much better pipe and a much better experience.
I also agree that Missouri Meerschaum cobs are a good smoke. You can never have enough corn cobs on hand.
I also agree that Missouri Meerschaum cobs are a good smoke. You can never have enough corn cobs on hand.
Pipesandcigars regularly sells new inexpensive pipes. $20-$30 is low-balling this target, I think. But if I were new I would want whatever I did decide to buy to smoke well and hold up, and in my opinion ebay has far too many unscrupulous sellers. If I were new I'd want the seller to have a reputation to deliver value. You might find something on Nathan Mattia's site:
http://www.VikingClubPipes.com/
I've bought three or four pipes from him and have been happy with their value. Maybe you could take a look and find several pipes that are appealing and post a link to them in this section, asking for the opinion of others with more experience.
http://www.VikingClubPipes.com/
I've bought three or four pipes from him and have been happy with their value. Maybe you could take a look and find several pipes that are appealing and post a link to them in this section, asking for the opinion of others with more experience.
Jump on the offer from Danielplainview and get thee over to the Buy, sell, trade forums and start shopping. There are superb pipes to be had for well under a a C-note. Pipe smoking doesn't have to be expensive but no one should have to smoke a cheap pipe. Stay away from those pos briar-like creations they sell in the incense laden discount tobacco outlets. I'd much rather see a beginner spend their hard earned cash, no matter what the budget, on a clean estate pipe that has a shot at delivering a great smoke.
If I was dirt poor, (I've been dirt poor more than once), I'd get some MM cobs and put my $$ into tobacco, at least I know what I'm getting with a cob and by that I mean a clean, dry smoke with plenty of good tobacco enjoyment.
If I was dirt poor, (I've been dirt poor more than once), I'd get some MM cobs and put my $$ into tobacco, at least I know what I'm getting with a cob and by that I mean a clean, dry smoke with plenty of good tobacco enjoyment.
Can I suggest you take Danielplainview up on his offer of a pipe.
It will get you going while you decide on your first purchase.
It will get you going while you decide on your first purchase.
Forgot: if you want maximum value, my feeling is that cobs are your choice. For $10 or less you can get a great smoke. Cobs however won't last a lifetime, as will a briar, and their capacity is small. I've always smoked briar; cobs seemed too cheap. I've been smoking them most of the time since Jan. 1, and it's been a, so to speak, cob awakening.
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