Pipes That Have Grown On You

[numbersix]

I thought this might be an interesting topic. What pipe did you buy and then regretted - only to have it become one of your favorites?
The pipes below were all bought on whims. In fact, after receiving each one of these I regretted the decision. However - after owning and smoking them they've risen up in the ranks to become my favorites.
Savinelli Chiara 502:
This pipe I bought because it was a square panel and I wanted to have at least one. Then after buying it - I wasn't so sure I liked square panels. Some time later, I've learned that I do like square panels and the bonus, this pipe is also a superb smoker.

Mastro De Paja:
This pipe I bought only because of the price (got it unsmoked for $80 on ebay). I was on the fence about even bidding, but I thought if I got it cheap enough, it would be worth it. Anyway - after receiving it, I wasn't so fond of it. Now after years of smoking, I not only like its looks but it is a first rate smoker and I find myself reaching for it again and again.

Stanwell Sterling Series Billiard:
This pipe is my style (I am a billiard man through and through), but after I received it, I saw that it was a lot smaller than I realized (about 5.25"). I don't like small pipes and so thought about getting rid of it. Turns out, I do like smaller pipes when travelling and this pipe is one of my best smokers to boot.

 

[mso489]

More than 30 years ago, I bought two unfinished Savenelli pipes, one an unstamped second straight billiard,

the other a stamped 404 zulu. I bought them because they had pleasing shapes and reasonable prices, but

I didn't know how they would smoke or age. They have smoked better and better, after all these years. I like

them very much.

 

[latbomber]

A 1940s Van Roy estate I bought I hated for months (super ghosts,gurgle) until I discovered that it absolutely sung when I smoked VA flakes through it. Now it's my main pipe during the summer.

 

[rigmedic1]

I purchased a Savinelli Bing's Favorite a couple of years ago, with a 6mm filter. The first few smokes was

with an aromatic, and the combination was terrible. I was terribly disappointed.



One day, I had a tin of McClelland's 35th anniversary Stave Aged Virginia, and the only pipe handy was the Bing.

Suffice it to say, the smoke was awesome. Since then, this pipe has become my favorite for smoking Virginia's and VaPer blends.

 

[msandoval858]

Mine is a Saseini 4 Dot Walnut Billiard.
I got it years ago though I don't remember exactly when. May have been part of a trade or just something I got on the cheap. I was not in to straight pipes at all and figured one for the collection wouldn't hurt. Debated trading or selling it on numerous occasions but for some reason hung on to it. Later on I sort of rediscovered this pipe and what a fan I am of billiards now. It's an amazing smoker and it made to that perfect classical billiard shape. It's one pipe I'll never let go for sure.

 

[numbersix]

rigmedic - that Bing is a beauty! I still want a Bing, but it has to be one that looks a lot like yours (most I see do not look *that* good!)

 

[rigmedic1]

Thanks, Numbersix! When I got the Bing, it was a dull dark brown all the way around. After I started to smoke it more often, I took an old scalpel and scraped the high parts of the relief, finding a reddish tint beneath. After I went completely around the pipe, I cleaned it really well with rubbing alcohol and a toothbrush, then rubbed it with some Halcyon wax.

This pipe is always in my rotation now. Last month, it was a tin of vintage Rolando's Own, and this month, a 3 year old tin of Captain Earle's Honor Blend, which is absolutely fantastic. And yes, I do use the balsa filter.

 

[rangerearthpig]

My wife bought a handmade (as in novice) briar for Valentine's Day that was literally a square block of wood with a stem. It was very ugly....I didn't tell her that. I've been wanting to try rusticating a pipe, so I figured using this pipe as the guinea pig was a no brainer. Since it was a Valentine's Day gift, I threw a heart into the design.
Although it doesn't look too manly, and my rustication needs a LOT of improvement, my wife was pleased, and it is actually a superb smoker. It's probably my favorite pipe when I'm in the mood for Molto Dolce.

 

[salewis]

I bought a Savinelli Autograph a few years ago from smokingpipes.com. I have smoking a pipe since 1969. This Savinelli Autograph was a real surprise since it smoked like heaven. I own over 40 pipes and this Autograph is one of my five best smokers. I liked it so much that I bought a second Savinelli Autograph and it to smokes great.

 

[tarak]

I'm too lazy to post a picture, but despite having much nicer pipes, I have a nice little Dr. Grabow Crown Duke that is growing on me.
My wife bought it for me from at antique store knowing I wanted to try cleaning a few pipes up. It was dirty, and the lacquer they put on them was peeling off and looking awful. Figuring it was a waste and a learning experience, I sanded it down, cleaned up the stem, and restrained it with just random wood stain I had laying around.
Smoked it a couple times and....meh. It just sat around.
Last fall I started lunting a bit and used that Grabow because I wasn't worried about it. And darn it, that little pipe is growing on me. Its light weight, it smokes really well, and it has a nice small bowl for quick smokes. I don't reach for it all the time, but it gets more attention than its "worth".

 

[misterlowercase]

A Russ Cook diamond dog.
Of course I liked the way it looked when I got it, but not being a Rhodie guy I was unsure how I'd embrace the shape, and it did take a good bit of adjustment on my part --- but now I love this thing and will more than likely in the future commission Russ to make another one so I'll have a pair!
I found this as an affordable estate,

I couldn't pass it up!

::
I like his stuff.

http://www.pipesbyrusscook.com/portfolio.html

...

 

[wilson]

Mine is a straight billiard, no-name (Made in London England) basket pipe. I purchased it 35 years ago because it was cheap and I needed to expand my rotation. For the longest time, it was the last pipe in the rotation, something to be smoked only when other pipes needed a rest. But, in the last year I have come to realize that it is one of my best smoking pipes. Given the low price, I don't think I would quite say that I ever regretted the purchase, but it has grown on me, and it only took 34 years.

 

[kendodan]

I'd have to say a Grabow Duke I bought when I first got into smoking a pipe. At first I hated it. It smoked hot and wet and I could never get to the bottom of the bowl with it. Little did I know it was my technique that was lacking. As I slowed down the pipe got better and better. It was a great pipe to learn from because when it got hot it got HOT! I don't go to it so often now because I want a longer smoke but I still find myself reaching for it occasionally and she shapes me right up if I smoke her too fast.

 

[dottiewarden]

Great topic and great pics everyone!
What I've learned from this is to be not too quick to judge or get rid of any pipe. What's the harm in hanging on to it, who knows, it may become your next best smoker!
As I prefer smaller pipes and the billiards, your Stanwell Sterling Series Billiard seems to have been crafted for a guy like me.
I'll be on the lookout for one similar to yours numbersix.

 

[petes03]

Yep, I've had a few that took a while to grow on me. Of course, I wouldn't have bought them if they hadn't appealed to me visually, but as far as the smoking qualities go they took a while.
The first one is this Nording "Special Rustic" 1/8 bent ball. I bought this pipe for Burley and light English/Balkan blends, but it didn't start to sing until I started smoking Va flakes in it.

The next is this Aldo Velani "111" Bulldog. I actually bought it for Va, Va/Per and Va/Bur flakes, and that is what I smoke in it now. But when I bought it, the draw was very tight. Once I opened the airway in the stem, it smoked like a dream!

Next up is this Peterson "31" System Standard. I bought this pipe for loose cut Aromatics, which it smoked OK, but I never was really impressed with it. Then I smoked some Stokkebye Luxury Twist Flake in it and WOW, it was great! This pipe is now dedicated to PS LTF.

Last is this Dr. Grabow "Belvedere". I bought this in an estate lot for a steal, But it never smoked very good for me. First off it's a stinger pipe, and I've never had good luck with stingers. The pipe smoked hot and gurgled like crazy with every blend I tried.

Then I tried some Mac Baren Navy Flake in it. It performed Great!

This pipe is now dedicated to Mac Baren flake/coin tobaccos.

There are a few pipes in my collection that are still "growing" on me, but for the most part, they are all great burners!

 

[sallow]

Numbersix - I like the smaller Stanwells, that one is a beauty, classic.

 

[checotah]

A few years back, I decided to buy myself an anniversary pipe each year when my wife and I celebrate our marriage. Some time back we agreed to not try to buy presents for each other but instead buy something we each want and give the other credit. It's been working very well for several years, until July 2012. I have many pipe shapes but never had a full bent, so a craving started (sound familiar?). So, in July of 2012, we stopped at the Briar Shoppe in Eugene, OR, and I saw this Peterson rusticated full bent. I looked at it, several times, each time moving to others, but the draw was too much: picked it up, with some anticipation, took it back with us to the motel. As is my wont, after a nice dinner, I took the bent, stepped outside with a pouch of Bald Headed Teacher. Lit up, and immediately felt the disappointment. First, as a clencher, it rode too close to my chin, and the pairing just didn't work. After about half a bowl, dumped it, filled a bent apple I've had for years, and enjoyed the rest of the smoke.
Brought the bent home and stuck it in a rack. Every so often would take it out to the smoking deck, and light up. Several blends got a chance, but none really made it a good pipe.
A couple of weeks back, I tried again, this time with Frog Morton On The Town, and decided to hold instead of clench. Well, did you all feel the earth shake? Well, I sure did! Magic filled the air in the form of a very satisfying smoke! Have tried it a couple of times with other English blends, held, not clenched, and, well, they were OK. Called the Frog, and there it was again! No way to explain it, but it just really works for me.
So, I now have a dedicated pipe. Am sitting here enjoying that marvelous combination, with a glass of Maker's Mark....Don't bother me, I'm in Heaven....

 

[pitchfork]

This Briar Workshop pipe I bought new a couple of years ago. I loved the look and hand feel and it was the first oval stemmed pipe I had ever had. Plus, it was the first pipe I owned that had near perfect grain -- consistent flame on the sides and a big heel of birdseye on the bottom. But I never could find the right tobacco for it.
Penzance was OK, but most of the Latakia blends I tried -- Odyssey, Abingdon, Magnum Opus -- just didn't smoke well and were hard to keep lit. It's about a group 5 or 6 bowl, so I didn't even think of trying VAs. I had smoked it probably 10 times and it just sat on the rack. And then I tried VAs in it. What a difference. I've now dedicated it to VAs and it smokes perfectly every time.

 

[numbersix]

Great pipes everyone - nice to know I am not the only one who discovered "diamonds in the rough."

Numbersix - I like the smaller Stanwells, that one is a beauty, classic.

Thanks sallow - it is a gem of a pipe.
MCL - that is a great looking pipe by RC.
@petes03: that Valani and Pete are great looking pipes.

 

[terrygoldman123]

I purchased 2 BC's (Butz Choquin) pipes and while I liked the design I wasn't too sure about the smoke. Now I can say that they both smoke exceptionally well and I love them. Price wise and smoke wise, you can't go wrong with BC.