July 10, 2024: “My Pipes & Accessories Organization Journey”
Greetings Pipe Smokers! Let me state up-front that I have a personality that likes to organize things. I like cases and compartments and neatly-labeled jars and having every thing in its place. I realize this isn’t for everyone, and that I have chosen to spend an unusually large amount of time and money fiddling with the organization of my pipes, accessories, and blends. I also like nice natural materials like leather and lean into them where I can and where appropriate. And finally I like portability even if I rarely actually go anywhere.
Preamble complete, I figured I’d share my organizational journey as it relates specifically to pipes and accessories.
First Pipe and Case
My first pipe was a Savinelli 606 bent apple in blue alligator finish. I knew just enough to choose a reputable brand and a mid-level quality briar to start. I also ordered the Savinelli blue cloth pipe pouch — an inexpensive and decently-featured starter case at ~$16 USD. The inside bottom of the cloth zipper case has two slender pockets for pipe tools, filter adaptors, or similar. The main compartment holds an assortment of pipe cleaners, the pipe, a mini Bic lighter, and I added a couple plastic boxes for 6mm balsa and charcoal filters. This is the best overall value in cases I’ve experienced, though I wouldn’t feel comfortable sticking a metal lighter or much else in with the pipe for fear of damage.
Leather Rollup
As mentioned I love leather. My pipe collection doubled to two (adding a Peterson bent rhodesian terracotta 999), and I added a few accessories including an IM Corona Old Boy lighter, and dragon pipe tamper. I wanted to be able to carry all of it in style and so ordered one that looked nice from Yeohandcraft on Etsy ($117 USD). In person the leatherwork was excellent and I liked the snap-out pipe rest. The included pouch was not useful for tobacco (no lining, not well sealed). The four-snap tobacco tray was nice but very small. Otherwise everything fit. It took about a month or so of near-daily use to break in and become more supple (it was very stiff at first). It is also quite bulky for just two pipes, a lighter, a tamper, some pipe cleaners, and a few filters. And as I’ve learned the collection keeps growing and other options needed to be considered.
Pipe Combo Cases
Deciding that it might be better to have individual cases for a single-pipe smoke kit, I bought the Brigham 1-Pipe Bag Combo Pouch Vintage (~$55 USD). This has really nice features: decent leather, nice large magnet-close front pocket for tools, decent pipe pocket, integrated pipe cleaner sleeve on the back, and lined zip tobacco pouch. The problem with this case for me is that the tobacco pouch allowed my tobacco to dry out within a week. I also purchased the Savinelli Suede Combo Pouch Cognac (~$108 USD) made of nicer, softer suede, though has a smaller tools pocket and no separate pipe cleaner pocket. Despite these minor shortcomings, it keeps my tobacco nice and moist for weeks, feels great in the hand, and does the job really well. This is my favorite 1-pipe all-in-one case.
My Savinelli case holds: my Savinelli 606, a dozen BJ Long fluffy pipe cleaners, a small tin with 6mm balsa filters, replacement flints for my IM Corona lighter, the IM Corona Lighter, a Savinelli Oceano tamper, a Czech tool, and about 1 oz of Boswell’s Best.
Top Shelf
By this point several additional pipes had been added to my stable and I was really enjoying how the Savinelli pouch was just so viscerally nice. What would it look like to pull out all the stops? Well, Dunhill is probably the toppest-shelf, but they also command rather eye-watering prices. A short step down the ladder brought me to the deerskin cases of Martin Wess. It looked like I could get a 4-pipe combo pouch that wouldn’t be much larger than my 2-pipe leather rollup so I bought the Deer 4 Pipe Bag P154 (~$214 USD). I’ve seen this style of zipper bag from several makes in many different materials and at a range of prices from about $60 and up: functionally you can find a similar case for a lot less than I paid. But wow — the deerskin and fit and finish are so luxuriously wonderful! I smile every time I pick it up.
The practicality for me is actually a bit mixed. For pros, the bag has a decent front flap accessories pouch with magnetic clasps, nice flat zip pouch on the back, removable carry strap, a tamper/tool sleeve along the inside spine, and an excellent compartment inside for four decent-sized pipes. The cons mostly come from the opposite inside area where there are three stacked features: a full-width open top pocket that I end up keeping my pipe cleaners and a czech tool in, an open-top box compartment that will fit a standard 2 oz round tin, and then a leather loop that you can slip a tobacco pouch into. There isn’t a dedicated pipe cleaner pocket, and it isn’t possible to put a 2 oz tin in the middle compartment along with other accessories in the other two, and expect the bag to close. So I ended up putting spare 6mm balsa filters in the middle ‘tin’ compartment and then a tobacco pouch under the strap. It does close with all of that in place. I just think the compartments could have been better thought out.
This case holds: Kiribi Takara black dual-flame lighter, czech tool, a collapsable stainless pipe rest, wind screen, spare bic lighter, dragon tamper, Savinelli Leonardo Cavallo tamper, 20 6mm balsa filters, assorted pipe cleaners in a couple 4th generation leather sleeves, Martin Wess Deer T1 tobacco pouch with about 1 oz of Boswell’s Northwoods or a Martin Wess Deer Small T15 Tobacco Pouch with about 1/2 oz of C&D Steamworks 2024, and four pipes: Savinelli 673 Oceano, Peterson Irish Harp 80s, Peterson Deluxe System 999, and my Mark Tinsky 2-star 2023 Christmas Bengal Bulldog. I love this case despite its minor organizational compromises.
Peterson Grafton
When I went all-in on a Peterson System Spigot smooth B42, I also decided to get their Peterson Grafton System Pipe Case (~$52 USD) and Grafton Large Tobacco Jar (~$40 USD). I was curious about both — the case looked really nice and could be an all-in-one single pipe case, and my hope was that the large tobacco jar would fit 3-4 of the Pocket Jar Max’s.
In practice, the Grafton System Pipe Case is a beautifully-made squarish single-pipe combo case. It is designed to store a system pipe disassembled so it can properly dry between smokes. It comes with a matching leather pipe rest and an oblong green suede lined zip tobacco pouch. The pouch fits folded in half in the lid where it is retained by a leather strap with two snaps (a nice touch that adjusts between a full pouch and a more empty one); I keep about 1 oz of Peterson Nightcap in it. I have seen online complaints about a weak “P” logo zip-pull. I haven’t owned this for very long now, and have been careful as a result of the complaints, but the zip pull seems to be just fine so far. It certainly is an elegant way to transport a high-end Peterson pipe with all its fine silverwork, tobacco, and accessories, and is actually less expensive than my Brigham 1-pipe combo pouch.
Alas, Pocket Jar’s do not fit inside the Grafton Large Tobacco Jar as hoped; I think it would be too tight even with the liner removed. For its intended purpose as an actual loose tobacco jar it does seem very well made and the inner lining seems to seal well with its mate in the lid. I filled it with loose Boswell’s Best and will see how well it keeps the tobacco over time. I did end up finding a small leather portmanteau case that holds ten Pocket Jar Max’s plus my leather tobacco mat perfectly (see Portmanteau Tobacco Travel Case).
I’m impressed that you made it to the end! Thanks for reading. I hope that bits of this are helpful — it has been hard for me to really know much about case options from the basic retail pics online.
Greetings Pipe Smokers! Let me state up-front that I have a personality that likes to organize things. I like cases and compartments and neatly-labeled jars and having every thing in its place. I realize this isn’t for everyone, and that I have chosen to spend an unusually large amount of time and money fiddling with the organization of my pipes, accessories, and blends. I also like nice natural materials like leather and lean into them where I can and where appropriate. And finally I like portability even if I rarely actually go anywhere.
Preamble complete, I figured I’d share my organizational journey as it relates specifically to pipes and accessories.
First Pipe and Case
My first pipe was a Savinelli 606 bent apple in blue alligator finish. I knew just enough to choose a reputable brand and a mid-level quality briar to start. I also ordered the Savinelli blue cloth pipe pouch — an inexpensive and decently-featured starter case at ~$16 USD. The inside bottom of the cloth zipper case has two slender pockets for pipe tools, filter adaptors, or similar. The main compartment holds an assortment of pipe cleaners, the pipe, a mini Bic lighter, and I added a couple plastic boxes for 6mm balsa and charcoal filters. This is the best overall value in cases I’ve experienced, though I wouldn’t feel comfortable sticking a metal lighter or much else in with the pipe for fear of damage.
Leather Rollup
As mentioned I love leather. My pipe collection doubled to two (adding a Peterson bent rhodesian terracotta 999), and I added a few accessories including an IM Corona Old Boy lighter, and dragon pipe tamper. I wanted to be able to carry all of it in style and so ordered one that looked nice from Yeohandcraft on Etsy ($117 USD). In person the leatherwork was excellent and I liked the snap-out pipe rest. The included pouch was not useful for tobacco (no lining, not well sealed). The four-snap tobacco tray was nice but very small. Otherwise everything fit. It took about a month or so of near-daily use to break in and become more supple (it was very stiff at first). It is also quite bulky for just two pipes, a lighter, a tamper, some pipe cleaners, and a few filters. And as I’ve learned the collection keeps growing and other options needed to be considered.
Pipe Combo Cases
Deciding that it might be better to have individual cases for a single-pipe smoke kit, I bought the Brigham 1-Pipe Bag Combo Pouch Vintage (~$55 USD). This has really nice features: decent leather, nice large magnet-close front pocket for tools, decent pipe pocket, integrated pipe cleaner sleeve on the back, and lined zip tobacco pouch. The problem with this case for me is that the tobacco pouch allowed my tobacco to dry out within a week. I also purchased the Savinelli Suede Combo Pouch Cognac (~$108 USD) made of nicer, softer suede, though has a smaller tools pocket and no separate pipe cleaner pocket. Despite these minor shortcomings, it keeps my tobacco nice and moist for weeks, feels great in the hand, and does the job really well. This is my favorite 1-pipe all-in-one case.
My Savinelli case holds: my Savinelli 606, a dozen BJ Long fluffy pipe cleaners, a small tin with 6mm balsa filters, replacement flints for my IM Corona lighter, the IM Corona Lighter, a Savinelli Oceano tamper, a Czech tool, and about 1 oz of Boswell’s Best.
Top Shelf
By this point several additional pipes had been added to my stable and I was really enjoying how the Savinelli pouch was just so viscerally nice. What would it look like to pull out all the stops? Well, Dunhill is probably the toppest-shelf, but they also command rather eye-watering prices. A short step down the ladder brought me to the deerskin cases of Martin Wess. It looked like I could get a 4-pipe combo pouch that wouldn’t be much larger than my 2-pipe leather rollup so I bought the Deer 4 Pipe Bag P154 (~$214 USD). I’ve seen this style of zipper bag from several makes in many different materials and at a range of prices from about $60 and up: functionally you can find a similar case for a lot less than I paid. But wow — the deerskin and fit and finish are so luxuriously wonderful! I smile every time I pick it up.
The practicality for me is actually a bit mixed. For pros, the bag has a decent front flap accessories pouch with magnetic clasps, nice flat zip pouch on the back, removable carry strap, a tamper/tool sleeve along the inside spine, and an excellent compartment inside for four decent-sized pipes. The cons mostly come from the opposite inside area where there are three stacked features: a full-width open top pocket that I end up keeping my pipe cleaners and a czech tool in, an open-top box compartment that will fit a standard 2 oz round tin, and then a leather loop that you can slip a tobacco pouch into. There isn’t a dedicated pipe cleaner pocket, and it isn’t possible to put a 2 oz tin in the middle compartment along with other accessories in the other two, and expect the bag to close. So I ended up putting spare 6mm balsa filters in the middle ‘tin’ compartment and then a tobacco pouch under the strap. It does close with all of that in place. I just think the compartments could have been better thought out.
This case holds: Kiribi Takara black dual-flame lighter, czech tool, a collapsable stainless pipe rest, wind screen, spare bic lighter, dragon tamper, Savinelli Leonardo Cavallo tamper, 20 6mm balsa filters, assorted pipe cleaners in a couple 4th generation leather sleeves, Martin Wess Deer T1 tobacco pouch with about 1 oz of Boswell’s Northwoods or a Martin Wess Deer Small T15 Tobacco Pouch with about 1/2 oz of C&D Steamworks 2024, and four pipes: Savinelli 673 Oceano, Peterson Irish Harp 80s, Peterson Deluxe System 999, and my Mark Tinsky 2-star 2023 Christmas Bengal Bulldog. I love this case despite its minor organizational compromises.
Peterson Grafton
When I went all-in on a Peterson System Spigot smooth B42, I also decided to get their Peterson Grafton System Pipe Case (~$52 USD) and Grafton Large Tobacco Jar (~$40 USD). I was curious about both — the case looked really nice and could be an all-in-one single pipe case, and my hope was that the large tobacco jar would fit 3-4 of the Pocket Jar Max’s.
In practice, the Grafton System Pipe Case is a beautifully-made squarish single-pipe combo case. It is designed to store a system pipe disassembled so it can properly dry between smokes. It comes with a matching leather pipe rest and an oblong green suede lined zip tobacco pouch. The pouch fits folded in half in the lid where it is retained by a leather strap with two snaps (a nice touch that adjusts between a full pouch and a more empty one); I keep about 1 oz of Peterson Nightcap in it. I have seen online complaints about a weak “P” logo zip-pull. I haven’t owned this for very long now, and have been careful as a result of the complaints, but the zip pull seems to be just fine so far. It certainly is an elegant way to transport a high-end Peterson pipe with all its fine silverwork, tobacco, and accessories, and is actually less expensive than my Brigham 1-pipe combo pouch.
Alas, Pocket Jar’s do not fit inside the Grafton Large Tobacco Jar as hoped; I think it would be too tight even with the liner removed. For its intended purpose as an actual loose tobacco jar it does seem very well made and the inner lining seems to seal well with its mate in the lid. I filled it with loose Boswell’s Best and will see how well it keeps the tobacco over time. I did end up finding a small leather portmanteau case that holds ten Pocket Jar Max’s plus my leather tobacco mat perfectly (see Portmanteau Tobacco Travel Case).
I’m impressed that you made it to the end! Thanks for reading. I hope that bits of this are helpful — it has been hard for me to really know much about case options from the basic retail pics online.
