A Lurker's Query: Ever Bought a Beautiful Pipe, But

[cigrmaster]

I have never bought a pipe I didn't intend to smoke. In fact every pipe I have ever bought gets smoked as soon as I get it. I am like a kid at Christmas and smoke it right away even if I am currently smoking another pipe.

 

[samuelgawith01]

You couldn't bring yourself to smoke it?

First some background, I have been a pipe smoker for 30 years and a lurker on here for many years - love the dialogue, education and opinions - even those I think are askew.

I smoke a wide range of leaf from lightly topped aromatics, english, scottish, ginnies, vapers, cigar leaf, and on and on.

Pipe wise I tend to go mid-size, plumper styles, typically with some sort of slight bend - more a holder than a clencher, but I run the gambit - my current rotation includes Peterson, Savinelli, Ardor, Dunny, Cavicchi, Castello, and Tinsky. I tend to prefer briar over mers, I tend to prefer sandblasts, but my aesthetic tastes vary also.

Okay, so let me get to my question. I recently bought a Ser Jacopo Historica 2020 Pulchra in Sandblast.

Now this was a really wild departure for me as I tend to opt for more understated looks and shapes, but there was just something about this pipe that kept saying "buy me, buy me. buy me..." And I did.

However I now find myself reluctant to smoke it, it is so beautiful, but so not me. Yet it still keeps calling my name.

So for weeks I have just looked at it, fondled it, thought about what would I christen the bowl with, but can't bring myself to pack and light it.

Almost afraid to sully it, knowing how it is just not me - worried I would smoke it a few times to only shelve it to be neglected.

I wonder should I just sell it to someone who will likely get far more use out of it? Assuming it smokes well it could become someone's most cherished pipe.

Or should I just wait and think about it?

Have you ever had this experience?

And what did you ultimately do?

RA

View attachment 51988

Answer the call.Someday,someone is going to smoke that pipe, and it may as well be you,the current owner.I know the situation.I fawned over a Charatan Coronation for ten years.Just kept it in it's presentation box, taking it out every so often to stare at it's beauty, and to smell the old wood.In 2008,I think it was,I finally filled it with Peterson's 3Ps,and commenced breaking it in.

 

[anotherbob]

or maybe have it as your special occasion pipe. All of my pipes go into the rotation but one is only for celebrating something. Once moving to a place with a porch I can smoke on and a whole second celebration of having the day off and the girlfriend sleeping in. Otherwise it only gets admired.

 

[Tommy Boy]

I don't have a huge stash of pipes so they all get smoked.

 

[mingc]

I wouldn't smoke that one at all, as it is not pretty to me.

What do you think of its smooth cousin?

 

[jpmcwjr]

Like it better; it has "only" four different finishes, (including stem and band) whereas the first pipe has five.

 

[elasmo]

I have quite a stash of unsmoked pipes...not saving them for any reason...just don't have the room to use them all.

 

[jpmcwjr]

I have one unsmoked estate, a Mastro de Paja. Had it about two years. I like it in its current form!

 

[boston]

About 2/3 of the pipes I have acquired have gone directly into the "strategic reserve" mostly unsmoked by me.

They are a mix of new and estate, cheap and "not cheap".

Similar to my cellar, which is half full of stuff I've never tried.

I may or may not like them all in the future. But if I don't, someone will.

It's OK to have an unsmoked pipe if your needs are otherwise met.

I have a rifle or two that rarely leave the safe under similar circumstances.

Welcome to the forum!


View attachment 52003

I agree with this man. Enjoy the pipe, unsmoked or not. I have over a dozen artisan pipes that I've not lit on fire. Waiting for the right time. Every one is a memory.

Maybe, I'll give them to my son... unsmoked. Or maybe when my canoe (my wife encourages me not to wait for a ship) comes in. Although I could argue that we've been fortunate thus far, more than many. And I'm grateful for the good, but I still hold out. Better days? Who knows. I'm a bit older but still have ambition.

And I'm not suffering from lack of good briars to enjoy. Upscale dilemma, and I know darn well I'm lucky.

The pipes are art, and will be smoked one day. Till then...dig-em as they are. When its time to smoke that special pipe...perhaps we'll know and take the reward. I cannot fault the carpe diem crowd, and I'm a subscriber in ways. But I say don't regret saving, if one can, for something special! After all...most of us cellar some tobacco with hopes for a worthwhile return. Same with pipes perhaps?

Hope that's not too far out, philosophical, etc.

 

[hawky454]

Personally, I do not understand why you would buy a pipe and not smoke it but this is just my perspective. I know a lot of folks enjoy just having them to look at... what ever fits your fancy man. I’m not one to say it’s wrong just because I don’t understand it.

I do think that is a nice looking pipe you have there though, I would smoke the hell out of it

 

[username]

Pipes are like guns they are meant to be used. IMHO.

 

[Cotton1]

I will trade you a Cobb for it and let you know how it smokes. Hope this helps.

 

[jttnk]

I have a similar situation. I was gifted a Savinelli Autograph. I am guessing it’s 3 to 4 times my most expensive pipe (A Peterson Silver Spigot). It’s a gorgeous hunk of freehand with a great acrylic stem.

i just can’t decide if I smoke it or save it for it’s collectibility. It was a 50th birthday present from my brother.

 

[ashdigger]

I’ve had a few older pipes that were purchased unsmoked and I for some reason just couldn’t light the match. So I got rid of them.

My pipes are for smoking. But I completely understand reasons for not smoking them.

 

[Ramon Allones]

First, thank you to all for sharing.

It really wasn't intended to be a question about what should -I- do, because I am going to do whatever I do. However, my poor writing style certainly failed to make that point well.

It was intended to be more so about whether you had ever found yourself in such a dilemma and my being curious about what you ultimately chose to do. More about sharing than soliciting for actionable advice.

Life has blessed me, so for me it isn't a financial concern, so smoking it once and devaluing the resale value is not an issue. I have wasted far more on things far sillier.

And up until now, I have always packed and lit every pipe immediately like a kid on Christmas morning.

So I found it odd that this particular pipe was giving me such pause.

For now, I am going to ignore it - place it in its box in a drawer and pull it back out in a few months and see how I feel.

There is a young man who works at a local shop that has been eye drooling over this pipe since it was announced - he is a good kid and for him any pipe costing more than a c-note is a dream.

I might just give it to him... hmm, now as think more about it as I type, that actually feels really right to me - I know he will smoke it with delight and cherish it.

Thank you everyone - you actually did help me make a decision! And a damn fine one I think.

RA
'going back to lurking'

 

[mso489]

I think it would be therapeutic and character building to take the plunge. Smoke it. The most I ever spent on a pipe for myself was a Ser Jacopo when SP had them on an amazing sale, and I'd just had a windfall for a project. I didn't hesitate to smoke that pipe, but I have had that experience, stalled for a year on a Savinelli Prince of Wales that turned out to be a fine smoker too. Yours is a beautiful pipe (to me), but all the more reason not to idolize it, but instead enjoy it. That was probably your original intent, and I think you will learn something about yourself, and enjoyment, and the good things in life, by smoking it regularly. SJ makes a fine pipe, and they make 'em to smoke.

 

[Tennessee Dave]

Fire that baby up. That's what it was made for.

 

[brut666]

At one time I had two new pipes that I never smoked. Not expensive or anything special, a Stanwell and a Brebbia. I have enough pipes to smoke, so I never got around to smoking them. I gave the Stanwell to a nephew recently who just started smoking a pipe. The Brebbia still sits in a drawer.

I'll take the Brebbia if you like, I don't mind giving it a good home ?

 

[mikefu]

Whenever I get a new pipe this is my song:

 

[brut666]

There is a young man who works at a local shop that has been eye drooling over this pipe since it was announced - he is a good kid and for him any pipe costing more than a c-note is a dream.

I might just give it to him... hmm, now as think more about it as I type, that actually feels really right to me - I know he will smoke it with delight and cherish it.

Thank you everyone - you actually did help me make a decision! And a damn fine one I think.

RA
'going back to lurking'
[/QUOTE]

It sounds like you'd have more pleasure from this pipe giving it away. To me that would be the right move and there isn't many kind people willing to part with "stuff" just to make someone else's day/year. After all if you really had to itch that itch again, you could repurchase another.