Do you love your pipes?

[Smoker99]

No, not really. Pipes are just a wood smoking instrument. I love my family, my pipes are just a possession.

 

[Growley]

I would say that pipes bring something to the table that not just anything in life can. I have good smokes and bad smokes. Only some of that is dependent on the pipe, the tobacco, or the packing thereof.

A lot of what pipe smoking is to me is my surroundings as well. How nice the weather is, who's keeping company with me, how the good the conversation or how wonderful the silence is and so on. The pipe itself can definitely add to those experiences. I think I kind of put it all together in my head. The pipes I've had the best smoking experiences with tend to mean the most to me.

 

[atwageman]

I love my wife and my pipes. She loves me and my pipes too.

 

[KevinM]

Well, no, but I'm certainly appreciative of them, some more than others, in the same way that I have a special appreciation for my books, fiberglas fly rods, Arnold Palmer Axiom golf clubs, one of my cars and some clothing items. We've been through a lot of history together and these items added to the enjoyment of my life and, I'm sure, will continue to do so. For that I'm very grateful. The Palmer Axiom clubs are interesting. They were among the first efforts to mass produce custom golf clubs. Couple decades past, I walked into my local golf shop and the pro went, "Pssst, these just came in!" Someone just my size, had owned 'em and, trying to buy a consistent swing, was trading them in for some fancy latest and greatest set. The pro said, "Take your stance." When I did, he slipped a club into my hands, and the fit was perfect -- .25 short, stiff shafts, two degrees flat. They didn't even have scratches on the heel of the nine iron. $100 for my "estate irons!" I've been using them ever since. On fly rods I will simply say that I cordially hate the modern, super fast action $1,000 rods, not that I own one. 'Course, I'm smoking pipes I bought forty years ago

 

[CygnusXII]

This remind me of the Story of the guy who had a Treasure. It was rumored around town that He had a great horde of Treasure hidden in His House. When He passed away and His house was put into probate and finally His Will was executed, and His Family was called in to get their Inheritance. The older members received many of the Man's Nick Knacks, and Personal Items, but all were waiting for the dispersal of the "supposed" Treasure. The Solicitor then read that the Treasure was to be given to the Man's young Grand Son. The little Boy whooped with joy, and clapped his hands in merriment. The Solicitor brought out a Carved Treasure Chest. The rest of the Family eyed the Chest enviously, and all were scheming on getting the Treasure from the little Boy. The Solicitor handed the Chest to the Boy. The Little Boy squatted on the floor and dumped out the Treasure for all to see. Everyone was anxious to see the jewels and gold, that was rumored about Town. What did they see? A Beautiful jumble of polished stones, Sea Shells, Drift wood Pieces, an old Top, and several Toy Soldiers.

The Family were dumb struck. What kind of foolishness was this? Where was the real Treasure? Then the little Boy started picking up each item and telling a Story, about each one. See this stone? GrampPa and I found this one when we went to the River, and saw the Paddle Boats, and this Shell is from the trip to Florida. See these Toy Soldiers, GrampPa had these when He was a boy, and let me play with them when I was sick with a fever. See this Top, The Boy said, this top belonged to GampPa's Brother Billy that died from the Spanish Flu, and these driftwood pieces were given to Gampy by my Mother Mary when She was two; See? One of them looks like an Owl and the other like a Horsey. The Little Boy was running the Treasures through his fingers and placing them in order, one by one.

The Family suddenly felt ashamed and realized that The Man's Treasure was Memories and touch Stone to his past, and the only one to see their real Value was his Grand Son.

Now Having typed all that. I get to the Topic. To me my Pipes are Memory Touch Stones. Each have a special time and place or Memory attached. I am not in love with them per se. I love the Memories. They help me remember places, events and People. A lot of my recent Pipes came from a Single Collection from an "Old Codger" I knew in my younger pipe smoking years. His name was Bill Padgett. He and his best friend Ned Cross were the kindly Grand father Type, old School Pipe Experts at my Best Friends Tobacco Shop. They influenced many people there and taught me a lot in the process. Both are passed away now. They make me remember when I was dirt poor, and Ned and His Wife Francy Fed me when I was sick with the Flu, and They gave me rides across Town, when it was freezing cold outside. They remind me of The Pipe Smoking Contest in my BF's Tobacco Shop. They also make me remember Mikes Roses and Cats, and his Bow Ties.

****! I think I am going to start Crying! Damn, Onions!

Truthfully though; I do not know if that was a real Story I heard somewhere, or I made it up. I think you guys get My Point though.

Sorry to be so long winded.

 

[KevinM]

Amen, Cygnus! Pipes seem to accumulate history as they accompany the owner down life's lanes. Can't get that with cigars and certainly not with cigarettes. I think that's the reason I don't try to spiff my pipes up to look "better than new." To me it would be kind of disrespectful to them, like telling the missus she could stand to lose a few. I think affection for the past can also be seen in tobacco choices. Of course there are better smokes out there than Half & Half. But if that's what grandad smoked, you're likely to keep some on hand. After a while, your pipes become a metaphor for your best memories.

 

[Headcharge]

I enjoy them. I love my wife....

 

[Rob_In_MO]

This remind me of the Story of the guy who had a Treasure. It was rumored around town that He had a great horde of Treasure hidden in His House. When He passed away and His house was put into probate and finally His Will was executed, and His Family was called in to get their Inheritance. The older members received many of the Man's Nick Knacks, and Personal Items, but all were waiting for the dispersal of the "supposed" Treasure. The Solicitor then read that the Treasure was to be given to the Man's young Grand Son. The little Boy whooped with joy, and clapped his hands in merriment. The Solicitor brought out a Carved Treasure Chest. The rest of the Family eyed the Chest enviously, and all were scheming on getting the Treasure from the little Boy. The Solicitor handed the Chest to the Boy. The Little Boy squatted on the floor and dumped out the Treasure for all to see. Everyone was anxious to see the jewels and gold, that was rumored about Town. What did they see? A Beautiful jumble of polished stones, Sea Shells, Drift wood Pieces, an old Top, and several Toy Soldiers.

The Family were dumb struck. What kind of foolishness was this? Where was the real Treasure? Then the little Boy started picking up each item and telling a Story, about each one. See this stone? GrampPa and I found this one when we went to the River, and saw the Paddle Boats, and this Shell is from the trip to Florida. See these Toy Soldiers, GrampPa had these when He was a boy, and let me play with them when I was sick with a fever. See this Top, The Boy said, this top belonged to GampPa's Brother Billy that died from the Spanish Flu, and these driftwood pieces were given to Gampy by my Mother Mary when She was two; See? One of them looks like an Owl and the other like a Horsey. The Little Boy was running the Treasures through his fingers and placing them in order, one by one.

The Family suddenly felt ashamed and realized that The Man's Treasure was Memories and touch Stone to his past, and the only one to see their real Value was his Grand Son.

Now Having typed all that. I get to the Topic. To me my Pipes are Memory Touch Stones. Each have a special time and place or Memory attached. I am not in love with them per se. I love the Memories. They help me remember places, events and People. A lot of my recent Pipes came from a Single Collection from an "Old Codger" I knew in my younger pipe smoking years. His name was Bill Padgett. He and his best friend Ned Cross were the kindly Grand father Type, old School Pipe Experts at my Best Friends Tobacco Shop. They influenced many people there and taught me a lot in the process. Both are passed away now. They make me remember when I was dirt poor, and Ned and His Wife Francy Fed me when I was sick with the Flu, and They gave me rides across Town, when it was freezing cold outside. They remind me of The Pipe Smoking Contest in my BF's Tobacco Shop. They also make me remember Mikes Roses and Cats, and his Bow Ties.

****! I think I am going to start Crying! Damn, Onions!

Truthfully though; I do not know if that was a real Story I heard somewhere, or I made it up. I think you guys get My Point though.

Sorry to be so long winded.

Damn, looks like Kyle has got some competition...

Whew! :mrgreen:

 

[Anonymous]

Each has a special time and place or Memory attached. I am not in love with them per se. I love the Memories.

Some of both. They're tangible connections with times, places (sure, London and Dublin are still there. But they aren't the way they were in the 1950s) and people past.

It points up, on this end, that we are people against time.

Time (entropy) breaks things, wears them out and uses them up.

With bygone tobaccos, all you can do is enjoy them. And when they're gone, they're gone.

But pipes live on. Getting better as time passes.

I like that. And being part of that.

:face: