Why are estate pipes ok?

[Lumbridge]

The fact that some here seem offended by a smoker's disdain for used pipes is amusing. There's more to it than "Eww, germs!"
I know from reading this forum that some folks perform some utterly bizarre rituals on their pipes. I'd rather not buy a pipe that had been cleaned with Hoppe's #9 for the past few decades, reamed improperly, smoked far too hot, or someone's grandson nabbed it to smoke pot out of, et cetera.
I can circumvent all of those potential problems by just buying a new pipe, and that's what I prefer to do. I don't care about collecting or chasing after collectible pipes. I just want to smoke them.

But why does it bother y'all that some of us don't want to buy estate pipes? More for you, right? Fewer competitors in the auctions bidding up that antique you've always wanted.

I don't look down my nose at people who buy and smoke estate pipes, and the inverse situation is just as absurd.

 

[spearheadbill]

I was having an issue with a brand new pipe one time and my best smoking buddy @kcmontie and I were sitting around as we often do smoking pipes and cigars and talking long miles of shite and I asked him if he would smoke a bowl from this problem pipe just to see if it was me or the pipe and he replied..."no, that's weird"..... I really hadn't thought much about it after all my early years with the pot pipes and such.

 

[HeadMisfit]

The fact that some here seem offended by a smoker's disdain for used pipes is amusing. There's more to it than "Eww, germs!"
I know from reading this forum that some folks perform some utterly bizarre rituals on their pipes. I'd rather not buy a pipe that had been cleaned with Hoppe's #9 for the past few decades, reamed improperly, smoked far too hot, or someone's grandson nabbed it to smoke pot out of, et cetera.
I can circumvent all of those potential problems by just buying a new pipe, and that's what I prefer to do. I don't care about collecting or chasing after collectible pipes. I just want to smoke them.

But why does it bother y'all that some of us don't want to buy estate pipes? More for you, right? Fewer competitors in the auctions bidding up that antique you've always wanted.

I don't look down my nose at people who buy and smoke estate pipes, and the inverse situation is just as absurd.

Some of it is covered by a psychological term I cannot place at the moment, but its a form of reinforcement enforced upon others.

Essentially, if you dont want to agree with them doing somethng they have to belittle you until you agree with them. All in order to make themselves feel better about what they have chosen to do.

Its a mental process/psychology term I first came across while reading an article about the uselessness of group therapy for sex offenders. Meaning, they just use the group sessions to figure out better ways to avoid being caught, and to make themselves feel better by having a way to say they "arent as disgusting as they are" by pointing out to at least one person in the group who did something more disgusting than they did.

 

[Hillcrest]

I think some here have the argument backwards. If you don't want to buy and smoke estate pipes then don't. But don't challenge the majority who do so and ask them why and say its disgusting and when they defend themselves accuse them of group think or mental disorders. That's gaslighting to justify your own position. I think someone mentioned that there is a mental process or psychological term to describe those who do that. In politics, its recently called, projecting ie: accusing others of what you yourself are doing.

 

[sablebrush52]

The fact that some here seem offended by a smoker's disdain for used pipes is amusing. There's more to it than "Eww, germs!"
I know from reading this forum that some folks perform some utterly bizarre rituals on their pipes. I'd rather not buy a pipe that had been cleaned with Hoppe's #9 for the past few decades, reamed improperly, smoked far too hot, or someone's grandson nabbed it to smoke pot out of, et cetera.
I can circumvent all of those potential problems by just buying a new pipe, and that's what I prefer to do. I don't care about collecting or chasing after collectible pipes. I just want to smoke them.

But why does it bother y'all that some of us don't want to buy estate pipes? More for you, right? Fewer competitors in the auctions bidding up that antique you've always wanted.

I don't look down my nose at people who buy and smoke estate pipes, and the inverse situation is just as absurd.

So in response to your questions, I really don't care what pipes you, or anyone else, chooses to smoke. I only care about what pipes I choose to smoke.

I haven't read all the responses in this thread, only a percentage of them, but usually, as in past threads on this topic, the "ewww" comes from people who find the idea of smoking estates disgusting, and their justifications are often inconsistent and sometimes completely contradictory.

Yes, I have pipes older than your grandfather. And I have pipes I bought newly made just a few months ago. AND, I have pipes I've commissioned to be made. If a pipe appeals to me, it appeals to me. Period.

 

[HeadMisfit]

I think some here have the argument backwards. If you don't want to buy and smoke estate pipes then don't. But don't challenge the majority who do so and ask them why and say its disgusting and when they defend themselves accuse them of group think or mental disorders. That's gaslighting to justify your own position. I think someone mentioned that there is a mental process or psychological term to describe those who do that. In politics, its recently called, projecting ie: accusing others of what you yourself are doing.

group think is more common among those who BUY the used and chewed up estate pipes. They do so in order to feel better about what they have done. Its sort of a hard concept to grasp for most folks.

We can keep it family safe, or we cant. Up to you, but someone with moderator in their avatar needs to say skip family safe content.

Last year I came across a pipe smoking forum, the members there seem to get outraged when a pipe smoking man does NOT like anything written by Tolkien. To the point they block that dissenting person, and spend MONTHS denigrating that person in every thread they created.

 

[Waning Embers]

does NOT like anything written by Tolkien

Guilty.

 

[DIngobuzz269]

Personally, the only things that keep me away from an estate pipe is oxidization and tooth marks. If a pipe is free of those, and I like the look, I'll give it a go.

That being said, I have never had the luck at antique stores that others seem to have. Most every pipe I see in the wild looks like, and probably tastes like, a rusty nail. Smokers of yore didn't collect, they didn't clean; they smoked, and smoked hard. Thusly, every estate pipe I have that I actually use I've bought online.

 

[HeadMisfit]

I just bought myself two estate pipes on ebay. Both have clear signs of being restored by someone who followed most of the rules...

A BBB Umbria only marked billiard. Very nice condition, no teeth marks at all, the rim doesnt seem to have been sanded down, and the chamber has been de carbonized rather well. Going by appearance it was soaked in 91% alcohol and cotton balls.
Though the only photo showing the end of the stem tenon has it ending abruptly, with no stinger as most umbria pipes I have seen photos of have... No biggy.

 

[Lumbridge]

So in response to your questions, I really don't care what pipes you, or anyone else, chooses to smoke. I only care about what pipes I choose to smoke.

I haven't read all the responses in this thread, only a percentage of them, but usually, as in past threads on this topic, the "ewww" comes from people who find the idea of smoking estates disgusting, and their justifications are often inconsistent and sometimes completely contradictory.

Yes, I have pipes older than your grandfather. And I have pipes I bought newly made just a few months ago. AND, I have pipes I've commissioned to be made. If a pipe appeals to me, it appeals to me. Period.

My comment was directed at those who are engaging in germophobe shaming or otherwise shaming the personal preferences of others. That attitute has an air of self-superiority and performative masculinity about it in this instance that I find irksome.

There's nothing wrong with buying and smoking used pipes. It just isn't my thing. As a non-collector, I prefer to buy a new one and break it in myself. Unfortunately, some folks aren't capable of respecting the opinions of others.

 

[sablebrush52]

group think is more common among those who BUY the used and chewed up estate pipes. They do so in order to feel better about what they have done. Its sort of a hard concept to grasp for most folks.

Rubbish.

Last year I came across a pipe smoking forum, the members there seem to get outraged when a pipe smoking man does NOT like anything written by Tolkien. To the point they block that dissenting person, and spend MONTHS denigrating that person in every thread they created.

Got a link? Must be one hell of a dull forum if this is sport.

 

[HeadMisfit]

Guilty.

I have a feeling that the cost of capstan covers a small card stuck inside ever tin with the words "mail this to the address with two stamps, and recieve one copy of the hobbit"

 

[Lumbridge]

.

Or for more fun, those people selling current production pipes online on ebay for more then what I can pay at smoking pipes.

Yeah i just wanna run and buy that 150$ peterson or savinelli pipe that i can get for 90-100 on smoking pipes today, brand new.

That's just a thing some sellers do. They're waiting for a sucker who isn't paying attention to buy it impulsively without price checking. That, or it's a case of marking it up before marking it down. "Wow, look, 50% off!"

 

[bersekero]

The worst thing is cars. Anything could have happened or existed inside them.
A couple could have had sex and splashed everywhere, kids could have peed themselves or vomited from motion sickness, women on their period, passengers with serious contagious diseases, sweat and dirt, sunscreen, sauce and grease from hamburgers, drugs, saliva, urine, and dog hair, etc.
Nothing that a deep biological cleaning can’t take care of.
All serious car dealers do it.

The same goes for pipes. Serious sellers disinfect and sanitize them — otherwise, it’s easy enough for us to do it ourselves.

Having said that, over the past 20 years, I’ve bought five used cars.

 

[HeadMisfit]

The worst thing is cars. Anything could have happened or existed inside them.
A couple could have had sex and splashed everywhere, kids could have peed themselves or vomited from motion sickness, women on their period, passengers with serious contagious diseases, sweat and dirt, sunscreen, sauce and grease from hamburgers, drugs, saliva, urine, and dog hair, etc.
Nothing that a deep biological cleaning can’t take care of.
All serious car dealers do it.

The same goes for pipes. Serious sellers disinfect and sanitize them — otherwise, it’s easy enough for us to do it ourselves.

Having said that, over the past 20 years, I’ve bought five used cars.

And ive left some cars with serious "girl sauce" in the back seats. Still funny having a used car salesman ask "how the hell are there handprints inside the rear window?"

 

[bersekero]

What concerns me the most is that brands with high demand are sometimes in poor and irreversible condition, and this is something that doesn’t always show in the photos — some sellers even fail to mention it in the description. After the bad experiences I’ve had with some estate pipes, I don’t think I’ll buy estates from eBay again. But I will definitely buy from reputable shops, even if the price is possibly higher.
I have bought estates from nolipipe, pfeifendepot and smokingpipes and they were as good as new.

 

[Jo L.S.]

I always find great pleasure in smoking my second-hand pipes. I believe that a pipe improves with age, and what is sometimes interesting is to buy an old pipe that has never been smoked. Now everyone does as they please, but you can sometimes get a good deal if you are looking for a particular pipe from a brand that no longer exists, or if you find a briar at an attractive price.

 

[bersekero]

This needs experience, something I don't have yet, hence my mishaps.

 

[Jo L.S.]

This needs experience, something I don't have yet, hence my mishaps.

I think you'll have better luck next time if you decide to buy a second-hand pipe, at least I hope so.

 

[Hillcrest]

For those who are not famlliar with pipe restoratiion read the maintenance thread on this site or check out Dad's Pipes or Reborn Pipes sites and look at the vast amount of work that goes in to cleaning, repairing and restoring the pipes. Look at the before and after pictures. There is a vast amount of information available on how it is done and it will help prevent damage to your own pipes by educating you on what can go wrong and how to correct it if you do accidentally damage a pipe. The more you know the better you will be.

I have purchased three 'estate' pipes, one was a Butz-Choquin calabash that had been cleaned by the seller. I then thoroughly cleaned the pipe myself, did a 24 hour alcohol and salt bath, alcohol cleaned the stem then polished it. Then let it dry ---- all before ever putting it in my mouth. The second was unsmoked and just needed a wipe down and the third I received in trade from my brother and I had to alcohol and salt clean it twice ,,, not because I was worried about germs but because he had smoked Balkan Sobranie in it for 30 years !! Learning about cleaning and restoration helped me get those pipes to a point where I was comfortable using them. I'm not advocating anyone do anything they are not comfortable with but rather understanding that this is a huge segment of the pipe smoking hobby.