High-End Pipes - Do They Improve the Smoking Experience?

[HitchensDog]

People have already mentioned, but I'll say it again, estate pipes might be a good option for you. You really can get a nice artisan pipe if you keep your eye out and get a bargain too. That being said, my pipes now are all under $100. I reach for my Grabow's as much as any thing. I understand though, how a person would want an artisan pipe, the beautiful grain, etc. I can appreciate the artistic qualities and enjoy looking at them, but I really don't have a desire to own one at this point. I think the tobacco is more important to me these days and my inexpensive pipes work just fine for what I need them to do. My one(?) quirk with pipes is that they all have to be rusticated. I have no idea why that is. Except my meers and cobs of course. I have one lone Grabow with a smooth finish and it makes me uncomfortable seeing it all alone in its smoothness in my pipe rack. haha. I still love to smoke it though.

 

[sablebrush52]

Depends on how you define "high-end" I suppose.

I think up until $400/$500 there are fairly noticeable incremental improvements ($50 and below/ ~$120 / $275+): stem comfort being the most important personally. After that when you're in the $$$$ range, it gets a little bit silly with "name brand value" - your Eltangs, S Bangs, LE Dunhill probably aren't "worth" the $2000+ sticker prices. But that's all personal.

But if we're talking "the [entire] smoking experience" then I would say a $500 commission piece is 10x the smoking experience of a $150-$200 factory pipe. (Personal opinion, but I'll fight you to defend it! Haha)

Will your technique be better? Probably not. Will it keep the tobacco lit for the entire smoke? Probably no either. Will the tobacco taste better? Definitely no!

But I enjoy searching for unique pipemakers (both American and otherwise), I enjoy talking pipes so the commission procession is an extended period of joy for me. Then I get to practice my patience as I wait for it, sometimes a commission only takes a few weeks, other times it'll be months!

But to see something develop from an idea on a page to a reality in your hands is worth the premium in my opinion.

Here's two pipes Jeremiah in Melbourne is working on for me. He was supposed to be at the Pipe Show this year but we know how that went. I started a back-and-forth with Jeremiah to lament the cancelling of the show, then we started to discuss his signature "Gumnut" anse shape and that organically evolved into these two commissions.

1) Smooth "Gumnut" Eskimo

2) Sandblast Long Shank "Gumnut"

They should be almost done, now I just have to tolerate the shipping from Australia ?

They look like they need to be circumcised.?

 

[lukasstrifeson]

They look like they need to be circumcised.?

Definitely *very* phallic! ? ?

 

[rodo]

I just want to say, yes, yes high end pipes improve and increase the smoking experience. In fact, modern Medical Science Engineers have proven that pipes with unusual curves are better, particularly if they come from briar that has sat unsmoked since the late seventies and was shaped by pretentious English pipemakers. Thus the best, by far, smoking pipe, ever, in the history of humanity, would be the pipe pictured below. Interestingly enough, it also falls directly, according to the Society of Mathematical Processes, into the price point wherein one can feel emotionally good about the money spent while gaining maximum smoking performance. It's true, yes, for only si..sev...eight hundred dollars, you, too, could enjoy pipe smoking perfection. Science has spoken.

 

[jhowell]

[QUOTE="sablebrush52, post: 36188217, member: 8293"

On the other hand, if you're really into status symbols, smoking a $10,000 pipe might give you a woodie that a MM cob doesn't. Pleasure is very subjective.
[/QUOTE]

This...

 

[Chasing Embers]

Science has spoken.

Science also said my thyroid should have killed me at 25. I've lived 21 years past my expiration date. ?

 

[Bushido]

Buy it. If you are the type that really appreciates fine, artisan made things (craft beer, good wine, furniture, etc) then I think the romance/ magic of a high end pipe will definitely add to the experience. Especially if you save it for special days. You only live once, and if you find it doesn’t live up to the hype, you can sell it to get most of your investment back.

 

[newbroom]

the only high end pipe I have was a gift by the maker. he's been making pipes now for about 5 yrs and has steadily improved all aspects of his craft. in the beginning, he focused on the guts and rightly so. The pipe he made for me was made last yr or so and shows out to be a bowl that won't go out! I mean...it just seems to want to burn all its contents more often than most other pipes....and of course, the stem is very comfortable. that said...I do smoke mostly grabows and cobs. I've got 'high' end mass produced pipes like a Sav Autograph, a Dunhill Shell, or a Barling smooth 65, but I reach for the utilitarian work horses mostly.

 

[Jacob74]

I agree with @Bushido above, it's very similar to musical instruments or fine watches. If the quality, fit, and finish of the thing makes you feel more skilled, more creative, more appreciative of it's value...then it's worth it. There may be only a very small difference in the actual results, but that isn't what satisfaction is always all about.

 

[anotherbob]

Science also said my thyroid should have killed me at 25. I've lived 21 years past my expiration date. ?

but have you? Are you really sure you're not actually a litche or other magically based undead immortal? Though seriously there are always exceptions. I've seen x-rays of backs that should mean no walking on old farts that still dance. I bet you've gotten a number of long lived people in your family also medically known as hearty stock and your system is just handling it's own abuse well. Just a guess.

 

[anotherbob]

I agree with @Bushido above, it's very similar to musical instruments or fine watches. If the quality, fit, and finish of the thing makes you feel more skilled, more creative, more appreciative of it's value...then it's worth it. There may be only a very small difference in the actual results, but that isn't what satisfaction is always all about.

or in other words it's between you your wallet and the pipe if it's worth it or not. If it makes it better. I remember when I was more active with other musicians seeing people buy expensive instruments as a pathetic attempt to skip practicing. And yeah bottom end instruments are going to sound shitty no matter what or at least be very limiting (I still am trying to record a song on a kazoo that will be so sad it makes people cry, it's not easy trust me), but a higher end one will be more responsive in various ways but once you hit the middle all it's going to do is show how you play and nothing more.

 

[Chasing Embers]

I bet you've gotten a number of long lived people in your family

Sadly, no. The oldest was sixty-six.

 

[puff_not_snuff]

I have to say I find a lot of the higher end modern pipes to be rather ugly. Restraint often leads to more elegant results—just because something catches your eye necessarily mean you find it attractive.

 

[puff_not_snuff]

I just want to say, yes, yes high end pipes improve and increase the smoking experience. In fact, modern Medical Science Engineers have proven that pipes with unusual curves are better, particularly if they come from briar that has sat unsmoked since the late seventies and was shaped by pretentious English pipemakers. Thus the best, by far, smoking pipe, ever, in the history of humanity, would be the pipe pictured below. Interestingly enough, it also falls directly, according to the Society of Mathematical Processes, into the price point wherein one can feel emotionally good about the money spent while gaining maximum smoking performance. It's true, yes, for only si..sev...eight hundred dollars, you, too, could enjoy pipe smoking perfection. Science has spoken.
View attachment 41905

One has to ask themselves WWFMD (what would Foggy Mountain do)? I assume the answer would be to buy a Dunhill and if I had the coin to drop I would buy one or two.

 

[eugenepark]

One of my cheapest pipes has the best draw (MM Great Dane in wood), while one of my mid tier pipes (Big Ben Fantasia) is the most comfortable experience.

So I'm gonna say.. no.. the cost does not always improve every aspect of smoking.

 

[ArtAraya]

I agree with @Bushido above, it's very similar to musical instruments or fine watches. If the quality, fit, and finish of the thing makes you feel more skilled, more creative, more appreciative of it's value...then it's worth it. There may be only a very small difference in the actual results, but that isn't what satisfaction is always all about.

As a bassist, I can follow the musical instrument analogy. For me, a cheap instrument does not sound or feel good under the hands. My hands are the ones that really pick up on the difference. After playing for over 30 years, I can feel the higher-end instrument play like butter in my fretting hand (obviously it's a setup issue but I've found the higher end instruments take to a much lower action than cheap basses). Maybe it's like this for pipe smokers too? It just feels differently in the hand and mouth and draws just a little differently???

 

[ashdigger]

I definitely think my Alden’s smoke better than a cheap pipe, but I also know that drying, packing, lighting and cadence are what determine a dog shit smoker from an ace in the hole.

 

[anotherbob]

Sadly, no. The oldest was sixty-six.

well hope you beat the record by a hell of a lot.

 

[Chasing Embers]

well hope you beat the record by a hell of a lot.

God I hope not, already in early stages of decline. Arthritic hands, a knee replacement, and I've already lost an inch in height.

 

[edger]

High end pipes, as a rule, will generally smoke better then less expensive pipes, but that is not always the case. It depends on alot of things, but generally the drilling and quality of the briar used are the two most important things in my opinion. I don't have any high end pipes, so I'm speaking from the viewpoint of things I have read. I do have two Altinok meerschaum pipes that I consider somewhat high end, but to be honest I have a couple of cobs and a briar that I think smoke better. We have some pipe makers on the forum that hopefully will chime in with more expert advice. Take your time and do some good research then make your decision.

I endorse everything you say. I've been a pipe smoker since 1972 and tried almost every popular brand and they have been a hit-and- miss affair. While this may be heresy, I've found that my falcons are the most consistently good smokers. My theory is that the good quality but small briar ebauchons are available to falcon. Any thoughts?