All I own are estate pipes from good ebay sellers (99%+ feedback), $10 - 50 range. Stanwell, Wally Frank, Fjord, Peterson, IRC, Sasieni, Navigator. All great pipes @ great prices, small - large. 1st was a hefty Fjord rusicated freehand. Many overpriced damaged pipes on there too... I google the make & model too & am still learning lots about quality mfrs' seconds lines new & old. Awseome hobby in itself is the research. I pay really close attention to the pics & zoom in too. Great luck so far & yeah the history is a plus for me to. Have fun!
How Did You Choose Your Pipe?
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Looks.
Brand. (In regards to reputation not cost)
Cost/Need.
Feeling. (I know I'll get grief for it but sometimes things just resonate with me. I have a once abused Weber I found in the trash. Literally in the dumpster at the apartment I lived at back in the day. I just knew...KNEW. ..this pipe was a good pipe. That was at least 12 years ago and I didn't even smoke a pipe back them. I grabbed it and held onto it. Eight months ago when I got started smoking a pipe, I refurbished that Weber and it's a great smoker. It's just got this aura around it.)
Maybe that's why I like estates so much. You can get a feel for it and where it's been.
Brand. (In regards to reputation not cost)
Cost/Need.
Feeling. (I know I'll get grief for it but sometimes things just resonate with me. I have a once abused Weber I found in the trash. Literally in the dumpster at the apartment I lived at back in the day. I just knew...KNEW. ..this pipe was a good pipe. That was at least 12 years ago and I didn't even smoke a pipe back them. I grabbed it and held onto it. Eight months ago when I got started smoking a pipe, I refurbished that Weber and it's a great smoker. It's just got this aura around it.)
Maybe that's why I like estates so much. You can get a feel for it and where it's been.
For me, it tends to be shape first -- I mostly favor the traditional English shapes -- followed by brand. I tend to be very brand-loyal and, out of about 42 pipes now, I only have six one-off pipes (three no-names, one Stanwell, one Savinelli, one Kai Nielsen). All of the rest are multiples of various brands (Charatan, Dunhill, Radice, Castello, Caminetto, Ascorti, Comoy, GBD, and Peterson).
I only recently came back to the pipe.
I only smoked cobs to this point. But, I decided to buy a briar. I never owned a bent, but recently added two bent cobs to my small rotation. They seemed more comfortable to hold in my teeth. So, I decided to order an unsmoked Calabrest smooth bent billiard from one of the sponsors here. The other reasons for my choice are that it's light at 1.3 ounces, short at just under five inches, and has a fair sized bowl. I assume that if I get it and there are any drill problems, the vendor will make it right.
Just ordered this morning, as a matter of fact.
I only smoked cobs to this point. But, I decided to buy a briar. I never owned a bent, but recently added two bent cobs to my small rotation. They seemed more comfortable to hold in my teeth. So, I decided to order an unsmoked Calabrest smooth bent billiard from one of the sponsors here. The other reasons for my choice are that it's light at 1.3 ounces, short at just under five inches, and has a fair sized bowl. I assume that if I get it and there are any drill problems, the vendor will make it right.
Just ordered this morning, as a matter of fact.
I got my first pipe almost as a dare. We were in line to buy a carton thru the drive up and my husband made a comment about how cheap pipe tobacco was. I wanted to get a pipe then because the tobacco came in different flavors but he talked me out of it and we got the carton. Two weeks later he makes the same comment as we are waiting. We get to the window and I ask to see the pipes. The lady hands one thru and says how she never sells any because no one wants to spend that much. I ask to see any others and she hands the whole box out. Off to the side was a beautiful rough red and black one and I fell in love. It fit perfectly in my hand and was light weight. That was the one for me! I got it and a pouch of amaretto for just over the price of a carton. My poor husband didn't believe I'd actually do it. Now he loves it and always says how sexy it is and that it's way better than cig smoke.
I took it home and packed to the tightness of a cig and puffed away like a train. It stayed lit but I burned my mouth so badly a layer of skin peeled of the roof.But the flavor made a little pain worth it and icecream helped. It was so different from what I was used to. I went online and found here. Thanks to the people here I hardly ever burn anymore and all the helpful tips and tricks come in handy. The generosity here is great and I love you guys!
Anyway, I went back and bought all those little Sports and the box hangs on my wall to hold them. They were just happy to get rid of the lot and gave me a killer deal. I love them all, but my first is still my favorite.
I took it home and packed to the tightness of a cig and puffed away like a train. It stayed lit but I burned my mouth so badly a layer of skin peeled of the roof.But the flavor made a little pain worth it and icecream helped. It was so different from what I was used to. I went online and found here. Thanks to the people here I hardly ever burn anymore and all the helpful tips and tricks come in handy. The generosity here is great and I love you guys!
Anyway, I went back and bought all those little Sports and the box hangs on my wall to hold them. They were just happy to get rid of the lot and gave me a killer deal. I love them all, but my first is still my favorite.
My 2 experiences have been very Hayy Potter like, when he grabs the wand and a whirlwind of light surrounds you and there pages of books thrashing about.
My point is, the pipe chooses me.
There's nothing I look for expect a promise that it's a quality made pipe.
Other than that I can't help what I like and have no arbitrary guidelines for purchasing something that should be an immediate love at first site situation.
My point is, the pipe chooses me.
There's nothing I look for expect a promise that it's a quality made pipe.
Other than that I can't help what I like and have no arbitrary guidelines for purchasing something that should be an immediate love at first site situation.
I was at a cigar lounge when I saw a Ser Jacopo bull dog. I couldn't leave with out it. Since then I have only bought Italian hand crafted pipes. I now have 2 Ser Jacopo, 1 il Ceppo and 1 Mario Grandi. If it is not physically appealing I won't even bother finding out if it smokes well.
As already pointed out aesethics are propably the most importent for your new pipe. Second, determine if you want a straight, partially bent or a bent pipe. Third, determine the finish whether smooth, sandplast or rusticated.Finally, and the most important consideration is pipe engineering. To determine the engineering of your pipe stick a pipe fluffy cleaner into the pipe. It should be easily inserted to determine the size of the draft hole, next look at where the pipe cleaner is relative to the bottom of the bowl. It should be at the very bottom in the center of the bowl.
I would buy from a reputable shop so that you can conduct your tests and see the pipes. You may want to concentrate on Petersons, Radices or Stanwells if they have these last two brands. Sandplasts will be cheaper and will not affect the smoking quality of your new pipe. Good luck.
I would buy from a reputable shop so that you can conduct your tests and see the pipes. You may want to concentrate on Petersons, Radices or Stanwells if they have these last two brands. Sandplasts will be cheaper and will not affect the smoking quality of your new pipe. Good luck.
My first pipe I bought because I liked the look of it, I had no idea if it was going to be a good smoker and was pleased to find out that it was. My first was a Savinelli Linea Piu 5 that I still smoke on occasion. I now buy pipes based on the maker, the shape,stem design, the size and weight. I have learned over the years what I like in a pipe and what makes a good smoker to me. I am brand loyal so when I find something I like, I buy a lot of those. I currently have 13 Rad Davis pipes in the collection with 3 more being made for me. To my tastes, no one makes a better pipe. I have 2 Brian Ruthenbergs, a Bruce Weaver a Mike Butera, a Jody Davis, a Scott Thile, a Steve Morrissete and a Castello that I rank almost as high as my Rads. I have found that I enjoy artisan made pipes the most with the exception of my one Castello which in my opinion are the best smoking factory pipes.
I have been at the pipe buying game for a number of years and my tastes have changed dramatically in that time, what I used to buy back in 2000 I would never consider owning today. Pipes are a very personal thing and almost everyone I know has had their tastes change over the years, it is just the nature of the PAD beast I guess.
I have been at the pipe buying game for a number of years and my tastes have changed dramatically in that time, what I used to buy back in 2000 I would never consider owning today. Pipes are a very personal thing and almost everyone I know has had their tastes change over the years, it is just the nature of the PAD beast I guess.
I look for good deals in clean estate pipes from reputable sellers, where I know the pipe will come clean and in good shape. This is mostly due to having a finite budget but also because I believe the quality has dipped among the big name non-artisan makers. So far nothing but positive experiences. I prefer smoking a pipe that was made in the country of claimed origin by a craftsman. And I prefer a pipe that is already broken in.
For years I had been smoking either standard, medium-priced briars or MM cobs, but after having 'discovered' the Falcon, I've been attracted to metal-framed pipes. I find them most interesting, and I like the way several of them smoke much more than the briars and cobs. Of the 30 or so metals I now have, 10 of them provide really excellent smokes and the rest good to very good smokes. And although I am always on the lookout for the metal types I don't yet have, I will only purchase those that have been recommended as 'good smokers.'
I'm not so much concerned about the maker as I am just the look of the pipe. The pipe has to speak to me. Whether it's rusticated, sandblasted or smooth doesn't really matter as long as I'm keen on the appearance. After that comes the consideration of the maker.
Do what Lawrence says above. Also, before you shop for a pipe make a few decisions. Smooth, blasted or rustic? What bowl size? How long a stem? Straight or bent? What price range? What stain?
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