Pipe Talk Heresy - True Confessions

[jlr1]

I have been smoking a pipe, on and off, for the past 40 years. With rare exceptions, I cannot tell the difference whether I am smoking a pipe that cost $800 or one that cost $50 (or even less). My collection ranges from a Dunhil, at the high end, to cobs, at the low end. Most of my pipes probably sold for between $150-$300. I am continually evaluating whether a direct relationship exists between purchase price and quality of smoke. I have found none. Here are the exceptions. I have smoked many an inexpensive, thin walled pipe that is just plain lousy and too hot to hold. So I stay away from pipes under say $50. However, I have found cobs that smoke just great and cost $10. What am I missing and what are your thoughts. Is there a relationship between purchase price(assuming new) and quality of smoke? I say no.

 

[mso489]

At the high end, I surmise you get some assurance of excellence in smoking characteristics, materials, and also some artistic value that can raise the prices or put them over the moon. You can end up with a stinker, too. In the mid and low ranges you can get pipes that smoke as good as any, but you more often get compromises or outright problems. I guess it's a discussion whether less expensive "factory" pipes actually gain by the repetitious assembly line in their manufacture, or whether artisan work on each pipe gets the best results. Once you get above a few hundred dollars, I doubt you are getting improved smoking, but some of those intangibles mean a lot to many of us. Still, I always reassure new pipe smokers that they can get the best smoking possible with a well maintained cob and good blends. I believe that.

 

[framitz]

I have some inexpensive good smoker and some expensive meh pipes but in general the expensive are better made lighter taste better with my Celsius queen and charatans

Easier to smoke a lighter in weight better balanced a more enjoyable. Have been smoking over 60 years. Shel

 

[Chasing Embers]

Inner working engineering of the pipe, and technique of the smoker are the main ingredients. I owned one Dunhill, and it was so badly drilled that I traded it for three tins of tobacco. I have a few cobs that smoke as well, or sometimes better than my $600+ artisan pieces.

 

[kcghost]

Most pipes that cost some money usually smoke well, but not all. Sometimes there is just a high end pipe that won't smoke. It happens but that isn't a good reason to abandon high end pipes. And, of course, you can get a very serviceable cob that will smoke well for years.

 

[anarchisthermit]

2 things are needed for a great smoking briar pipe. Good well cured and seasoned briar and a carefully engineered airway from bowl to bit. These can be found in some less expensive pipes. As you go up in price, you in general will get better fit and finish. Some of these will lead to overall increased smoking enjoyment but no noticeable improvement in flavor.
Price is relative. I have seen some new carvers who seem to use a formula, Raw materials + hourly "wage" + profit. And they wonder why they can't sell. Others I have seen are happy at first to cover expenses so they can get a lot of pipes into a lot of mouths. Once their reputations grow,so do their prices. I am not going to spend Rad Davis type money on an unknown carver.

 

[warren]

Of course there is. In spite of your definite "no" you, yourself, state "So I stay away from pipes under say $50."

 

[danielplainview]

A cheap pipe can be built well. A cheap pipe can also smoke awful. No matter how much a pipe is or what it looks like, you never know how it will smoke until you light it up.

 

[darwin]

There may be a correlation but it's slight, and highly undependable. That said the several high-end pipes I own (over $500) are fine smokers but then so are most of the other pipes I've bought ranging down to about fifty bucks. Buy an expensive pipe because you really like the looks of it, period. I've found that the price/performance curve breaks down in a hurry past the $100 mark. The Castello I just acquired, although admittedly not broken-in yet, smokes no better than my $100 Ropp Extra-Canadian. No worse either which in the case of the Ropp is saying a lot.

 

[ray47]

I've often found that it's not so much the pipe but the tobacco I'm smoking that determines the value of the pipe to me.

 

[beastinview]

Although I've never owned pipes that high on the price spectrum, I feel similarly. I own a few pipes, some of which smoke beautifully, and the $5 cobs I have smoke every bit as well as my most expensive briar / meerschaum pipes.
I can't think of how a pipe could smoke better than the ones I own: it's really not that complex of a device.
Obviously, however, the aesthetic and artistic dimensions of pipes are hugely important to most pipe owners, and thus the reason to spend hundreds of dollars on a pipe. Rarely is a big price tag (in any market) due to functionality.

 

[jefff]

I think I would rather have a 5.00 cob than a 30.00 briar.
You might get lucky with an inexpensive briar but I have never smoked a bad MM.

 

[sablebrush52]

What am I missing and what are your thoughts. Is there a relationship between purchase price(assuming new) and quality of smoke?

Not necessarily. What doesn't often get added to the equation is comfort. A well made bit, button and slot contribute a great deal to that, and they're not found on cheapo pipes.

 

[crashthegrey]

So no, more expensive does not inherently mean better smoking. It depends on the maker. Now, I pay more to have an independent maker carve me a well constructed pipe that is comfortable the way I want it to be and artistic. I want him to keep making pipes and thus, will pay for the time. Can you find a well constructed factory pipe that suits you, yes. I have. But usually if I am paying more, I am supporting the artist.

 

[oakbear]

If you buy a cheap pipe you have a certain chance it will smoke well. As you go up the price scale that chance gets higher, especially when it comes to hand funnelled slots and hand carved buttons. Of course this is slightly complicated by brand name having a higher cost, or artistic cost at the higher end.
It always surprises me when people ignore comfort as part of the smoking experience though. A cob may be drilled right and smoke dry, but it still has a bit like a Bic pen. For me that means a cob will never smoke as well as an artisan pipe.

 

[newbroom]

My most costly pipe was gifted to me by a forum member. It cost me nothing, but I'm pretty sure it cost him more than any pipe I've got already and I've got about 60 of em.

This pipe, a Sav 'O' grade freehand smokes ok, and when it does have problems they're mostly 'on me'.

The draft hole is right there at the bottom of the inner chamber, which is conical and focused toward the bottom.

The pipe is very tall and holds quite a bit of leaf.

I have found that this pipe will gurgle or lose its draft due to a clog or too tight of a pack rather easily.

I know that most of the problem lies with my technique, but I can't help but think that the orientation and size of the draft hole contribute. I'm considering opening the draft hole in the chamber some to help get it just a little higher in relation to the chamber. This is a gorgeous pipe and I don't want to make it worse.

 

[pitchfork]

It's worth keeping in mind that with different pipe makers/brands, you're paying for different things, some of which contribute to a "better smoke." Your expensive pipe might be expensive for any of the following (and other reasons I can't think of right now):
1. Grain

2. A comfortable handmade stem

3. Care in construction of the airways ("engineering")

4. Overall precision of fit and finish

5. Brand name/maker name

6. Quality of sandblast (e.g., Jim Cooke's pipes)

 

[grue]

I mostly smoke my cobs and they smoke better than my two cheap (30-40 euros each) briars. I've vowed never to give more than 100 euros for a pipe and even that amount sounds outrageous for a pipe. Personally speaking, I can't make myself give much money for something luxurious while I could -if I had them- give them to charities or anywhere similar. I enjoy pipe smoking as much as the next man but there's a ceiling here too. ::

 

[sparrowhawk]

A few months ago I picked up a few University Pipes from P&C from a discovered lot. They are just as good as any of my Petersons or Danish or Italian pipes.