What Is A Pipe You Wanted, But Knew You Would Regret?

[americaman]

What are some pipes you wanted, thought about purchasing, but knew in the back of your mind that you would regret it if you went through with the purchase?

For me, it was an S. Bang that Briar Blues was selling. He had it on sale for $500, so it was a fairly good price, and it was just gorgeous. I went back and looked at it for days. But, it was still $500, it was a small pipe (which I don’t need more of), and S. Bangs are not known for being good smokers. So I passed, and now I’m glad that I did.

 

[peregrinus]

I have some older JT Cooke pipes (late 90’s) and they are superbly crafted and great smokers. A few years back, for some reason, I briefly became caught up in the smoke cloud of mass hysteria surrounding his newer work and I went through a phase of mild obsession with Cooke’s newer style, deeper (carved?) blasts. Came close to pulling the trigger on a new $900.00 blast... but, never did.

I musta passed some type of karmic test, because I was soon relived I didn’t complete a purchase and never felt the urge again - even when an opportunity came my way at less than half the price.

 

[Waning Embers]

I've never experienced that one.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

I can't say I've ever purchased a pipe believing I would regret it. Ends up that I purchased a very, very few pipes I ended up regretting but how would i know beforehand? Interesting about Cooke pipes. I've looked at a number on eBay and they have all been way too big/heavy for me. I had someone also tell me his stem work, at least for clinching, was not good. I guess if most of the pipes are 3 ounces or more, clinching is out of the question anyway. Most of his pipes I've seen are beautiful but I'm ecstatic with the Jose Rubio pipes I've collected. Absolutely flawless workmanship, lighter weight with perfect stem work (at least for me). And less than 1/2 the price of the Cooke pipes.

 

[sablebrush52]

I've never purchased a pipe believing that I would regret it. But I have purchased a few pipes that I later regretted purchasing.

 

[americaman]

Just to clarify: I’m talking about pipes you wanted but DIDN’T buy, because you knew you would regret it.

 

[Casual]

I love the looks of many heavy pipes that I know I won’t often use, in favour of my lighter pipes. I was drooling over a Castello squat bent bulldog the other week that was too heavy for me.

Once you get used to a pipe that’s less than two thirds of an ounce (18g) it’s hard to go back.

 

[peregrinus]

I've looked at a number on eBay and they have all been way too big/heavy for me. I had someone also tell me his stem work, at least for clinching, was not good.

Cookes older pieces are heavier than some, maybe near the Les Wood area of “built to last a millennium” school of pipe crafting.
Interestingly, his stem work, at least on the pieces I own, I find superior, among the most comfortable I own. As you may know, he built his reputation on his stem work for Barry Levin, PCCA and hundreds of private restorations in the 90’s.
But then again, I am not a clencher normally so not a criteria for me.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

Just to clarify: I’m talking about pipes you wanted but DIDN’T buy, because you knew you would regret it.

I'm not quite sure how to want a pipe really bad but know I would regret buying it. I can see if it were a pipe I couldn't afford and then regretted the expenditure later when the bill came due (or other bills I couldn't pay). Other than that, if there were clear reasons I think I would regret buying it, kind of kills any regret for not buying it. What am I missing?

 

[workman]

There have been many pipes that I have considered purchasing, but ultimately haven't because I thought I MIGHT regret it for some reason or other.
I have never seriously considered an expensive pipe that was beyond my means.
Once I almost purchased a Savinelly 614 Menta. I have a 9614 Nonpareil. I like the almost full bend on that one, and this Menta was available. I ended up not doing it 'cause the idea of a menthol coating in a pipe just seemed stupid.
I'm gonna grab me a Punto Oro version someday.

 

[elasmo]

I've thought about those Petersons with the silver cap, but I have no idea how I'd take care of it, cause I char the top of everything I have...

 

[bullet08]

I don't regret much. Pipe purchase isn't something I would regret.

 

[lawdawg]

I’m dealing more with the opposite problem... mildly regretting not buying a pipe. I tend to be a pragmatist, so I usually decide that whatever money I’m dedicating to my pipe activities would best be dedicated to tobacco considering the current circumstances... notwithstanding the fact that I freely spend money on other stuff, like the $150 I spent at the liquor store today on scotch and beer.

 

[mso489]

Most often I shop a lot, as in researching a lot of pipes in a general category, then deliberate a long time, and this filters out a lot of mistakes through various obstacles and my sales resistance. I do this with anything "expensive" by my lights, but also with low priced pipes. To a notable degree. I've made mistakes over the years, but not so much. I've ended up with a number of pipes that cost nothing (as this goes) but smoke exceedingly well. I think this comes under the category of over-thinking, but for me, it's a sport. A good pipe will last for most of the rest of your life, or beyond, so that makes it seem worthwhile. ...I'm intrigued that S. Bangs are not deemed good smokers; I thought they were esteemed high end pipes. I've looked at Bangs but never been drawn in.

 

[workman]

Most often I shop a lot, as in researching a lot of pipes in a general category, then deliberate a long time, and this filters out a lot of mistakes through various obstacles and my sales resistance. I do this with anything "expensive" by my lights, but also with low priced pipes. To a notable degree. I've made mistakes over the years, but not so much. I've ended up with a number of pipes that cost nothing (as this goes) but smoke exceedingly well. I think this comes under the category of over-thinking, but for me, it's a sport. A good pipe will last for most of the rest of your life, or beyond, so that makes it seem worthwhile. ...I'm intrigued that S. Bangs are not deemed good smokers; I thought they were esteemed high end pipes. I've looked at Bangs but never been drawn in.

I've seen S.Bangs referred to as some of the very best pipes. I'm not in a position to judge. One of those pipes costs more than all mine combined.

 

[username]

I was born in December so I always though it would be neat to own a Xmas of 1981 pipe. Or simply a birth year dunhill. Had the chance to pick up either on multiple occasions but I know after a year or so the novelty factor would wear on me. So I bought more tobacco instead.

 

[solideogloria86]

I can off hand remember a Nording Valhalla spigot pipe. Another was a Peterson Irish made army 406. Not sure why those two stick out. I was in the habit of building a wishlist on smoking pipes, and I would have blends I wanted to try or stock up on, along with multiple pipes that caught my attention. As time would pass, I'd pare down the list and eventually every pipe on it would be replaced by another. All of them for this very reason. The more I thought about them, the more I realized I didn't like them as much as I thought I did and would be disappointed when they arrived. Funny thing is, I've only bought one pipe of the dozens I've added to that list. That one pipe is a Neerup classic. No disappointment in it whatsoever.

 

[solideogloria86]

Oh, and the 2018 Peterson Christmas pipe (87). Eyed that for a while. The copper accents really drew me in. Came close but never bought one.

 

[lochinvar]

Maybe not disappointment, but I know whenever I buy a new pipe I'm going to walk into my lair and say "Here are your 100 brothers and sisters.....now where the hell am I going to put you?" So maybe slight shame.

 

[mtwaller]

A whopping behemoth of a Ferndown ***. Glad I talked myself out of that one. The name and the Cumberland stem had me star struck. Glad I didn’t waste my money, though. Not because it wasn’t a damn fine pipe, but I knew I’d hardly ever smoke it.