You're an Idiot if You Smoke Pipes More Than $50!

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May 3, 2010
6,530
1,888
Las Vegas, NV
I've never understood why some people seem to get offended by others spending whatever amount they want to on a pipe. A beautiful pipe is a beautiful pipe regardless of the price tag and if someone has the financial means and stability for a $1,500 Dunhill all the more power to them.
I'm of the school of spending within your means. Right now for myself that means picking up a pipe in the $150-$300 range every other month or so. Also, if I'm spending around $300 it would probably be for a set like the Molly Malone or Mark Twain from Peterson.
I have a cob and I have basket pipes and I also have some pipes in the "mid range" around $200 a piece. The cobs do smoke wonderfully as is well noted by the community and my basket pipes have settled in to good smokers and found regular action in my rotation now that they've formed a good cake. I do have to say though that the "mid range" pipes do seem to be drilled more precisely, have no fills, a better draw, and are far better balanced than my lower end pipes.
What you spend on pipes is all a matter of preference. I say just acknowledge the beauty of the pipe and leave it at that.

 

cigrmaster

Lifer
May 26, 2012
20,248
57,309
67
Sarasota Florida
eagle, the beauty about my Rad pipes is that for the money they do smoke as good if not better than pipes costing 2-3 times as much which is why I own so many. His pipes are definitely high end when it comes to smoking properties but not high end in price.
bob, you are more than welcome. With the estate market being what it is you can buy a Rad for 200-250 when they are available. I have half a dozen estate Rads that smoke as good as my new ones. It is a good way to get into an artisan pipe without having to spend 400.00. I have other artisan pipes from Ruthenberg, Weaver, Thile and Morrissete that were all under 250.00 on the estate market and they are all fantastic smokers.

 

neverknowsbest

Starting to Get Obsessed
Mar 18, 2013
121
3
Even if you spend hundreds of dollars on a pipe to enjoy for the rest of your life, it still works out to being a lot less expensive than cigars (divide cost of pipe by number of bowls enjoyed, for instance). In some cases, it could be a great investment. It is also a companion for some of our most precious and thoughtful times of the day. If you really like pipe smoking, saving up for a fairly-priced artisan pipe is well worth it. If you consider the price of a nice pipe in the context of other hobbies' price exclusions, it really isn't that expensive in a relative sense. $60-$100 for a solid factory pipe to $300-$600 for a solid artisan pipe is a lot better than the people who are enthusiasts about watches, knives, guitars, firearms, cars, clothing, etc., have it.

 

judcole

Lifer
Sep 14, 2011
7,470
39,078
Detroit
I do wish that,when I was younger and had a bit more disposable income, I had the options available now. Oh, well.

:puffy:

 

cigrmaster

Lifer
May 26, 2012
20,248
57,309
67
Sarasota Florida
never, great post. My cigars cost me way more than my pipes ever did and once you smoke that cigar it is gone forever where the pipe lasts a lifetime and can be passed down to younger generations. I had a buddy( rip) who used to collect Rolexes, now that is an expensive hobby. I have one and it cost more than all my new Rads put together, so yes when you think about it pipe collecting is definitely not that expensive a hobby.

 

brdavidson

Lifer
Dec 30, 2012
2,017
6
I too appreciate the posts of others who have collections of pipes that are in the higher price range than what I've spent. I agree with Bob in that it's a learning experience for a new pipe smoker such as myself. I believe Mike at Briar Blues posted once that its better to buy a single $300 pipe vs buying 3 $100 pipes and you will see the difference in quality. As many have said before, there's nothing wrong with a $100 pipe or a $50 pipe if it brings you joy, however there's also nothing wrong with buying a $500 pipe if that make you happy. I could afford to buy a few pipes in the $300 range or so, but I was too uninformed to make that investment, it seemed wiser to me to spend money on low to mid range pipes until I understood what I really liked in a pipe. Now that I have a better understanding what I like I will be able to make a more informed decision and purchase some higher quality pipes.

 

petergunn

Starting to Get Obsessed
Mar 3, 2013
183
3
I want the highest High-end I can afford, I want the best smoke I can get, since I've started at the low end and am working my way up I'll keep climbing up discarding what doesn't work for me and keeping what does, eventually all I own will be high-end for me regardless of their prices.

 

mustanggt

Part of the Furniture Now
Dec 6, 2012
819
4
I have always found it disconcerting when someone lords it over you that he has top notch stuff and you don't.(BIL) Equally also is some one who is jealous of what others have.(ex-wife) So neither situation is good. Thou shalt not covet is words to live by. Jealousy is one of the 7 deadly sins too. I'm happy for anyone who is happy for their pipe purchases and takes pride in their ownership. Having alot of angst over what you perceive to be some kind of inequality situation is just a total waste of time. You can make the decision to be happy or be miserable. If you choose to be miserable then maybe that person should move on to where other miserable people go. If a person is of limited funds should be happy with their situation or set a goal to save money to buy that real nice pipe. Make it happen for yourself and don't take the "robber barrons" high end pipes just to make your miserable self happy for three seconds.

 

kashmir

Lifer
May 17, 2011
2,712
69
Northern New Jersey
Buying a high end pipe may seem a bit much to some (many?), when a five dollar cob will do the job just fine. But there are several ways to look at it. Firstly, and I speak for myself alone, piping is no mere hobby, like stamp collecting. It is a lifestyle choice, and after thirty yrs. of daily piping, it has become part and parcel of who I am. But for those who smoke a few bowls a week, they may have a different take on the centrality of piping to their daily lives. For me, piping is the most important and pleasurable of my daily activities. Aside from my family, there is truly nothing more central to my life. I have no other interests. Books, of course. My wife says I buy pipes to supplement my books. I see it the other way around. I buy and read books to supplement my piping. Aside from food and water, pipes and books are my only two essentials. So, spending $500 on a Michael Parks may seem extravagant, in the grand scheme of things it is not. I haven't ever been on a vacation, don't do alcohol, bars, restaurants, sports, guns, TV, movies, malls and shopping, wear the same clothes I wore ten years ago, and we drive a ten year old cars. We have no debts aside from the mortgage, and only buy essentials with the cash we have on hand. I don't believe in credit or interest to banks. When not at work I am at home. Or walking. So spending the occasional large sum on a pipe and maintaining my cellar is really my only expense, aside from my two boys. I try to teach them to live simply, work hard and have few wants, aside from friends, health and knowledge.

 

brdavidson

Lifer
Dec 30, 2012
2,017
6
I just made another post on the thread about favourite pipes. Currently my favourite would have to be a Rattray's panel billiard that my 4 year old son picked out for me a the local shop. It happens to be just about the best smoker I have currently (tied with a couple of others), and I purchased it for $100. I went to a pipe night at Michael Parks shop a month ago and he noticed my pipe and marvelled at it, even asking to hold it and take a closer look. This is a man that makes pipes and sells them for thousands of dollars and here he was commenting on how beautiful my little $100 factory pipe was. I think often beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and that buying what you are comfortable on spending is the key to it all. I'm still inclined to believe that the next tier of pipes above what I have been purchasing will be better simply due to the construction of those pipes. I can't wait to buy an artisan to see if there really is a difference, as I believe there will be. But I also love looking at pictures of some of Fish & Peck's pipes that I likely will never be able to afford. As long as the person is caring for those pipes and giving them their due respect, regardless of price, we should be happy for our fellow brothers.

 

petes03

Lifer
Jun 23, 2013
6,212
10,659
The Hills of Tennessee
I hope I never come across as a snob to anyone here or anywhere else for that matter. I have been in some sort of metal working business my whole working life, and so I appreciate good craftsmanship. When I look at pipes I see the craftsmanship that goes into them and simply marvel at them and those who made them. I myself am a Peterson fan. That doesn't mean I think they are the most superior pipes a man can get, only that I prefer them. I have around 25 pipes in my collection ranging from $5 cobs on up to the best I can afford, which doesn't exceed the $150 mark. Out of the 25 or so that I own only 6 or 7 are Petes, so it's not like that's the only brand for me. I am proud of all my pipes, as should everyone be. No matter what you spend on them. You are all part of a hobby/ culture/ way-of-life that goes back a lot longer than any "brand" has been around. And that, my friends , is something to be proud of as well!

 

andrew

Lifer
Feb 13, 2013
3,086
496
Winnipeg, Canada
I thoroughly enjoy my 12$ on average pipe finds, and then seeing the same pipe used later on ebay for 100$ plus. There's no doubt there is a line on quality, the only Pipe I ever bought new is the one I paid the most for, 30$, and it really isn't a good smoker. I'm not a pipe snob at all, but I don't enjoy cheap pipes, which there are some extremely cheap ones that do not smoke well.

 

pstlpkr

Lifer
Dec 14, 2009
9,694
31
Birmingham, AL
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mso489

Lifer
Feb 21, 2013
41,211
60,638
There are possibilities for delight at either end of the spectrum. If I'd been one of those people

who unloaded the real estate or dot com stock at the right moment, I might well buy in the $1,500

range or above, and savor the artistry and rarity of each pipe. On the other hand, I am not limited

to only cobs and Dr. Grabows, though I smoke and enjoy both. I do somewhat marvel at what a good

pipe you can get in the $50 to $100 range, especially when you get the cake going and they are

truly broken in. One day, I feel like I'm smoking something that could have cost some hundreds,

at least. But much is in the attitude, to not look down on the guy who enjoys his machine pipes

and cobs, and not burn with envy for the guy who won't shop a pipe that isn't well above the $800

mark. It's more about how you manage and appreciate what you do have, and don't feel intolerant

about others in a different life circumstance or who just make different choices. I feel sure there

are extremely wealthy people who smoke regularly, and only cobs and Yellow Boles; and there's

an interesting interview waiting there. At the TAPS pipe show I came across an in-state carver who

had beautifully crafted traditional pipes done with elevated artistry. The one that particularly caught

my eye was a bulldog done with half the bowl rusticated and the top half in beautiful grain, almost

a beige brown. It had other subtle elements, and I looked him in the eye and said: "That pipe is

beautifully brought together." And I could tell it mattered to him, though I wasn't going to buy the

pipe.

 

kashmir

Lifer
May 17, 2011
2,712
69
Northern New Jersey
And then there's the case of an unemployed Joe who sold an old car just so he could have the once in a lifetime opportunity of owning a cased set of six unsmoked Comoy's Blue Ribands. A instance of supreme lunacy or pure devotion. I still can't decide which, though, to be positive, I'll side with the latter.

 

petergunn

Starting to Get Obsessed
Mar 3, 2013
183
3
^ well if you don't have a job and plenty of time to smoke why not do it in style :)

 
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