Expensive Pipes ~ Should I Smoke Them?

[GentlemanJames]

Good Afternoon Gents,

Going to ask a question that provides me with great angst: for those of you that are collectors, do you smoke ALL of your pipes? Are there some of the higher end pipes you avoid smoking? I'm not a rich man and it took a lot of saving and hard work to purchase my Dunhill Shell 5133 and Ser Jacopo Smeraldo Fiammata. I realize that many collectors have pipes that cost them thousands of dollars ~ I'm not trying to compete. I, personally, am proud of my collection and it makes me happy.

My torture is this: if I pack one of my expensive (>$500) pipes, I will constantly worry about damaging the rim while lighting the tobacco, biting too hard on the stem, etc. With all this worry, how can I enjoy my smoke? I know there is no point to owning a pipe if you're not going to smoke it; a pipe, at the end of the day, is a tool. How do you gents wrap your head around making the decision to fire up an expensive pipe?

I'm still a beginner ~ only been smoking pipes for a few years. I'll probably keep practicing on the cheapos, but some day....

 

[stokesdale]

You buy one to smoke, smoke it. I own a slew of old firearms, but I don't purchase one unless I intend to shoot it every once in a while. If you look at all of the expensive estate pipes out there, people do smoke them, quite a bit in fact.

 

[bullet08]

I buy pipes to smoke. If I'm not going to smoke with it, I won't get it. Having said that my pipes are no where near US$500. Most expensive pipes I have are near US$300.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Expensive Pipes ~ Should I Smoke Them?

Yep



If you're not burning the rims of your other pipes, you've got nothing to worry about.

 

[burleyboy]

I have view pipes, and none of them is in the range of USD 500, but all of them are somehow expensive to me. Personally, I'd never buy a pipe with the intention of never smoking it. Also do I think, that a careful lighting will never damage a pipe's rim. Coloring can happen, though, due to tars and other residues, that settle on the rim, but those are cleanable.

Maybe this picture of Franco Coppo's (head of Castello) personal pipe collection will help you a little bit with your angst. Hint: Take a look at those rims!

 

[Chasing Embers]

Take a look at those rims!

I will never understand that. This is a pipe I've had since '92.

 

[stokesdale]

I will never understand that. This is a pipe I've had since '92.

View attachment 28213

I think it all depends on where you smoke and what you light it with. I use a zippo and often light up in windy conditions...all of my pipes have charred rims because of it.

 

[Chasing Embers]

I think it all depends on where you smoke and what you light it with. I use a zippo and often light up in windy conditions...all of my pipes have charred rims because of it.

When I smoke outside I face the wind, cup the bowl, and use a Zippo. No charring.

 

[burleyboy]

I will never understand that. This is a pipe I've had since '92.

Nice grain on that one!

I must admit, that I don't have the discipline to clean the rims after each smoke, so mine tend to look like Coppo's from time to time, but I bring them back to looking good regularly. But I appreciate smokers who have the discipline to not let a charring even build up!

 

[Chasing Embers]

But I appreciate smokers who have the discipline to not let a charring even build up!

Tar an nicotine are one thing, but once charring is when the briar is burned. There's not much else to do but sand it away but that reforms a pipe. Coppo's rims are definitely burned. Tar and nicotine build up can be wiped away.

 

[pianopuffer]

Of course you should smoke them, or send em to me and I'd be happy to do it for you...ha!

 

[PaulTheScandinavian]

One exclusive might be those unique and rare collector pieces from early 1900 which we are seeing represented at Our Forum member SableBrush collection, otherwise I don't see obsatcles of smoking even 1000 $ pipe

 

[mikethompson]

I'm not a rich man and it took a lot of saving and hard work to purchase my Dunhill Shell 5133 and Ser Jacopo Smeraldo Fiammata

You've just answered your own question in a way. You spent the money on the pipe, so you are the only one who can decide what to do with it. There are plenty of guys who buy a $500 pipe and stare at it, and plenty that buy a $500 and smoke it everyday. They are BOTH right in doing so.

 

[Chasing Embers]

One exclusive might be those unique and rare collector pieces from early 1900 which we are seeing represented at Our Forum member SableBrush collection, otherwise I don't see obsatcles of smoking even 1000 $ pipe

From 1912 with an amber stem. Unsmoked until it got to me.

 

[burleyboy]

Tar an nicotine are one thing, but once charring is when the briar is burned. There's not much else to do but sand it away but that reforms a pipe. Coppo's rims are definitely burned. Tar and nicotine build up can be wiped away.

Yes, thanks for pointing that out. I wrongly used the term "charring". This did and (hopefully would) never happen to me due to careful lighting and packing. Though I can't tell from the picture, if those rims are charred or only dirty, but probably you're right!

 

[Chasing Embers]

Yes, thanks for pointing that out. I wrongly used the term "charring". This did and (hopefully would) never happen to me due to careful lighting and packing. Though I can't tell from the picture, if those rims are charred or only dirty, but probably you're right!

Some are, some aren't, but this poor fellow.

 

[PaulTheScandinavian]

From 1912 with an amber stem. Unsmoked until it got to me.

View attachment 28216

Whatta beauty !

 

[briarbuck]

If you intend to re-sell the pipe for profit, probably not. But other than that I'd fire it up.

 

[Tommy Boy]

When I smoke outside I face the wind, cup the bowl, and use a Zippo. No charring.

I also wet my finger (with spit) and rub it on the rim beforehand. Seems to help keep everything clean and nice looking and deffinatly no charing.

 

[philobeddoe]

Burleyboy, you scrimped and saved to be able to purchase those lovely pipes, I assume that the intention was to enjoy them. I understand your reticence to light them, kind of like fretting about the first little scratch on a new car. However, once you do find that little scratch, it actually comes as a relief. I’ll bet that once you put that first tiny little tooth scratch on the stem, you’ll have much less concern about smoking those pipes. Make those pipes yours!