Estate Pipes *An Edorsement*

[Hermit]

I'm starting a collection from scratch, so the first order of business was get a bunch of pipes to smoke (24 and counting). I can always add better pipes as I go. I bought about half new, half estate. I have a few new Stanwells, Petersons and Savinellis, but I bought enough cheapies to bring the average down.

 

[Bruce]

I'm in both camps also. I have around 60+ pipes right now, all are high grade. By buying Estates, I'm able to afford purchasing a pipe that I might not otherwise be able to afford. This is especially true when it comes to buying Chonowitschs, Bangs, ect..

Another reason to go with estates is I hate to break new pipes in!
I know, I know, this is a VERY lame reason, but it's true....I hate breaking pipes in.

 

[morleysson]

The problem isn't the concept of pre-smoked pipes, it's that buying them has turned into a crapshoot.

Internet + greedy and/or dishonest people = problems.

At shows, or between people known to each other? Sure. From a stranger over the net? Be prepared to think in "acceptable reap percentage" terms...

I think that LL's comments sum up today's situation rather comprehensively. Having been twice 'burned' badly in the last five or so years, I am wary unless I am well aware of the pipe's 'genealogy'. Of course, I still haunt flea markets and estate sales hoping for the singular gem.

 

[Puff Daddy]

I just looked over my collection (not counting my work pipes), split right down the middle.

I'm pretty wary anymore having had a couple of clinkers come my way, but as long as your willing to realize the whole EBay thing is a crap shoot.....

I've been very lucky having Gary Malmberg as a friend and mentor of sorts as he deals in estates as a business (and runs our local pipe club). He's set me up with most of my estates and they've been wonderful.

 

[Mikem]

I have bought estate pipes (pre-smoked) from ebay a few times and have been successful/satisfied about half of the time (the 50% satisfied have come from people such as pipestud and judperl and a few others). I have purchased estate pipes from friends here at BOB (from CP, Dock and Chuck) and have been successful/satisfied 100% of the time. Could it be because I know where they live :?: :lol!: :lol!: :lol!:

 

[thomas james]

Another reason to go with estates is I hate to break new pipes in!
I know, I know, this is a VERY lame reason, but it's true....I hate breaking pipes in.

At one point, I too hated to break in a new pipe. I followed the "old rules." Break em in with partial bowls and in a systematic progressive way. Somewhere along the line I got lazy and just filled new pipes to the top, smoked em and added them to my rotation. The "results" are the same in the end. One qualifier,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,I am careful not to let a new pipe get hot for the first so many bowls. Good briar with good engineering should not need pampering when new. They do however improve over time,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,this is more "seasoning" than it is "breaking in." I don't confuse "seasoning" briar with "curing" briar. To me, "seasoning" is a perpetual process. To this extent, estate pipes are attractive because they are "seasoned." A "seasoned" pipe can be "purified" and reamed by a pro to a point of "neutrality." Our very own PSPR&R does this time and time again. I just like doing "it" from scratch. Kinda like getting a new base ball mit as a kid.

 

[Anonymous]

I'd say that I'm in the three to one camp here, probably a third of my pipes are purchased as estates in one form or another and the other percentile is new. I prefer new- but when I see a pipe I love I usually pull the trigger regardless if it is new or not.

Since I've been paring down my collection to just a handful of carvers having been through the whole Danish spectrum I've been more prone to buying new lately, and have also made some trades with some local Danish collectors here in Chicago. I'm really only focusing on Former's, Tonni's, Heeschen's, and Poul Hansen's.

 

[Winslow]

Over time I've found that Gary Malmberg,Rob Cooper,Smokingpipes,and
Pipestud are excellent sellers of estates.I have no hesitation buying from
these gentlemen.

Winslow

 

[Wet Dottle]

I've bought a couple of used pipes and I realized they're not for me. Don't expect any rationalization of it, it's just the way it is. I simply cannot make myself smoke used pipes...

 

[Anonymous]

I've bought a couple of used pipes and I realized they're not for me. Don't expect any rationalization of it, it's just the way it is. I simply cannot make myself smoke used pipes...

Hey WD- it's not like chewing used gum ya know

 

[Oddball]

Ok, can anybody help me with a rough guide to estate pipe buying?
I want to pad out my collection and get a proper rotation along with trying out different shapes and sizes. Estate pipes fit the bill. However, other than some idea of checking fit and finish and hole and the bottom of the bowl I’m kinda at a loss. Are there brands I should be on the lookout for?
Any help would be appreciated.

 

[Hermit]

I can’t speak about high end estates
Sounds like a risk there unless you fully trust the seller.
But for cheapies to fill-out/create a rotation, I picked up seven nice (at least I think so) pipes at premierpipes.com dirt cheap. Two of em are Parkers; the rest are “no name.” I’m satisfied with all of them, but if I tossed one or two it wouldn’t have been much of a loss.

 

[Oddball]

Im not looking high end by any means

 

[Hermit]

I forgot to mention the nicest one I got from Premier. In fact I’m smoking some GLP Odyssey in it right now. Comoy Bulldog 1998 Christmas Pipe; it was unsmoked, has beautiful grain and cost me $56.95.

 

[Oddball]

Thanx hermit

 

[Anonymous]

Briar Blues and Marty Pulver's Pipes are two excellent sources of estates. There are others as well. Also some shady sources.

LL is right in that, sometimes, you may end up buying someone else's problem. But GLPease is also right that a pipe one guy might find terrible can suit another smoker to a "T."

People get new (to them) pipes and sell/trade current pipes for all kinds of reasons.

eBay can be a viable source. But it's a bad place to start. Not only from crooks selling grossly over-valued wrecks with a lot of buzzword hype to the naive, but because it's not un-heard-of for ignorant but competitive bidders to bid stuff they want far beyond the prices they could get the same pipe for at retail some where else.

It's a zoo there.

:face:

 

[Wet Dottle]

I've bought a couple of used pipes and I realized they're not for me. Don't expect any rationalization of it, it's just the way it is. I simply cannot make myself smoke used pipes...

Hey WD- it's not like chewing used gum ya know

:lol!:

 

[regor]

When you go to a restaurant to eat you aren't the only one to have used the silverware. There is nothing wrong with estate pipes as long as you clean them up which a dealer with a good rep has already done :cyclops: :sunny:

 

[Wet Dottle]

When you go to a restaurant to eat you aren't the only one to have used the silverware. There is nothing wrong with estate pipes as long as you clean them up which a dealer with a good rep has already done :cyclops: :sunny:

Regor, I understand what you are saying. The analogy you use does not reflect how I feel about it. Silverware is metal, wood is porous. I think of pipes more like cars: when buying an used one you just don't know how it has been treated. And I believe the "only smoked once" story as much as the one about the old lady that only drove her car to go to church on Sundays. An even better analogy might be underwear: I am not going to put on someone else's used underwear no matter how many times you boil the thing in pure alcohol, or sulfuric acid, or what not.

I don't mean to disparage used pipes or anyone involved in trading them. Nor am I trying to convince anyone to change sides. This is an irrational and perhaps unhealthy attitude on my part, but it is how I feel and that's that. No flames please.

 

[regor]

How did we get from Estate pipes to boiled underwear???? LMAO