What Are Some Disqualified Pipe Brands For You?

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americaman

Part of the Furniture Now
May 1, 2019
943
3,098
Los Angeles, CA
I was looking at Mark Tinsky pipes and was reminded that they have a hideous, generic star on the stems. To me, this looks cheap and reminds me of those tacky star tattoos people used to get in the 2000s.

Personally, I would have loved to buy one, but that star on the stem disqualifies them for me as I would have to look at it every time I smoke it. However, I did consider getting one and sending it off to George Dibos for a replacement stem.

We all have personal preferences, so what pipe makers or pipe brands are disqualified for you and why?
 

mso489

Lifer
Feb 21, 2013
41,210
60,433
Many pipes I admire for design and craftsmanship just cost more than I care to spend at the time, so it is the price, not the pipe that is a deal killer. I'm not so drawn to pipes on a theme, like the Peterson Dracula pipe or the various Lord of the Rings or Devil Anse themed pipes. No special reason, they just don't ring my chimes.
 

dmcmtk

Lifer
Aug 23, 2013
3,672
1,685
I was looking at Mark Tinsky pipes and was reminded that they have a hideous, generic star on the stems. To me, this looks cheap and reminds me of those tacky star tattoos people used to get in the 2000s.

Personally, I would have loved to buy one, but that star on the stem disqualifies them for me as I would have to look at it every time I smoke it. However, I did consider getting one and sending it off to George Dibos for a replacement stem.

We all have personal preferences, so what pipe makers or pipe brands are disqualified for you and why?

That star is, I believe, still an inlay. It's been there ( in different iterations ) since American Smoking Pipes started in 1978.

Tinsky 006.jpgTinsky 015.jpg

The rusticated pipe, an eight sided Dublin, is from 1982 ASP by Curt Rollar, the smooth sitter, Mark Tinsky Pristine 6 One Star. These two pipes completely changed the way I thought about pipes. I bought these about ten ago, up until that time I had mostly traditional shapes. These two pipes revealed to me, at the time, the sculptural potential of a pipe.

I will say, I do like the older versions of the stem logo more than the current one. The briar inlay version (not the greatest pictures).

jbh.jpgjbh2.jpg
 
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mtwaller

Lifer
Nov 21, 2018
1,311
5,330
34
Atlanta, GA
Nording is a no-go for me. I bought a brand new Valhalla spigot once, and it was back in the mail within 5 minutes of me receiving it. The logo on the stem was cheaply painted on, and was already starting to wear off. The drilling was way off, and the draft hole was so tiny that the draw was impossibly tight (with an empty chamber) and the damn thing whistled like a tea kettle.

I’m sure the handmade Nording’s are probably good pipes. But the factory made ones... that’s a hard no for me.
 

lawdawg

Lifer
Aug 25, 2016
1,792
3,801
Any pipe that can't pass a cleaner readily is a no-go for me. That issue has unfortunately made any bent Peterson a no-go for me, although one of my straight Petes is among my favorite pipes, and I really like their chunky utilitarian (for lack of a better word) designs. They just look rugged.

That all being said, I am a huge fan of Savinelli for the around $100 price point. They just make good factory pipes, and all of mine have been good smokers and all pass a cleaner with ease, granted none of them are more than half bent.
 

sablebrush52

The Bard Of Barlings
Jun 15, 2013
19,621
44,831
Southern Oregon
jrs457.wixsite.com
I can't say that I've ever "disqualified" a pipe brand, though there are a few that I'm not likely to buy. Peterson comes to mind because of their continual quality control problems. But I might consider an older one, like a Pre-Republic, or current production if they not only get, but hold, their shit together.
Savinelli is another one. The few I've smoked just weren't comfortable. Hmmm...maybe I have disqualified a few. I have a few Dunhills left that I have no interest in smoking and a couple that I do smoke, but have little interest in acquiring any more of them. And I'm pretty much not dropping 4 figures on any Danish pipes. They're pretty, but they're not going to smoke any better than what I have.
At this point, there's very little that interests me. There would have to be something very special for me to add it to the pile. It may be well past time to prune the pile.
 

Sonorisis

Part of the Furniture Now
Dec 24, 2019
853
4,578
I don't own any pipes from the British Isles. I know that's blasphemy in a pipe community, but so be it. Also, have little regard for French pipes.
 

saltedplug

Lifer
Aug 20, 2013
5,194
5,097
Artisan pipes, Dunhill, the Great Danes (Tao comes to mind with his $2000.00 pieces of chunk) and Jess Chonowitsch, whose prices are the stuff of the most abject fantasy, among others, are the product of salesmanship and hype. I say this because no matter what pipe or brand I smoked, the pipes smoked the same. I could make other representations, but it is exactly and only by the smoking that I say this.

Who of us has not seen SP's relentless sales barrage lately for their new small batch tobacco? Advertising works. Advertising works by inserting images in the mind, and whether they are received positively or negatively doesn't matter. The image has been put into place.

Think of all the images we get from pipe advertising. It's the same as the tobacco.

The prices of pipes are set by our perception of their quality, which has been manipulated by the words and images of retailers. The name itself of the revered brands and makers brings with it the salesmanship of many, perhaps decades, of the retailers that came before.

I will state the obvious that I am not a pipe maker and will allow that the opinions of such reflect greater knowledge. But, ignorant as I am and thus unworthy to express such opinions, I will simply say that in the smoking I found no difference other than that purportedly substantiated by the retailers.
 
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