How to spot quality?
- Thread starter maxsmoke
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I would say the G D 'oro as they are mainstream shapes and not freehands.
Try an $800 straight Dunhill that won't pass a pipe cleaner.
I was just asking for clarification, so sorry to offend.
So as much as I love pipes I think the best thing is to take the good advice and “learn on” and enjoy the ones I currently have. When I can start to distinguish the subtle differences between the ones I currently have , then think about buying a “higher end” pipe in the 800 plus range if I really want something special. However as it has been pointed out, a high price tag doesn’t mean it will be “good”. But when ready , I will look for hand made and a manufacturer with a good reputation.
I think getting a pipe show or two under my belt and joining a pipe club , if one exists in my arrea, will help me greatly.
I must say though this pipe caught my eye and does look pretty nice https://victorypipes.ca/shop-tobacco-pipes/stanwell-pipes/hc-andersen-polished-no-1?zenid=76em1irf529h1v58fojpg3chu3
I think getting a pipe show or two under my belt and joining a pipe club , if one exists in my arrea, will help me greatly.
I must say though this pipe caught my eye and does look pretty nice https://victorypipes.ca/shop-tobacco-pipes/stanwell-pipes/hc-andersen-polished-no-1?zenid=76em1irf529h1v58fojpg3chu3
That will probably be a perfectly decent pipe, and having the twin stems is kind of fun.
For about the same money, you could buy a Castello from pipeshop-lanzola.it or guzzi-sas on eBay. I can't tell you what to do, and I can't even guarantee you'll agree with me if you do buy a Castello, or reach into the artisan world. It's not quite night-and-day...but I don't have my HCA Stanwell anymore, it was a mediocre smoker with very small airways imho. I feel like I wasted tons of money on pipes that were ... 80 to say... 250 bucks. Some winners, some losers.
You want a winner for real? Aged briar, proper drilling, all that stuff? Put 70 bucks more in and buy a Castello.
But again, for a newer smoker... maybe it's best to work your way toward something good, if your smoking technique is still a little rough around the edges, a great pipe may not really answer certain questions for you. Pipe smoking is funny business, a mixture of the tool, the raw materials, and the user. What's right for you (and right for you NOW rather than in 2 years) is not what's right for someone else necessarily.
@Embers, sorry if I mistook the point of your post. Of all the stuff I spewed, seemingly you took issue with what was essentially my wording. Yes, Giubileo D'oro pipes are more expensive than Puntos. But Puntos are literally touted by Savinelli as being "the best Mediterranean briar... great attention to the shape and processes...". The point is that this is supposedly a hell of a good pipe, and mine is a badly drilled piece of crap. And a 200 dollar one to boot. That's all.
For about the same money, you could buy a Castello from pipeshop-lanzola.it or guzzi-sas on eBay. I can't tell you what to do, and I can't even guarantee you'll agree with me if you do buy a Castello, or reach into the artisan world. It's not quite night-and-day...but I don't have my HCA Stanwell anymore, it was a mediocre smoker with very small airways imho. I feel like I wasted tons of money on pipes that were ... 80 to say... 250 bucks. Some winners, some losers.
You want a winner for real? Aged briar, proper drilling, all that stuff? Put 70 bucks more in and buy a Castello.
But again, for a newer smoker... maybe it's best to work your way toward something good, if your smoking technique is still a little rough around the edges, a great pipe may not really answer certain questions for you. Pipe smoking is funny business, a mixture of the tool, the raw materials, and the user. What's right for you (and right for you NOW rather than in 2 years) is not what's right for someone else necessarily.
@Embers, sorry if I mistook the point of your post. Of all the stuff I spewed, seemingly you took issue with what was essentially my wording. Yes, Giubileo D'oro pipes are more expensive than Puntos. But Puntos are literally touted by Savinelli as being "the best Mediterranean briar... great attention to the shape and processes...". The point is that this is supposedly a hell of a good pipe, and mine is a badly drilled piece of crap. And a 200 dollar one to boot. That's all.
I was just wondering about the difference. My Punto Oros do appear to have better grain orientation than any Giubileo D'oros I've seen. Just curiosity.
That is bad. A crying shame their QC let that one get by.
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