Why are estate pipes ok?

[stoopidbaits]

Serious question and something I've never understood about the pipe community. And I understand the whole "90% of everything is crap" idea behind estate pipes being more reliable.

That said, when I purchase something I'm going to be regularly placing in my mouth, someone else having already regularly placed it in their mouth immediately ends that deal.

I'm sure a good toothbrush can be rebristled and sold for 70% of the original price, but who in their right mind would buy such a thing?

That said, I just never understood it, but many pipe smokers much wiser and more experienced than me certainly have a different opinion, so just curious why estate pipes are popular.

 

[didimauw]

Why are estate pipes okay?

They aren't.

Figured I'd comment before everyone calls me out lol.

It's not the germs, I prefer starting a pipe from new. Making the history myself so to speak.

 

[didimauw]

Why are estate pipes okay?

They aren't.

Figured I'd comment before everyone calls me out lol.

It's not the germs, I prefer starting a pipe from new. Making the history myself so to speak.

Oh and people love giving the restaurant fork situations. So be ready for that one too bahahaha.

 

[stoopidbaits]

Oh and people love giving the restaurant fork situations. So be ready for that one too bahahaha.

Well having worked in quality and safety in the food manufacturing industry for many years, I can tell you there's a reason the USDA requires that I use stainless steel processing surfaces and not vulcanite or acrylic.

 

[Sigmund]

Its ok with me. Thats why they make new pipes. If you dont like them dont buy them. The idea doesnt concern me so that leaves more for me. Estate pipes have allowed me to obtain a collection that even if I could afford, I would not.

I work with custom saxophone mouthpieces and there is a huge vintage market for them as well. They are hard rubber/vulcanite. I dont concern myself with where they have been. I clean them and move on. I get that some people just cant get an image out of their head and thats fine. The pipe police arent holding a gun to anyone's head.

Estates also give people the chance to collect super vintage pipes as well.

And I definitely dont pay 70 percent of new value. Ive bought a lot of pipes that retail north of 4-600 for under 200.

I keep wanting to buy a peterson but I keep buying Kai pipes and such becuase I can buy them estate for less than a new Pete.

Do whatever floats your boat.

 

[LotusEater]

I’m just not scared of the germs and there is a far greater selection of estates at better prices. Also if you are enamored of old Brit wood or of particular deceased carvers work you have no other option

 

[stoopidbaits]

I work with custom saxophone mouthpieces and there is a huge vintage market for them as well. They are hard rubber/vulcanite. I dont concern myself with where they have been. I clean them and move on.

That's even worse than used pipes!

 

[Jwebb90]

At the end of the day it’s a preference thing, so you do you.

For me, the majority of my collection are estate pipes. I’ve had the great joy of hunting them down at antique shops and the pleasure of restoring them. In restoring the pipes there is a sanitation process.

I am more of the mind why pay top dollar when I can find hidden gems tucked away at a vendors booth in some obscure antique store?

 

[ashdigger]

Whatever. To each their own. I have other things to be worried about.

Also, I regularly smoke pipes that are over 100 years old. I’m only 62. Do the math.

Finally, why do you care what I do or stick in my mouth?

 

[ashdigger]

Well having worked in quality and safety in the food manufacturing industry for many years, I can tell you there's a reason the USDA requires that I use stainless steel processing surfaces and not vulcanite or acrylic.

Get real, you’re talking processing surfaces. Not an individual surface. Good grief.

 

[stoopidbaits]

Get real, you’re talking processing surfaces. Not an individual surface. Good grief.

"Individual surface" is not a thing.

 

[Briar Lee]

This pipe cost $20 and was made from ancient, oil cured, aged Pre 54 Algerian briar.



In the classic pipe era, say the thirty years between WW1 and the Korean War, France made 50 million pipes a year, British 20 million, and America 30 million. Roughly 100 million pipes a year total. Today it’s less than 1% of that.

The vast majority of pipes from 1919 to 1950 were smoked up and tossed. But if only 1% survive that’s about a thirty year supply at current rates of production.

After an Everclear bath, a high condition old pipe is more sanitary as the one you bought new a month ago.

 

[didimauw]

No need to get upset gentlemen, this is what this forum is for.

 

[Steddy]

I’m going to have a bit of fun here.

Estate pipes are like your best friend’s ex, a no-go.

You want to smoke a dead man’s pipe and deal with his ghost?

Let me paint a picture, imagine a filthy, sweaty, smelly man with decaying teeth who eats sardines and never flosses. Now imagine his putrid breath exhalation slowly impregnating the briar with lung butter. Times that by 10 years. Gross. There is no sanitizing that.

I don’t like smelling bad breath and imagine years of bad breath being exhaled into the pipe. Mmmm, I think I want to warm that up and suck up fossilized bad breath vapor into my mouth. Gross.

I do have an estate Dunhill that I had to have. It’s been soaking in Everclear for three years.

 

[Merton]

Serious question and something I've never understood about the pipe community. And I understand the whole "90% of everything is crap" idea behind estate pipes being more reliable.

That said, when I purchase something I'm going to be regularly placing in my mouth, someone else having already regularly placed it in their mouth immediately ends that deal.

I'm sure a good toothbrush can be rebristled and sold for 70% of the original price, but who in their right mind would buy such a thing?

That said, I just never understood it, but many pipe smokers much wiser and more experienced than me certainly have a different opinion, so just curious why estate pipes are popular.

When you go to a restaurant make sure that you always ask for brand new cutlery ( hundreds, even thousands, have eaten using the ordinary ones provided) Not sure what the "regular" piece has to do with anything. Finally, if it makes you uncomfortable, don't feel obliged to buy an estate.
I own many estate pipes. However, in each instance the pipe was purchased from a reputable business which has restored and sanitized the pipe.

 

[burleybreath]

Everybody is different. I have no qualms whatever about a properly cleaned and restored briar pipe. Meerschams are another matter. I could never quite bring myself to buy a used meerschaum. You know, the brown stains and stuff? I believe it's called coloring.

 

[stoopidbaits]

No need to get upset gentlemen, this is what this forum is for.

As I've stated before, I've got Stoopid built right into my name, I'm not to be taken seriously.

 

[stoopidbaits]

Everybody is different. I have no qualms whatever about a properly cleaned and restored briar pipe. Meerschams are another matter. I could never quite bring myself to buy a used meerschaum. You know, the brown stains and stuff? I believe it's called coloring.

It's like the yellow staining on an old man's mustache. Doesn't bother me if it's mine but I don't wanna touch yours.

 

[xrundog]

I like estates. Using a quality pipe made from materials mostly no longer used gives me great satisfaction. I initially clean my pipes exhaustively.

Toilets on the other hand are really disgusting if you think about it. When’s the last time the toilet was cleaned? How many people have used it since then?

 

[JoburgB2]

No comment, really. I keep on the lookout for certain estate pipes and will buy one if the right pipe and price align. I guess some people are squeamish and frightened of somethings, and others are not.