Ordering A Custom Made Pipe....Do You Tip ?

[moriarty]

I know tipping is still very common in America but elsewhere in the world it seems to be disappearing, in my experience. Restaurants usually add a standard service charge to the bill and it is important to notice that otherwise some people might add a tip, not realising the fee is already there. Tipping is generally discouraged in hotels around the world, and with taxis tipping seems no longer to be expected, although rounding-up the fare for convenience is common. People travel more these days and I think businesses are recognizing that it is best not to confuse the customer with different customs, but to just state the price.
Speaking as a Brit, I've always been very uncomfortable anyway with tipping or haggling. Money is often a vulgar and awkward topic in my culture, and it is just more pleasant to avoid any uncertainty about the price or what payment might be expected. And I always equated tipping with begging, in my mind, and I do not like to see waiters having to rely on hand-outs to make a living. They're skilled, experienced people and they should just be paid properly for their work. Anything else is disrespectful and undignified.
Back to pipes, no, I would not tip a pipemaker for their work. I think you'd have to be a little careful how you explain something like that - it would have to be because you thought the pipe was so good it was underpriced, and you want to pay more out of respect for the work. Bear in mind that for a custom order you are paying the pipemaker directly and there are no commissions for distributors or retailers. The pipemaker probably earns a good deal more for a custom pipe. Anyway, they do not expect a tip. I always take the time to write to the pipemaker to confirm I've received the pipe, and tell them how I feel about it and what I like, how it smokes, etc.. This is something that many pipemakers I've dealt with enjoy hearing. It means something to them if the pipe has gone to a customer who will enjoy it and who is pleased and perhaps understands and appreciates some of the details the pipemaker worked for. And if you've bought several pipes from a pipemaker and have a good relationship, why not consider sending a Christmas card or a couple of tins of tobacco as a gift, if you feel like it?

 

[lasttango]

I tip good breakfast waitresses very well.
If I am a real pain in the a** then I'll tip more...
Likely not the pipe maker though. He should be getting paid well as is.

 

[danhester]

I tend to agree with mso in a general sense that it is unnecessary to tip the owner of a business or sole proprietor. Worker bees are a different story. I have not ordered a custom pipe, but if it was made by a pipe apprentice or some other situation where I was paying less than full value, I would absolutely consider adding something extra as a token of appreciation or encouragement. Otherwise, I'd assume the price is a fair approximation of time, expertise and materials.

 

[kcghost]

Unless there are unusual circumstances I would never tip for a commissioned pipe. No more than I would expect the carver to send some of the money back.

 

[cigrmaster]

I have never tipped on a pipe and never will. Having said that I believe in over tipping for good service. My barber charges 18.00 for a hair cut, I give her a 6.00 tip. 6 bucks means nothing to me, it means a lot to her and and she really appreciates it especially dealing with cheapskates who give her a lousy 2 dollar tip. If I get a good cab driver, I over tip. Good service at a restaurant, I will tip 20% on the whole bill including tax, if I get exceptional service 25-30%.
Europeans are notorious for being lousy tippers if they tip at all. People who survive on tips are at the mercy of cheapskates the world over. Good tipping equals good karma, so all you cheapskates, reach a little. Is an extraa 5-6 bucks really going to kill you?

 

[cosmicfolklore]

You guys have no idea how to play this game. You know the pipemakers are watching, right? Ha ha.
cough cough... that's right. How shameful you guys don't tip. :wink:
BTW, pipemakers can't read things in italics. ::

 

[xrundog]

No. I don't tip the salesman when I buy a car either. Paying $200-$300 for a pipe, tipping never occurred to me. I'm more than happy to pay a premium price for great work though.

 

[ericpierson]

When I ask a carver the price, I am assuming they have built in an appropriate profit. My feedback to them is probably what they desire more than anything at that point.

 

[jessicac]

I suppose that would depend on where the carver is located. For example, in Australia, we aren't expected to tip. Forgive me if I'm wrong, but my understanding is that the tips compensate for the minimal earnings made by the service staff. We do on occasion tip, where service is deemed to be above and beyond the norm, but that is not expected.

 

[mso489]

If you choose to express appreciation with a tobacco gift, you must remember how incredibly fussy we all are about blends. Even the blends we really do love, we may have already stocked up. So, just sending along several tins of tobacco you enjoy might fall flat as a fritter. I'd almost feel compelled to ask, what tinned blends would you really like to try? Or like to re-stock? Otherwise, you may be sending along a disappointment. Picky, picky, picky -- that's us.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Yeh, I had a pipemaker send me a tin of VA #1 along with the new pipe a few years ago, and I had to ask myself what I did to piss that guy off. Ha ha!!

It kills me how serious some are taking this thread. Some serious anti-tippers on here. :wink:
My dad always overpaid for everything, tipped everyone, paid for the toll for others at toll booths, occasionally bought people's dinners at restaurants without telling them. He loved it, and I try my best to follow in that. It makes someone else's day better, especially in light of all of these scrooges that are out there, ha ha.
But, do what you want. I've never been one to allow the actions (or inaction) of others dictate my own actions.

 

[mso489]

I tend to be skeptical and negative about panhandlers, although sometimes that is very wrong and unfair. So when I feel that someone has worked hard serving food or cutting my hair or some other honest work, I'd rather error on the side of generosity. I want them to enjoy the benefits of their work, keep at it, move up if possible. Their struggle without adequate reward is a negative for me. You don't even have to have a generous heart to understand how that's true. When many people don't have any money to spend, we all make less money, even if we are brooding about it on our 200 foot yacht (which is not my problem).

 

[warren]

Greasing certain palms can be very beneficial in the correct circumstances. A tip, or gift, can insure the best cut available to the chef arrives at your table, cooked to your specifications. Tired of "first come, first served?" Proper voice, body language and a bit of cash may allow you to step ahead of tightfisted. Tickets all sold out? Probably not.
Certain staff at a favorite restaurant are on my Christmas time gift list. Your favorite carver may rummage around a little longer for a prime looking piece of brier if there was a bottle of his favorite spirits in his stocking or on his birthday after the first transaction. A wee gift or tip may generate great results down the line. People usually respond in a positive manner with a bit of special recognition. Desire an early alert about an upcoming sale, buy that service with a gift or tip.
I am not being generous, to be blunt, I am buying future consideration.

 

[papipeguy]

I'm not commenting because I have a friend who has made me 5 commissioned pipes and is a member here. I don't want him getting any ideas.

 

[cigrmaster]

warren, excellent post.
Years ago when I was a car salesman, I would take my manager out to lunch on many occasions and he would give me house deals all the time(house deal is a relative or a good past customer who wants to deal with manager only). I would just show the customer the car and then turn them over to the manager and I would get commission.
I would over tip my favorite bar tenders and they would pour a good drink and also buy me drinks. Me and my friends called it duking people when you were greasing the wheels.

 

[basil]

I never really thought much about this subject. As a carver, I personally would rather have a smoke and/or drink with a customer when they look me up at a show. You know the commercial "such and such $5- such and such $10- the look on their face- priceless". Meeting someone I've worked with and having a conversation and a smoke- priceless.

 

[sjpipesmoker]

Not unless they have a tip jar on their site.
I've only commissioned 1 pipe and I didn't tip. It was a straight forward shape, nothing special.

Now if I draw up the shape, the carver redraws it to make it into "their work" and we go back and forth until we come to agreement... Then I might drop some coin on him.

 

[mso489]

There seem to be at least two kinds of tips. One is to grease the wheels, for future business, to keep the person receiving the tip interested and receptive to ones "custom." The other is just a personal gesture of encouragement, respect, or commendation. I think when I tip someone at Christmas, that is more of a wheel greasing, hoping for good service during the year. When I tip during travel, unless it is hotel staff who I will deal with again, it's a courtesy. It's probably wise to know why you're tipping. Both motives are honorable, to my mind, but they are different. With a pipe carver, if the price is substantial, I think tobacco or liquor, or other appropriate luxury, carefully selected as something you know the person likes, is the way to go.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

There seem to be at least two kinds of tips.

I tip for the hell of it.

I am by no means rich, but one thing I have learned is that a generous man will get his in return in some way some day. A Scrooge, well...

 

[okiescout]

" I am by no means rich, but one thing I have learned is that a generous man will get his in return in some way some day. A Scrooge, well..."
Exactly!
I think the idea of gifting some tobacco as suggested by Pipemonk and Peck is an excellent idea. That thought had actually not occurred to me, but I personally feel it is the most appropriate idea under the circumstances.
"The other is just a personal gesture of encouragement, respect, or commendation".

MSO that is exactly what I would see a gift to someone who made me a pipe that I really liked to be about.