Who Are The Real Tobacco Snobs?

[captpat]

That said, if some people find dropping a a lot of money on a tin of celebrated "whatsis" absurd on some level, it's their right to feel that way. If they want to express that publicly it's still their right to do so and it's other's right to express their support of their lack of support for that view. That's what makes for a forum, points of view expressed and discussed.

What I take exception to is labeling people and disparaging them because their view is different from yours. ... And I certainly wouldn't go about labeling them or trying to cancel them with a label.

I agree with this sentiment from @sablebrush52; further, I'd say the whole snobbery screed in the OP is not a good look. @pipestud is running a business, not a charity no one should expect that prices would be any less than what the market will bear.

As someone considering selling off some of my cellar, I'm quite happy to see the prices being commanded both on the forums and at other resellers.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

First... I think that there is a difference between being a snob and being an asshole. I can think that I know what tobaccos I like best, and I can also not like many blends, without being an asshole about. Although, it is fun and funny to have some fun at being an asshole when the occasion permits.

The problem, here isn't snobbery. There's not a damned thin k wrong with being a snob. The problem is some assholes, who are just pissed and dissing a forum sponsor because they are jealous that they can't get these blends cheaper.

I toast the snobs and tobacco promiscuous alike. But, damn the assholes... unless they are being ironic or funny.

 

[sjohnston0311]

My reason for "cellaring" tobacco is to avoid having to pay $100+ per tin in the future due to whatever increase in taxes my government decides is necessary for my own good. So to pay that much for a tin now, for me anyway, kind of defeats the purpose.

With that said, I know a lot of people really enjoy seeking out aged or rare blends. So if someone is willing to pay big money for a 20 year old tin of Capstan, or maybe some other blend that's no longer in production, thats cool. They'll get no judgement from me. And if they are willing to pay a certain price for it, then it's not unfair for the seller to sell it at that price.

 

[NomadOrb]

Ever had that feeling that everyone understands you and your intentions? Yeah, that's totally gone now, thanks @canucklehead & @Ahi Ka

Nomad-orb

 

[Davy]

Placing unrealistic expectations on a group doesn't end well and brings us all down a bit. There are good and bad just as there are anywhere. Any sort of person can smoke just as they can do anything else without being categorized. There are pipe smokers that think we should act a particular way, dress a particular way, or conduct ourselves in a particular way, etc. It almost makes me want to hang up three decades of pipe smoking in favor of my lesser smoked cigarettes.

Sometimes, you are hard to follow in your thought process. How you went from what I said - a mere observation - to talking about 'unrealistic expectations' baffles me.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Sometimes, you are hard to follow in your thought process. How you went from what I said - a mere observation - to talking about 'unrealistic expectations' baffles me.

One of the things I love about Chasingembers is that he choses things to be against, and even when he is agreeing with you, it comes across as an argument. I have learned to read and reread his posts before responding, because it is so easy to end up arguing against your own initial idea with him if you aren't careful, ha ha.

 

[AJL67]

I’ve seen the same thread in question on three sites from the same person, I wouldn’t doubt it if it was on more.

 

[yanoJL]

Websites like Steve's make it possible for willing buyers to have access, for a price, to tobaccos otherwise unavailable at retail outlets or B&M stores. I get that.
However, a case can be made that sites like Pipestud or TinBids make scalping possible (and ultimately profitable).

I have no issue when a buyer has cellared a blend for a decade, and posts it for resale at a price commensurate with its age and desirability.

However, when someone gobbles up unicorn turds as they drop with the sole intent to gouge... that doesn't seem fair. That's scalping.

 

[vosBghos]

It could be equally true that tobacco snobs are people who get off on buying only rare and desirable blends. And then there are tobacco snobs who make apriori conclusions about the quality or worthiness of a particular brand of tobacco. We used to have a cadre of commentators who would disparage anything Sutliff, the dumb bastards.

Of course, I have no opinion regarding this.

I've seen a bit of that on C&D and Gl Pease, cutting down entire blending houses, ok so you like your tobacco and are not a fan X completely missing the subjective reality of personal preference. The narcissism and at the same time lack of self-awareness vying for position as the ruling trait of these individuals' personalities must be exhausting.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

I don't know if snob is the right term. Entitled seems more accurate. I don't understand all the purple who think they're entitled to buy Esoterica, McClelland, etc at retail just because. Or complain about hoarders who buy up all the difficult to obtain blends. The reality is, they just get out hustled.

The people who sell the difficult to get had to buy it somewhere. And most sites have a 2 to 10 tin limit per day or per week. So the idea that a few people buy everything up is absurd. If you're not willing to pay attention to blends coming available or stay up a few hours later or get up a few hours earlier, to buy it, don't blame everyone else. Blame yourself.

I also have to wonder if the so called snobs would sell their Esoterica or McClelland for MSRP if they had some to sell. Or would they sell it for the going rate? I think the answer to that question is obvious.

 

[trouttimes]

In my book, Steve runs a quality site and has a quality service. The market price is what it is. If it’s too rich, don’t buy. If no one buys, the price comes down. Basic 10 grade economics class. Not Steve’s fault that the market price for some blends is higher than what some would like. I want a new truck and I should only have to pay $20,000. I hate the dealer trying to get way too much for that truck.

 

[Piping Abe]

However, when someone gobbles up unicorn turds as they drop with the sole intent to gouge... that doesn't seem fair. That's scalping.

It is very smart though to take advantage. Whether its right or wrong is another story. The buyer dictates the price.

 

[yanoJL]

It is very smart though to take advantage. Whether its right or wrong is another story. The buyer dictates the price.

And if Steve didn't build a site to do it, Somebody else would.

 

[sablebrush52]

What I mourn is the disappearance of the relaxed nature of the hobby - how what pipe or tobacco you smoke has something to do, in some folks' minds, of how "manly" you are. I well recall threads here about how women shouldn't smoke pipes, about which tobacco or which pipe shape is the most "manly" - how people rush off to buy more tins of tobacco than they will ever be able to smoke - and so on.

I don't agree that the "relaxed nature of the hobby" has disappeared. It's been joined by a competitive market in discontinued blends that gets partially warped by irrational mythologizing about a few specific "star" blends and resulting frenzy of the curious, besotted, competitive, or status seeking to obtain them. These are the "Cabbage Patch Kids" of the tobacco smoking world:

The strange story of the Cabbage Patch Kid Riots of 1983

In November 1983, America went bonkers for Cabbage Patch Kids.

abc7ny.com

Cabbage Patch riots - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

People get fixated on something they decide they must have for no healthy rational reason. Other people see this as a business opportunity, amassing hoards of a desired item and reselling for a huge mark up. Happened with Playstation 5

Video Exposes Walmart Warehouse Hoarding PlayStation Consoles Amid Supply Chain Issues | Entrepreneur

One worker's TikTok showing a storage facility at Walmart is going viral amid the pre-holiday shopping surge.

www.entrepreneur.com

Consumers warned of bots hoarding PS5s and other must-have items

Calls for UK ban on software that secures stocks of goods such as Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5

www.theguardian.com

People will find ingenious ways to fuck each other around and to justify it. It's just a part of who we are.

Like all frenzies, this one will peak and burst. It will get ugly first to do that, and there are signs that that energy is gathering, B&M's charging way more than retail, requiring other purchases to "qualify" for the "star" blend, flippers becoming more of the norm, all classic "late stage" signs.

So while that circus goes on, the rest of the pipe smoking firmament sails on serenely unchanged. It's just that some new wrinkles have been added to it.

 

[sablebrush52]

However, a case can be made that sites like Pipestud or TinBids make scalping possible (and ultimately profitable).

Of course they do, but they're not responsible for people turning into flippers. That's a decision made by the people who decide to become flippers.

 

[captpat]

Placing unrealistic expectations on a group doesn't end well and brings us all down a bit. There are good and bad just as there are anywhere. Any sort of person can smoke just as they can do anything else without being categorized. There are pipe smokers that think we should act a particular way, dress a particular way, or conduct ourselves in a particular way, etc. It almost makes me want to hang up three decades of pipe smoking in favor of my lesser smoked cigarettes.

That's why sometimes I take a break from forums, I'll give up forum interactions before I give up pipe smoking.

 

[LotusEater]

Ever had that feeling that everyone understands you and your intentions? Yeah, that's totally gone now, thanks @canucklehead & @Ahi Ka

Nomad-orb

For the record - I’ve been misreading your forum handle as Nomad Rob.
Sorry

 

[craig61a]

For the record - I’ve been misreading your forum handle as Nomad Rob.
Sorry

I've been reading it in reverse... Funnier that way. Bro-Damon.

 

[jaytex1969]

@pipestud

The correct pronunciation is Pi Pest Ud (Pie Pest You'd)

 

[LotusEater]

In my opinion when it comes to tobacco (or anything else for that matter) the asking price is the asking price either pay that price, haggle with the seller or go without.

Re difficult to obtain blends that are currently in production - I think @hoosierpipeguy has got it exactly right if you can’t get something “don't blame everyone else. Blame yourself”
“The reality is, you’re just getting out hustled.”

As for discontinued blends see my first point- pay the asking price, haggle with the seller or go without.

I live in Kansas City but didn’t really get into pipe smoking until McClelland closed up shop. I missed the boat and now I have to pay a lot just to try blends that others have pounds of in their cellar. I guess that’s my shitty luck but I’m certainly not going to find fault with someone for selling their McClelland tobacco for as much as the market will bear.