Trying to stave off a bout of PAD, but it is not going so well. I've noticed that new St. Claude pipes start at $40. Are they cheap for a reason?
Why Are Bruyere St. Claude Pipes so Cheap?
- Thread starter mikethompson
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Check out this thread from 3 years ago. Maybe this will help. http://pipesmagazine.com/forums/topic/bruyere-st-claude-pipes
I’ll let you know. I just put in an order for one each of the Canadian, Dublin and Lumberman.
They look pretty nice. I needed to add a few pipes to the rotation and at those prices, I figured, why not?
mechanic, I’m pretty sure I bought the “men’s version”
They look pretty nice. I needed to add a few pipes to the rotation and at those prices, I figured, why not?
mechanic, I’m pretty sure I bought the “men’s version”
I'm on the fence about horn stems as well. That is something I'd like to try before my last breath.
You rarely hear of anyone bragging about their cheap French pipes... well... except for MSO. But, basically following the rules of cost, people value more expensive goods over cheap ones. No one ever brags about their new Kia Rio, or Payless shoes, or Walmart ties... except corncob guys, they are proud to be poor and will tell you how to get even more of those cheap pieces of crap by buying the broke ones by the bag full. But, really, once a product has fallen to the cheaper price points, it no longer is an object of as much affection, nor envy.
I find myself skipping over the new Stanwells, since they are now made in France and dirt bag cheap pipes now. There is a lot of psychology with pricing. And, obviously the French are taking the mass production method of selling more pipes for less, than selling a few for more. Whatever works for them.
I have a few French pipes. They smoke well, but they aren't anything to brag about. :
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I find myself skipping over the new Stanwells, since they are now made in France and dirt bag cheap pipes now. There is a lot of psychology with pricing. And, obviously the French are taking the mass production method of selling more pipes for less, than selling a few for more. Whatever works for them.
I have a few French pipes. They smoke well, but they aren't anything to brag about. :
:
You rang? Yes, French pipe culture emphasizes factory pipes produced in a fairly tightly knit community, not all in St. Claude, but perhaps pretty tight all the way around. St. Claude was a center for developing briar as a principle pipe material, and most of what they produce is well above its price point quality-wise. Most of the classic traditional shapes we associate with English pipes were originated in France. So quality pipes at working man and woman prices is what the French do, and these particular pipes just happen to play the price card really hard. For the most part, you aren't going to find poor quality pipes from France. I think it is part of a deeper French ethos; if you ever find a suit or sports jacket or other tailored garment from France, you would find it lasts forever. It's just what they do. I have a special soft spot for French pipes because my first pipe, a sweetly designed bent pot with a nifty vertical saddle stem, a Tinder Box St. Ives, was French, probably Chacom, and it's still going strong after about 40 years. That seals the deal for me.
If memory serves, the French were the first to start making pipes from briar. I would like to think that a place that has being doing work with a material for so long would really have it down by now, so they might be pretty good pipes! I've thought about them a time or two myself, just to add to the rotation, but they don't look bad at all!
That's actually a pretty good deal. I have a set of the seven day smokeable seconds and they're not billed as perfect, but they smoke a blend just as well as one you buy at full price and is perfect. Might not be much to look at, but I ain't smoking a cob for looks. My Sleepy Hollow smokes and tastes better to me in one of my cobs than it does in a briar!
Don't let the cob snobs get you down! :nana: And for the record, it's being frugal, not cheap! A poor man's gotta have standards! :rofl:
That's actually a pretty good deal. I have a set of the seven day smokeable seconds and they're not billed as perfect, but they smoke a blend just as well as one you buy at full price and is perfect. Might not be much to look at, but I ain't smoking a cob for looks. My Sleepy Hollow smokes and tastes better to me in one of my cobs than it does in a briar!
I am thinking about retiring my MM hardwood and using something entry level as a lawn mowing / work pipe. I think these fit the bill.
For $40 you can get a Chinese junk pipe or a new French one. It seems like an easy decision.
For $40 you can get a Chinese junk pipe or a new French one. It seems like an easy decision.
A buddy of mine just got that exact pipe, he said it's a great smoker, seems to be well-made and comparable in quality to his Savinelli. I have been considering buying one myself.
Well you can't really go wrong with the price. It just surprised me that they were that inexpensive.
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