So far, nothing. Buying over the internet has its problems, but been luck so far. That doesn't mean everything is perfect. But nothing to complain about.
What is Your Worst Pipe Buying Mistake?
- Thread starter frozenchurchwarden
- Start date
I’ve bought a few pipes that I didn’t end up loving and the disappointment breaks down into one of two categories.
Some pipes just didn’t smoke well under any circumstance and that is the greatest tragedy. This does seem more prevalent with sub-$200 new-make factory pipes, as many others have noted. I have ended up sending a few of these back as estates and regret not just spending that money on either a single very nice pipe or several comparably priced estates from solid brands that have been vetted and refurbished by a reputable source. I’ve had a few disappointing estates but far and away, the success rate is better than with factory pipes.
Some pipes, I appreciate visually but have no interest in ever actually smoking. This is a lesson that I learned early on after buying a big ‘ol tree trunk of a Boswell freehand with a cavernous chamber. I never had the time or will to smoke it to the bottom. I love to look at fantasy inspired pipes, big craggy Danish freehands, wild sculpture-like post-modern marvels but I don’t really prefer to smoke large pipes and I don’t see a point in owning things that I don’t want to use all the time. I mostly enjoy smoking small and medium pipes. I love faithfully executed shape-chart standards and tastefully distorted re-imaginings of those classic shapes. I’ve mostly heeded that lesson until recently when I bought this xtra meaty, spot-carved sandlasted dublin noname estate that looked like something a bridge troll would wear well. Thankfully that was only a $50 lesson after trading it in to a local B&M for some tins.
Some pipes just didn’t smoke well under any circumstance and that is the greatest tragedy. This does seem more prevalent with sub-$200 new-make factory pipes, as many others have noted. I have ended up sending a few of these back as estates and regret not just spending that money on either a single very nice pipe or several comparably priced estates from solid brands that have been vetted and refurbished by a reputable source. I’ve had a few disappointing estates but far and away, the success rate is better than with factory pipes.
Some pipes, I appreciate visually but have no interest in ever actually smoking. This is a lesson that I learned early on after buying a big ‘ol tree trunk of a Boswell freehand with a cavernous chamber. I never had the time or will to smoke it to the bottom. I love to look at fantasy inspired pipes, big craggy Danish freehands, wild sculpture-like post-modern marvels but I don’t really prefer to smoke large pipes and I don’t see a point in owning things that I don’t want to use all the time. I mostly enjoy smoking small and medium pipes. I love faithfully executed shape-chart standards and tastefully distorted re-imaginings of those classic shapes. I’ve mostly heeded that lesson until recently when I bought this xtra meaty, spot-carved sandlasted dublin noname estate that looked like something a bridge troll would wear well. Thankfully that was only a $50 lesson after trading it in to a local B&M for some tins.
My worst mistake, although it has turned out fine, was to buy a Britannia smooth Dublin without knowing it had a double bored airway. Turns out both airways take a pipe cleaner and smoke just fine, but had I known it was double bore I would have thought twice. I've sometimes been given credit for being hyper-observant, but not that day.
Yes. I got a full refund and the guy told me to keep the pipe. Good customer service in that respect but the fact that the stem was glued onto the pipe should have been mentioned. It also shouldn't have been called "new" and the price should have been pennies on the dollar. I wasn't looking for a frankenpipe.
In hindsight, my biggest mistakes were not spending money on good pipes, and not having the nuts to go for some one of a kinds.
There is a Tokutomi pot, made of Nordh briar out there somewhere that haunts me to this day.
There is a Tokutomi pot, made of Nordh briar out there somewhere that haunts me to this day.
Hands down my biggest waste was a Mark Tinskey American Pipe I bought early on. It smoked like crap from new and never got any better. I wrote him asking him why it smoked so poorly and got a smart ass answer back. So not only did the pipe suck but his customer service sucked as well. We never ordered any more Tinksey pipes for the store after that.
My first pipe. It was a Sav Churchwarden straight stem, a decent looking and smoking pipe, but I quickly realized I only like bent churchwardens, and most pipes for that matter. Luckily a guy I owed some money to really liked it, so I’m glad he’s enjoying it now…
Like many have said you get to know what you like eventually and stop wasting money on trash…
Like many have said you get to know what you like eventually and stop wasting money on trash…
Honestly, my biggest mistake was waiting as long as I did to pick up a meer. When I picked up pipe smoking again a little over a year ago, I got a MM Bent Diplomat. It was such a step up from my shoddy, taped-together Estate Dr. Grabow Riviera Apple, and then, slowly but surely, smoking became more of a pleasure, not a chore. Then, after a few months of saving, I picked up a Savinelli Fantasia 626, a beautiful pipe, and it really opened my eyes to all the flavors of the blends I was smoking, so, naturally my pipe smoking enjoyment went through the roof. Fast forward 9 or so months and 4 more Savinelli pipes later, and this odd, tall but small SMS “chimney” meer caught my eye at my local pipe store. It was pretty cheap, so I picked it up pretty much on a whim, and, lo and behold, it became my favorite pipe in the blink of an eye. Smoked wonderfully, and it makes VA’s belt opera. Now, I’ve three meers, two SMS’s, and a Altinay Translucent Army Mount Rhodesian, and the only briar I’ve kept is a single Savinelli Tortuga poker. I sold the rest and I don’t regret a thing, other than buying them all in the first place.
90% of the time, I’m smoking a meer, and that’s the plan for the rest of my piping career. To me, it’s about as wonderful as pipe smoking gets. If you already have a few briars and are looking for another pipe, do yourself a favor and pick up some $70-$90 SMS to screw around with, odds say it’ll be worth it.
90% of the time, I’m smoking a meer, and that’s the plan for the rest of my piping career. To me, it’s about as wonderful as pipe smoking gets. If you already have a few briars and are looking for another pipe, do yourself a favor and pick up some $70-$90 SMS to screw around with, odds say it’ll be worth it.
I have bought a few pipes only because the price seemed like a good deal, so the purchase was mainly price based. For me this has only resulted in feeling like I wasted money because I wouldn't have bought the pipe if it wasn't for the low price. I have a similar experience with impulse buys.
As a weekend smoker, in the main, I have way too many pipes than I really need for a solid rotation.
There have been many times when I have looked at a pipe longingly, and thought "No, that's too much money", then gone and bought 4 or 5 pipes for the same money.
I've often wondered if it's better to have 1 or 2 really beautiful pipes rather than 20 lesser ones.
Do I regret my decisions ? Generally not, as each pipe is bought with some thought.
I decided some time ago to part with one of my pipes for every new one that comes in, but I have great difficulty deciding which will go, as I really like them all.
So I'd say that with a very few exceptions, I haven't had too many buying regrets so far
There have been many times when I have looked at a pipe longingly, and thought "No, that's too much money", then gone and bought 4 or 5 pipes for the same money.
I've often wondered if it's better to have 1 or 2 really beautiful pipes rather than 20 lesser ones.
Do I regret my decisions ? Generally not, as each pipe is bought with some thought.
I decided some time ago to part with one of my pipes for every new one that comes in, but I have great difficulty deciding which will go, as I really like them all.
So I'd say that with a very few exceptions, I haven't had too many buying regrets so far
Saudi Arabia. I do sometimes hesitate to mention it since I am aware of the negative stereotypes that it has.
Two Rad David pipes, one estate, one new, they just didn't click with me. But, folks scooped them up quickly and for not much of a loss, so not tragic. That's as bad as it gets by my experience.
I agree. I’ve had bad luck with Peterson’s. Only good Peterson I have was given to me by my Dad sixty ears ago.
All of my pipes are fairly inexpensive smokers purchased online. I never
pay enough attention to the stem. I like to clench and prefer a saddle or highly tapered stem but I’ve ended up with a few pipes that may as well have a Bic pen jammed into the stummel.
pay enough attention to the stem. I like to clench and prefer a saddle or highly tapered stem but I’ve ended up with a few pipes that may as well have a Bic pen jammed into the stummel.
Yes, it is in the Middle East with other gulf countries such as UAE and Qatar.
The worst mistake? Ha! Not trusting my gut when I could have sworn I saw “line” in a photo which turned out to be a crack and overpaid. Commissioning a pipe and having turn great and then asking for a deal on more to make it into a 7 day set and the second 2 that came together were made terribly, I could only give them away. Seller offered me a discount to continue the set - to offset the quality ?
Or my personal favourite, tossing out low bids on the buy it now feature to test the “market value” from a seller and have them accept something I was only curious about ? as others have said live and learn.
Or my personal favourite, tossing out low bids on the buy it now feature to test the “market value” from a seller and have them accept something I was only curious about ? as others have said live and learn.
I think the most frustrating has been selling on EBay from time to time. I’ve listed Dunhills for $35. Price reflects condition. People have bought it only to return it and tell me that they can’t make money off of the piece of firewood. No shit. That’s why it was $35. So maybe we’re all guilty; me as a seller was disappointed, and the buyer was. You know who you are.