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bostonbill

bostonbill

Lurker
Jul 26, 2010
31
0
Bahston
Hello all. I have taken a look through the forums and not seen a thread like this, so I'm hoping I'm not stepping on anyone's toes. Here goes:
I've got a collection of cheap to mid-priced ($60+) pipes. But I just can't get over the idea of spending $100 or more on a pipe. Do you really need to spend that kind of money to get a good smoke? Is there any "real" difference between a $60 and a $100 Savinelli? Are more expensive pipes bigger? Are "estate" pipes bigger?
When I see people smoking a pipe (like on Youtube) their pipes sure do look larger than mine. I can't bring myself to pay retail, so how will I know if the bowl is really bigger? Or is that no important at all? Should I be looking for a larger bowl? Should I save up to buy one better pipe, or keep buying less expensive ones until I have enough that I really like?
Ugh. Sorry. I guess I have pipe envy?
What are your thoughts?

 
admin

admin

Smoking a Pipe Right Now
Staff member
Nov 16, 2008
8,872
5,649
St. Petersburg, FL
pipesmagazine.com
Pipe Envy! LOL Boston Bill.
My first suggestion is to not spend a lot of money on a pipe if you are not already getting satisfaction from smoking your $60 pipes. I say this in response to your question:
"Do you really need to spend that kind of money to get a good smoke?"
The short answer is "NO".
Perhaps that was just rhetorical?
Usually a pipe in the $50 - $75 range that is a brand name should give you a good smoking experience.
This is actually a very common topic of discussion, and it is fine to start it anew since I don't feel like looking for the past threads. LOL. Plus I am more educated after spending 10 days in Denmark last month visiting pipe makers.
There are definitely some specific reasons why different pipes have different prices.
You have mass-produced factory pipes. (They might make 100 - 500 a day).
There are semi-mass-produced "individual pipe maker" pipes. (They might make 3 - 6 a day)
There are one-of-a-kind artisan pipes. (They might make 1 a day, or one a month.)
All of that factors into the price. How many can they make? How unique is the pipe? How much time and effort, and expertise went into making the pipe?
Then there is the wood itself. There is better quality wood that cost more.
Quality of the wood can be measured in size, curing methods, curing and aging time, the age of the wood at harvest time, flaws, such as sand pits, and the appearance of the grain.
Then there is the stem. Just like the discussion above, there are many different materials and processes for producing the stem. Is it totally machine-made, totally hand-made, or something in between? There are even different levels of quality of Ebonite, which is one of the most common stem materials.
Then there are a very subtle little nuances like beveling the outside rim of the tenon that will give a better smoke.
Then there is also marketing factored in as well. "Prestige Pricing" was one of my favorite things I learned in marketing many, many years ago.
All of that said, the simple advice is to buy what looks good to you and what you can afford.
I have some pipes that cost 1/10th of other pipes and smoke better.

 
brazz

brazz

Starting to Get Obsessed
Dec 16, 2009
233
0
Welcome Boston I'm just saying hi because, I'm guessing your from the Boston area.I work in Taunton and its nice to know there are some pipe smokers nearby. Its a lonely hobby smoking a pipe these days it's good to have fellow pipers nearby.We've got to start a new trend of pipe smoking in New England. Baby steps.LOL. As far as your pipe question I'm still trying to enlarge my collection I also have moderatley priced pipes so I can't give you any info on comparing expensive pipes w/ less expensive pipes,but either way I love smoking the pipe and trying all that different tobacco out there.

Looking forward to your posts. Power to the pipe.

Brazz.

 
ohin3

ohin3

Lifer
Jun 2, 2010
2,455
44
Kevin pretty much hit the nail on the head. As far as large or small pipes go, I think it's a matter of preference. I actually prefer smaller more slim lined pipes as opposed to large chunky/bulky pipes.

 
pstlpkr

pstlpkr

Lifer
Dec 14, 2009
9,694
31
Birmingham, AL
Boston Bill,

Welcome to the fraternity.
As for the "Bigger" question.

There has been some discussion about bowl size lately.

Some are saying that bowls with a larger diameter drilling will impart better flavor for some certain types of tobacco.

The actual sizes of the bowls can vary greatly from pipe to pipe.

I have some that I can't get my little finger into and others that seem to hold a whole ounce of tobacco and are over an 1-1/4 across.

But, the average size is around 3/4" across and an 1-1/2" deep.

Two things to consider when deciding on a pipe (other than those that Kevin listed above) are:

1) Are the walls of the bowl thick enough to keep your fingers from being burned.

2) Does the pipe have a varnish or paint finish or is it natural/waxed (usually carnauba wax). No slight intended, beeswax meerschaum crowd.

While there are some good pipes that are varnished (I have one) or painted, you might want to think twice about such a purchase. Owing to the hotly debated subject over heat dissipation (no pun intended).

PS

You can use the "edit" function to fix those "faux pas" that go unnoticed until after you have posted.

 
bostonbill

bostonbill

Lurker
Jul 26, 2010
31
0
Bahston
You can use the "edit" function to fix those "faux pas" that go unnoticed until after you have posted.
Click to expand...
Um... where is the edit button doohicky? (I really don't think I'm a thicky, but then, I can't find an edit button doohicky, either.)

 
cortezattic

cortezattic

Lifer
Nov 19, 2009
15,147
7,642
Chicago, IL
The old adage is: "Spend money on tobacco, not pipes." My experience is limited to the under $100 range of briars, which I find quite delightful. The only exception is a hand made dead root briar from Canadian pipesmith, Julius Vesz. That cost $200, and I noticed its superiority immediately. Unfortunately, its distinctive character faded after about 25 smokes; and now it performs on a par with the rest of my collection.
IMO there are justifications for spending a lot on a pipe, but they have to do with aesthetics, rarity, and, in most cases, other non-taste related issues.
Of late, however, Lawrence (pstlpkr) has brought to our collective attentions the hypothesis that vertical, tight, straight-grained pipes -- traditionally considered the aesthetic ideal -- will dissipate heat more efficiently than mixed-grain briar. If true, this would probably enhance the entire experience, albeit at their traditionally high cost.
In another thread, member willh linked us to a related article: The Myth of Brand and Maker in Pipesmoking

 
bostonbill

bostonbill

Lurker
Jul 26, 2010
31
0
Bahston
Yeah... I apparently don't qualify for that feature- All I see is a blue "#" thing, and nothing happens when I click on it. Don't worry about it here- I can figure out a technical problem later. For now- hope people keep the opinions coming... I just ordered a Design Berlin (and a few Missouri Meerchaums). I'm really looking forward to the DB pipe, because if it works out, I think I'll have a filtered brand I can expand on...

 
rybo

rybo

Might Stick Around
Aug 2, 2010
51
0
let me jump in this discussion since i'm new here. i'm a young guy (20) who has taken up pipe smoking over the last year or so.
so far, i've stuck with the one pipe i've had since day one...but it's time to upgrade. most of the merchants around my town sell higher end pipes - $100+. as a college student, i cannot bring myself to pay that much for a pipe...regardless of how beautiful some of them are.
is it wise to buy a $40-50 pipe on ebay? some of them look great, but what other things should i be looking out for? i fell in love with a PIPA CROC i saw there...anyone have any experience with them?
thanks everyone!

 
cortezattic

cortezattic

Lifer
Nov 19, 2009
15,147
7,642
Chicago, IL
Hi Rybo, and welcome to the forums. I hope to read a lot about pipe smoking from your perspective.
I would stay away from "estate pipes" for a while longer. You can get burned on a bad deal sometimes, and your disappointment might chill your developing interest in pipe smoking. For $40 - $50 you can get some pretty good new pipes, and have a little fun breaking them in, if necessary. Used pipes are freighted with refurbishing, repair, and ghostbusting issues; so save that part of the hobby experience for later.

Buy yourself a nice, sensibly priced new pipe and enjoy!

 
caliguy

caliguy

Might Stick Around
Jul 30, 2010
92
0
Hi Boston, You've received some great advice here. these guys know their stuff. You can find really nice pipes on line for little money. One of my favorite pipes was an unfinished Savenelli second. You could see the filler in some spots. I got it out of a sale basket at the tobacco shop for $15.00 and you know what, it smoked better than a W.O. Larsen I paid $80.00 for (on sale).Frankly, if I owned a truly high priced pipe I'd be afraid to smoke it for fear of breaking it somehow.
And pease stop with the tupos, we ar all perfect here and can't stnd that sort of ting.

 
rybo

rybo

Might Stick Around
Aug 2, 2010
51
0
thanks cortezattic. as soon as my exam is over thursday, i'm going to visit the local stores again and do some serious shopping.
and i have to say, i just went out into the cool summer night air, smoked 2 bowls of mac barren vanilla...it was unbelievably relaxing. i think i'm hooked for life

 
fred

fred

Lifer
Mar 21, 2010
1,509
5
Kevin has hit on all the important points about Briar Pipes, and the same

ones apply to Meerschaum. Does quality make a difference? Absolutely, and

the first consideration about selecting a Meerschaum is the quality of the

Block used. The other points are relevant, but cannot overcome the problems

that low grade Block presents to the smoker. This point is often the last thing

to be considered with most Buyers. The fact is that it's nice if the Pipe

looks good, but that means nothing if it doesn't smoke well.

 
hauntedmyst

hauntedmyst

Lifer
Feb 1, 2010
4,012
20,787
Chicago
As usual, I have to come in and set the record straight. You want the biggest pipes you can find and afford. Ideally, you want a pipe as big as your head. The bigger the pipe, the smarter you look. The smarter you look, the smarter you feel and what better why to feel good about yourself than smoking a pumpkin sized bowl of tobacco? Thats what Albert Einstein did and he got like 1200 on his SAT's.

 
juni

juni

Lifer
Mar 9, 2010
1,184
15
There is something about holding and smoking a beautifully made high quality pipe. Does it smoke better than mid-priced ones? No.

 
classicgeek

classicgeek

Part of the Furniture Now
Apr 8, 2010
710
1
Welcome BostonBill (and rybo, too, while I'm at it!),
Once you've got the basics down in materials and pipe design, the devil's in the details. I've managed to collect a few pipes, and they all have their own personalities, regardless of price. They ranged from $250 at one end and $5 for two plus a rack thrown in at the other. They all get the job done, it's more a question of size and aesthetics to match my mood and the tobacco. The cheaper pipes feel more "casual" to me and are less high-strung. Less worried about damaging them inadvertently (smoking in a breeze outdoors, or dropping them, or whatever). I wouldn't mind trying a Missouri Meerschaum someday, just for the fun of it, even though the aesthetic doesn't really do anything for me.
Happy puffing.
Simon

 
changojoe

changojoe

Might Stick Around
Jan 5, 2010
81
0
Hey Bill!!!! welcome !!! im kind of a newbie so let me just share my personal experience. my first pipe was a $15 usd and it got so hot it was a bad experience.

my second pipe was viking and it save my experience and i still have it.

i have noticed that the thicker the walls the cooler the smoke all do i just acquired a Castello Sea Rock from a estate collection and man it is fantastic!!!! i paid $75.00 for it and its totally worth it!!!!

something i also tried and had a lot of fun with is buying some old pipes at a antique store for $5.00 restored them and they smoke great.

salud!!!

 
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