Has Forums Gone Budget On Pipes?

[sablebrush52]

Just for fun I'm going to take a controversial position here. While I don't believe that the bargain basement mentality has taken over here, there's absolutely nothing wrong with harboring some of that. The richest people I know are very very conscious about money and will happily hit the bargain and remainder counters at Target, CostCo, outlet stores, etc. They didn't become wealthy by being stoopid with money.

On the other hand, that wealth also allows them to consider walking into a high end leather goods store and buying a $50,000 briefcase or a $40,000 purse without batting an eye. It's just that they're not likely to do something that unless there's an element of business investment and profit potential in that otherwise stupid purchase, at least if they actually worked hard to earn that fortune.

It comes down to what something is worth spending money on for the individual, and that that calculus will vary. My definition of dumbass will be someone else's version of orgasmic.

If someone's joy is to pay a high 3 or low 4 figures to buy a pipe that's shaped like thalidomide baby sex or ball sack fungus who am I, or anyone else, to take away their joy by saying that? I could wish that they had more sense than to display the unfortunate object of their desire, but that's not for me to say.

I may not feel like celebrating the aforementioned object, any more than celebrating or shaming someone whose idea of a pipe is a substance whose highest and best use was to wipe butts in outhouses all across the nation prior to the invention of toilet paper.

And if someone is happy with their $50 bubble pipe, well and good.

For the most part, I don't care what others think, and they shouldn't care what I think. They'll be wrong to do that, but still...

And if some troglodyte foists his unbidden opinions on your festivities, feel free to put out a contract on him, or ignore him like the fecal matter he is at that moment.

I like the pipes I have. Hopefully you like the pipes you have. Other than that, what more, really, what more, do you need from this?

Still, the desire to share and to celebrate runs deep, so share and celebrate with no fears. Whatever anyone else thinks, assuming they're even remotely sentient, just doesn't matter.

 

[sablebrush52]

Put up a nice Dunhill and see what happens. I guarantee at least 1 "dig" within the first 5 responses, Often from the same person.

Dunhill is a special case. So many people here used to be more than a little obnoxious in their deification of the brand. That hasn't been the case for a while, as most of them have mercifully moved on. However, the echoes linger on...

 

[warren]

Still, the desire to share and to celebrate runs deep, so share and celebrate with no fears.

I suppose, in a tribal way, that's precise thinking. I agree.

 

[Paul lec]

I greatly admire the rare and expensive pipes posted, keep it up. But I identify with the bargain basement ones. Both a pleasure.

 

[telescopes]

Put up a nice Dunhill and see what happens. I guarantee at least 1 "dig" within the first 5 responses, Often from the same person.

And we all know who that is…

 

[runscott]

Put up a nice Dunhill and see what happens. I guarantee at least 1 "dig" within the first 5 responses, Often from the same person.

I've posted a few Dunhills here and haven't noticed any digs. And I don't have anyone on 'ignore'

I look at most factory pipes as having 'eras' of collectibility, and we can each choose the periods that interest us. I think most of my choices are defensible;e.g-taking a shot at pre-1970 Dunhills would be wasted effort. Attack the post-1970 ones to your heart's content.

 

[sandollars]

I've posted a few Dunhills here and haven't noticed any digs. And I don't have anyone on 'ignore'

I look at most factory pipes as having 'eras' of collectibility, and we can each choose the periods that interest us. I think most of my choices are defensible;e.g-taking a shot at pre-1970 Dunhills would be wasted effort. Attack the post-1970 ones to your heart's content.

And there it is…. LOL.

 

[sandollars]

BTW, I have a 1973 Root Briar Dead Root *** that looks drop dead gorgeous and smokes as good as any Chonowitsch I own. Do you think I have shown it on this forum? I love Dunhills in general and own several. From 1923 to 2018 and all of them smoke great. One may debate the price vs. value but explain why Chonowitsch pipes are $3,000 plus? That could also be debated and many others.

 

[runscott]

BTW, I have a 1973 Root Briar Dead Root *** that looks drop dead gorgeous and smokes as good as any Chonowitsch I own. Do you think I have shown it on this forum? I love Dunhills in general and own several. From 1923 to 2018 and all of them smoke great. One may debate the price vs. value but explain why Chonowitsch pipes are $3,000 plus? That could also be debated and many others.

That's good to hear. I have only handled two post-1970 Dunhills: a 1978 unsmoked 120 which looked great, but I never smoked, and a 1986 smooth briar that I haven't even cleaned up. I have some really abused 1930's and 1940's Dunhills, some with thin over-reamed walls, and they all smoke wonderfully.

I think, to some extent, Dunhill might have been like Cross pens and high-end Stetsons - people gave them as gifts to men who sometimes had no desire to use them, so they survived in great condition.

 

[sablebrush52]

BTW, I have a 1973 Root Briar Dead Root *** that looks drop dead gorgeous and smokes as good as any Chonowitsch I own. Do you think I have shown it on this forum? I love Dunhills in general and own several. From 1923 to 2018 and all of them smoke great. One may debate the price vs. value but explain why Chonowitsch pipes are $3,000 plus? That could also be debated and many others.

They're worth that much because people will pay that much. Even in the arcane world of pipes, marketing matters. Get a generally self professed expert to write about your work and collector interest grows.

Chonowitsch is one of many examples. Clearly he makes a good pipe and he has a personal style that sells. A couple of years back he was part of a conversation regarding briar quality I was having with a carver who knew briar better than anyone and Chonowitsch came up as an example of someone whose briar has slipped in quality with no resulting loss of prestige and he pointed to earlier examples vs later explaining the graining and grading it represented and how it's gone down At some level we're all buying names as assurances.

For you it's Dunhill and Chonowitsch etc, for me it's Barling, Von Erck, Piersel, etc. Tomayto, tomahto.

 

[pauls456]

Jess' pipes are often understated in appearance. The differences are subtle, but are easier to appreciate in the handling and the using. Nobody makes a pipe like him. Proportions, finish, stain, stemwork... Not everyone can or wants to appreciate the particular virtues of his pipes.
Regarding the quality of his briar, I assume that means the visuals (grain). In general he chooses a shape first, and then finds the best piece of briar that he has to match that shape. Correct proportion is the main feature of his pipes. It is a rare event to find grain that perfectly perfectly matches a predetermined shape.

 

[sablebrush52]

Jess' pipes are often understated in appearance. The differences are subtle, but are easier to appreciate in the handling and the using. Nobody makes a pipe like him. Proportions, finish, stain, stemwork... Not everyone can or wants to appreciate the particular virtues of his pipes.
Regarding the quality of his briar, I assume that means the visuals (grain). In general he chooses a shape first, and then finds the best piece of briar that he has to match that shape. Correct proportion is the main feature of his pipes. It is a rare event to find grain that perfectly perfectly matches a predetermined shape.

The discussion was about grain, in particular, the consistency and density of the pattern and how that relates to grading. Personally, I have no dog in this fight. I like what I have and that's good enough for me.

 

[username]

You don't have to be wealthy to buy a $500 pipe. I had my first Becker on layaway for five months before I paid it off and took it home.

Exactly I spent months saving my spare money and selling off my cheaper pipes on the eBay to buy my most expensive pipe a Scottie Piersel sandblasted Pencil shanked billiard. I love it however I know dropping that kind of coin on a pipe is not for everyone and to some will scoff and say 500 is a cheap pipe. I tend to smoke my akb meer the most and that was only a little over 100 bucks. I just tend not to show it off that much as to me it’s just a tool to enjoy tobacco. I just got to the point where I wanted one really nice high grade pipe instead of half a dozen or so cheaper ones

 

[coming to_falling too]

Exactly I spent months saving my spare money and selling off my cheaper pipes on the eBay to buy my most expensive pipe a Scottie Piersel sandblasted Pencil shanked billiard. I love it however I know dropping that kind of coin on a pipe is not for everyone and to some will scoff and say 500 is a cheap pipe. I tend to smoke my akb meer the most and that was only a little over 100 bucks. I just tend not to show it off that much as to me it’s just a tool to enjoy tobacco. I just got to the point where I wanted one really nice high grade pipe instead of half a dozen or so cheaper ones View attachment 147334

Nice pipe, and a good blend to go in it. What could be better?

 

[runscott]

Exactly I spent months saving my spare money and selling off my cheaper pipes on the eBay to buy my most expensive pipe a Scottie Piersel sandblasted Pencil shanked billiard. I love it however I know dropping that kind of coin on a pipe is not for everyone and to some will scoff and say 500 is a cheap pipe.

No one will say that. $500 is not a cheap pipe, no matter how anyone looks at it.

 

[sablebrush52]

Exactly I spent months saving my spare money and selling off my cheaper pipes on the eBay to buy my most expensive pipe a Scottie Piersel sandblasted Pencil shanked billiard. I love it however I know dropping that kind of coin on a pipe is not for everyone and to some will scoff and say 500 is a cheap pipe. I tend to smoke my akb meer the most and that was only a little over 100 bucks. I just tend not to show it off that much as to me it’s just a tool to enjoy tobacco. I just got to the point where I wanted one really nice high grade pipe instead of half a dozen or so cheaper ones View attachment 147334

Speaking as a Piersel fan, this was a totally righteous move.

 

[Papamique]

Exactly I spent months saving my spare money and selling off my cheaper pipes on the eBay to buy my most expensive pipe a Scottie Piersel sandblasted Pencil shanked billiard. I love it however I know dropping that kind of coin on a pipe is not for everyone and to some will scoff and say 500 is a cheap pipe. I tend to smoke my akb meer the most and that was only a little over 100 bucks. I just tend not to show it off that much as to me it’s just a tool to enjoy tobacco. I just got to the point where I wanted one really nice high grade pipe instead of half a dozen or so cheaper ones View attachment 147334

Wow! That is one special and beautiful pipe! I would be proud to own and smoke it.

 

[AJL67]

I’ve seen a few other forums that there is a lot of negative comments toward people for posting things as simple as Christmas Cheer or discontinued brands not just highly collectible or desirable pipes.

To me everything is relative, i found a couple nice (one beautiful) birth year Dunhills from 67, while i am by no means wealthy to me the price was reasonable for what it was and compared to what i have paid for some consumables such as vintage cigars the price was a no brainer.

Having been in the cigar world so long i have very thick skin and in my circles the saying is “if someone takes time out of their busy day to give you shit that means they care, it’s when they don’t give you shit you should worry” but that doesn’t mean I’m going to post a nice pipe on some site line reddit for the trolls to try and make themselves feel better. It happens everywhere but seems that at least here it’s less often and there is much more patience and helpful information.

Totally forgot where i was going with this… and dagblamit my pipe went out. Carry on.

edit: wait that was it, there seems to be a great mix of people here and they don’t look down on you if you aren’t smoking a $1000 pipe and they don’t look down on you if you are smoking a $1000 pipe. Back to cigar brothers, im the poor one of our group and I’m always welcome and included in every even even if my hali doesn’t have $20k in cigars stuffed in it. It’s about the friendships, the cigars are just a common enjoyment that brought us together but it’s second to the friendships you develop.

 

[Jack the ripper]

I don't show off acquisitions as there is no point in it, that I can see. Further, why in the world would anyone have an interest in what I spend on a pipe. So, unless one is touting a maker or simply showing off an acquisition why post pictures of such. Now, photos of possible defects/repairs or for help in identifying, that I understand.

Then there are the envious/jealous members who must iterate and then, reiterate their opinion that moneys are wasted on "high end" pipes. A position of pure "tommy rot". It's akin to asking what the members think of a purchase and then taking umbrage when someone writes, "It's ugly." Why ask if you don't want the unvarnished opinion.

Others opinions simply do not matter to me. For, the life of me I can't fathom why others would care what I buy or smoke. I select a purchase on criteria I've often posted and what others think is not not one of them.

Well said and I agree

 

[Jack the ripper]

Spend what you are able to, and be happy with your possessions. Begrudge nary a soul for doing the best they can.