Challenge: VA/Flake Pipe for under $150

pitchfork · Oct 30, 2012

OK, fellow pipesters, I've wracked my brain to come up with a great VA or Flake pipe for under $150, but I'm stumped, so I'm crowdsourcing this. One of my best friends, who is under a great deal of work-related stress, also happens to be the person who introduced me to pipe smoking a little over a year ago. His wife is looking to buy him a nice pipe to sort of take the edge off of the stress he's been under lately and she's asked me to help her find a good pipe for VA's. It can be new or an estate, but her budget is a firm $150. In fact, she'd rather keep it closer to $100, but she wants a good VA pipe with a little bit of wow factor when her husband opens it up.
I thought immediately of the smaller Stanwell's, but she says she wants something a little "different" or "exciting." Opinions may vary, but I think of Stanwell as the Honda Accord of pipe smoking -- 100% reliable, reasonably priced, but nothing exciting or flashy (maybe there are some Stanwell lines I'm just not thinking of).
So that's my challenge: a good VA pipe for under $150, new or estate, with a little "something" in terms of style. What say ye, gentlemen of the briar?

captainprophesy · Oct 30, 2012

I say there arent any VA or Flake pipes... there are only pipes. Sure some blends will lend themselves to a particular pipe in your rotation... but I say just find a nice estate pipe for under $150 that has that certain flair that you think your friend might like.
Heres a Rad Davis for $110... I dont own one, but people who do love them

captainprophesy · Oct 30, 2012

Heres another one... this one is Ben Wade for $110
Just not sure what the little "something" is

cigrmaster · Oct 30, 2012

Here are a few that I think will make great flake pipes. This first one I think is the best deal for an estate. It is a Ferndown for 110.00. The rest are all new pipes.
http://www.mkelaw-pipes.com/html/pipee1876.html
http://www.smokingpipes.com/pipes/new/winslow/moreinfo.cfm?product_id=94683
http://www.smokingpipes.com/pipes/new/savinelli/moreinfo.cfm?product_id=88568
http://www.smokingpipes.com/pipes/new/savinelli/moreinfo.cfm?product_id=88536
http://www.smokingpipes.com/pipes/new/savinelli/moreinfo.cfm?product_id=106202
http://www.smokingpipes.com/pipes/new/mastro-de-paja/moreinfo.cfm?product_id=109521
http://www.smokingpipes.com/pipes/new/mastro-de-paja/moreinfo.cfm?product_id=109570
I forgot about that Rad Davis, that is a nice pipe for sure. If you like that style.

pitchfork · Oct 30, 2012

Thanks for the suggestions, Captn. I love that Rad Davis. I hear you on there not being "flake pipes" and "latakia pipes," etc. Not trying to be all Aristotelian on you, but I definitely need a smaller bowled pipe that is likely to be good for VA's or flakes.

Just not sure what the little "something" is

LOL, I don't know either! Here's a classic Joe Pesci skit on that question:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8KABENKSTLE

pitchfork · Oct 30, 2012

cigrmaster, now you're helping people help other people spend their money. :lol: Those are all great suggestions. I love the Savinelli Bing and the Mastro de Paja may be a hit for budget reasons. I'll definitely pass these suggestions along. Thanks, guys.

captainprophesy · Oct 30, 2012

cigrmaster... than Ferndown is an AWESOME price!

waznyf · Oct 30, 2012

I would highly suggest the Rad Davis pipe. Well made pipes and I have only heard good about them as well.

buster · Oct 30, 2012

$85
http://www.4noggins.com/stanwellfeatherweightsmoothred244.aspx

buster · Oct 30, 2012

I got this one for $90

thesmokindragon · Oct 30, 2012

I find any 3/4"'diameter inside chamber w/at least 1.2"-1.5" depth

would be a great flake pipe....check out Storient, Balkovec, Hackert,

Tinsky, etc they make outstanding pipes, might be able to score

one for $150 ;-)

pitchfork · Oct 30, 2012

Those Stanwell's are great. I think I'll suggest to my friend's wife that Stanwells are great pipes and maybe she should consider one. It's really about what appeals to her in terms of what she thinks will make a nice gift. I agree about the Ferndown. However, that Brakner pipe is a GREAT deal. I don't think my friend is really into Danish classics, so the rest of us can clamber over that one. I really like that Larsen, as well. The Moretti fromJames Island piper is a beaut. Wow, thanks for digging all those up,rothnh.
Like that Stanwell, buster.

captainsousie · Oct 30, 2012

My Edwards pipes are great for flake and other types of tobacco as well. You can get a couple pipes for the price new or an entire pipe rotation estate.

rd02sir · Oct 30, 2012

is there anything in specific that makes a pipe smoke Va's better than others?

pitchfork · Oct 30, 2012

CanAsianPiper, your question merits its own thread, but in my view smaller bowls and narrow chambers tend to be great flake pipes. That is, small pots/billiards work well, but so do stack billiards, free-hand dublins, etc. just so long as the chamber is fairly narrow. Are there exceptions? There are always exceptions, but usually very large-bowled pipes don't smoke VA's very well.

lestrout · Oct 30, 2012

If part of the experience is a new pipe, rather than an estate, this Luciano has a good chamber for VA flakes: http://www.jamesislandpiper.com/catalog_product.aspx?prod_id=2777
hp

les

pitchfork · Oct 30, 2012

thanks, les. I had forgotten Luciano pipes. Maybe that brandy will be just the thing (money is sort of tight their way, so the price on Lucianos is a bonus). Personally, I like the prince. In fact, that may be my first suggestion to the wife. The Luciano prince is a classic prince shape, small chambered and may be what she's looking for. My friend's only other "Va Pipe" (like them quotes, folks?) is a Peterson churchwarden with a prince-shaped bowl, so maybe that will work for him.
Many and sincere thanks for the great suggestions, everyone.

lestrout · Oct 30, 2012

pitch - lol - I was looking at that Prince too. I personally like the small pot format of the Prince chamber for my flakes. Lucianos are such great pipes, and wonderful values, that I now have several.
hp

les

rcstan · Oct 31, 2012

I know there's been a lot of Peterson bashing here lately but .....
http://www.smokingpipes.com/pipes/new/peterson/moreinfo.cfm?product_id=110717

I'm actually looking at getting one whenever a new purchase will be approved ..... it's $62 .... with the $100 budget, a few tins of flakes can be thrown in ...... 5 tins of Irish Flake, perhaps? That'll "take the edge off"

pitchfork · Oct 31, 2012

5 tins of Irish Flake, perhaps? That'll "take the edge off"

"For the experienced smoker." LOL

Challenge: VA/Flake Pipe for under $150

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