Do You Prefer to Buy Unsmoked or Pre-Smoked Pipes?

[cigrmaster]

Harris,

It's not a that difficult to ask the seller what tobaccos have been smoked in a pipe they're selling. I always do that.

Jesse, I have asked and most times the answer was gee I think it was tobacco smoked in it. These sellers really have no clue the difference between Lakeland, Latakia

Harris,

It's not a that difficult to ask the seller what tobaccos have been smoked in a pipe

 

[Scottishgaucho]

Here's my modest briar collection. All but one..the Peterson, are English estate pipes bought here in Argentina. Fortunately they were all in pretty good nick so didn't need much attention before I smoked them. Two were even unsmoked.
I prefer buying estate pipes. It's more fun and they cost very little.

 

[ChippewaAce]

Great question. I've only ever bought a couple of pipes new, from a particular maker back in Michigan. I prefer estate simply because if they're well kept, they're kind of broken in and have already seen some history, which appeals to me.

 

[The Amish Tyrant]

Great question. I've only ever bought a couple of pipes new, from a particular maker back in Michigan. I prefer estate simply because if they're well kept, they're kind of broken in and have already seen some history, which appeals to me.

Who is the maker in Michigan? Are they Cayuga pipes?

 

[Morsoth]

I'm a newbie, so I prefer unsmoked (new) pipes, and slightly learned how to 'break in a pipe'. But I might consider buying an estate pipe in few years, when I actually know what I doing and how to properly restore it.

 

[jpmcwjr]

Eateries normally are inspected and held to certain standards. Pipes? Not so as one would notice. So, some people, not knowing what communicable disease the previous smoker may have died of, simply prefer to be cautious. But, smoking is for the risk takers so. many smokers simply choose to ignore such or, trust in their or others abilities to fully exorcise what ever demons might reside in a used pipe. People's health concerns shouldn't be trivialized.

Of course not.

But you are ignoring what most of us do with an estate pipe: clean the hell out of it. And that regardless of the reputation of the seller's pipes cleanliness. Unless one is very careless about cleanliness, and somehow only a few days have passed since the infected one got his pipe to you, there is virtually no chance you'll pick up a disease.

 

[ChippewaAce]

Who is the maker in Michigan? Are they Cayuga pipes?

Yessir! Made by Paul before his passing.

 

[The Amish Tyrant]

Yessir! Made by Paul before his passing.

Paul's son, Dan, just joined the forum and is still running the shop.

 

[ChippewaAce]

Paul's son, Dan, just joined the forum and is still running the shop.

I've bought a lot of tobacco from Dan when visiting back home over the years, glad he's here! Howdy Dan!

 

[autumnfog]

Only new pipes for me.

 

[DTXHobbit]

I love to buy unsmoked pipes. As someone who hopes to keep all of my pipes my whole life, and hopefully pass them on as family heirlooms, I don't mind paying a little more and starting fresh with a new pipe.

 

[sablebrush52]

Jesse, I have asked and most times the answer was gee I think it was tobacco smoked in it. These sellers really have no clue the difference between Lakeland, Latakia

Hi Harris,
Consider going with a higher grade of seller than someone sitting on the tailgate of a truck in a back alley, at midnight, who says, "Psst! Bud!" as you're lurching past. It's possible you'll get more favorable results.

 

[LeafErikson]

Almost exclusively new pipes for me. I don’t really ‘collect pipes’ per se so I don’t see a reason not to just buy new. I’m not diametrically opposed to purchasing estates though.

 

[mso489]

The pipes I've bought new and have maintained myself seem to have lasted and remained in good repair. Because I have quite a few pipes, north of ninety I think, they don't get over-used, but they all get smoked. I know where they've been and how they've been used.

 

[Egg Shen]

The only way I’d buy a pre-owned pipe would be if I chanced upon one at a yard sale or thrift store and it was eye-catching and priced very low.

 

[rorrer]

I prefer new/unsmoked pipes, but am a sucker for some of the older shapes that aren't seen too often in modern pipes. Some of the proportions of older pipes just click for me (especially smaller pipes), and those are the ones I go for.

C.Rorrer

 

[romeowood]

Now that you ask the question, I realize I think I prefer estate pipes. I've had many new pipes, but always feel...bad when I light it up and spoil that virgin wood in the bowl.

 

[Papamique]

Mostly vintage pipes for me. I have spent more money on an old vintage pipe then most “artisan” pipes cost today so it is not about saving money for me. It is about the fine craftsmanship, the rich history and the wide selection that the estate market has to offer. I am attracted to that. I have some new production pipes, like Ashton, MM corncobs or Castello that I really enjoy but they are few and far between.

 

[FLDRD]

Between SP & "the bay" I just purchased 4 more estates this week.
Thank goodness that's an atypical week / month.
But my exploration in tobacco is accompanied by an exploration in pipe styles and all of their various characteristics.
I like new ones as well, just about 2 weeks ago I broke out an unsmoked pipe I'd been saving for about 6 months. Tried a delicious (new to me also) Virginia flake in it and they loved each other. The pipe will get Va flake from now on I think.
Every new to me pipe is nearly as fun as a new to me blend. Eventually I think I'll have pipes to cull from my stable and retain just the more favored ones that appreciate my type of puffing.