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Streeper541

Lifer
Jun 16, 2021
3,178
20,159
44
Spencer, OH
A Missouri Meershaum corn cob pipe is your basic gateway pipe.

A Dr. Grabow or Mr. Brog is you entry level wood pipe. Both easily obtainable via Amazon or the local drug store.

Quality estates can be found on the Smoking Pipes, Reborn Pipes, and the Pipery websites... all within your price range.

Good luck. Let us know what you decide.
 

jpmcwjr

Moderator
Staff member
May 12, 2015
26,258
30,257
Carmel Valley, CA
There is a difference between liking how a pipe looks, and how a pipe looks in your chops.
Until somebody comes up with a digital substitute for a mirror, that's going to be the curse of internet pipe shopping.
Been done. Take a look at how they can "fit" glasses at Warby-Parker.
 
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LeafErikson

Lifer
Dec 7, 2021
2,180
19,116
Oregon
Check out Rossi—they're a budget Savinelli line. Ropp's Etudiant pipes has some nice options between forty and sixty dollars. You can find them at smokingpipes.com, one of the sponsors here.
If you're on the hunt for a high quality, inexpensive briar pipe, I second the Ropp etudiant line. I'm currently smoking a new Ropp J07 billiard model and it smokes just as well as my Savinelli pipe. I picked up two of the J07 in a sandblasted finish and they're both phenomenal. Just make sure that the chamber size is reasonably sized, especially since it would be your first pipe. I would recommend a chamber depth between 1.25 and 1.5 and width of at least .7 or so. When I first started pipe smoking I didn't understand chamber size and I got a J03 shape which had a chamber size that is seriously microscopic. I mostly smoked ribbon cut tobacco at the time and the pipe was essentially useless for that cut of tobacco. Anyway one of the Ropp pipes would run you around $45 and with shipping included, the pipe would be around $50 I believe. If this is out of your current price range I would suggest a cob from Missouri Meerschaum. ?puffy
 

Briar Lee

Lifer
Sep 4, 2021
4,960
14,334
Humansville Missouri
hey!

I recently have been introduced into pipe smoking by a friend.
I was currently looking on the internet for a pipe and I've naturally been attracted to amazon to do my shopping. The thing is once I've realized that 20 $ seemed a bit low for a quality pipe (Joyoldelf and other chinese products) I've looked around the internet and even learned that some wood are actually toxic when warmed or burnt. Anyways, I've been now looking for a bit around to find a pipe that wouldn't kill me and would be around 50$ (I know I might have a low budget but I don't want to burn 100$ without knowing if I really gonna love this new way to appreciate tobacco). I've found the website Mr. Borg and I really like some of the design of their pipes and they claimed to be briar wood (there's pear wood too). I know that their model around 50$ won't be the best quality but I don't really mind that my first pipe is not a fancy one. All that said, is MrBorg a good call? or maybe you have something better to propose me? Will MrBorg products cause me to drop dead:eek::LOL:???

P.s. I know about the corncob ones (being around 10$) But I don't find them particularly good looking and they seem to be pretty fragile and break easily (I might be wrong tho).
I can completely recommend a brand new Dr Grabow pipe as a good value and after you’ve broken it in by completely smoking about a dozen bowls all the way down, there’s no other briar at any price that’s going to smoke better.

The Omega shape is very popular.

This $35 one is carved, smooth finished pipes cost a few dollars more.

 

tklee

Lifer
Dec 31, 2021
1,137
1,818
Malaysia
Only buy briar wood pipes. They might be a lil bit expensive, but you can use it for..... years, some even decades. Pipe is something worth invest.

P.s. I know about the corncob ones (being around 10$) But I don't find them particularly good looking and they seem to be pretty fragile and break easily (I might be wrong tho).
The more you read about corn cob pipes, the more you'll want to get one ? Trust me, I used to be like you, I didn't like the look of corn cob pipes (I still don't really like the look now ?), but out of curiosity, I bought one to try. It totally smokes different! And it's cheap, you can ask people who custom make pipe to make over for you if you don't like the look or color of it ?. Now I have 3 corn cob pipes ?

Slowly, maybe in near future you'll get some meerschaum pipes too. Eventually you will have more pipes than you expected and planned ? Trust me, if you ask everyone here, everyone here have more than five pipes ?. I started smoking pipe in December 2021, now I have..... 8 pipes. Haven't counted the one I bought wrongly last time, which I don't smoke anymore now, and the other two estate pipes that were gifted to me by a friend, and one more briar pipe that I just ordered ?
 

TheWhale13

Part of the Furniture Now
Aug 12, 2021
803
3,426
Sweden
I respect myself too much to buy a pear wood/Mr brog pipe. I will never put one of those things in my mouth, the same thing about "replica" wizard/churwarden/gandalf pipes. Just buy a cob, they are not fragile and the looks will probably grow on you. Even if it doesn't you haven't wasted your money in case you don't like this smoking thing too much.
 
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mso489

Lifer
Feb 21, 2013
41,210
60,610
Dr. Grabow and Rossi (made by Savinelli) are good. I would also highly recommend Kaywoodie pipes; the Kaywoodie Saxon and Red Root lines are about fifty dollars. And as already pointed out, MM cobs are excellent. I'd recommend the special editions that come with acrylic stems that are more durable, and MM cobs can last for decades and longer. I have some up-market pipes I treasure, but I am a proponent of the idea that well made moderately priced pipes often smoke as well as any.
 

FLDRD

Lifer
Oct 13, 2021
2,229
9,037
Arkansas
Go to a shop and fondle, I mean handle, as many as you can if you haven't already.

You will learn so much.

That dimension cannot be replicated by purchasing online, regardless if it's used, new, branded or not.
 
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PipeIT

Lifer
Nov 14, 2020
5,120
30,398
Hawaii
Ahhh just let the poor fellow from Quebec, start his journey with a Canadian pipe. LOL ?

I’m sure it will make for fond memories your first pipe from your country! :) ??




Have fun, whatever you choose! :)
 
Last edited:
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Jef

Starting to Get Obsessed
Oct 10, 2019
296
522
67
North Carolina
hey!

I recently have been introduced into pipe smoking by a friend.
I was currently looking on the internet for a pipe and I've naturally been attracted to amazon to do my shopping. The thing is once I've realized that 20 $ seemed a bit low for a quality pipe (Joyoldelf and other chinese products) I've looked around the internet and even learned that some wood are actually toxic when warmed or burnt. Anyways, I've been now looking for a bit around to find a pipe that wouldn't kill me and would be around 50$ (I know I might have a low budget but I don't want to burn 100$ without knowing if I really gonna love this new way to appreciate tobacco). I've found the website Mr. Borg and I really like some of the design of their pipes and they claimed to be briar wood (there's pear wood too). I know that their model around 50$ won't be the best quality but I don't really mind that my first pipe is not a fancy one. All that said, is MrBorg a good call? or maybe you have something better to propose me? Will MrBorg products cause me to drop dead:eek::LOL:???

P.s. I know about the corncob ones (being around 10$) But I don't find them particularly good looking and they seem to be pretty fragile and break easily (I might be wrong tho).
I agree with a Ropp or Rossi pipe. They are briar and made well. Pick out a shape that you like, buy it, and move on to learning how to break in and smoke it.

Jef