Why not Dr. Grabow?

[brazz]

I feel like a fool to even asking but whats the deal w/ Dr. Grabow pipes?

It's all I can afford right now I feel like a hack smoking a Grabow because I never see much mentioned about them on any pipe sights. Am I going to be an amature pipe smoker until I get something other than my Grabow.When someone asks me what kind of pipe I smoke I'm Almost embarassed to say a Grabow.

 

[peter]

If you enjoy what you're smoking, then you're fine. Its not about social convention or what the "experts" think. That's a bad road to go down. Enjoy your hobby. =)

 

[admin]

Short answer:
I completely agree with Peter.
Longer answer:
First of all, following up on what Peter said, I think it is safe to say that no one here started smoking a pipe to impress anyone.
I think it is also safe to say that this website is NOT for the pretentious, and not for tobacco snobs or pipe snobs. We do appreciate the finer things in life. I personally own some higher-end pipes, like Dunhills and an Ardor in the $400 range. (That's high-end for me, not for some others.)
However, I also have five Dr. Grabow pipes.
Dr. Grabow Negatives:
1. Mass-produced from younger, (not as aged), not as dried Briar.
2. Typically less perfect briar that can have pits that are filled with putty.
3. The bowls can also be covered with shellac for the finish so the wood cannot breathe.
All of these things will cause a pipe to smoke hot, wet and / or bitter.
4. Machine-made with less care than a hand-made pipe.
Dr. Grabow Positives:
1. Inexpensive, good value.

2. Easy-to-find in mass market locations when you want to smoke and don't have a pipe.

3. Machine-made, so you get consistent quality.

 

[cacooper]

Greetings,
Absolutely nothing wrong with a Grabow. I've toured the factory in Sparta, NC, and met everybody there. Great bunch of folks! And they take pride in their work.
As far as briar quality goes, from what I observed, their wood is no better or worse than any other pipe company. They source the wood from the same suppliers as other makers. Yes, most Grabow's have fills, but some don't. Besides, for the price ($20 to $30), your not going to get perfection. I will be perfectly honest, some of my Grabow's smoke as good or better than my "high grade" pipes. They are a GREAT value!
And the added bonus is, your buying from an American company, employing Americans.
Here's a couple of sites for more info:
http://drgrabow-pipe-info.com/
http://www.drgrabow.net/
CACooper

Cooper Pipes

PipeandPouch.com

 

[peter]

Great points, y'all! I kind of equated it with golf. Sure, I might squeeze an extra 20 to 30 yards if I used graphite shafts and titanium heads, but honestly, aluminum shanks work just great for my level of enjoyment and don't break the bank. Other folks really get off on min / max'ing their hobbies. Different strokes and all that. =)
If it still bothers you, when folks ask, just tell them the shape / style. No need to drop names. =)

 

[python]

I have a few Dr. Grabow pipes and I still smoke them. They are a good value for the money. If all you can afford right now is Dr. Grabow pipes, then by all means smoke them. It would be a shame if you didn't enjoy pipe smoking because of what name brand of pipe you smoke.
There is nothing wrong with smoking a Dr. Grabow or any other name brand pipe as long as you are enjoying it. I don't worry about impressing other people because at the end of the day, other peoples opinions don't change my life one bit.
One thing that a lot of people seem to have forgotten over the years is; the pipe is just a vessel to get the tobacco smoke to your mouth.

Compare pipes to cars for example. Take a Chevy or Honda and compare it to a Mercedes or Lexus.

Is the Mercedes or Lexus a more luxurious way to get from point A to point B? Of course.

But you can still get from point A to point B in the Chevy or Honda with no problems and it is more economical to do so.
Just remember that the main point to smoking a pipe is (besides enjoyment and relaxation) the tobacco. The most expensive pipe in the world isn't going to do anything for the pipe smoker without tobacco in it.
Just enjoy yourself while smoking your pipe, whatever name brand it is. And don't be ashamed, embarrassed, or worry about what other people might think, keep puffing your pipes!

Enjoy what you smoke and smoke what you enjoy!

 

[brazz]

I just want to thank everybody for the great advice, And encouragement on my new hobby

I'm really enjoying it and my wife love's the tobacco aroma so I get to smoke in the house. Especially, because I'm from New England and its about 18 degrees outside at the moment. I've been kicking around buying another smaller Dr.G. I bought a Grand Duke as my first pipe and it takes me forever to finish a bowl. Any advice about a smaller pipe I'm looking at the Lark which looks like it has a smaller bowl.

 

[admin]

That's great that you can smoke inside brazz, especially in the winter.
Definitely get another pipe, as it's good to switch off. You should let a pipe for rest for a day or two before smoking it again.
Keep in mind that you don't have to fill the pipe if you can't smoke an entire bowl.

 

[cortezattic]

brazz,

The conventional wisdom is, "Spend money on tobacco, not pipes." I never owned a Grabow, but one of my most memorable and euphoric smoking experiences came while smoking a drug store aromatic in a $5.00 Medico, back in the late 1960's! As you can imagine, to have remembered it after all these years, there must have been some impressive confluence of tobacco, pipe, personal chemistry, etc.
On the lighter side, if the Grabow stamp makes you self-conscious just improvise a bowl jacket made of sewn chamois cloth (the wife can be of help here), and tell snobby folks it's there to protect your Dunhill from scratches and fingerprints!
I buy pipes with shapes and stems that I think will be most comfortable; and bowl geometry is secondary. If your present pipe is too large for your appetite, just don't fill it up all the way. In time you'll discover that some tobaccos work best for you in a narrow billiard, or a wide shallow bowl, etc.; and those criteria will influence your purchases.
Of course, sooner or later you'll contract PAD, we all do; and then....($$$$)

 

[sapo59]

I don't think the brand of pipe matters at all. I've been smoking my pipes a little over a year and have three corn cob pipes, a Dr. grabow, and a medico among others. The cheap pipes help with rotation and letting your pipes rest( this is important). Just enjoy yourself while you are smoking whatever pipe you decide to pack. Get some corn cob pipes to add to your rotation, I think you will be surprised on how well they smoke.

 

[dunendain]

I still have the Dr. Gra'bow Omega, which was my first Briar. I've had it in my rotation since '02. It smokes like a champ. I give it a whiskey bath after every smoke.

 

[circuitjerker]

I have an "Omega" and other than the military-bit its a fine smaller bowl for the quickies throughout the day. Its never give up on me so Ill give it the same effort. Enjoy!

 

[cortezattic]

Here's a "guilty pleasure" I indulge in often, especially when driving, because it has a large capacity for a small pipe, and a shape with great jaw leverage. I got it from my dad about 39 yrs. ago as a "stocking-stuffer" Christmas gift; and he couldn't have paid more than $15.00. If it isn't a basket pipe, then maybe just one step up from a basket pipe. Fortunately it's a great smoker (with a lot of sentimental value.) The neat thing is, if you spin the stem around it becomes as compact as a vest pipe!

 

[admin]

cortezattic - That's a nice example of a very nice looking pipe you can get without spending a lot of money. Corn Cob Pipes are a great idea too.

 

[daveahand]

I have a Dr. Grabow freehand that I smoke from time to time. It is one of the higher-end Dr. Grabows, but it isn't bad at all.

 

[cortezattic]

Greetings daveahand,
I was eyeing a Dr. Grabow freehand the other day. If I had needed yet another pipe I might have bought it. It's difficult to see the grain in online pix. Do the Grabow freehands have a lot of grain? I wouldn't buy a pipe with a substantial amount of "bald" wood, but if it was grainy -- any type of grain -- I think it would be a good smoker.

 

[cortezattic]

Phil said

one thing that I do not like doing, breaking in a virgin pipe...

On virgin pipes, I hear that if you pre-coat the pipe with K-Y jelly it's a lot easier

 

[pipegangster]

http://www.cupojoes.com/cgi-bin/spgm?dpt=H&srch=NA&item=drgfre02
There ya go Phil. Cupojoes.com is a nice site that I check out once in a while. They have other Dr. freehands as well as a nice selection of other pipes. I actually had a gentleman come into my shop before Christmas and ordered one for a friend of his. They come with filters but you can remove them and smoke it without the filter if you would like. Hope this helps you out brother.

 

[cortezattic]

with the KY it's changes the flavor even more!

RAOF, LMAO !!!!
Check out 4noggins, they have a good selection of Grabows too! Any comment on how well-grained these pipes are?

 

[dunendain]

I still use my Dr. Grabow Omega, which was my first Briar pipe. It smokes like a champ. It has sentimental value as well. I would bronze it, before I got rid of it. I like the little military bit. When I smoke it, I am reminded to slowly sip, instead of puffing. That way, I never get bitten.