Letting Somone Borrow a Pipe

easterntraveler · Apr 25, 2013

Oddly enough this is the second time my brother in law has asked me to borrow something that was near and dear to me. The first time he had my wife ask me to borrow my Harley Davidson. The only thing I could do was laugh. This time he asked to borrow one of my pipes at the last family reunion. I had my Ser Jacopo's and il Ceppo. Needless to say I never let him touch them. Anyone ever let somone use one of there higher end pipes or any pipe in general (other than a son)? Seemed like an odd request too me. Kind of like using my tooth brush just more expensive.

kashmir · Apr 25, 2013

I've given my share of pipes to begining smokers. Usually low grade basket pipes or cobs. But I've never loaned out a pipe.

pruss · Apr 25, 2013

It's been a long time since I had a circle of friends that included a large number of smokers... So the question of "borrowing" a pipe hasn't come up. At Thanksgiving last year offered my brother a pipe from my rack for a post-meal smoke. He declined, as he's too afraid of becoming a full blown smoker again. As I regularly clean my pipes, and leave them clean in between uses, I didn't think much of this.
If I had a brother in law like yours though, I might keep a bag of MM cobs around just in case.
-- Pat

oklansas · Apr 25, 2013

To me loaning out a pipe is like loaning out a good fountain pen - each are attuned to the habits and uses of their owners. Lending them to others can not only effect the desired attributes that the owner has taken so long to carefully cultivate, but leave the borrower with a skewed perception of the instrument.

nsfisher · Apr 25, 2013

I would loan out a pipe but not one that I smoke regularly. It is kinda like loaning out your favorite coffee cup, or your Wife, hahahahah

madmick · Apr 25, 2013

I'm a generous person for the most part and I'm always more than willing to let a friend or neighbor borrow whatever they need if I have it (except money). But.......I'm with you on the pipes it’s just like you said about the toothbrush. I don’t care about the price of the pipe but its mine and I don’t want your slobber all over it.

erichbaumer · Apr 25, 2013

I've only loaned out one pipe, a rather nice basket grab I'd just bought and only smoked once. But the guy was the president of my music fraternity, who is a very close friend and one of the most trustworthy individuals I know. He didn't have a pipe, and he ended up enjoying the hobby so much I just told him to keep the thing. He's the kind of guy I'd give a pipe to as a gift anyway. I'll let any of the friends I smoke with have a bowl out of any of my pipes when we smoke together, but I definitely wouldn't loan my Peterson or any of my estates to anyone. Mostly because I smoke them the most. Really just the basket pipes and cobs, and then only to someone I really trust who will replace it if they do something to it.

kcghost · Apr 25, 2013

I don't have a problem with it provided I know the person and they are a competent pipe smoker.

easterntraveler · Apr 25, 2013

Wow. Most of you so far are by far better people than I am. Borrowing certain items say a blender or tool I have no problem with. However certain things of mine are personal to me. I do not have many expensive or alot of stuff in general. However some things are just very personal to me and I would never let somone use, let alone borrow for a period of time. My pipes fall into this category. However I do not have any kind of basket pipe.

dervis · Apr 25, 2013

I will loan about anything including certain pipes to people I trust. Now you mess that up 1 time and you are on the list and wouldnt loan you a bottle of water after that.
I loan/give out cobs quite a bit. Sometimes something nicer.

fitzy · Apr 25, 2013

I generally try to keep a couple MM cobs on hand to give to anyone that I come across that's interested in trying a pipe.

trailspike48 · Apr 25, 2013

I did let a house sitter use one of my pipes while I was on a weeks vacation. I did a good cleaning for her including a pipe retort before I left. I would be willing to loan out certain pipes to a friend that ask. I only have a few pipes that I wouldn't loan out. I am with others on loaning a vehicle. If it doesn't work out it can be expensive or timely to fix.

cigrmaster · Apr 25, 2013

I loaned a buddy a Peterson pipe that I did not care for. He smokes it on occasion and I told him to just take care of it is all.

flyguy · Apr 25, 2013

fitzy said:

I generally try to keep a couple MM cobs on hand to give to anyone that I come across that's interested in trying a pipe.

That's what I do.

Loaning someone your pipe is like letting them wear your underwear...or use your toothbrush!

teufelhund · Apr 26, 2013

I don't like to share my pipes or loan them out, but I do like to just pass them on or give them away. I have my favorites and it is usually some old keepers and some new acquisitions. All those pipes in the middle that seem to fade away into a drawer somewhere I'd just assume pass on to somebody I like or sell off. I have a few extra cobs on hand that are there for the boys in the garage; they get one freebie :wink: They usually leave them over so they don't lose them. I've thought about getting some communtity clays since that's the way things were in colonial times and they are easy enough to clean. So I guess I don't want anything back that I gave to someone.

appointed · May 11, 2013

No one has ever asked me to borrow a pipe before. Now I have had several people ask to take a puff when I am smoking and I have been more than happy to oblige them hoping to get someone new into the hobby, but there are some pipes that I would never consider loaning out. They are simply too personal. It is odd. I do not feel this attachment so much with cobs as I do my briars, but it just seems violating. All except one of those pipes I shared were cobs. One was a briar. It felt wrong. I just can't explain it. I have restored several estate pipes now, and one thing I have always admired about them is that they were very close to someone else. I sometimes wonder if their previous owners found just as much peace in them as I do. I reckon a tool so thoroughly enjoyed just becomes close to your soul. With all of that being said, if I had a close friend or family member that smoked a pipe and asked to borrow one, with the exception of a couple of ones, I would more than likely allow them. If I had someone looking to get into the hobby or just starting out, I would just find one to give them or even go out and buy them a cob.

wnghanglow · May 11, 2013

Funny this thread should be brought back up, I have a similar event happen earlier today. An old friend and supposed "pipe smoker" came over and asked if he could try some of my tobacco, he smokes only aromatics and I have plenty to share so I thought what the heck sure. I come to check up on him a few minutes later and he has opened about half of my jars to smell the tobacco! Set me back in my aging from 8 months to 2 years depending on the jar. Needless to say this joker is no longer allowed unattended around my tobacco or my pipes. To anwser your original question though, I have several broken in briars that I have set aside for guests, all of which I clean thouroughly, but no one is touching a pipe in my rotation.

paintedklown · May 11, 2013

Interesting topic here guys. I also fall into the "toothbrush" camp. Ewww! No lending of pipes for me. I would rather buy someone a new cob, than to share a pipe with them (unless it was my GF). :wink:
Having said that, I cannot imagine myself buying an estate (used) pipe for that very reason. You never know what has been smoked in it, nor what "cooties" they may have "infected" the pipe with. :twisted: :mrgreen:

mso489 · May 11, 2013

Two considerations. Hygiene and politics. There are a few viruses and such that can get passed back and

forth. Mostly, alcohol and rigorous cleaning obviate that problem, but it's still possible to get or pass some

obstinate little critter that the owner was immune to. Second, there's the problem of breakage, failure to

return, and misuse. Like the old adage about loaning money to a friend, you'll end up with neither the

money nor the friend. I think I'd be inclined to give the friend a new, fresh cob; clean the dickens out of

a pipe and give it to the friend as a gift (since smoking a used pipe is fine with him); or politely decline,

saying it's not your habit. Giving stuff away can be rather satisfying if it is really your own idea. Having

stuff not returned or returned in bad shape is not good for you or the perpetrator. But this is real personal.

Some people are huge hearted and would rather loan and give things away than not, and unless they are

exacting some sort of power over the recipients, this is to be greatly admired.

drwatson · May 11, 2013

I'll loan out money, cars, tools, movies, whatever. But I will never loan out wife or pipes!!! I'll give someone a pipe if they asked , no problem. But they get to keep...It's a whole germ thing!

Letting Somone Borrow a Pipe

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