How do You Know it's a Quality Pipe ?
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Smoking the pipe aside (which really is the best way to know if it is any good)because you can't when buying on line, you have to take into some consideration brand. reputation and reviews. That can get you an inkling so to speak about what it is you are potentially getting. What else do you have to go by when it it is not in your hands? This is not bullet proof however. You can still wind up with a clunker. I did with a brand name that was a mess and sent back. When at a B&M, I actually bring a pipe cleaner or two with me. If I see something I am interested in, I will try and run a cleaner through it. That tells me a bit about the drilling. I will also take the stem off and look at the draft hole and alignment. Also how does the stem come off? Too hard too loose...etc. These are for me some of the the things I look at pre-smoke. I don't have near the experience a lot of the guys on here have and they are much better to provide guidance and tips on what to really look for.
But ultimately, how does it smoke? I have a $25.00 basket briar that I would put up against any of my Petersons, Savinelli's, Stanwells etc. It actually is better than many. In my opinion.
But ultimately, how does it smoke? I have a $25.00 basket briar that I would put up against any of my Petersons, Savinelli's, Stanwells etc. It actually is better than many. In my opinion.
A lot of good advice here. Your initial question may be theoretical but might I suggest that you ditch the churchwarden approach. Churchwardens are, at best, a niche pipe for most pipesmokers. It is one of those shapes that non- smokers and movie fans associate with pipes. Instead, if you really want to try this out, buy a couple of higher end cobs from MM. They will cost you $20-30 each. Next, buy a briar or two from a quality factory marque such as Rossi, Savinelli, chacom or stanwell. I like Peterson but, while their quality control has improved, there is still a higher potential for drilling issues than with some other makers. This alone could put you off pipe smoking before you even really start. Morgan bones pipes are also worth considering as they are inexpensive but smoke fine. Next, buy a Amphora sampler for around $30 and try some different types of blends in your new non churchwarden pipes. Good luck.
for those on budget and who would like cool, dry smoke with open (airy?)draw I'd like to suggest looking into falcon pipes
Does the pipe feel right in your teeth?
Is the pipe not failing apart or showing early signs of wear & tear unnecessarily?
Are you getting good flavor & enjoying your experience?
If you can answer yes to all questions above then you likely have a quality pipe. Personally, I don’t think you need to break your bank for quality. I don’t own a pipe that I’ve paid more than 300$ for. ?
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Is the pipe not failing apart or showing early signs of wear & tear unnecessarily?
Are you getting good flavor & enjoying your experience?
If you can answer yes to all questions above then you likely have a quality pipe. Personally, I don’t think you need to break your bank for quality. I don’t own a pipe that I’ve paid more than 300$ for. ?
️
An inexperienced user might not get the true potential of any pipe. That was/is true of me.
#1 if you like the way it looks then you'll probably enjoy it.
Other than that any pipes sold at reputable dealers are all "practically" made to the same standard.
So if you find something cheap that catches your eye don't worry about the quality, not many companies will sell a pipe that doesn't smoke well.
My favorites right now are the Tsuge "The Tasting" line and Rossi pipes at Smokingpipes.com, and the budget British briars from James Barber and GQ Tobaccos.
If you want something with drilling specifications better than average, that's Castello, or find a new artisan who will do that kind of work without charging an arm and a leg.
Drilling pipes for an open draw isn't hard, it's just not standard.
I'm not sure if someone can just look at a pipe and determine if that's a quality pipe. I mean, visual beauty, grain, shape and so on can be seen. But will it smoke well? It's like a woman. If it looks good, you get the pipe. If it smokes well, you keep it. If it's a psycho bitch, you dump it.
Then, you're going to be taking a chance, whether you spend $100 or $10,000. Everyone makes stinkers, fortunately not often. I don't "know" it's a quality pipe until I've smoked it and it meets my metric.
You can up the odds of doing well by gaining experience with pipes, and learning what you like. But if you think that you can just look at a pipe and know that it's going to be excellent, I have a bridge spanning the East River that I would like to sell to you.
Fortunately, most pipes smoke well, whether they're a couple of hundred or a hundred times a couple of hundred.
I feel like most people can tell quality from crap, no? Just based on looks and feel you can usually tell if something was well made, whether it’s a pipe or a rocking chair.
The basic high functioning of a pipe constitutes quality, whether it is a factory pipe at all of the levels and prices they are produced, or a handmade pipe. After that, quality is in the eyes, hands, and ears of the beholder. Some people think that a high functioning pipe that doesn't cost $500 isn't in the running. Others deal entirely in the $5 to $60 range. Quality pipes exist at all those prices, but the price doesn't guarantee the quality.
Funny thing is what makes a great pipe is a lot of factors that are very much personal preferences, what makes a shitty piece of garbage pipe is pretty universal. Garbage is garbage.
The thing is a pipe is a tool, a pipe is a piece of art work, a pipe is a fashion accessory, a pipe is a meditative fetish (from the definition of something that helps one focus thoughts or energy [what the kids call vibe]), and probably a bunch of other things.
After you get past garbage the interplay of different disparate factors makes for the ultimate quality of a pipe.
What makes one great for me or you is going to be different. For example a lot of people here swear by open draw. I think an overly open draw isn't the be all and end all of a perfect pipe, in fact I kind of hate the way M.M. cobs smoke.
And yes brand can help determine if a pipe will probably be a good pipe. But it's not a certain thing with any pipe maker or brand.
Oh and here is a really important note on price. A lot of times what you pay for isn't going to make a better smoking pipe. You often pay for the time it takes to make a pipe like that. For example a nice factory pipe can smoke just as good as any artisan pipe. But if you look at how many pipes a factory puts out in a day (even if divided by the number of people who work on it) compared to how long it takes for one person to hand carve a pipe you can see why they have to cost more for the artisan pipe. And what's the advantage of hand carved? Each step can be informed by things like the natural grain of the briar instead of producing something just as beautiful but more random and less rare.
The thing is a pipe is a tool, a pipe is a piece of art work, a pipe is a fashion accessory, a pipe is a meditative fetish (from the definition of something that helps one focus thoughts or energy [what the kids call vibe]), and probably a bunch of other things.
After you get past garbage the interplay of different disparate factors makes for the ultimate quality of a pipe.
What makes one great for me or you is going to be different. For example a lot of people here swear by open draw. I think an overly open draw isn't the be all and end all of a perfect pipe, in fact I kind of hate the way M.M. cobs smoke.
And yes brand can help determine if a pipe will probably be a good pipe. But it's not a certain thing with any pipe maker or brand.
Oh and here is a really important note on price. A lot of times what you pay for isn't going to make a better smoking pipe. You often pay for the time it takes to make a pipe like that. For example a nice factory pipe can smoke just as good as any artisan pipe. But if you look at how many pipes a factory puts out in a day (even if divided by the number of people who work on it) compared to how long it takes for one person to hand carve a pipe you can see why they have to cost more for the artisan pipe. And what's the advantage of hand carved? Each step can be informed by things like the natural grain of the briar instead of producing something just as beautiful but more random and less rare.
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I would have to smash a lot of piggy banks for a $300 pipe. But, maybe, one day...Does the pipe feel right in your teeth?
Is the pipe not failing apart or showing early signs of wear & tear unnecessarily?
Are you getting good flavor & enjoying your experience?
If you can answer yes to all questions above then you likely have a quality pipe. Personally, I don’t think you need to break your bank for quality. I don’t own a pipe that I’ve paid more than 300$ for. ?
I never thought I'd spend $2500 on a rifle scope. But once I got serious about long range shooting I don't have any regrets and I'm now a scope snob.... nothing compares to quality glass when shooting distance in competition or hunting field. I love the craftsmanship and artistic appeal of pipes. Just don't want to be ripped off by my own ignorance.
What are signs of good drilling? good stem work? Shaping to me is up to the eye of the beholder? Or is there more to shape than curb appeal?
That sounds easy enough, but hard to judge without taking it on a test drive. I guess like most things in life with experience comes knowledge... I'm still at the infant stage.
I started to collect Buescher's Pipes to pass on to my kids. Still doing research but was told by my aunt we are part of the same Buescher family that used to produce pipes. My Great grandparents are from Washington, MO and are buried there. Great grandpa Walter Buescher and his brother Edward Buescher are at the Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery. Long line of those who served military, including me, in the family.
My neighbor and I have been enjoying a smoke together as part of our daily decompression session....?
That's exactly the point. The Question is, "How Do You KNOW It's A Quality Pipe", not how do you guess it's a quality pipe. Like anything else, from cars to bed mates, it's all a guess until you experience it.
I agree.. go with the flow, pun intended. I enjoy the whole experience: the look of the pipe and the wonderful aroma of sweet blends of tobacco and enjoying the conversation with a close friend and fellow pipe lover.