New Or Estate? Which Do You Prefer?

[mrenglish]

It does not really matter to me if the pipe is new or used. You save some money but have to be a little more careful to avoid issues like ghosting or damage. I am smoking a smooth Peterson System 303 delivered today from SPC; it was about half the cost of a new one.
As far as the pipe being in other peoples chompers, if it has been sterilized, it is not a problem. I mean we eat with silverware when we go out to restaurants, right? Goodness knows where those forks/knives/spoons have been.

 

[pipedreams101]

for apparent reasons, i like a new pipe the best. But sometime an estate comes along, that is "the perfect pipe" and then there is nothing to do but to jump on it...

 

[jpberg]

Usually by this time in a thread like this, someone has mentioned that every time you go out to eat, you are using "estate" cutlery to eat your food. 8)

 

[gnatjulio]

My collection just got bumped by a dozen estates. Cheap lots off ebay. Learning to restore them. Problem is all the stuff you have to buy to clean and restore them. Could be another new Savinelli. :D

Nice pics.

 

[nsfisher]

Estates are a wonderful and economical way to go to increase your collection. You cannot buy a 1940's unsmoked gem, off the rack new. However, you can hold, touch, feel etc. a new pipe, where as you generally cannot do so with an estate, especially if it is bought off e-bay. There are many pro's and con's for each choice. Experiment with each and you will find your comfort zone.

 

[voorhees]

I have only estates at this point, 16-17 of them. I always look for one that only need slight refurbishing and light reaming. I have put in a X-mas list to the wife for my 1st new pipe.
-jason

 

[ulrich]

Generally, I buy estates. I love the when I buy an old piece of briar and I handle it and think about how old the thing could be or what kind of person enjoyed the pipe before me, it's almost like the pipe transcends time haha. Maybe it's just me, but when I find when looking through estate pipes, I find many more unique pipes that seem to call out to me telling me they'd fit in perfect with my collection. I think that's one of the things I enjoy most about the hobby.
That's not to say I won't buy new pipes though. I have a couple in my collection but as I said, the majority of pipes I own are estates.

 

[taerin]

I have always prefered estates, the older the better. Ones with real age are always more valuable to me than brand new ones, I would even pay more for them than new ones. The quality of the briar is just so much better than what you can purchase these days. I don't know if it just gets better with age or that they are using cheaper briar to make more expensive pipes now. That being said, I only have one estate pipe; what I want though are some of the higher quality Peterson System pipes than the standard series as old estates (50+ years).
The only thing stopping me is unemployment, but I would like to look around the flee markets and possibley restore old pipes and sell the ones that I don't fancy on Ebay. I am committed to not spending any more money on pipes, I have a few corn cobs, a clay, and a couple of briars.

 

[ghost]

The majority of my pipes have been new, but I've been really into searching for estates lately. I travel around my area for work, so I'm always on the lookout for antique shops and the like.
Just today, I found a neat antique shop in a small town south of here. It "had the vibe" when I saw it, and sure enough they had a couple of small racks of pipes. Lo and behold, I saw one with a single dot on the stem. I started to get real excited and sure enough it was a Dunhill! Upon further inspection, it looked like the bowl had cracked in about three places and someone had already done a repair job (of sorts) on it. I'm getting more confident in my repair abilities, but this looked beyond me right now. I passed on buying it. It was marked at $6, but I'll have to wait to find my first Dunhill. I buy them for myself, not to resell...

 

[colcolt]

It wouldn't matter to me. I had never heard of an "Estate" pipe until last month. I guess that's a nice way of saying used...sort of like pre-owned instead of used cars. Unless it's really funky I'd buy one. In fact, I just did. A Dunhill that looked pretty good to me. As long as there's no cracks in the bowl or excessive teeth marks or other damage I'd jump on a good deal. I have used cameras (old Nikons ) and used pistols so, no hesitation about pipes.

 

[chopz]

i've bought just about everything both used and new at one time or another, other than food - i always buy that new. i prefer new because i'm vain i guess. i like to see things that i own, that i've owned for decades, that are all worn in by my own use. so i like getting things new but i don't like them to stay like new. probably why i mostly reach for the same couple of pipes. the ones with the most wear are more appealing to me i guess.

 

[85royals]

I would say I'm about 75% estate 25% new

 

[oldredbeard]

I prefer estates, as I understand it the briar continues to cure, so the older it gets the lighter it gets, and out of my 10 estates 7 of them are great smoking pipes. Plus I also enjoy the hunt and bidding, so it couples two of my favorite hobbies now.

 

[clyde]

Have not sought out estate or vintage pipes. Somehow or another they find me. More than once people who know I'm a pipe smoker will offer me a paper bag or cardboard box of pipes saying they were going to throw them away but I can have them if I'd like. Usually happens if they're moving or such and why keep Grandpa's old pipes? It's amazing the books, pipe racks, humidors, and etc. etc. you wind up with after fifty years of being a pipe smoker. Now you folks have something to look forward to if you stay with the pipe. :D

 

[papipeguy]

I prefer new pipes. I did buy a package deal from the Goodwill site a few months ago.Of the 4 pipes only one was what I would call a keeper; a City deLuxe Canadian, which is a GBD second. It's the third from the left.

 

[bigvan]

I used to buy a lot of estates but not so much any more. I really enjoy buying directly from the guy who carved it, especially if he can tell me about how and when he made it.

 

[davidg]

Hello,

Buying an estate pipe would appeal to me only as a collector. I like a new pipe, to use it and form a "relationship" with it over time. It's true that we do eat with silverware used by others but that it for pure utility, for one meal. We don't examine, dwell upon, nor usually have a preference for a particular silverware, as we do for a pipe. Regularly smoking on a stem that has been regularly in someone else's mouth is not for me. Reminds me of using someone else's dentures.

Thanks,

David

 

[will]

I prefer estates provided they are not too far gone.

The process of restoring a pipe is relaxing for me the history aspect is another plus.

If I were wealthy I am sure I would have plenty of new pipes but that is not the case.

 

[85royals]

I really did the saddle bit on the next to last one Pipeguy

I get some of my eststes from a few sellers on Ebay I trust their work and they have good stuff

As for new these Mr. Brog pipes are great

 

[cigrmaster]

davidg, I think you will be missing out on some great pipes with some very cool history when you only buy new. Any stem can be cleaned with Everclear so that it is like brand new. There are sellers on Ebay and at on line retailers that refurbish these pipes until they are pristine. I recently picked up a Willmer which was like new and that company is now out of business. If I had not bought it used, I would never have the pleasure of smoking a great pipe with a bit of history from an old English maker. Pipes like the one I just are no longer made which I kind of like. If a pipe did come in that isn't as clean as I like, I give it to my local guy and he will refurbish it.