What is Your Best Pipe?

[Piping Rooster]

So far it's my 2020 Pete Xmas 107. Its a big bowl that smokes great and everything I've smoked out of it has tasted wonderful

 

[StPaulPiper]

Like many, my favorites tend to jump around a bit, and I have a soft spot for just about all of my 80ish pipes. But... There are a couple that would go in my pocket as I ran out of my burning house. My first Savinelli, an utterly boring little Extra 6013 (and one of my first restoration projects). It feels great in my hand, has wonderful lines and smokes like a dream. And my 1880s Captain Warren with a screw-in meer bowl. My house was built in 1881, so when I smoke it, I "blend in" better. I love smoking that pipe and speculating about who might have been smoking it in 1881 (and where). And then my Porsche Design pipe, which is the best smoking pipe I own. And my two carved skulls, and my meers, and for sure the Stanwells.... oh never mind, I'd burn to death.

 

[dunnyboy]

Years ago when my boys were teenagers I’d go take them pheasant hunting in South Dakota, and enroll them with me in sporting clays tournaments, here at home.

My numbers and variety of old shotguns approach those of my huge stash of pipes. Pipes are cheaper, though. The best new thousand dollar Dunhill costs about half of an entry level Browning Citori or Beretta Six series over and under, the standard new double shotgun of the sporting clays games.


So you start asking yourself, what’s my best gun?

I own three Belgian made pre salt era round knob, long tang, Browning Superposed shotguns. Each would cost about 25 thousand to have one not quite as good made at FN today. Are those my best? Not hardly. They require lead shot, or wildly expensive bismuth.

My best target shotgun is my Winchester Super X Model One with custom deluxe target grade stock and forend and 28” Modified choke. It cost $350 used twenty years ago and I’ve added $200 of wood, and maybe it’s worth $500 if the shotgun market was not so unstable as it is today.

But my Super X is awful heavy to carry all day in South Dakota, which is why I own about a dozen Ithaca Model 37 Featherweights. For flying birds, they are best. A brand new one today is about $1,250, from Ithaca. None of mine cost half that used, most only a fraction.

But let’s pretend the do gooders finally corner me, and I have to pick only one shotgun, not two.

For my 49th birthday in 2007 my beautiful wife gave me a brand new Caesar Guerni Tempio 12 gauge with 28 inch barrels.

Tempio - Caesar Guerini USA

gueriniusa.com

The ghost of Lee, is rumored to haunt Caesar Guerni. Late at night he can be seen admiring the finest regular production shotguns on earth, and he’s smiling, especially at the pretty wood and gold inlays.

That Caesar Guerni is one gorgeous shot gun!

 

[Briar Lee]

One of the things I love about this forum is how I learn something new nearly every day here.

All I’ve learned about pipes I’ve learned on my own, and with lots of help from my friends.

Last week I was referred to this James Upshall made Tilshead pipe, which only cost $75.

Now I own two best pipes, my Preben Holm for Latakia blends and this huge Tilshead for aromatics.