I haven't purchased a pipe in several years. I got it out of my system by haunting the estate pipes section of Ebay and having a lot fun checking my bids and scoring wins on some fantastic pipes for dirt cheap.
Part of the fun was cleaning them up and making them usable for myself. I got micro mesh pads, a retort kit, (I don't think this is worth the time) sandpaper, pipe cleaners, alcohol, Bartender's Secret, erase pads, reamers of all sorts,
I've got at least a dozen pipes that arrived unsmoked and have remained so.
I've made some stupid or silly buys too, but it's never been more than amusement within a budget and it's been a huge part of my life, whiling away the hours in pipe heaven.
My best ebay win was actually two lots of 4 quarter bent briars. I got all eight for about $11.00 each including shipping. Amongst them were 2 classic and very collectible Kaywoodies, an almost brand new Chacom Monaco bent bulldog, a fantastic LHS Author, a Sterling Hall rhodesian marked 'hand made', a Benton Select bulldog, an Ambassadoor bulldog, and one more that I don't see or remember. It's here somewhere.
I smoke 6 of 'em regularly.