Don't Save Back the Nice Pipes

[mso489]

I have a strong conserving streak, if not conservative in the popular sense. Sometimes I take this to misguided lengths. I have a wide range of pipes from the simplest factory pipes like recent Kaywoodies and Yello-Boles to a few higher end pipes (by my standards, which are not in the upper ranges) like a Ser Jacopo, a Ferndown, and some upper mid-range Sav's, mostly gifts. To my point, I detect that I often find myself reaching for the mid- or low-range price pipes, and I think the underlying impulse is to save my treasures the wear and tear. Recently, I have been intentionally reaching for my beauties to give them the smoking they deserve and get the good out of them. My traces of Scot ancestry apparently are dominant genes and I can economize on the most ridiculous things. But I'm determined -- if you got 'em, smoke 'em. Or the efforts in getting the pipes is wasted. Do you ever avoid your "best" pipes for a similar reason? (I'm smoking the SJ right now!)

 

[newbroom]

I've been making similar considerations. I've got some pipes I don't smoke thinking either to save them wear or to maintain their 'value'...ha ha. I guess I was thinking I'd sell off some...but, it's a lot of work.

Much easier to buy em.

I've got a 1956 Dunhill Shellbriar I haven't smoked since I got it re-stemmed. I don't smoke it because I don't want to cause wear to the nomenclature. My only Dunhill. It serves a purpose though. It fills that Dunhill void.

 

[styler]

Being 100% scottish, I can feel your pain! I have managed to acquire a couple of nice pipes now but spend most of my time smoking cobs. I think it's partly because I'm scared that my technique still isn't great.

 

[papipeguy]

I buy pipes to smoke them. I think it's always best to use equipment than not. They were meant to be smoked and I don't think you're the kind of guy who abuses his pipes so go for it. You deserve them.

 

[mso489]

thanks papipeguy. With quite an accumulations of pipes, it is my goal to keep them all in rotation, though sometimes I'll pick out a pipe from the rack and feel sure I haven't smoked it in months. There is the tendency to associate certain pipes as doing well with certain blends I have in rotation, and that can throw things off. My two Pete B11 brandies haven't seen any action in a while, though they are primo smokers. But I try to get to them all. Right now I am smoking a Sav 601 churchwarden that hasn't seen any action in a while. Great pipe. PAD defeats this effort, so I try to reign in purchases, but here comes the pipe show ... so it goes.

 

[mothernaturewilleatusallforbreakfast]

I regularly smoke all my pipes, but maintain a smaller sized collection. I keep 6 to 7 briar pipes and 3 cobs, so that my pipe rotation is always 9 to 10 pipes give or take a pipe or two. I only keep pipes that I regularly smoke (at least 2 or 3 times a week). I get rid of pipes I don't smoke, including nice ones. It's good to hear you're smoking your nice pipes. Life's too short. My grandfather died before he sat in his new recliner and before he wore his new glasses because he didn't want to ruin the niceness of either. He died sitting in his old chair next to his new chair wearing his old glasses. Smoke all your pipes now while you can, including the nice ones.

 

[gloucesterman]

"Smoke them if you got them". I do have a couple of unsmoked pipes but they are older pipes that were unsmoked when I got them so they remained that way because they were unused examples of the type which is no longer made. All the others get smoked but some more than others. Most of my collection (new pipes) falls into the mid range ($150 - $300)but by far, the vast majority of my pipes were estate pipes I reconditioned. I often buy the same pipe in assorted finishes because I like the way they smoke. There is nothing wrong with buying pipes because you admire the beauty and craftsmanship. People buy fine art from the same reasons. I buy my pipes to smoke and that just what I do, smoke them. MSO, I'm with you on this one. I'm not sure I'd smoke a $2500 pipe when a $150 Peterson would do the job just fine but them again I'm a Bostonian Yankee and "practical and thrifty" is a way of life.

 

[jpmcwjr]

I try to smoke them all, but there are some that haven't seen action in months. I also have a rack of 12 Comoys I bought in LV at the pipe show that I haven't touched.
And I do treat them differently; there are some I won't take on a walk or gardening or banging on things.

 

[Chasing Embers]

I have about three grand in my ever growing Weaver collection, and regularly smoke them. Those nice pipes smoke wonderfully so pack 'em and light 'em!

 

[markus]

I regularly smoke all of my pipes except for one, which is an unsmoked Chacom 2014 Pipe of the Year. Its just a beautiful pipe, which I know will smoke like a dream and for some reason, (which I can't even explain) I can't bring myself to smoke it... yet. I think that I will eventually... maybe I'm just waiting for the right occasion.

 

[cortezattic]

I smoke them all. ::

 

[warren]

I only purchase a pipe to smoke. I'm not a collector nor "gatherer" of pipes. I can't relate to having a pipe just for show or ownership. Still, I understand the need some have for "more" pipes. At least I think I do.

 

[sablebrush52]

With the exception of a few "museum" pieces, I smoke them all. Wear and tear is inevitable, but I reduce that to a minimum by careful use and proper maintenance.

 

[didimauw]

I try not to spend more than a certain amount of money on pipes. I wouldn't want to smoke an artisan pipe for fear of ruining it. I like my pipes to have wear and dirt, and cake, and teeth marks. "Inexpensive pipes with Character are my favorite"

 

[graydawn]

With the exception of several early 1900's English silver adorned pipes and a few unsmoked Barling's, I do smoke all my pipes in a steady rotation of about 5 different pipes a day. With a modest collection of 120 "working " pipes that would assure that each pipe was smoked every month. However, even though the Eltang's, Chonowitsch's, Dunhill's, and other higher grades are not neglected, I still reach for the Family Era Barling's Make pipes first.

 

[tarheel1]

I have two Ferndowns I still have not decided if I am keeping or not. Beautiful commissioned bent bulldogs. One has a custom stain REO. More red and contrast compared to a reg REO. Other is a root. Was going g to be a Tudor root butngrain was too nice, so he made it a root. I am not going to smoke them until I figure it out.

 

[gtrhtr]

I was at a crossroads awhile back about smoking or not smoking some nice new pipes. I have a habit of saving things I'm not sure if I can replace, like foods and wines. I can say I'm really happy I didn't go the conservative route with those pipes, they are great and I doubt I'll ever use them up. I may keep something truly special unsmoked, but that would be more of an investment than anything else.

 

[jefff]

Ruinning A pipe by smoking it is like running a book by reading it.

 

[rx2man]

Well I am in the minority here, if I get a pipe that is new I will not smoke it. Its only new once. I have plenty of pipes to smoke and I do not smoke my really nice ones. Sav's and Petes see the most use. And any pipe I make is fair game.

 

[bonehed]

I realized I was doing this recently then I remembered I might die tomorrow and started smoking'em if I got'em.