A shrink-wrapped block of ten Bic pen 10-packs for $14.99 at Costco, vs a hand-turned, exotic wood fountain pen for $800. They both make marks on paper, so WTF?
A gimme ball cap from a C-store rack for $3.99, vs a hand woven grade 20 Panama hat for $1000. They both block the sun and rain, so WTF?
A pair of knock-around running shoes made in Bangladesh for $29, vs bench made, full-grain leather wingtips for $700. Both protect your feet from wear and tear while walking, so WTF?
A plywood acoustic guitar from Malaysia for $79, vs a handmade Greenfield for $10K. They both make sound over the same musical range, so WTF?
A plastic digital watch for $19, vs a Patek Philippe Nautilus for $33K. They both strap to your wrist and tell time, so WTF?
And on.
And on.
And on.
And on.
And on.
And on.
And on.
And on.
And on.
And on.
And on.
And on.
And on.
And on.
And on.
And on.
And on.
And on.
And on.
And on.
And on.
And on.
And on.
And on.
So why has the same pipe cost question occupied so much bandwidth on every Internet pipe forum there's ever been, without resolution?
Hell if I know.
I understand that the hobby has a constant influx of newcomers, and that it's a common and completely legitimate beginner's question. The ASKING isn't the issue. It's that the ANSWER, for some weird reason, never "sticks." It must be hashed out anew every time.
I've visited any number of other hobby/product boards, from shoes, to guitars, to pens, to watches, and the "teflon answer" situation simply doesn't exist. For some reason humans seem to be born knowing, appreciating, and understanding the quality range of those objects. Pipes, though? Not even slightly. Until proven otherwise---and often not even then---pipes are a chunka wood ya burn leaves in, and anyone who thinks otherwise is a fool.
We have a mystery here, fellow boardlings. :puffpipe:
Could it be something the anti's put into the water supply or the air? Or some sort of subliminal message being broadcast from the moon, designed to deplete our energy by making us answer the same question over and over again amongst ourselves, so we're less able to fight anti-tobacco legislation?
Enquiring minds want to know.