Do you Keep Records/Details of the Pipes in your Collection?

[Fiver5]

For example, details you might have researched on your vintage pipes, or details on which pipes smoke best with which blends, etc...
Up until now I've been mostly relying on memory, but as the collection grows and the well seasoned vintage brain shrinks it starts to get a bit cloudy.
Looking for ideas, I've considered spread sheets, or a ledger...

 

[warren]

I just enjoy getting up in the morning and keeping one of my pipes smoldering all day. As I've said before, the simpler I keep my smoking the more I enjoy it.

 

[mso489]

Keeping records on paper or on a spreadsheet would take up most of my smoking time, but I am surprised sometimes at how much I do remember about each pipe, detail I never thought much about. I think if I did that, I would try to confine it to a small notebook kept near a pipe rack with key details that might prompt other remembered information. On the other hand, if a person didn't write a lot otherwise, I guess it might be interesting to log in pipes and blends with details and observations. jimink's files must look like the Library of Congress.

 

[TheIronMonkey]

If I obtain pipes online, I'll save pics and PDFs with info (measurements if available), and keep them in a folder.

I bought an estate pipe that came with index cards that documented what the original owner smoked in the pipe and when, which was kind of fun.

 

[sablebrush52]

Too much work for me. I know what's in the pile, and the very rare pieces are documented. It's like I wrote on a thread about tracking one's cellar. Why ruin the mystery?

 

[dogparkpiper]

If I obtain pipes online, I'll save pics and PDFs with info (measurements if available), and keep them in a folder.

I bought an estate pipe that came with index cards that documented what the original owner smoked in the pipe and when, which was kind of fun.

This is what I do too

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

I just smoke them.

 

[hauntedmyst]

The only time I record them is if I am sending them off for repairs or to be sold. I don't have any museum quality pieces so I don't need any insurance records for them.

 

[mingc]

I wish I did. At at least which pipe sock goes with which pipe. I have a pile of pipe socks with no logos on them and I don't remember which pipe they go with. I find it kind frustrating!

 

[Fiver5]

There's so many different angles to this hobby, it can be different things to different people. For me I would say smoking is first, but not far behind is the research that goes into vintage pipe collecting, I'm far from expert but I always feel what little information I gather I should try to maintain. As a retiree the whole hobby is a big part of my life.
Part of it is also making sure this information gets passed along to my son and he's well educated on the subject for when I'm gone. I recently picked up 4 pipes on a local add "Get your Christmas snowmen pipes, $4 each or all 4 for $15", I went and bought them without knowing what they were, one was a vintage Dunhill, the other 3 weren't too shabby neither. I just want to make sure he's not going to be "that guy".

 

[captainsousie]

I kept records when I started out but after about the 50th pipe, I gave up. Most of my resources are readily available so I can look up anything except for how much I paid for them originally.

 

[Eye-level]

No...but I know each of them pretty well so I don't really need to write anything down unless I was going to tell someone about them. I can see how someone might want to record that information about their pipes though.

 

[OzPiper]

Workable only if you have a small(ish) number of pipes or extreme OCD

Some years ago I kept a cellar book, but gave that up after a few months as a futile exercise. Going into the cellar for yet another bottle when inebriated and accurate record-keeping do not bode well for success. ?

 

[Brendan]

Nah, I just glance on top of my fridge where I keep both my pipe's and decide which one looks prettier today or stinks the least...

Of course YMMV etc etc.

 

[kcghost]

No, it's too damn difficult to do once you get so many pipes.

 

[Waning Embers]

Nope, too much thinking would over complicate it. Would be a bit like keeping records of screwdrivers and hammers.

 

[Laurent]

All my pipes are pretty new but, my savinelli Estella I’d like to know the year. With markings on it, I’ve looked into it but had no real luck. I know they made them from mid 70’s to early 90’s.

 

[daveinlax]

I have a spreadsheet of the collection. I’m pretty lazy on the details but I’m sure to get the date, price and from who, where and pictures logged before I forget.

 

[seanv]

I have a spreadsheet of the collection. I’m pretty lazy on the details but I’m sure to get the date, price and from who, where and pictures logged before I forget.

Same thing. I use an app called Arborea. It also keeps my cellar records.

 

[Morrison Jeremiah]

It would never enter my head to keep any kind of record,
although I suppose mentally I do, Just not aware of it as a deliberate process.