Estate Pipes

[logs]

The notion of buying a less than pristine restored pipe is disgusting and you don't know where the sellers hands have been.

Sure but I wouldn't assume a new pipe is sterile either. They potentially get handled by any number of factory people, dealers, shop workers and prospective buyers before it can end up in your hands. Who knows where any of their hands have been? The point is, new or used you have to clean it either way. I know I do.

 

[jpmcwjr]

Good plan. The good thing is that germs don't live long on dry, hard surfaces. Ghosts are a different kettle of fish.

 

[Chasing Embers]

The notion of buying a less than pristine restored pipe is disgusting and you don't know where the sellers hands have been.

Ever wander where the original carvers hands were, the previous owners, the person that restored it, or the person that packaged it to ship?

Restoring them from that kind of state is very enjoyable and there's nothing like turning a pig's ear into a silk purse.

 

[mississippitexan]

I'd say an easy 90% of my purchased pipes are estate pipes. Part of the enjoyment, for me at least, is bringing them back to life and using them.

 

[aquadoc]

The notion of buying a less than pristine restored pipe is disgusting and you don't know where the sellers hands have been.

Do you use silverware at a restaurant? At a bar? I think half of the value I find in Estates is getting to restore the pipe to something of its original glory! And contemplating what lives the pipe smoked through... What tobaccos...who owned it.....

 

[Merton]

Since I do not restore pipes I would not want someone else's caked, ghosted, sulphured mess. I think it is great that you have the skills, time and interest to restore an old pipe, I do not. Therefore, I wouldn't want or use one any more than I would use a fork with the prior diners dinner on it.
The "hands" comment was meant in jest.

 

[PaulTheScandinavian]

I buy both but lately I have been leaning more towards estates, I buy them all ready in refurbished condition from a reputable sellers or serious'hobbyists since I don't have time to do this labor intensive and time consuming job by myself ,thats why my estates are never affordably priced'lol.Moreover it might be worthwhile mentioning ,refurbished ,restored pipes is not a new ones,so there might always be those little surprises one did not expect to face,

 

[hauntedmyst]

The notion of buying a less than pristine restored pipe is disgusting and you don't know where the sellers hands have been.

Sure you do. Most pipe smokers and makers are men so you know from time to time they have reached down to make sure Jack and the twins are doing ok. In either case, old or new, you wipe the stem down with alcohol and you are good to go.

 

[Chasing Embers]

you wipe the stem down with alcohol

Never on acrylic, those get antibacterial soap.

 

[Merton]

Jesus, it was an effing joke...

 

[weezell]

Being someone who enjoys very old meerschaum, estates are for me...

 

[iacchus]

I buy both. Some of my absolute favorite workhorses are estate pipes. However, I don't buy estate cobs.

Also, sometimes a pipe that has caught your eye isn't in current production, or you want a specific period piece...

I smoke 'em all, though.

 

[shanez]

I just bought, and I do mean just (like less than an hour ago) an estate Frank Axmacher pipe. I never would have afforded it new. As it is, and after talking to the seller, I probably got too good of a deal. Neither the seller or I can figure out how it sat for so long on his website without being sold for the price. His website is a bit outdated and probably doesn't get as much traffic as others which is a partial explanation.

Now the seller I know has cleaned and sanitized the pipe. I'll re-sanitize the stem after receipt and then smoke away. It's no different than using a fork in a restaurant.

The only difference, other than price, that I see between between new and estates is the level of cleaning required. By a clean estate from a reputable seller and a quick re-sanitizing of the stem is all you need. It takes less than a minute and costs no more than a few pennies. Others here do the exact same thing with new and I probably should too. If I buy a new set of forks I know I wash them before they go in the drawer so why not the same with a pipe?

 

[jpmcwjr]

All pipes I acquire get a hot water flush and pipe cleaner, mortise cleaning and stem wipe down before smoking, unsmoked or cleaned by a very reputable dealer. Takes 30 seconds and can smoke immediately.

Sometimes I wipe the flatware at a restaurant, but not often. I am no "Monk" (the TV show, not a recluse)—at least not quite yet.

 

[mtwaller]

While I enjoy the history and story behind estate pipes, I find that significantly old pipes (70’s and older) are likely to have been abused. I’ve bought a few newer pipes, less than 5 years old, that are gorgeous but beat to absolute shit. The bowls are over-reamed, rims charred, airways charred...

I won’t knock estates outright, because I have a few that are absolute treasures. But, in my experience, my best smokes are from pipes that I’ve properly cared for. I don’t char rims, I clean after every smoke, etc.

If the price is right and it’s been lightly used, I say go for it. Otherwise, I’d rather pay a little bit more for a new pipe. Just my personal opinion. I just bought a 60’s Dunhill recently that looks fairly clean, but needed 50 pipe cleaners soaked in alcohol, coffee grounds in the bowl, and still tastes like crap. Estates can make for disappointing smokes, I’d says it’s 50/50.