Buy a Dunhill pipe?

[ohin3]

I will say that your odds of getting a good smoker increase when buying a Dunhill. Nothing in life is guaranteed. I only own one Dunhill so I can't really speak of their quality on the whole. that being said, my one Dunhill is always a trouble free smoke. I could care less that it has a white dot on the stem or that it garners the praise of onlookers. What I do care about is that it is engineered perfectly, it never gurgles and always provides a good smoke. I will buy more, but I don't know if I could ever justify the price of a new Dunhill. I do, however, always keep my eyes peeled for a well priced estate Dunhill.

 

[carlosviet]

Love the pipe, not the brand. To buy a Dunhill, just to have a Dunhill is -IMHO- silly.
But if you find an specific pipe that you fall in love, that you go to see again and again for weeks... Then, even if it is out of your reach in price, it is laudable to try to get it. Make sacrifices, save a little every month and when you finally get to be able to buy it, I swear that the feeling is insurmountable.
If after 3 years smoking you have a couple of such meaningful pipes, then I think you will be a fulfilled smoker.

 

[topd]

You might be surprised at how many pipes are out there having the Dunhill name, that aren't a genuine Dunhill. I have several and you have to be especially careful when buying an estate pipe as there are many counterfeiters in the market. It's the same as Cohiba Cigars and Hundred Dollar Bills. Something that's high in demand and brings a premium price halls out the fakes.

As far as smoking one goes... I enjoy some of my cobs, cheep Savinelli's, Peterson's and Nording's as much as my Dunhills. I feel it's all in what feels good in the hand, the tobacco, your company and what your drinking. It maters if your a once a week smoker or smoke all day long as I do. It also depends on what I'm doing.... All these things affect my pipe.
TopD

 

[ruraldean]

I've only had one Dunhill, and it was perfect. However, I sold it because I thought I'd rather have 3 or 4 Petersons or Stanwells. I have honestly never regretted the decision. It's nice to say you have one, but I love my Petes equally and now have more of them.

 

[jpberg]

Is it really fair to compare 50+ year old dunhills to the new pipes currently on the market?

Of course not. Too many processes have changed in Dunhill's production methods over the years. I don't think I would buy a new one, or for that matter, any newer than the late 60's.

 

[judcole]

I have never owned a Dunhill - they have always been out of my price range. The fellas I know who own them seem to be divided - some rave,others say that, although they are good pipes, they aren't worth the price. If I ever decide to get one,I would look for a nice estate.
For a beginning pipe smoker who is on a budget, but wants a little bit nicer pipe, I would suggest an estate Stanwell. I have a couple that I love. I have never heard a bad word about Stans. There are three on pipestosmoke.com right now for less than $100 - two are only $55. ::

 

[grafikchaos]

It's simple really. If you like it, and can afford it, buy it. Who cares about who makes it, how much it costs, whether it will make you popular with the ladies, etc. Me personally, financially, I can't justify that kind of money for a pipe. However, if I had a lot more disposable income, and I saw a Dunhill that I really liked, then I would most certainly buy it. I have to agree with barkar that it really is just a chunk of wood with holes in it for smoking tobacco, but my financial situation influences this thought. Just like cars, to me, they are nothing more than a tool to get me from point A to point B. But, if I could afford a Ferrari, you bet your ass I'd buy one, and it would be something more than just a car.

 

[admin]

:laughat:

@bigvan

"I don't have a Dunhill but for what its worth my opinion is a pipe is simply a chunk of wood with holes in it to put tobacco and to smoke through. "
The first 5 words of that sentence explain the rest of the words in that sentence.

LMAO.
I have several Dunhills. I like them all. However, I think the decision to buy one is simple - if it's in your budget, then do it. If it's not, then don't.

 

[ssjones]

As a lover of classic British pipes & makers, I had to own at least one Dunhill and have an estate Cumerland model. It is a great smoker, but due to their prices, I haven't rushed out to buy another. One day I would like to have a birth year, '61 bent model. One day...

 

[jonahtke]

When I began looking for pipes several weeks ago, I was blown away at how expensive pipes could be. It occurs to me however that I am pleased by the fact that there are enough pipe smokers in the world to make it worth an artisans time to make a $500 pipe. So hooray for expensive pipes!

 

[cumberland]

I was priviledged to have a Dunhill pipe as one of my first pipes (given to me by my late father)...
Must say that I would recommend a Dunhill pipe ANY day... the briar is really matured and dry. Even the biggest group 6 or even larger "ODA" (and Magnums) are remarkably light for their size and will give you a nice and clean taste right from the first bowl.
The Dunhill mouthpieces are a chapter on their own... carved from solid vulcanite, they feel soft to the teeth and are super strong. You have also got to love the shape of Dunhill mouthpieces.. the way they taper evenly from the end where the tenon is to the other end where the lip is.
Apart from the briar being matured, light and dry, the (smooth/polished) Dunhill bowls are also 100 % free from artificial fillings... you might see an occasional "sandspot" in the wood but never any putty fillings.
Those pipes having flaws (holes) or are too off grain get sandblasted. Due to the dry wood and an aggressive "double sandblasting" technique, Dunhill sandblasted pipes are among my absolute favourites. They are SUPER ligth, tough and you don't have to polish them all the time. My fav at the moment are a Dunhill group 5 Tanshell Apple plus a group 4 Shell Army Mount... I normally smoke flake tobaccos in those two.
Anyway, you won't ever regret getting a Dunhill pipe, and if you take good care of it, it will last you a lifetime... my oldest Dunhill pipe dates back to 1912 and still smokes like a dream.

 

[ssjones]

Well said Cumberland. And, here's my Cumberland Chimney, a 5212 model from '02. That stem is a delight and the chimney gives me a hour plus smoke in this Group 5, primarily mild-English blends for myself. I'm smoking some Chelsea Morning in it at the moment.

 

[cumberland]

Al,
just from LOOKING at that Dunhill, you can tell it's one helluva great smoker! :worship:

 

[hauntedmyst]

Dunhill's are awesome pipes that are silly expensive. I have 9 of them and they are all great smokers. Once I opened them up to my taste, they've become perfect. I started smoking 30 years ago and Dunhill's have always been an icon to me. I never thought I'd be able to afford one but over the years have acquired what I have. Quality wise, some of the artisan pipes beat any manufactured pipe but for me, I'd rather collect the english brands: Dunhill, Upshall, Ferndown, etc. Thats just my twist in the pipe world. The guy behind me at the pipe show was collecting and selling corn cobs, the guy across from me was a Kaywoodie collector. Down the row was a guy selling these truly awful monster pipes that I would never buy in a million years but someone has to love them. There is room for everyone in the pipe world - except the Amish, those thieving, bearded, horse carriage using, black wearing no mustache bastards....
awe, who am I kidding, I love the Amish!

 

[scotrob]

In brief, they look amazing and are some of the most handsome pipes around, they usually smoke well and can last a long time if well cared for....BUT they are overpriced, both when new and as estates (check any ebay listing to see what I mean)...and there are some equally good looking pipes out there which are just as good to smoke and much more affordable (Petersons, Kaywoodie, Comoy, Savinelli, to name a few)

 

[jpberg]

In brief, they look amazing and are some of the most handsome pipes around, they usually smoke well and can last a long time if well cared for....BUT they are overpriced, both when new and as estates (check any ebay listing to see what I mean)...and there are some equally good looking pipes out there which are just as good to smoke and much more affordable (Petersons, Kaywoodie, Comoy, Savinelli, to name a few)

So, Scotrob, how many do you have?

 

[carlosviet]

Just a related comment. I have committed myself to limit my pipe collection to, at most, 12 pipes. That makes every pipe buy a very serious matter; not anything goes, because any pipe is taking the place of a potential better one. It also makes me "wait", because the free space in the rack is also valuable, for any future pipe.

In other words. I stop myself of buying what I like, and only allow myself to buy what I love with a passion, so I really aim for my ideal pipes.
It so happens that if I put in a search engine the finish I like, the weight I like, the size proportions I like, the stem I like and the shape I like... Well... Only around 9 pipes come as a result. Among them, 7 are Dunhill.

 

[scotrob]

@jpberg
well, i have one very nice one, but with Dunhills I usually try to buy low, restore and then sell high...i DO have a lot of Petersons and Savinellis however

 

[loki993]

I just cant see it. I cant justify that kind of money for a pipe. Im sure they smoke great, but I cant see then smoking any better then something that cost half the money. There has to come a point where your paying for more then just a quality product. Ill buy a cheaper pipe and use whats left for a nice glock sig or 1911.

 

[jpberg]

Loki, I can assure you that putting a Dunhill in your mouth and touching it off will give you much more pleasure than doing the same with a Glock. Just sayin....