Cellar Depression

[Brendan]

I remember a couple of years ago finding a lost $100 bill on my property, hidden in a pile of leaves and very easy to miss.

I knew exactly what do with it as I was starting to get back into my pipe at that time and splashed out on my first tin of cabbies mix.

Of course I had to chip in about 20 bucks to cover the balance of the tin and postage.

Being able to accumulate an actual cellar over the years would be an excellent problem to have, and an excellent investment for the future.




Don't want to sound like I'm moping about my country's situation but you just don't know what's around the corner, let alone 5-10 years from now.

 

[OlJawBone]

I remember a couple of years ago finding a lost $100 bill on my property, hidden in a pile of leaves and very easy to miss.

I knew exactly what do with it as I was starting to get back into my pipe at that time and splashed out on my first tin of cabbies mix.

Of course I had to chip in about 20 bucks to cover the balance of the tin and postage.

Being able to accumulate an actual cellar over the years would be an excellent problem to have, and an excellent investment for the future.




Don't want to sound like I'm moping about my country's situation but you just don't know what's around the corner, let alone 5-10 years from now.

accumulating hundreds of pounds seems silly to me until I read something like this and realize that I wouldn't ever be able to enjoy pipe tobacco if it were like that here in the states

 

[karam]

My half drawer has grown this past year to a full shelf of tins and jars. No regrets at all. In fact the more I have the more it makes sense to get more as I can see the benefit of having some for dipping and a lot more for aging.

 

[Sloopjohnbee]

Do you ever get this empty feeling going through your cellar, inspecting the piles of tins or jars, reminiscing about the hundreds or thousands of dollars spent, thinking: "Is this my life? Was this really worth it? What is it all for anyway?"

And then 2 hours later you get a notification that Squadron Leader is back in stock and you order 50 tins because you don't have enough tobacco in your life anyway and definitely need to stock up your cellar some more before the dawn of the tobacco apocalypse?

Obviously I'm exaggerating, but I do get this empty feeling looking at my cellar or my pipe collection sometimes - call it a moment of weakness - where I just feel indifferent about it at all and need a short break from it. Usually lasts a day at most but I wonder if anyone felt the same occasionally.

Of course - it's called Buyers Remorse- it happens with everything - it is also a reflection on your life's past and path you chose - hindsight is 20/20 - you cannot turn back only change your future(and only to a limited degree - no one has certain control over their life) best bet - go with it... if you don't want all that tobacco - sell some of it... move it... do something about it - it's your life

 

[cgrd]

I'm ten years into this hobby. At this point I smoke 15-20 bowls per year. I live in Canada, so my 18lb cellar has cost $3700. But, I know three things

1. It ain't gonna get any cheaper than it is today
2. I have enough to see me to the end of my days
3. My family has never suffered financially for me to buy what I have

So, other than occasionally splurging on a tin of Tudor Castle or snagging the new limited release de jour, I'm set, and happy.

But there are also days where I look at the tins and go "Yer nuts."

 

[Sloopjohnbee]

I'm ten years into this hobby. At this point I smoke 15-20 bowls per year. I live in Canada, so my 18lb cellar has cost $3700. But, I know three things

1. It ain't gonna get any cheaper than it is today
2. I have enough to see me to the end of my days
3. My family has never suffered financially for me to buy what I have

So, other than occasionally splurging on a tin of Tudor Castle or snagging the new limited release de jour, I'm set, and happy.

But there are also days where I look at the tins and go "Yer nuts."

you need to spark that bowl more often brother - I know because so do I this year I had 4 at most

 

[saltedplug]

Buy as much as you can.

Can't be said any better.

 

[Ryszard]

I was surprised to see this topic from a year ago in my notifications. I'm glad my condition has improved since then and I am back to buying all I can with no remorse whatsoever... you live only once after all.

 

[mso489]

Pipes and tobacco can become a bad habit. I have "too many" pipes, 94 or so, but I still enjoy them all in rotation, and cull the herd when I feel I'm not smoking some of them. I don't buy tobacco in quantity, only a few tins, pouches, or baggies at a time, and a tub now and then. I still buy more than I smoke, so it accumulates. I think the non-pipe smoker, and perhaps some pipe smokers, would find my collection of pipes and tobacco excessive, compulsive. I intend to keep it in perspective, keep the purchases down, and make sure the enjoyment is in line with the acquisition.

 

[anotherbob]

to me that sounds like you've bought too much. Slow down. I know that's not a popular thing to say here. But your cellar shouldn't give you that feeling. If it does, to my mind it sounds like some of your purchases are compulsive and not what I would call good purchases. Either that are someone has guilted you into a frugal mind frame. That's the thing about people their kind of complicated, a little weird, and mysterious even to their own selves. The thing is your cellar is something that should bring you peace of mind and pleasure. If it's not doing that something is off. What's off could be your purchasing habits or it could be something inside of you. Either way maybe slow down a little bit until you know what's the issue. I feel like a cellar should be smokable and that can mean over the next few months or if you live ten more years then you expect too (40 more years if you're chasing embers [not the guy here, just if that's something you do for fun]).

 

[anotherbob]

Pipes and tobacco can become a bad habit. I have "too many" pipes, 94 or so, but I still enjoy them all in rotation, and cull the herd when I feel I'm not smoking some of them. I don't buy tobacco in quantity, only a few tins, pouches, or baggies at a time, and a tub now and then. I still buy more than I smoke, so it accumulates. I think the non-pipe smoker, and perhaps some pipe smokers, would find my collection of pipes and tobacco excessive, compulsive. I intend to keep it in perspective, keep the purchases down, and make sure the enjoyment is in line with the acquisition.

Both me and my girlfriend are happy with the number of pipes I have. I feel like one more pipe would leave me feeling like all my pipes are neglected. I would start feeling sad because it's been too long since I smoked each one of them. But having a rotation that spans a little more then a week is perfect for me. I still feel excited to break that pipe out when it's been that long since I smoked it but also not too long that I desperately wish I would have smoked it sooner. So if I buy another pipe it's got to be really special and one that has a specific set of special circumstances for it's use. (a camping/fishing briar, A special social pipe if I start going to pipe shows....).

 

[sablebrush52]

Anyone ever thought about how many lives they could have saved if they had funded malaria prevention measures instead of buying tobacco for themselves? No virtue signalling intended - I am a moderately selfish asshole most of the time

Nope, I never do, because my charitable donations have always exceeded my pipe and tobacco expenses.

I'm starting to smoke down my cellar rather than build it up. There are pleasures in smoking blends that I set aside that are no longer available. There are also pleasures in not spending money like I once did. While I might buy something new to try, I'm more going to enjoy what I have. That was the point of collecting it. And if I run out in 15 years that will be amazing because I don't expect to have 15 more years of smoking.

 

[orlandofurioso]

Nope. Other than the tobacco I buy I spend basically no money.. Hell, I'm wearing underwear I've had since 05. Haha

05 ? I've got T-shirts older than you.

 

[cigrmaster]

I recently decided that 50 or so pipes is a good number so I recently sold 41 pipes and was pretty happy with the results. I got tired of looking at pipes I never smoke and off they went. Some I got stupid money for others were less but I never took a really bad hit. Probably the best deal was a pipe I paid 140 for and got 425 for it.
I am now looking for more pipes to move out, maybe another 15 or so. I have forgotten how much fun it is to get new pipes in stock. I hadn't redone my pipes in years and I miss the rush. Buying my Jack Howell's has awoken the pad beast in a big way. Smoking brand new pipes has really been fun and I have no plans to stop any time soon. I also really liked the naked bowl thing.
I think I am at 13 on the Howell count with more coming.

I have been asking any one I can about how a Jess pipe smokes and I keep getting the same answer. It smokes great but no better than a Rad, or a Howell, or a Weaver or any of the high grade American carvers or better than any of the high end Danish carvers. Yes they look nicer but I had my time with the looks thing buying Formers, Matzholds, Castello's ,Barbi's and other fancier pipes. I would rather have 3-4 highline looking pipes, than one really good looker. It is weird how people move through this hobby of ours. In the beginning I was a whore for grain and Birdseye I then realized I couldn't smoke either so I re did my collection. I then realized I licked a nicely blasted pipe that smoked my flakes really really well so that was my next phase. My next phase was to concentrate on only certain carvers who really made classic shapes that could beat out the classics like no one else.

As far as smoking characteristics no one has ever said Jess smokes any better than a Howell or a Rad. I smoke pipes to get enjoyment for my enjoyment out of my tobacco. My only high line Danish still in my collection is a fairly high line Tonnie Nielsen and it doesn't smoke any better than any of my high line American pipes. Not really close at all. I am trying to figure out if I want another 7 day say set or should I just mix them up. What say you of the worlds greatest tobacco forum? I already have a 7 day set of Howell pipes, should I get another 7 day of Howell pipes. I also have one 7 say set of Rad's, but I am really jonesing for another Howell 7 day set.

Cmon guys show me the way.


Now I am sticking to guys who make the classics like no one else as I love the classics like no one else. Right now I am going after Jack Howell pipes as he knows the classics as well as any other classic. I have 12=13 and I am really happy for those I have purchased. I am also jonesing hard for brand new pipes and new Rad's will be a bitch to find. I just answered my own question as the Jonses will be a lot easier to find.

 

[STP]

Ha… I certainly add way more than I smoke. This site doesn’t help much either ?

 

[tobefrank]

Cmon guys show me the way.

Why stop at 2? There are 52 weeks in the year. ?

 

[alan73]

As a guy who probably averages 2 bowls a week my 30-40 pound cellar feels nothing but glorious. It holds enough variety to keep me entertained for decades and enough stock of my favorites to provide a lifetime of comfort. No regrets whatsoever.

Anybody remember this picture? I don't remember which member here posted it but it left a strong enough "wow" impression for me to keep it saved in a file on my computer for a few years now. If I remember correctly this is not the guy's cellar but his working rotation of open jars.
View attachment 34443

Yeah that’s my open jar collection

 

[Worknman]

Ive spent alot of money on pipe tobacco but Ive gotten alot of value in return. Life is short and its something I enjoy. Plus it will never be any cheaper. Plus it holds its value extremely well, even if I decide to quit it wouldn't be that hard to recoup the money spent provided selling it isn't made illegal.

 

[Casual]

Plus it holds its value extremely well, even if I decide to quit it wouldn't be that hard to recoup the money spent provided selling it isn't made illegal.

If they make it illegal it’ll be worth a great deal more.

 

[uzzi101]

I think you’re describing a common “buyers remorse”. I’ve smoke maybe a bowl a day and have enough tobacco to last 2 lifetimes. I’ll end up trading it or even selling at some point to give another piper some aged pleasure.

With my pipes, I look at a few and say. WTF. Why did I buy that? I then give it a try and it’s my new favorite pipe of the week

I almost returned a few pipes as soon as they arrived, but held on. They are now a favorite as well.

it’s common to question $ spent. It’s only $. Enjoy yourself.