Why are Dunhills so costly?

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hauntedmyst

Lifer
Feb 1, 2010
4,006
20,750
Chicago
This whole discussion gets down to the argument of luxury vs. affordable goods which some will inevitably turn into snobbery vs. non-snobbery. I own 9 Dunhill's, and they were worth every cent. Each one is a fantastic smoker and beautifully made. Long ago I decided life was too short to smoke pipes with wood putty in them. Thats my choice. I'd rather have 1 Dunhill than 5 Peterson's and I'd rather have 5 Dunhills than one Chonowitsch. Again though, that's my choice. Now I don't care if the next guy wants to smoke corn cobs or Savinellis or whatever. A pipe smoker ought to smoke whatever they want and you shouldn't need to be convinced to spend your money on any pipe.
They have sold the Dunhill name to lend quality to a whole series of products that have nothing to do with Dunhill and nothing to do with pipes. It's been all about the money. So be it. It's evidently working very, very well for them. But this kind of behavior doesn't work at all for me. I'm sure it won't break any hearts at Dunhill, but I won't be knowingly buying any of their products. They're just another large conglomerate swallowing up smaller, better companies and I want no part in that.
Sorry Rick, but this whole string is just nonsense on the face of it. Dunhill built their reputation on the build and smoking quality of their pipes. Alfred wasn't born a big evil company, he was born a guy who opened a shop and built quality products that people not only wanted, they actually bought them. Big evil pipe company swallows up better companies? What? Are you writing a movie? Dunhill offered Charatan a price for their company, Charatan accepted it. It's not nefarious, i's just business and it happens every day. By the way, I doubt very much that you want no part of it. You were asking if their worth it and apparently they are to hundreds of thousands of pipe smoker through out the last century but they aren't for everyone. By the way, you want no part of the whole companies thing....If that is the case, I am assuming you are typing your replies on a computer you built yourself and with software you wrote yourself (the computer of course is being powered by wood you chopped yourself) while wearing shoes made by the local cobbler and clothes made by the local taylor while sitting on a chair handcrafted by an artisan. If not, they you are probably already participating in the big evil corporate world because all of those things are made by corporations these days for most people. Why would a pipe companies successful rise to the corporate level hold a different standard? Shouldn't we as pipe smokers be hoping there are more Dunhill like success stories?
BTW, if you like Charatan's, then you should be buying James Upshalls. Berry Jones was the head carver at Charatan and still makes pipes just as he used to under the Upshall name and they are stunning. Be warned, the new ones are as expensive as Dunhills and the company was purchased (others say rescued) by a millionaire so that may go against your sensibilities. :lol:

 

kashmir

Lifer
May 17, 2011
2,712
63
Northern New Jersey
One last thought, and this is directed to Kevin and this site specifically. Unlike Smokers Forum, this site is replete with the advertising and promotion of tobacco pipe supplies and sundries. It therefore has a different "feel" to it as compared to other pipe smoking forums. I like it for that reason. I like to read GLP and Bobs' missives and ponder on the whole meaning of it all. I like my PAD and TAD addiction. Brings some measure of joy to my life. Even if the jail warden tries her best to keep me in check...
Put it this way: If we were all to smoke Dr. Grabow pipes and if we were all to smoke Lane's 1Q, where would that leave enterprises like smokingpipes.com, GLP, Uptowns etc. What I am saying, is that some of what's behind pipe smoking, at least to me, is selling a dream. Isn't everything about selling a dream? I like the dream. I buy into it, quite literally, and that's good business for the folks who sponsor this site. So poopooing Dunhills, JT Cookes, and other high end pipes, trashing English and Blakan blends etc. is simply not good for business. There I said it. That's my two F#%King cents worth!

 

marmal4de

Lifer
Feb 20, 2011
2,315
4
Richmond, BC
What the F#%K does "YMMV" mean? And what's with your quote line showing someone beating the crap out of a bunch of kids!!????

I also once wondered what 'YMMV' meant, so I googled it. As for my signature .gif, I don't answer to you, or anyone.

 

cortezattic

Lifer
Nov 19, 2009
15,147
7,637
Chicago, IL
OK guys, time for a nap!

Like I said in another post:

The national economy has tanked; real estate has become worthless;

Social Security and Medicare are on the brink of total collapse;

gasoline is bobbing between $4 and $5 a gallon; we're engaged in

three wars; China has the U.S. by the financial short hairs;

unscrupulous corporate pirates (think Bernie Madoff, et al.) have

managed to steal tens of billions of dollars; Lady Ga-ga earns millions;

unemployment is pandemic; floods have ravaged the Midwest; monster

tornadoes have decimated the South and leveled Joplin, Mo.; the threat

of terrorism has public transportation in total disarray;
... and we, whose commonality and reason for assembling here, the most

sublime form of pleasure, allow tempers to flair and offensive comments

to wound, over something as inconsequential as one's opinion of, and

preference for, a particular pipe! Let's keep a proper sense of perspective.
I, for one, highly esteem the opinions and talents of all the participants

in this internecine little skirmish; and it is perplexing and regrettable.

So everybody, TIME OUT! Nobody is wrong on this -- not even the cob suckers. :lol:

Now excuse me, while I retreat to my handmade Julius Vesz dead root briar ...filled with P.A.! :rofl:

 
May 10, 2011
17
0
Sorry but I'd rather stick with mt Petersons. A great pipe and a much cooler smoke. Not being a snob I"d prefer my Preben Holm over a Dunhill , but I'm no expert. :puffpipe: LDJ

 

lonestar

Lifer
Mar 22, 2011
2,854
161
Edgewood Texas
If Dunhill floats your boat, smoke all of them your budget will allow.

If you think they're ugly and overpriced, thats fine too, because opinions are welcome here.

What isnt welcome here are personal attacks.

It seems to me your upset because somebody doesn't like Dunhill pipes on a pipe forum ?

Sorry man, if thats all it takes to get you worked up, maybe you are in the wrong place.

I dont agree with a lot of the members opinions here, but we all get along fine because this is a PIPE forum, not a DUNHILL forum.

Hopefully you're just having a bad day, and you decide to stick around

 

loneredtree

Part of the Furniture Now
May 27, 2011
569
181
Sierra Foothills
After about $100 you are paying for grain, finish (blasted,

rusticated, smooth etc) that requires extra handling, and name.

All my pipes smoke well.
I own 2 Dunhill pipes one purchased in 1965 and one estate made

in 1996. A chartatans mark was gifted to me. I understand these were sold by D.

also. All are very good.
Sooooo. Buy what turns you on it is all good. :nana:
BTW: I do find that I prefer the briers over the Meers. But, I do not dislike the latter.

 

collin

Part of the Furniture Now
Oct 29, 2010
881
2
Oklahoma
We had a guy at the fire-station who refused to eat Hunts Catsup because he thought it tasted horrid.
As with so many other times at the old fire-station,...if you quack too loud you get called out.
After a blind-folded taste-test at the kitchen table one morning after breakfast..we all learned that Hunts tasted just as good as Heinz. If not better.
I would love to see a blind smoke test. Kind'a like that Vodka taste test they did one night on t.v. from some metro-sexual filled swanky Manhattan club..where everyone insisted on only drinking Vodka out of $150 bottle.

Talk about egg on the face.

 

ohin3

Lifer
Jun 2, 2010
2,454
26
Ehhhh...did I miss something? at what point did this thread go nuclear? I didn't notice anyone trashing Dunhill or any high end pipe makers. Just seemed like we were all offering up our opinions in an attempt to answer another inquisitive pipe smokers question. I'm not sure what got Kashmir all bent up. Did I miss something?

 

expatpipe

Can't Leave
Dec 31, 2010
378
2
not sure myself, all I could do was laugh. Could not see what the reason was for getting all riled up. I guess questioning Dunhill is sacrilegious to some. That fact that this pipe forum questions not only Dunhill but every pipe, makes it the best damned pipe forum anywhere imho.

 

unclearthur

Lifer
Mar 9, 2010
6,875
5
It's a bloody pipe! Not someone's Mom! We all differ in taste. That us what makes life interesting.

 

hauntedmyst

Lifer
Feb 1, 2010
4,006
20,750
Chicago
It's a bloody pipe! Not someone's Mom!
Agreed, a well made pipe will last far longer than a Mom and in many cases, create much warmer memories!
I wouldn't say this thread has gone nuclear, just people sharing their opinions with passion. We should have more of this around here! The world of pipes is no different than the general world. Some people will never understand the value of higher end things and others will put too much stock in them. Some people prefer Boones Farm Tickle Pink wine and others will insist they only drink Veuve Clicquot champagne. Some make and drink moonshine while others will only drink single malt scotches. Some need a Mercedes while others are perfectly content in their Honda Element. Who are we to judge how someone earns their hard earned? Can we debate it? Absolutely!!

 

schmitzbitz

Lifer
Jan 13, 2011
1,165
2
Port Coquitlam, B.C.
Wow, calm down, load a bowl (be it a Dunhill or a cob) sit back, and relax for a moment. I don't understand why this thread was perceived to be a personal attack on Kashmir; pretty sure that no one here has anything against him or his love for Dunhills. As Arthur has pointed out, "We all differ in taste. That is what makes life interesting". I don't particularly enjoy cherry flavoured aromatics; but many love them. Latakia sets my taste-buds a-tingling; but you can find a whole host of people who would rather smoke grass-clippings. Does that make me a better pipe-smoker than them (or vice-versa)? Hell no! Some people won't touch an OTC, preferring crafted blends, whilst others will never venture beyond Carter Hall...but part of the appeal of the hobby is that there is a place for them both. The same can be said for pipes - no, I don't own a Dunhill; I can't afford one at this time; will I acquire one? Possibly, if I find the right piece of briar at the right price. Do I begrudge that others can afford them? No - just like I don't begrudge that the neighbour has a nice boat, and a hot-rod in the garage. By the same token, do I begrudge those who only smoke $3 cobs? No; every smoker has its place...even the "Infernus" (well, perhaps not "The Pipe", but thats a different rant).

 

hauntedmyst

Lifer
Feb 1, 2010
4,006
20,750
Chicago
Honda Element Thread Jack!!! And I love mine! 2008 SC with lots of accessories. If I had a spare $50K, I'd buy two new ones (One Orange, one Green) and put them in storage so when this one wears out, I could just flip to a new one. It's as much car as I'll ever want (other than a Saleen S7 but the chances of me being able to afford one of those are right up there with some super hot chic confusing me with Brad Pitt)

 
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