I've been considering buying an Estate pipe or 2, but I've heard a few stories of them breaking easily. Do briar pipes that have been abandoned for too long get dry and brittle? Is briar fragile by nature? Is it a question of briar quality?
Fragile Briar Pipes
- Thread starter dottiewarden
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I'd say it's more about how it was used by the prior owner than the pipe itself. On the other hand, am old unused pipe can be fragile especially when trying to remove a stem that has seated itself over time. The briar should be fine unless maltreated.
I suspect tobacco pipes are somewhat like furniture. Some of them deteriorate with time, but many are built
strong and stay durable. If a pipe is 30 years old and still solid, I doubt much is going to go bad. Any pipe
can be damaged, but most will last if not abused.
strong and stay durable. If a pipe is 30 years old and still solid, I doubt much is going to go bad. Any pipe
can be damaged, but most will last if not abused.
I've got over sixty estate pipes in my collection now and I've only broken two of them during the "restoration" process. Both times I was just using too much force due to a lack of patience. One I cracked the bowl by too zealously reaming. The other I shattered the stem trying to twist it loose. I still smoke both of them after repairs were made but I'll never sell them. My failures become a part of me =)
The lesson I've learned is that if I'm trying too hard I'm doing it wrong. Working with estate pipes takes time and patience. That's ok because because I love doing it.
The lesson I've learned is that if I'm trying too hard I'm doing it wrong. Working with estate pipes takes time and patience. That's ok because because I love doing it.
I guess I was just being to rough when I snapped the Breeden's I picked up for 2 dollars at a flea market.
Thanks for the info guys.
Thanks for the info guys.
Dot:
I've never bought an estate that required any kind of cleaning or "restoration," so I was baffled by your initial question. Briar is a very hard wood -- remember, we are burning things in something made out of wood! -- and I couldn't imagine why you would think an estate pipe (which could be less than a year old) would be any more "fragile" than a brand-new one.
Forego the "project" pipes. Pick up an estate from someone like SmokingPipes.com, and you'll get a pipe that's ready to smoke straight out of the mailbox. But, then, my hobby is pipe smoking, not pipe repair.
Bob
I've never bought an estate that required any kind of cleaning or "restoration," so I was baffled by your initial question. Briar is a very hard wood -- remember, we are burning things in something made out of wood! -- and I couldn't imagine why you would think an estate pipe (which could be less than a year old) would be any more "fragile" than a brand-new one.
Forego the "project" pipes. Pick up an estate from someone like SmokingPipes.com, and you'll get a pipe that's ready to smoke straight out of the mailbox. But, then, my hobby is pipe smoking, not pipe repair.
Bob
I have a modest collection of pipes, but the majority of them are estates. I rarely buy new ones since estates can be such a great deal. I've purchased about 20 estate pipes in the past two years, and have had only one have an issue. I broke a brittle stem off in the shank of a pipe. To be fair, the stem was firmly stuck, and despite trying some methods to loosen it, I applied too much force and snapped it off. So 1/20 or 5% of the estate pipes I've gotten have had age related issues even though that 5% was more human error rather than the pipe itself.
Exactly, chalk it up to a learning experience and be glad it wasn't a brand new pipe. There's people who do pipe repairs for a reason, that being pipe's break. I've had a few shanks snap but that was from applying too much force trying to take out the stem. I just broke the mouth piece on another estate pipe that dropped out of my mouth trying to yell at my gf while smoking. I'm glad I didn't spend more than 12$ on any of them and that I can just buy more estates as it's cheaper to buy a new estate for me than send one away for repairs.
Well quality can be an issue, but the briar on a new pipe is going to be the same quality on an estate pipe if it's good quality briar. There is definitely different qualities or grades of briar, which usually will determine the price of the new pipe, you'll just get the estate pipe at a fraction of the cost.
I've always enjoyed doing things with my hands. I'm a musician, model builder and pharmacy technician. So repairing old pipes is something I'm geared for. I also have an interest in history and the pipe hobby feeds that as well.
Smoking pipes is also great as is the "science" of tobacco enjoyment, but when I add it all up the actual pipe restoration and collecting is two-thirds of my enjoyment of the hobby.
Smoking pipes is also great as is the "science" of tobacco enjoyment, but when I add it all up the actual pipe restoration and collecting is two-thirds of my enjoyment of the hobby.
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