Former Pipes

[Old_Newby]

I recently watched Shane Ireland on Tasting Notes doing a review on HU Dark Moor. The thing I really liked was his pipe. He said it was a Former.

I then watched a video on a Former pipe being made. Very precise woodwork and hand made stems, but he pretty much made the pipe in a few hours. Let’s say 8 hours total time start to finish. The man making it had forearms like Popeye. You could tell he has used those muscles daily.

I went to search for Former pipes but holy moly these pipes are expensive. He must be one of the top dogs in pipe making.

I just wanted to cry a bit that I guess I will never own a Former. Good for Former.

 

[wyfbane]

There exists a small group of carvers who command premium prices for their pipes. He is up there near the top. There are others above him, though.

Take comfort! If you really look at those pipes, they may be amazing, but there are many young artisans putting out pipes of nearly (or even the same) quality for a fraction of the price.

 

[jguss]

I just wanted to cry a bit that I guess I will never own a Former.

Why else did God give you two perfectly good kidneys? System redundancy is His way of saying "stop bitching and buy a damn Former if you want one".

 

[jaingorenard]

Why else did God give you two perfectly good kidneys? System redundancy is His way of saying "stop bitching and buy a damn Former if you want one".

As someone with significantly less money than sense, I wholeheartedly second this advice.

But always remember to get proper medical advice not from an online pipe forum, yadda yadda.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

One of my favorite pipemkers.
Yeh, I may not be able to afford the most expensive houses, nor cars.... but even the most expensive pipes are not so far out of range that I couldn't get one.

 

[Waning Embers]

I've got a few in that price range and you really aren't missing much with a pipe that's a fraction of the cost, Huge Stone and HS Studio pipes for example. That being said I prefer Latter pipes myself.

 

[woodsroad]

Here's a former pipe, now repurposed as a planter.​

 

[Waning Embers]

Here's a former pipe, now repurposed as a planter.​

Pipes do make excellent planters especially the sitters.

 

[Mike N]

Former pipes are great smokers and if and when you want to sell or trade it, they retain much of their value. It's like buying Corvette or Jaguar.

 

[Brad H]

Here's a former pipe, now repurposed as a planter.​

I assume it’s watered through the stem?

 

[Snook]

Beautiful pipes and no doubt worth the money. For me personally, though, those prices are well past the point of diminishing returns.

 

[dozicusmaximus]

Had to look them up. Holy crap...
I'm a hobbyist in music. Been in some bands, gigged a few times and like to make a racket. This is like a custom shop Gibson/Fender. No thanks I'll take a used Epihphone/Squier.

 

[Snook]

Had to look them up. Holy crap...
I'm a hobbyist in music. Been in some bands, gigged a few times and like to make a racket. This is like a custom shop Gibson/Fender. No thanks I'll take a used Epihphone/Squier.

Agreed. $1,000 is where it starts to become more about the name on the headstock and I ain't about that. I'll take the cheaper brands as well.

 

[huntertrw]

Are Former's latter pipes better than his former ones?

 

[Choatecav]

Agreed. $1,000 is where it starts to become more about the name on the headstock and I ain't about that. I'll take the cheaper brands as well.

I'm in agreement with you.

Could I afford one if I really, really wanted one? Yes.
But, I just don't think it would be that much different from other reasonably quality pipes.

My wife says that one of my great qualities and curses, is that I'm cheap.

 

[georged]

But, I just don't think it would be that much different from other reasonably quality pipes.

Three factors in play why any famous carver's pipes are spendy:

--- Extreme attention to detail. (With handmade objects, getting to 80% perfection requires X labor, getting to 90% requires 2X labor, getting to 95% requires 4X labor, getting to 97.5% requires 8X labor, etc.)

--- Shapes that are both distinctive and have broad appeal

--- Name recognition

 

[SSGT.]

I'm in agreement with you.

Could I afford one if I really, really wanted one? Yes.
But, I just don't think it would be that much different from other reasonably quality pipes.

My wife says that one of my great qualities and curses, is that I'm cheap.

We're in the same boat, I've been told by my wife and kids that I'm a skin flint and maybe I am, but after looking at the line of pipes he offers I just do not see $1,400 to $4,500 worth of pipe in any of them. But that's just one person's opinion.

 

[Ahi Ka]

I’ve always wanted one of his prince shaped pipes, but I can’t keep up with what they are now called