Advantages of Factory Pipes

[Hillcrest]

So allow me to summarize: we fail to agree on what "better" might be, and fail to agree on how important it is for any given pipe, and then argue that factory pipes are or are not that way in the first place?

Frankly, I'm shocked.

Wow ... that's called discussion. Every human is sui generis with free will. The discussion began with defending some so called factory pipes as fairly decent smokers as opposed to artisan made 'perfect' pipes; both can have perfect pipes and both can have a few duds. They really are similar when you think about it. An artisan makes a beautiful pipe (or any object) and someone comes along and says that's really nice ... I'd like to order 100,000 of those. Now the artisan has to figure out how to make that many and still maintain quality and beauty so the artisan has to decide what parts of the process can be streamlined and makes a workshop or factory to produce the order. The artisan will always have work because people desire quality in all things. But for those who can't afford that perfection every time, a well made mass produced article can fill the bill. Supply and demand. Don't forget many members here start with factory and move on to artisan as they learn.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Everyone has their own list of what makes a great pipe "for them." And, I personally love that we have a place to articulate these things.
I would be MORE shocked if pipesmokers just allowed some expert to tell them what to think or like. Aaaaa... actually, I'd be more shocked if even the experts agreed on something also, ha ha, "Here, like this. It is good."

 

[Hillcrest]

Factory Pipes Vs Artisan Pipes:

 

[petes03]

To my mind, the term “factory pipe” has little meaning. I have “factory” pipes ranging from MM cobs to a $1K Dunhill. Truth be told, some of my cobs smoke as well as any pipes I own. Does that mean they are as pleasing to smoke?…. No. I take great enjoyment in holding, smoking and admiring a beautiful artisan pipe or high end “factory” pipe. The admiration for the craftsmanship that goes into them is a large part of the enjoyment I get out of them. I have relatively inexpensive “factory” pipes from makers such as Neerup, Peterson, Nording, and Stanwell (Danish made) that smoke as well as any of my Artisan pipes or high end “factory” pipes such as Ardor, Caminetto, Castello, Dunhill, etc. that said, as much as I love my Petersons, some of them are sub par smokers and do not smoke nearly as well as a $10 MM cob…. I still find even the worst smoking briar factory pipes more pleasing to behold than any MM cob, so long as they are not full of fills or some hideous shape.
My point, in a round about way, is to smoke what you like and like what you smoke.

 

[runscott]

Some excellent arguments have been presented. It’s basically the same discussion as with cars, only the subject is a pipe. Would a Bentley or a Ferrari be a superior car than a Hyundai or Toyota? Technically, it shouldn’t matter. Stylistically, it’s in the eye of the beholder.

If the factory-process for pipes at, for example Peterson, would have been optimised to perfection, there shouldn’t be off-drilling. It isn’t, because we get pipes that aren‘t properly drilled or the stem doesn’t sit flush against the shank. It perhaps happens less often with artisan pipes, because those are truly handmade.

Except that some artisan pipes are Toyotas and some factory pipes are ...not Ferrari but maybe a Lexus.

 

[MacMarty89]

Except that some artisan pipes are Toyotas and some factory pipes are ...not Ferrari but maybe a Lexus.

You mean that some artisan pipes are of excellent quality, but they just don’t look as sexy? I get that.

 

[runscott]

You mean some artisan pipes are of excellent quality, but they just don’t look as sexy? I get that.

Uhhh....no. Some look sexy and are Ford Mavericks. Others don't look sexy and are also Ford Mavericks.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

You mean that some artisan pipes are of excellent quality, but they just don’t look as sexy?

There are some artisans that just suck at what they do. Have you seen Instagram?

 

[runscott]

There are some artisans that just suck at what they do. Have you seen Instagram?

We've had some wonderful Zoom discussions based on Instagram artisans - long Instagram threads of incredibly shitty pipes, and all you read on Instagram is how great they look.

I'm guessing they don't sell so well though.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

We've had some wonderful Zoom discussions based on Instagram artisans - long Instagram threads of incredibly shitty pipes, and all you read on Instagram is how great they look.

I'm guessing they don't sell so well though.

I got one, years back, and it looked a great in person as it did on IG. But, it weighed twice as much as you'd think it would for its size, and whistles like a sparrow, ha ha. Looks can be deceiving.

 

[sasquatch]

This is really what I was poking at. Are we talking about some specific point of beauty, a perfect sandblast for example, or exemplary shaping, or perfect stem work, or a perfect shine, or are we talking about a pipe of character, balanced perfectly and designed to smoke dry and pure.... It's not as though there's a bunch of artisans making somehow identical "artisan pipes" and a bunch of factories making identical "factory pipes". Savinellis have different stems than Petersons, and I shape my buttons differently than Abe Herbaugh (maybe, I dunno). Like, there's so many variables here, and most of the comments are so sweeping and weird... I just... don't find a lot of content in this thread.

 

[Honkytonk Man]

White Spot/Dunhill pipes are most certainly factory pipes, made in many duplicates of the same shape and finish, and among the most expensive factory pipes. Whether they are suitable to their price, they are extremely handsome to me. I think the pricing is a marketing accomplishment.

The factory has been the training ground for many superlative artisan pipe carvers, including Les Wood, who made Ferndown pipes for many years. As I note from time to time, in the 1950's, Kaywoodie pipes were the primo pipe on the market in the U.S., and Dunhill's ran second. Neither was as expensive, relatively, as White Spots are today.

Oddly though, I think that the older Dunhill's finish is far superior to that of latter day pipes from The White Spot. Saying that mind, I can only vouch for Dunhill's from the early 90's.

 

[Honkytonk Man]

To illustrate my point, top pipe is a Peterson Supreme gold band - pre-1965 when the 120F stopped showing up in the catalogs.
Bottom pipe is a Giacomo Penzo morta.

Originally I was looking for examples of a factory pipe that an artisan wouldn't make, and an artisan pipe that a factory couldn't make. But...

...Penzo works for Peterson, but Peterson wouldn't (couldn't? - I mean, one of their workers clearly could) make a pipe like the bottom one. In some respects this might be a bad example, in that Penzo could make a pipe like the top one, and I've seen some beautiful banded pipes by him; however, most artisans wouldn't do it.

Still, it's a fun exercise and I'll come up with more examples later.

View attachment 145889

That Peterson is a beauty!

 

[MacMarty89]

There are some artisans that just suck at what they do. Have you seen Instagram?

In the absence of light, all one sees is shit anyway.