How Much Is Too Much To Pay For An E Bay Estate Pipe?

[woodsroad]

There is one very good reason to not buy pipes sight unseen:

You can't smell them.
After all, when a pipe arrives in the mail, what is the first thing that you do? You stick your nose in the bowl and sniff.
I have bought pipes on eBay that were so thoroughly infused with aromatics that you could smell it in the mailbox. OK, that's easy, send them back.
But I have bought pipes where a strange smell (mildew, floor cleaner, Febreeze) didn't show up until the pipe was smoked.
In fact, I smoked an ebay "unsmoked" Peterson's Kildare Republic era today, stuffed with McClelland Red Cake. There was a faint but totally obscuring perfume odor from the pipe that I didn't smell before it was lit. The pipe looks brand new. Can't return it now that it's been used. Maybe I'll send it off to be ozoned.
Either way, it was wasted money spent on that pipe.
But, I am a pipe addict, so I keep going back for more, hoping the outcome will change.

 

[kashmir]

That's like asking: "How much should I pay for a car"?

 

[cigrmaster]

castellarius, thanks. I have always wanted an Occhio because I love looking at birdseye, I never got one because I was never willing to pay the tab. I got real lucky with this one as it pretty much flew under the radar.
woodsroad, so far knock on wood, I have never received a pipe from ebay that needed an ozone treatment. I only buy from sellers with great reps and who state specifically that they clean and refurbish their pipes into pristine condition. I never buy pipes that need refurbishing as I do not do that kind of work.

 

[irish]

You have recieved some very good advise Fester13, but one thing I think you should always consider is what are you buying the pipe for? In other words what are you going to do with it? I mean if you are buying it to clean, refurbish and sell then by all means you should always try and buy at the lowest price you can, but lets say you are like me. I have never sold a pipe and I don't plan on it unless I fall on really hard times and even then they may be the last thing to go. So with that being said I pay what I can afford and I buy what I want. I don't really care what it cost if it is the pipe I have been looking for and I have the money I will by it. It may be too much in some people's eyes (especially my wife's) but I do not plan on resale. So if I find a Kaywoodie, or a Pete or hopefully a Dunhill I want and I have the money in my PAD account I am going to buy it, if I have to pay 25 , 50, or 75 more than the other guy I will do it if it means getting my pipe. Stupid? , yes maybe, do I care what any thinks ? No because I love pipes. Abosutely love them, so if I can afford it I will buy it. So I guess in the end what I am saying is, it doesn't matter what I pay, or Six pays, or Cigrmaster or Pruss or Fnord, or Warren or BriarBlues or Jud, all that really matters is what you are willing to pay, and the bottom line what makes you happy!! Happy smoking and happy purchasing!! :puffpipe: