I'm of the mind, that my spare time is worth roughly $150/h, using that logic, might as well buy a pipe that I like to begin with rather than modifying one I don't!
Why not Dr. Grabow?
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I'd love to see pictures of some finished ones.
I have one Dr,G that I bought at Walgreen when I started smoking pipes. It's a good smoker and learned a lot from it that made me confident to buy and smoke higher priced and better pipes.
I still smoke it once in a blue moon.
SCJeff, there's pics of some stripped nekkid pipes that I've done over in my PAD thread "Wicked, Wicked Forum People" - no Dr G's yet, they're still soaking their litle bowls off in alcohol, but you'll get the idea - those pipes were the most hideous cherry red with "varnish" thicker than thick.
I find doing each one a labor of absolute love, to see what they were compared to what they become is an absolute joy and it's a whole lot easier than restoring a ruddy great piece of furniture like I used to do lmao - it sure fills that void of needing to bring beautiful things back to their former glory and preserve them for those following us though.
I find doing each one a labor of absolute love, to see what they were compared to what they become is an absolute joy and it's a whole lot easier than restoring a ruddy great piece of furniture like I used to do lmao - it sure fills that void of needing to bring beautiful things back to their former glory and preserve them for those following us though.
I was in a Brick Mortar today that had two cardboard pipe displays holding a large number of pipes. Kaywoodie & Dr. Grabow. For $25 you are probably going to have a hard time finding a better pipe. Yeah cobs are great... after you replace the stem; however, if you just want to smoke it is about the cheapest thing going.
Anyways, Dr. Grabow had some pretty fair looking pipes. I assumed most of them had smallish bowls which I don't care for all that much. I was definately wrong. They had some nice medium-large sized bowls on display. I think I'll buy one..... If for nothing else I'll buy one because of this:
Anyways, Dr. Grabow had some pretty fair looking pipes. I assumed most of them had smallish bowls which I don't care for all that much. I was definately wrong. They had some nice medium-large sized bowls on display. I think I'll buy one..... If for nothing else I'll buy one because of this:
You guys are doing a terrible job of talking me out of that Grabow. I think Aussielass is onto something with the wickedness thing. Thanks, y'all. I HAVE to buy it now!
It's kinda funny the way people develop loyalty to brand names. I have owned probably 100 cars in my life,most of them were Mopars,along with several Studebakers,one Chevy,one Ford. Now were I rich,I'd have a Ferrari,a Lambo, maybe an Auburn Boattail Speedster and any one of a hundred other high dollar cars.But that old Dakota truck that I have would still be in my garage,preferably sitting next to a Hemi Cuda!
Now if I were rich and drove those cars I would be smoking my DG pipe. If not a DG then a Tinsky,West,Ruthenburg,Cooke or other artisan pipes.Ain't never been nor ever will be, a high dollar(or mid range) factory made pipe sitting on my racks,except for maybe a Pete, a pre-trans Barling or...........
Now if I were rich and drove those cars I would be smoking my DG pipe. If not a DG then a Tinsky,West,Ruthenburg,Cooke or other artisan pipes.Ain't never been nor ever will be, a high dollar(or mid range) factory made pipe sitting on my racks,except for maybe a Pete, a pre-trans Barling or...........
Thanks Jud. I now will at least wait until pay day to buy it. Probably gonna score a tin of CBW, too. And some cleaners and maybe a Zippo. Dammit.
I'm glad I resurrected this thread. Lots of good info here. Stuff about Dr. Grabbys that I never knew.
I'm glad I resurrected this thread. Lots of good info here. Stuff about Dr. Grabbys that I never knew.
I'm with Jud and Terry... I just bought a Dr. G Grand Duke to see what all the hub-bub was about and from the moment I popped it out of its blister pack, it just makes me sad. I'm going to do write up a separate entry about the experience, but it's a pipe full of sadness.
I've got approximately 30 briars in my collection, including a 45-year-old Dunhill, Savs, Stanwells, Bjarne, Nording, and six Grabows. The Grabows are consistently good to excellent smokers, outperforming most of the higher-end pipes I've owned.
Another thing to remember about pipes (and many other things for that matter) is the rule of diminishing returns. A $20 pipe from an established maker will probably smoke really well. It might also be true that some $40 pipes will be even better, but will it be twice as good? Once you get to a $200 pipe, it is very unlikely that it will smoke "10 times" better than that $20 pipe! Of course, part of what you are paying for in a high end pipe is the limited number that a well know craftsman can make.
As long as you get pleasure from your pipe and tobacco combination, then that is the most important thing.
As long as you get pleasure from your pipe and tobacco combination, then that is the most important thing.
If I ever burn $200 or more on a pipe, I'll report back. Right now my most expensive purchase has been $32 plus shipping and I'm happy as a clam.
If I get the DG and am unhappy with the laquer or finish, I'll have jasongone beat it up and take its lunch money.
smoked for yrs and my most expensive pipe (brigham) was purchased just the other day !!! 59.00 bucks plus taxes- i guess i just wanted to play around with the rock maple filter system. anyhow, i always loved the bent stems and i'm torn between a dr graybow freehand or one of the E.A. Carey jobies, neither one costing more than 40-50 bucks. anyone have an opinion?? little bothered cause ive heard the carey's draw can me miserable
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