Unsmoked Eugene Rich Custombilt.

[damronhimself]

I had wanted a Custombilt pipe for a long time. To smoke. I recently acquired a Eugene Rich era CB that’s unsmoked. I can’t bring myself to lay flame to an almost 70 year old pipe. I’m a smoker. I’m not a collector. So, my question to you is this: Is it a significant enough piece of pipe history to NOT smoke it? Should I just set it aside as an heirloom piece and hand it down to my grandchildren? What would you do?

 

[Sweet Home Alabama]

I had wanted a Custombilt pipe for a long time. To smoke. I recently acquired a Eugene Rich era CB that’s unsmoked. I can’t bring myself to lay flame to an almost 70 year old pipe. I’m a smoker. I’m not a collector. So, my question to you is this: Is it a significant enough piece of pipe history to NOT smoke it? Should I just set it aside as an heirloom piece and hand it down to my grandchildren? What would you do?View attachment 80323

Smoke it. You’re probably not going to be contacted by the pipe museum.

The only historical pipe that would be of interest to me would be one that CS Lewis smoked.

 

[cshubhra]

Enjoy your new pipe ? Of course smoke it ?

 

[maduromadness]

Smoke it and enjoy what it brings to your smoking pleasure

 

[kcghost]

Light'em up!!

 

[jguss]

It’s a nice pipe, but not an irreplaceable piece of humanity’s cultural heritage. Smoke it and enjoy!

 

[sablebrush52]

Enjoy it!

 

[Trainpipeman]

I would say to go ahead, and smoke it. Enjoy!

 

[mikefu]

I would pack, light, smoke and repeat indefinitely.

 

[anotherbob]

I am going the other way only because if you feel hesitation that is not conducive to a great smoking experience. Another way to put it, if you feel you're doing something wrong or making a mistake how much can you relax into the smoking?

 

[mso489]

The goal is enjoyment, so what's your pleasure? I think I'd smoke it as a thrill and guilty pleasure. It is a mighty nice collector's piece too, but the chance that one of your grandkids is going to be a pipe collector is remote.

 

[Sweet Home Alabama]

People do this with fountain pens and other antiques.

 

[damronhimself]

My personality is weird. I just bought a 2014 Kia, right? Nice car, yada...yada...yada... blah, blah, blah... but instead of driving it, (I let my wife drive it to work and we live just a mile from her workplace) I’ll just leave it in the driveway and drive my old beat all to hell 2008 Pontiac G6. Why? Because I don’t want to put a ton of miles on the Kia. I’d rather drive MY car and put all the miles on it rather than my Kia. Why? It’s meant to be driven, it’s meant to get you from point A to B. I don’t enjoy it any less, but I just don’t want the wear and tear on it.

Same with this pipe. It’s meant to be smoked, but I have other pipes that I’d rather put the “wear and tear” on.

I hope the idea I’m trying to convey makes sense even though my reasoning with my car and pipe might not to some people.

 

[damronhimself]

People do this with fountain pens and other antiques.

Exactly! Why? Who knows? But that’s how I am as well with my personal effects.

 

[Sweet Home Alabama]

People do this with fountain pens and other antiques.

Exactly! Why? Who knows? But that’s how I am as well with my personal effects.

So, I wind my Hamilton RR watches and old Westclox clocks. I play old fiddles and guitars. I use an 1930’s Esterbrook dollar. I hone old straight razors and knives.

 

[mso489]

Yeah, I understand. My up-market pipes get a little less use out of misplaced respect and a desire to conserve them. I have to spur myself to smoke my Ferndown, Ser Jacopo, After many years not owning a car, I finally bought a brand new red VW bug, my first car, and sure enough, for weeks I walked to work. You have to grow into new acquisitions. Habits die hard.

 

[damronhimself]

Yeah, I understand. My up-market pipes get a little less use out of misplaced respect and a desire to conserve them. I have to spur myself to smoke my Ferndown, Ser Jacopo, After many years not owning a car, I finally bought a brand new red VW bug, my first car, and sure enough, for weeks I walked to work. You have to grow into new acquisitions. Habits die hard.

“Misplaced respect”. That’s a great way to phrase that.

 

[Aomalley27]

How much would your grandchildren cherish a pipe you DIDN’T smoke? I know if my grandfather had smoked a pipe, I’d want the one that was USED regardless of prettiest, cleanest etc. There’s that feeling of connection with something used.

 

[Chasing Embers]

I can’t bring myself to lay flame to an almost 70 year old pipe.

Be cautious if you do. I smoked a 112 year old unsmoked KBB with an amber stem and the shank split.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Same with this pipe. It’s meant to be smoked, but I have other pipes that I’d rather put the “wear and tear” on.

I have a few pipes that were bought solely to look at, nothing wrong with that. A friend of mine who has never used any sort of tobacco collects meerschaum pipes.