What's the Most You Would Ever Spend on a Pipe?

gogosamgo · Nov 24, 2015

Browsing through smokingpipes.com, I came across a few pipes around $4000. This got me thinking about how much I could justify spending on a pipe. Currently my most expensive pipe purchase has been around $200. I'm blessed to have a career that supplies me with a solid salary, but I still live by a strict budget and control my urge to buy many of the nice pipes I see and want. I can't help but think of the many other ways I could spend/invest my money. Right now I feel like I wouldn't be able to justify buying any pipe over $500, although for all I know this may change in the future.
So where do you draw the line? Could you justify the purchase of a $4000 pipe even if your finances allowed it?

stanlaurel · Nov 24, 2015

Could you justify the purchase of a $4000 pipe even if your finances allowed it?

No.
I have gone above $300 once and above $200 a few times. I guess that I can "afford" it, but I just don't see the point when there are so many great smoking pipes below $150 and below $100 too.

tarheel1 · Nov 24, 2015

I don't know about 4k on a pipe. I guess it depends on the pipe. If my finances were in the position to purchase a 1k pipe I would. All my current pipes are between 200-500.00.

hooboy · Nov 24, 2015

A coupla hundred, any higher I just cannot understand. When it gets in the thousands

what is the logic!

I know If I spent this type money on a pipe I don't think I would dare put a fire in it!

Is it that you own something that most cannot afford? IS It prestige , snobbery, or

simply a beautiful item That touches your soul????

IF I had more wealth then Bill Gates I really could not justify something that commands

such a price and does Not perform better than a $10 buck cob!

This in no way trying to put down those that think differently, BUT just trying to

understand the logic.

Smokem if you gottem!

hoo

sjfine · Nov 24, 2015

Could you justify the purchase of a $4000 pipe even if your finances allowed it?

That depends on how expensive this pipe will be when I am in a position to buy it.

jackswilling · Nov 24, 2015

$250.00 +/-

Chasing Embers · Nov 24, 2015

My current range is $10.00 for an MM General to $650.00 for my Bruce Weaver Fugu Blowfish. Would probably break a grand for something from Bruce's "Call To Hounds" grade.

pipestud · Nov 24, 2015

Since your question is, would I spend $4,000 on a pipe if I could afford it?, then the answer would be YES. If I saw a pipe at that price that I fell in love with and could afford it, you bet I'd pull the trigger.

robwoodall · Nov 24, 2015

Hmmm...
Maybe I'm just a cheap bastard, but I can't see going much over a hundred ever again.
My most expensive current pipe is an IMP Meerschaum I bought for about $140. It smokes fine, but the draw is just a little bit more restricted than I like. It's a bit heavier than I like, and it has a rounded bottom making it impossible to sit down without hunting up a pipe rest. None of that is a deal-breaker. It is a nice pipe, but most often I just smoke one of my $60 Rossi sitters or my Savinelli St. Nick. ($80).
I've bought too many pipes that just didn't satisfy. I'm always afraid I'm gonna spend big money, and still be dissatisfied. At least I know Rossi and Savinelli smoke the way I like.

jjm1 · Nov 24, 2015

gogosamgo,
Was Bonhoeffer a pipe smoker?

freakiefrog · Nov 24, 2015

I own a Davorin Denovic blowfish which was pushing $500.00 would I ever spend over 1K I don't know I haven't seen a pipe in that price range yet that I like.

swhipple · Nov 24, 2015

Like the OP I'm lucky to have a good job that provides for my needs and good bit of extra money on the top. Having said that I'm in no way "rich" and still have to watch my spending. My current range is $10 cobs to a couple of pipes that top the $200 price point by a little. So I guess the top of my range is about $250.
If I had a lot more money in the bank I would definitely consider buying more expensive pipes if they really called to me.

foolwiththefez · Nov 24, 2015

I've seen Fikri Baki pipes that I'd be willing to pay $400-500 for and there is a Davorin Morta that I'm trying to save up $300 for but that is not only my ceiling but two of the only instances where I can honestly see paying more that $150ish for a pipe. I get so much pleasure from my MM cobs and Falcon that I don't need expensive smokes.

jkrug · Nov 24, 2015

Most I ever spent is around $300. I'd probably spend up to $500-$600 if something really caught my attention. If money was no object....you bet I'd drop 4 grand on a pipe if I liked it. : puffy

:

aggravatedfarmer · Nov 24, 2015

If I had wealth like Donald trump, I would have a museum of pipes, but since I'm a farmer. $100 is the max, but I'm routinely in the $30 range.

iamn8 · Nov 24, 2015

I'm about to find out. I've got a bad feeling I'm about to spend way over a grand... Have to wait to get the bill from Michael Parks

prior to this, the most I've spend was $1500. How scary is that?!

cynicismandsugar · Nov 24, 2015

If there was an exceptional piece, I could probably talk myself into a $1,000, only to realize I could buy a decent camera lens for same amount, and back out at the last moment. I start feeling guilty with anything priced over $500.

pappymac · Nov 24, 2015

My most expensive one is $275. Don't plan on spending that much again. Most of my pipes were purchased for under $125 and they all smoked perfectly fine for my expectations.

warren · Nov 24, 2015

Of course I could and would! I do not feel I have to "justify" a purchase. The right pipe? Sure. As an investment? Hardly! It would be a self-serving purchase for sure, probably a "one off" with precious metal fittings and bent of course.

mso489 · Nov 24, 2015

I like to keep it pretty budget-wise since it is more enjoyable not to be engaging the household budget in pipe buying. Maybe it's creative denial, but I feel that many low and moderately priced pipes are above their station in smoking characteristics. I'm not just contenting myself with low-end pipes but trying for the most I can. I received a check for a written piece and bought a Ser Jacopo blast for $175 plus tax and shipping. The SJ was on steep discount and I've never seen them that inexpensive again (new). A Forums member sent me a Ferndown, which is a beautiful pipe. My wife has gifted me with some Johs and Savs that were originally priced about $165. But I do enjoy my MM cobs, Old Dominion cobs, Kaywoodie Drinkless and push bits, Yello-Bole Checker, and two fine Stanwell's from PC at $49.99 each. So let's suppose that I ended up with notable discretionary spending -- taxes payed up, church pledge covered, household maintained, etc., and charities supported. How high would I go? Probably not that high, but it could be an adventure to find out, applying the same fierce thrift at a higher end item. If I went out for a $500 pipe, I think I might get ... a lot. The $4,000 pipe pictured doesn't appeal to me that much; the stem's too wispy for the mega-bowl. But I'm sure there are $4,000 pipes that would make my heart skip a beat.

What's the Most You Would Ever Spend on a Pipe?

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