Should I Smoke Them?

[BROBS]

So I have some unsmoked collectible Peterson pipes. I haven’t smoked them because I have so many others to smoke. But then I wonder why I have them.

should I just smoke them?!
What’s your opinion?


boxed original issue Sherlock Holmes.


original issue Rustic with Saddle bit and natural Watson

150th Anniversary Founders Edition boxed.

 

[cshubhra]

I always believe in smoking them

 

[Brandybuck]

First off: beautiful.

Secondly: I've always loved the shape of that Watson.

And lastly: I would absolutely smoke them! But I can understand the appeal of leaving them un-smoked. Let us know how it goes.

 

[dcon]

I have the same quandary with an unsmoked Ascorti 1994 X-mas pipe and an unsmoked mid-70s Barling Londoner. Neither of these are of great value but, they look so damn nice unsmoked that, I have not brought myself to lighting them yet.

 

[verporchting]

I’d Smoke them.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

Unless you're planning on selling them, I'd smoke them. I see no reason to do otherwise.

 

[gamzultovah]

I have quite a few collectible pipes that are unsmoked, and I prefer to keep them that way. I feel that these pipes come to me for just that reason, and I’m happy to oblige. Now, if someone can start a thread with the title: ‘Show us your pipes that you will never smoke’ (in caps, of course) that would be fun!

 

[Mr.Mike]

I guess it depends on why you buy them. I buy my pipes to smoke them, not to collect them, so I smoke everything I buy.

 

[augiebd]

I don’t buy pipes as an investment or to resell them. I buy pipes that I wish to own for a variety of reasons. I have bought more than I have had the time to smoke but one of the reasons I purchased each one was I planned to smoke it. Even if I eventually sell some pipes to finance the purchase of other pipes or tobacco, I won’t regret the smaller return on a pipe that I enjoyed smoking. That said, there isn’t a wrong answer. Just what works for the owner of the pipe.

 

[JMcQ]

I guess the real question is, "what else do you plan on doing with them"? If not for smoking, then what? If you have a better purpose, then more power to you. There's no point in having something just to have it.

 

[jzbdano]

I'm not sure I'd smoke the top Sherlock or the rusticated pipe right now but the Watson and 150th are begging to burn leaf. That's just me though, you may see them different.

Until a couple months ago I had only bought pipes for smoking, nothing special or very expensive. Then I recieved a couple off my wishlist for Christmas and bought myself a few more that really caught my eye. A couple of these are perfectly satisfying in there unsmoked state for the time being. Thankfully up till this point I have not been intrigued by "collectable" pipes so depreciation has never been a consideration in whether a pipe gets smoked or not.

 

[burleyboy]

You could hold them back, until you find some blend that you really like and then dedicate one of these pipes to that blend and so on. I'd definitely smoke them some day.

 

[sablebrush52]

I'm primarily a smoker of pipes, not a collector. But I do have a few unsmoked vintage pipes that I'm not going to smoke. I like that my 114 year old Barling companion set is exactly as it was when it was made. The set is like a window into another time. I have no need to smoke it, as I have plenty of other ancient pipes that I do smoke. That holds true for the other few unsmoked collectible pipes in the pile.

From a practical standpoint firing up a century old virgin can be a risky business. It can crack on the first bowl full. Even if that doesn't happen, that first match can be REALLY expensive, like half the value of the pipe. It's no longer an unsmoked collectible pipe, it's just another used pipe.

But if you have no interest in the collectibility aspect, then why not fire up the pig if you want to.

It's just another personal choice.

 

[olkofri]

Man, you really went bonkers buying Petes. Were you trying to get into their Brand Ambassador roster or something?

 

[Spa32]

I believe pipes are for smoking. I don't see the point in collecting pipes.

 

[Saintwilliam]

I have a patent era unsmoked 1 dot Brigham rusticated billiard in its original sleeve and box with the filters and pipe cleaners. I am going to keep that unsmoked as well because it was made just down the street from where I live and it seems like a bit of a time warp. Though the pipe is worth $100 max to the right collector. And I’m not even a collector it’s just a quirk I suppose.

 

[ssjones]

If they were unsmoked pre-Republic Petersons, I'd say don't smoke. For modern era Petes, smoke them.

 

[irishearl]

I only buy pipes to smoke. So, of course, I'd say smoke them. I have a rusticated 150th anniversary Founder's Edition too and it's my favorite pipe. Wonderful smoker. Just finished smoking it.

 

[bullet08]

i would save them. i mean, you have ton of other pipes, and they are something different. all my pipes are recent purchase and nothing special to anyone but me so i smoke all of them. but if i have something special, i would save them.

 

[smokeyweb]

Do what gives you the most enjoyment. If that is to smoke them, then smoke them! If that is to stare on them on the shelf until the next owner smokes them, then do that!