The Passion of Collecting Pipes

[minerLuke]

I used to love collecting pipes, and still do to a point. When I first got into pipe smoking 13 years ago, I thought it was better to have a lot of pipes as opposed to a few high-quality pipes. Over the years I've culled the herd down a fair amount, and I'm currently doing it again. Like Chasing Embers said, you find yourself only smoking a few, and the rest become clutter.

I think I am heading down this road myself. I don't have a huge collection by any means, I have maybe around 60? after one cull. But even this number is starting to feel sort of burdensome. I smoke about half or a bit more of them at least semi regularly, with probably about 2 dozen being the core of my rotation. I could probably knock this 60 or so down by half and not really miss anything.

 

[irishearl]

The problem with having so many pipes (if we can call it a problem) is that you can't smoke them all with the right frequency. A pipe that has not been used for months will not perform as well as one smoked almost every day.


...and with this I think I have convinced you

Don't know about the performance part but otherwise as a smoker more than a collector I have a rough rule of thumb that, if you have so many pipes that you can't get around to smoking each one at least once every 3 weeks, you have too many pipes. My standard actually used to be once every 2 weeks. Therefore, as I'm at that point, I have no desire to buy another pipe unless Peterson dredges up another interesting old shape to offer again from the first quarter of the 20th century.

 

[grand wazoo]

The problem with having so many pipes (if we can call it a problem) is that you can't smoke them all with the right frequency. A pipe that has not been used for months will not perform as well as one smoked almost every day.


...and with this I think I have convinced you

so many beautiful pipes and so little time!

 

[AroEnglish]

I seem to feel a constant tug of another pipe but I think I’m still in the discovery phase. I’m starting to realize what chamber size and weight I like and am buying more pipes that fit those criteria rather than just, “ooo that pipe is pretty!” There are a number of pipes I own now that are in the cull pile but I’m grateful for them as they’ve helped me to know what I don’t want/prefer and it’s good to know someone else will love them.

 

[grand wazoo]

Sorry, I'm just not ready to part with any, but my collection is relatively small compared to other members which totals around 20. I'm still in the "honeymoon stage" with them all.

 

[Sigmund]

Collecting is half the fun. New pipe day is like Christmas. I do have some I bought on impulse that I dont use. Its harder to move them in the EU and they arent big collectables.

 

[woodsroad]

You say “passion”, I say “obsession”.
Mentally healthy until it’s not.
How many people here have spent large amounts of cash on “passions” that should have gone to bills, college funds, mortgage, retirement, spouses, children, etc. etc.?

 

[Sigmund]

That could become a problem. As for myself, anything I have spent on pipes has been what some folks might call disposable income but I dont care for that term. Sometimes I feel a little guilty about it but then I remember what a friend always asks me..."Are you planning to die on a mattress full of money?".

 

[Peterson314]

You say “passion”, I say “obsession”.
Mentally healthy until it’s not.
How many people here have spent large amounts of cash on “passions” that should have gone to bills, college funds, mortgage, retirement, spouses, children, etc. etc.?

My children have WAY too much of my money thankyouverruhmuch.

 

[dunnyboy]

I didn't start out as a collector and I don't think I've really become one. I started out as smoker then, stimulated by forums like this and websites like SP, I began to appreciate the craftsmanship and variety of pipes. After a while, I started to recognize the accomplishments of manufacturers and artisans in the field and wanted to add one or more of their creations to my arsenal. As my tastes changed and I found there were certain pipes I rarely smoked, I culled them. I doubt this process will come to an end but I still won't think of myself as a collector.

 

[Alejo R.]

You say “passion”, I say “obsession”.
Mentally healthy until it’s not.
How many people here have spent large amounts of cash on “passions” that should have gone to bills, college funds, mortgage, retirement, spouses, children, etc. etc.?

How many have not done it? I have many more pipes than I need. Does that mean I've spent money that should go to other destinations? No not at all.

 

[Alejo R.]

I buy pipes because I like it and it amuses me. I look for pipes at antique fairs and antique dealers and rarely spend more than pocket money. If I see a pipe at a price well below what it can sell for, I'll probably buy it. During the pandemic, I had more time, I dedicated myself to selling some pipes and with that money I bought better pipes. I may do it again in the future. Or I can keep it until I retire and sell them to finance the hobby, most of my pipes would pay for a month of tobacco and pipe cleaner, some would pay for a year.

 

[Big John Shea]

I have collected many things throughout my life. Pipes, pipe tobacco, cigars, meteorites, natural history specimens, rare books, antiques, Nihonto and ancient weapons. There are many reasons why I collect, but the truest reason is because I am a collector.

 

[HawkeyeLinus]

I was going to thin about this time last year and didn’t and surprise, a bigger “thinning” now in order, lol. And darn it, I need the Peterson Harp 68 (I’ve been watching for a long time for one that looked just right) from Ireland yesterday - need it!

 

[Sigmund]

I figure I worked all my life. No debts, no bill collectors. Sure I could spend the money elsewhere but I have fun with pipes. Im sure some people are making poor fiscal decisions but if they are spending money on pipes rather than obligations they would probably blow it elsewhere.

Pipes arent to blame as much as an overall lack of foresight in this hypothetical situation. Sure, we joke here about inabling folks but no one is telling others to rack up credit card debt to buy pipes. I think the understanding is that this is extra income being used. If its not who am I to tell someone else how to use their funds unless they ask? They wont listen anyway.

 

[Revnatorade C.P.G.]

I have three or four favorite pipes I smoke. The rest are simply for collecting and maybe giving to my kids someday if they want them. The issue with everything I collect is where to put them all. I've been collecting Scifi comic type stuff for years and now that I'm collecting pipes I'm selling that off bit by bit to make room for my pipes.

 

[ssjones]

I have too many to smoke with any regularity, and keep saying I'm going to thin the herd. But then that "special" pipe shows up somewhere, and I add another must-have. It is truly a passion