Do You Cellar Unsmoked Pipes

[augiebd]

I haven’t bought anything so vintage or collectible to not smoke. All the pipes in my collection have been smoked and that will most likely continue if I purchase more. I have many more than I “need”.

 

[mortonbriar]

I think the closest I have to the idea of 'cellaring' pipes is a small pile of old briar blocks that came from a 50s factory sale, one day I would like to get around to making them into pipes, in the meantime they are...aging? I should probably check for mold!

 

[EvertonFC]

In the not too distant future, I will be disconnecting from the internet almost completely.

This sounds like a self-fulfilling prophecy. If you disconnect from the internet, than aren't you, by definition, living in the dystopian hellscape you're preparing for?

 

[UB 40]

I think the closest I have to the idea of 'cellaring' pipes is a small pile of old briar blocks that came from a 50s factory sale, one day I would like to get around to making them into pipes, in the meantime they are...aging? I should probably check for mold!

You may check them more likely for wood worm, they love briar.

 

[Searock Fan]

You may check them more likely for wood worm, they love briar.

Interesting.... I don't think I've ever heard of wood worms attacking a pipe.

 

[UB 40]

Interesting.... I don't think I've ever heard of wood worms attacking a pipe.

They like Peterson the best and of course oil cured Dunhills, when it comes to salad.

 

[kanaia]

I thought I was the only freak that did that.

 

[Mantis_Shankman]

If by “cellar” you mean scattered around every drawer and every room in my house… Then yes.

 

[jpberg]

YES.

It is the experience of breaking in a new pipe that I want to preserve. In the future, that might be a bit of a challenge for me.

Tobacco I have plenty. Smoked pipes I have plenty. But I can imagine a time when getting new pipes that I can afford and want to break in may be more of a challenge.

You are the anti Mark Twain.

 

[didimauw]

I'm still having trouble wrapping my head around the "unsmoked" part. If you are laying away extra pipes for a very worst case scenario down the road, wouldn't you want to test them first, to make sure they're all good smokers?

After my post I wondered this as well. Smoke the new pipes, and put the smoked ones away. That way you know they work atleast!

 

[mortonbriar]

You may check them more likely for wood worm, they love briar.

I would love to make a pipe that worked around borer holes as accent!!!!!

 

[ThermionicScott]

BTW, unsmoked pipes probably aren't the weirdest item in our hobby to hoard. I remember a long time ago on the pipes.org forum, one guy had the brilliant idea to stockpile and age matches, before others talked him out of it.

 

[rmbittner]

BTW, unsmoked pipes probably aren't the weirdest item in our hobby to hoard. I remember a long time ago on the pipes.org forum, one guy had the brilliant idea to stockpile and age matches, before others talked him out of it.

Well, if you don’t have fire, you can’t smoke a pipe.

To me, the thing likely to get overlooked—and which I have stockpiled—is pipe cleaners. Throughout the year, I try to pick up as many boxes as I can. (If you smoke 10 bowls a day, own 50 pipes, and need to do semiannual deep cleaning, you can go through a lot of pipe cleaners!)

 

[UB 40]

I am not looking forward to any shortage of pipes even estates, cleaners, tobaccos, gas lighters or matches. But this thread reminded me of one pipe of the 1950s that remained unsmoked until I lightened it up yesterday.

I bought it almost a year ago and I felt some respect for the untouched condition of this old french panelled billiard. To lighten it up with some Three Nuns nevertheless was a real joy.

 

[Terry Lennox]

I have a lot of new pipes I have not smoked. Also a fair number of NOS (new old stock) pieces. Every once in a while I will add one to my rotation. Have to decide whether to dedicate to Balkan or Virginia. The first smoke is usually just a gentle half bowl. I love having a deep collection to pull from. I may never get to most of them and they will eventually be sold and end up in the hands of some other piper. We are only temporary caretakers of these things.

 

[Sethology12]

Thankfully for so long as any smoke able herbs exist were pretty safe. I do think it's possible there will come a time when pipe carving is no longer profitable. As the way I see it tobacco will never be illicit but will be priced to the point where only the rich may consume it. Pipes are already niche. If Jeff Bezos is the only person who can afford to smoke a pipe I'd wager the pipe economy will dry up. Good thing is I'm betting many of us can figure out how to make one in a pinch. And even if briar is no longer readily available there are other inferior woods and clays one can use. We will make it. It does blow to be in the waning days of commercial tobacco. I suppose China will head its last hurrah as smoking is still as popular as ever over there.

 

[nolan613]

Having smoked a pipe for over 50 years (I'm almost as old as dirt) I have no idea how many pounds of tobacco I've burned. Have yet to burn through a pipe. Currently have around 20 - 30 pipes and about 12 in constant rotation.My best guess is that I would have to have around at least 1000 pounds of tobacco cellered away before working about running out of usable pipes with which to smoke it. Currently burn through (pun intended) several pounds of tobacco a year and none of my pipes are in jeopardy of eminent failure. Tobacco will be gone /out of price reach long before pipes become scarce.

As always, any resemblance to actual people or places is purely coincidental and these are the ramblings of an old man who has been left unsupervised while on the computer. Also remember that it is St. Patties Day and I'm Irish...

 

[Zamora]

I haven’t bought anything so vintage or collectible to not smoke. All the pipes in my collection have been smoked and that will most likely continue if I purchase more. I have many more than I “need”.

Yeah I'm not into the whole "too nice to use" philosophy. Especially for something with pipes, for me a huge part of the appeal is the fact they're works of art that are functional. If a pipe is too nice to smoke then it belongs in a museum.

Thankfully for so long as any smoke able herbs exist were pretty safe. I do think it's possible there will come a time when pipe carving is no longer profitable. As the way I see it tobacco will never be illicit but will be priced to the point where only the rich may consume it. Pipes are already niche. If Jeff Bezos is the only person who can afford to smoke a pipe I'd wager the pipe economy will dry up. Good thing is I'm betting many of us can figure out how to make one in a pinch. And even if briar is no longer readily available there are other inferior woods and clays one can use. We will make it. It does blow to be in the waning days of commercial tobacco. I suppose China will head its last hurrah as smoking is still as popular as ever over there.

Agreed. I'm deeply concerned about the future of pipe and cigar smoking, but I seriously doubt pipes will ever become restricted the same way that tobacco is. Marijuana was highly illegal almost everywhere until about ten years ago, yet bongs and glass pipes weren't affected by that at all. I do think the pipe making industry will suffer as more and more draconian anti smoking laws are passed, stricter laws means fewer pipe smokers hence lower sales. Savinelli, Peterson, and all the other industry mainstays will probably survive alright, but I think the indie craftsmen will probably end up having to take a day job. I wouldn't be surprised if many pipe makers will diversify into making pot pipes to make ends meet, MM already has a pot line.

 

[Sethology12]

Yeah I'm not into the whole "too nice to use" philosophy. Especially for something with pipes, for me a huge part of the appeal is the fact they're works of art that are functional. If a pipe is too nice to smoke then it belongs in a museum.


Agreed. I'm deeply concerned about the future of pipe and cigar smoking, but I seriously doubt pipes will ever become restricted the same way that tobacco is. Marijuana was highly illegal almost everywhere until about ten years ago, yet bongs and glass pipes weren't affected by that at all. I do think the pipe making industry will suffer as more and more draconian anti smoking laws are passed, stricter laws means fewer pipe smokers hence lower sales. Savinelli, Peterson, and all the other industry mainstays will probably survive alright, but I think the indie craftsmen will probably end up having to take a day job. I wouldn't be surprised if many pipe makers will diversify into making pot pipes to make ends meet, MM already has a pot line.

We're gonna be homegrowing eventually I'd imagine. Though I smoke one bowl a day and have amassed a huge cellar so good for a bit. But I'm 27 so it won't last me forever I don't think.

 

[Zamora]

We're gonna be homegrowing eventually I'd imagine. Though I smoke one bowl a day and have amassed a huge cellar so good for a bit. But I'm 27 so it won't last me forever I don't think.

And for those who homegrowing isn't an option it will probably be a return to the old days of only having having a few codger blends available.