Expensive Pipes

[atskywalker]

Being new to all this I cannot seem to stop wondering about all the very expensive pipes that are shown on smokingpipes.com. Is this primarily the price of the art/craftsmanship or do they somehow perform "better"? What would be the average price of a top performing pipe?

 

[warren]

"Expensive" is a relative term. What do you consider expensive? Over $500.00? A thousand?

 

[jimbo69]

It's a hot-button topic that pops up from time to time.
In fear of being burned at the stake by the Dunhill/Flavor-of-the-month-$500 pipe crowd, generally if it passes a pipe cleaner through the stem to the bowl easily it is a good smoker. (I do have some rather expensive Meers and briar, and quite a few basket ones and cobs/clays, for full disclosure).
What pipe is better? I really can't form an opinion on that. It is all shape, bowl size and ascetic/artistic preferences. That is my humble opinion.
The tobacco should be the star, not the smoking vessel.

 

[igloo]

There are some who believe that the more you pay the better the smoke . Once a pipe goes over the 300 dollar mark it should be made of the finest briar and have a hand cut stem . I like old estates that are light weight for their size . If you are new to all this ,set a budget and go to pipe shop and pick one that calls to you . Or call smokingpipes.com and tell them your budget and let them pick . If you like the pipe to begin with it is going to smoke better at least in your mind .

 

[frozenchurchwarden]

It's mostly supply and demand. The qualities you pay for are mostly aesthetic, my $200+ pipes did not smoke better.

 

[sablebrush52]

Will an expensive pipes smoke better than one of modest price? Not necessarily. Then, are you paying for? Hand craft, a more comfortable bit, beautiful grain, a unique shape, a unique finish, better fit and finish, higher quality materials such as better quality vulcanite or better quality briar, perhaps a longer working life. A machine made pipe will smoke as well as a handmade pipe. It will cost less. But it may not please some as much for aesthetic reasons.

Some pipes command very high prices because of their rarity. Others command high prices because of their beauty. But, they may not smoke noticeably better than their more humble brethren.

 

[menuhin]

Being new to all this ... do they somehow perform "better"? ... a top performing pipe?

Hi atskywalker,
I would also add that these 'top performing' pipes tend to find their ways to the hands of pipe smokers in all range of price, after pipe smokers have acquired deeper and deeper understanding of what 'top performance' is. I would day pipes are like cars can have minor engineering problems but with possibly infinite mileage if one maintains them well, and because pipe smoking is not a race, all vintage cars and new cars can potentially drive beautifully.

 

[bigpond]

What you're paying for is aesthetics, quality control and customization if you have a pipe made to order. Aesthetics are personal, so QC becomes the biggest aspect separating a hand made pipe and a factory pipe. You can usually be assured that the briar is of good quality, the airway is well designed and the bit will be comfortable when buying a hand made pipe. In my experience, the mouthpiece is the usually the largest difference between a hand made vs a factory pipe.
On the other hand, not all pipe makers are created equal and a lot of the high dollar stuff imo is focused on aesthetics first and smoking quality second. Imo, Rad Davis is the benchmark for a quality pipe and is my personal yard stick when I measure quality vs cost. Briar has a bad habit of hiding it's secrets and even the best pipe makers occasionally miss a bad block leading to a poor quality pipe. There are no guarantees with pipes and the only way to tell is to smoke them.
Who wants to sign up for "professional pipe smoker"?
Anyway, for me, I'll buy an artisan pipe when I find one that I can't live without (surprisingly often). Otherwise, I'll buy a Savinelli when I need pipe I can be reasonably confident will be made well and smoke well.
Edit: re price

About $100 will get you a decent factory pipe.

About $400 will get you a Rad Davis (or equiv artist pipe)

Much more and you're paying for aesthetics, not craftsmanship or materials.
Statement of personal bias: what's up with new carvers charging 700 bux for a crappy blowfish with an inch thick bit?

 

[brass]

Of course, you can get cobs for less than $10 that will smoke as good as a $300 pipe.
In briars, you can very good Savinellis or Stanwells for around $100 or even less.
I recently purchased a Stanwell poker for $50 that smokes as good as any thing I own, is relatively light, and has good bowl capacity. The Stanwell Brushed Black and Brushed Browns look good - although estetcis are in the eye of the beholder - and come in dozens of shapes. It may be the best value pipe on the market. And this is coming from a Savinelli man.

 

[freakiefrog]

The price is the last thing on my check list.

• Is it a shape I like or don't have?[/*]
  
• Is it a finish I like or don't have?[/*]
  
• Is it a maker I've been wanting to get?[/*]
  
• Does the grain appeal to me?[/*]
  
• How heavy or light is it in my mouth?[/*]
  
• Will it pass a cleaner?[/*]
  
• How much is it?[/*]
  

 

[newbroom]

I think anybody who makes something should charge whatever he wants for it.

I don't think Nestles and others should own the world's water supplies.

I don't think Monsanto and the like should control the world's agriculture.

I wonder how much quality briar still remains?

 

[dread]

This debate has been going on so long that there are entire book chapters devoted to it. Bottom line take away, do what you want, smoke what makes you happy.

 

[beastkhk]

I find I can better gauge the value of something not by questioning how much I want it, or how much is it worth to me, but instead asking myself how much would someone pay me if I had to turn around and sell it tomorrow.
Reality is the aggregate collection of individual perspectives, while you feel that a pipe might be worth $1000 and your perspective is important(it is part of that aggregate collection); if the market will only give you $500 the next day, the pipe is only worth $500.
Again, everyone is entitled to their perspective. If you want to believe really hard that the world is flat that is fine by me, just know that you will probably encounter some resistance to your opinion.

 

[mso489]

Many expensive pipes really are beautifully crafted, as they should be for the money, and some of the hand-carved pipes are works of art in their own right. Whether you are shopping in the hundreds of dollars, or even thousands of dollars level, or if you are shopping at the thirty to fifty dollar range, working at surveying all of the pipes at that level and learning as much as possible about the maker and the various series or kinds of pipes made pays off. If you pay hundreds for a pipe, you should get at least a satisfactory smoker, maybe a great one. If you pay fifty (or seventy, eighty, ninety) then shopping and researching will sort out the so-so or problem pipes from the choice ones. The price doesn't dictate the smoking qualities. Finally, I don't think you can discount the pride that many take in owning fine pipes, as much for the pleasure in ownership as in smoking them. Devoted Dunhill smokers or smokers of fine artisanal pipes revel in owning precious items as much as in smoking them. On the other hand, folks with carefully selected moderately priced pipes that have been well broken in and maintained enjoy their tobacco just as much, I believe.

 

[jackswilling]

I agree with Brass. After getting my first Stanwell, I am getting more as it flat-out smokes real good. If you have the $$$, why not spend a bundle on a high-end pipe. There are two Castellos I want, but they are $700 and $1000 respectively. My pipe budget is not there yet.

 

[warren]

If your only concern is how well a pipe smokes, you can spend very little and still enjoy a satisfactory smoking experience.
I'm still not sure what is considered "expensive", for this discussion, my guess is, if it stretches your budget, it would be deemed expensive. I would have no trouble purchasing a pipe which meets my criteria and paying for such fillips as a gold or silver band or exquisite carving if addressing a meerschaum. But, now we are beyond how well it smokes, a comfortable feel and eye appeal are certainly part and parcel of the overall smoking experience. Heck, some even take enjoyment from the fact that they are enjoying a pipe that few others can due to price. I suppose that "elitism" is also part and parcel of the enjoyment of a bowlful of tobacco.
So, for me, even if a pipe delivers a smooth, flavor filled smoke, there are evenings when the "perfect smoke" can only come from one of my "beauties" as opposed to one of my less expensive briars or meers. I guess it all depends on what I am looking for at that particular time.

 

[cigrmaster]

Bang for the buck in my opinion is Rad Davis no one gives a better value than Rad.

 

[brass]

After some reflection, I've refined my thoughts, somewhat.
If it is just performance, and your motive is utilitarian, then a $50 Stanwell or Savinelli or a cob is all you need. Spend the rest of your money on great tobaccos. Your smokes will taste as good as if it were from a $1000 pipe and my suggestion is not facetious. A lot of smokers put there money in their cellars rather than their pipe racks.
As a matter of fact, for me, the smoke from a $1000 pipe would taste bitter, because I would know that such a purchase for me, at this time, would be irresponsible and immature. That kind of money could be better used elsewhere - if not by me or my wife, by close family and friends.
Having said that, I own some Japanese wood block prints that are worth hundreds to thousands of dollars. I purchased them because of their intrinsic artistic beauty. Not because they were a good investment. Not because of the quality of engineering or craftsmanship. Just because they were so beautiful, I was willing to pay the asking price.
I have some handsome Savinellis and Stanwells. But they don't raise to art, as do those I've seen by Anne Julie, Rad Davis, J.Davis. Stephen Downie, etc.
So, I look at pipes over $100 as art pieces. Like art, I can't afford many, if any of the classics, whether a Rembrandt or a Picasso. But there are thousands of lesser known artists that are affordable and create worthwhile pieces.
So, I have utilitarian pipes for the most part, albeit good values. I do have some classic tobaccos in the cellar. But I will no begin looking for that affordable but beautiful pipe that rises to an art piece.
I am now officially beginning the quest.

 

[cigrmaster]

Brass, I do not look at Rad's pipes as art at all. To me they are the best smoking pipes period. I have smoked 1500.00 plus pipes that cannot hold a candle to how Rad's pipes smoke so for me it is all about the smoking experience I get from a Rad. I have owned tons of pipes that were much less than a Rad, but not a one smoked anywhere as good as a Rad. I have bought 2 Rad estate pipes that I really did not like the looks of but bought them anyway because I knew how good they would smoke. For me it is all about smoking properties and I have not found any maker who makes a better smoker than Rad. Now I do own plenty of pipes that smoke as good as a Rad, but none better. All of the ones that are as good are also No American artisan pipes.

 

[stvalentine]

One of my best smoking pipes is a $7.00 estate. My Missouri Meerschaum corn cobs are in a heavy rotation as they are expendable and stellar smokers. That being said I tend to more expensive pipes like Dunhills or the Italians lately. Is it because those precious pieces of art are better smokers than my cheapo estates? No, I do that simply because they are what they are: Precious pieces of art!