Would-you-rather: On Pipes and Dreams

[vosBghos]

30 barrel pipes for me , bound to be 7-10 adequate-great smokers.
I do believe in the rotation thing and I smoke way too much, might go through three in a day and they’d still be wet come mornin…

 

[justscience]

After having 30+ and likely 50+ ignored miscellaneous pipes for years, I'd swap them easily for 3 nice ones. Of course, I'd continue buying cheap ones.

 

[anotherbob]

Alot of the time they'll either contact or put you in contact with the carver or manufacturer to get you what you need. That's how I met Bruce Weaver.

Yeah precisely. It's good when the most cynical take you can have on a situation is still pretty good. At worst they realize that building a relationship with a customer is going to give them more money then trying to sell you not quite what you want. Also means it never hurts to ask.

 

[anotherbob]

I get this point. If someone is into pipe collecting, then the question doesn't really apply.

We're a subset of a subset of the population. Not only are weirdos we're the weirdos weirdos. This site certainly inflames the pad. I always wanted more pipes but was pretty content with three and now that i have ten I feel like I have a well curated small collection.

 

[sparker69]

Would you rather own a set of three hand-made great quality briar pipes

OR

30 basket pipes?


The tobacco you use is the same, regardless.

?

Three handmade. Quality over quantity. Not to say a basket pipe can't be a good smoker. I just don't need 30 pipes (although I'm working on it)!?

 

[Searock Fan]

I think I might have mentioned this before, but..... The question of how many pipes a guy needs depends on the person. I've found a pipe that is well rested will smoke better. If I could afford it I would have enough so I wouldn't have to smoke the same one twice in a year. Anyone out there want to make me a good deal on four or five thousand high quality Italian pipes?

 

[Michigan_Bill]

not making fun of the question but I feel like it in a lot of ways is more asking how far are you into pipe collecting. When I started 30 basket pipes would have been my pick and the reasoning being (assuming both are lots without picking them out) at least a few of them are going to look great and smoke great. But now I have my normal pipes and in some way the next one has to be more or different then what I already have. Which means the handmade artisan pipes are kind of drawing more attention from me. Just an observation and a complete making of the generalities. Yeah I've known a pipe smoker or two that has a huge collection of graybows and the guy whose one and only and first pipe cost an arm and a leg (not sure what dollar amount that equals, thankfully it doesn't have to be your arm and leg) and isn't in the market for another pipe, they have their pipe. But in general I bet most of us scale up a bit as we go (even that just means someday you'll buy a pipe that costs over 60 dollars).

What @anotherbob says really resonates with me, because I see myself moving along the path he describes. I purchased a Savinelli pipe 17 years ago for $60 but never smoked it (long story). When I started pipe smoking last year, it was my only pipe. Since then I have really enjoyed clays, and I suppose clays are my favorite. On a whim I purchased a $6 MM hardwood pipe and was quite pleasantly surprised at how well it smoked. I have a few additional basket-quality pipes as well.

Now at this point, I don’t feel much of a need or compulsion to buy more pipes (except if I drop a clay again, oops!). It feels like my bases are covered, so to speak. If I were to expand my collection, I do think it probable that, as anotherbob says, I would "scale up a bit."

 

[Grumpy11]

I've only had a couple basket pipes that I would consider good smokers. So I would go with the three, although in the end that might be taking a chance too.

 

[mso489]

In a sense, I have both options. I have six or eight high end pipes that live up to their price tags which I treasure. I don't have many basket pipes, and most of those have turned out to be good brands, like unfinished Savinelli, but I have plenty of moderately priced and discount pipes, some of which smoke as well as any. And many at all levels in between.

If for some reason I had to cull down to few pipes, I'd certainly keep the artisan and other higher end pipes, as many as possible. But I would certainly struggle to hang onto a number of the others that are great smokers and distinguished in various other ways.

 

[Trainpipeman]

Had you asked me that when I started smoking a pipe, I would have gone for the 30 basket pipes. As age has caught-up with me, it is definitely fewer, bit better pipes.

 

[paulfg]

I am in this position right now,I had close on 60 pipes but never really smoke them all.
I have cut this to around 20 including buying 3 Michail Kyriazanos pipes ( 1 from Smokingpipes and 2 commissions) to go with the 2 I already had.
I will probably cull several more leaving only the 5 Kyriazanos pipes and my cased sets of old britwood (10 pipes).That way I may get to build some cake in them before I die

 

[dog_park_piper]

I like this thread, heck, I started it, but it's good to hear from some of ya'll about what experienced pipe smokers need opposed to want. Smokingpipes and the other supporters of this forum make a good case for why I should click "buy."

Like someone above said, it's best to put money in tobacco and have some good pipes to smoke them in. Once briar is cooled down, it's just the same good pipe ready for you to smoke another time.

 

[aspiring_sage]

I'll weigh in:
I have 3 pipes that come with me everywhere: 2 meers and a grabow, I usually just smoke the one meer. Haven't touched the grabow in maybe 6-8 months.
I've got 6 other pipes (some cobbs, some brair) in the basement, haven't touched them in a year except to share with someone that wanted to try pipe smoking.

I don't think I need even 3 pipes. So I choose the 3 of quality.

 

[JOHN72]

It's a very small number, but yes, I prefer three quality artisanal ones to a basket of junk with a taste of rare and indescribable things. The purpose and basis of smoking tobacco is to smoke it in the best possible conditions. You want to get the best aroma from the tobacco.

 

[Zapasta]

I'd rather own one good meerschaum!

 

[dog_park_piper]

I'd rather own one good meerschaum!

That's a good point, a little out of the conditions of the question. I've considered having a trusty Meer in the rotation and even getting rid of some briars if it does everything they say a Meer can do.

 

[TheIronMonkey]

I wasn't originally going to post in this thread, but, after reading the various responses, I ended up thinking a little outside the box—I think I'd take the thirty basket pipes—I'd carve and sand them, modify as necessary to address any flaws or issues with the draw. This would keep me busy, and hopefully, over time, I'd end up with thirty artisan pipes that were good smokers.