Straight Billiards are a top three, maybe top two, shape for me. Classy and elegant in its simplicity. Perfect combination of form and function!
Billiard, the Paradigm Pipe
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Well, here I go again. -laugh- As usual I fully agree with Tom, & you all know how much I love my crazy Danishes. Billiards are about as basic & right-down-to-it as a pipe can get, yet open a broad range of shapes, all different. Right now, in fact, I'm running good old Frigate in a truly elegant pre-Cadogan Comoy, a perfect match for an easy calm evening's last smoke. I got to thinking (always dangerous) how many billiards of different sorts I own. Must be 40 or more, counting all the bents. I had no idea my collection was so boring. 
B
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I like boring. 8)
Currently smoking my Savinelli 111KS Roma, a perfect smoker after initially slaying the eBay ghost it came with.
Currently smoking my Savinelli 111KS Roma, a perfect smoker after initially slaying the eBay ghost it came with.
With about 10 bent and 4 straight billiards, it is the most prevalent shape in my collection. A billiard, though, has to have a certain something extra to attract me. All my bents, most of which are Petersons, are either beefy numbers and/or have silver ferrules. Straight billiards particularly have to have that extra as I've seldom been attracted to them. 1 has an octagonal shank with nice rustication, 1 has an elongated down-turned stem with military mount. 1 is a chubby. The pebble grain Ashton I got from Ashdigger, though, is my favorite straight billiard.
I like four-sided panel pipes too, most of which are of billiard proportions even if not the classic cylindrical billiard. Embellishments can be just right or a distraction. Some spare unadorned billiards are striking because of their design, finish, and materials. A thick-walled bowl, done right, can be a real touch.
mso, I also like a nicely done panel pipe. It has a traditional look to my eye. So far I only have one in my collection. It is a Simone Gilli pipe. He is an Italian carver who specializes in classic shapes.
I’m with Embers on this one, 95% of my pipes are 1/8 ~ 1/4 bent. I like being able to see the top of the bowl as I smoke and bent pipes just feel better to me. But, that’s why there are so many pipe shapes, something for every smokers taste.
Clean, elegant straight billiards are my favorite. I love all of my Dublin’s and apples, but they don’t compare to the classic billiard.
I have to admit a predilection for the classic straight billiard myself! I don’t own many briar billiards, as I most often have my head bent over a book whilst smoking, and for that I’m prone to reach for bent briars. Exception being the MM Country Gentleman straight bit cob, which I don’t mind biting with clench force.
Straight or bent - it depends on my mood. When I started to smoke pipes ~15 years ago I prefered straight billiards. Nowadays I'm more into bent pipes I think, but around half of my collection is straight. For shape, I like apple, brandy and author the most - at least for now. So maybe the rule works just the opposite way for me. But who knows, I'm still only 30 so my taste can change with time.
80% of My pipes are straight classic Billiards & Canadians, I find them quite elegant yet timeless. As stated above,I think too these are not the easiest shapes to master.
Like many of my generation I started smoking with Dr.Grabow billiards. Through the years I eschewed the shape and collected mostly bents. Purchasing a couple of birth year Dunhill billiards renewed my interest in the shape. Now, probably half of the estate pipes that I purchase and/or contemplate buying seem to be billiards. There is something about this classic shape from classic makers.
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