When I started smoking I was drawn to studying tobacco. To me the pipe was just the vessel with which to taste tobacco. That lasted for some time, but gradually I noticed that all the cool kids were much more savvy about pipes. So I switched my allegiance to pipes and have developed a taste for what I like, and don't like, and why. I say this because I find much to admire in the pipes featured in this thread: conservatively-shaped, straight pipes. Enjoy!