There may be hope for that basket pipe after all !!!

[monbla256]

Wev'e all here, ( the more long time pipers), developed "favorite" pipe brands that we swear are "the best" pipes to aquire and smoke. And I'm sure there are several of you that have read Fred Hanna's essays and his books but I thought this essay about "the Myth of Brand and Maker in Pipesmoking" might be worth linking to for many of the newbie's starting out on the labyrinth of pipe aquisition! Just basically proves the old adage : "...ya pays ya momey, ya takes yo chances " ! There may be hope for that "basket pipe" your thinking about after all ! :lol:

http://www.greatnorthernpipeclub.org/Myth.htm

 

[tleek]

The first real pipe I got was an Italian Basket pipe. Smoked a hell of a lot better than the head shop pipe i got first.
I think i got pretty lucky on it, it has no big fills pretty birds eye and actually smokes almost as if not just as good as a lot of my mid range name brand pipes. and i think i paid like 25 bucks for it.

Smoked pretty hot at first until there was a nice thick cake built up in it and now it smokes nice and cool.
Havnt smoked it for a while, but took it off the rack yesterday just to look at it and ill probably give it a smoke pretty soon.

Its just got a pretty horrible ghost of house aromatics and sir walter raleigh.

 

[MisterE]

I love me some Dunhills, Charatans, and Sasienis, but....

....I decided to take out a Smoker's Haven basket pipe the other day. I've had it for over 20 years and I'm always pleasantly surprised by how well it smokes. It's not much to look at- the stem falls out and the bowl has one of the biggest fills I've ever seen. I even had to open up the tenon to prevent gurgling. It's not especially choosy over which tobacco it likes either. Just about everything I smoke in it gives pretty good results.

All in all, I'd have to rate it a better smoker than many of my name brand pipes. Good briar is just good briar no matter what's stamped on it. This happens to be one of those good chunks. 8)

 

[KevinM]

I suspect that most pipemakers, after a nip or two, would admit that brand is not a sure predictor of how well your new pipe smokes. And likely, after another nip, may admit that the brand thing is a marketing fib that supports higher prices. In addition to the influence of marketing, price is also closely related to the quality of the briar, the grain pattern and the skill of the carver. That $80 Stan may well be the smoking equal of the $600 Sav Autograph. But at the moment of truth, the curtain has to be drawn over such unromantic facts. If the gentleman wants the Autograph, he must leave the shoppe with the pipe in his pocket, the charge on his Visa and the idea in his head that certain persuasive but wholly subjective qualities justify leaving the extra $520 in the shopkeepers hands. And if the fellow is content in that opinion, I'd say it would be bad form for me to voice a discouraging word or to mention the appeal of cobs.

 

[Kyle Weiss]

The only problem I have with my Tinder Box's basket pipes currently is they're all tapped for 6mm filter. I've had problems with smoking filter pipes sans the filters...except cobs. On the other hand, I have some cheap, no-name pipes that perform admirably.

Monbla's just trying to keep us all from the artisan pipes he wants. 8)

 

[monbla256]

The only problem I have with my Tinder Box's basket pipes currently is they're all tapped for 6mm filter. I've had problems with smoking filter pipes sans the filters...except cobs. On the other hand, I have some cheap, no-name pipes that perform admirably.

Monbla's just trying to keep us all from the artisan pipes he wants. 8)

It's not so much what I want, it's what YOU are gonna buy me Out of respect for "...the old farts with ____ yrs experience" :twisted:

 

[Kyle Weiss]

I'm sure you'll see an artisan pipe hit your doorstep from me when I get an Old Boy or a Dunhill lighter from you.

Caveat: I get to pick the artist.

8)

 

[Harlock999]

The only problem I have with my Tinder Box's basket pipes currently is they're all tapped for 6mm filter. I've had problems with smoking filter pipes sans the filters...except cobs. On the other hand, I have some cheap, no-name pipes that perform admirably.

Monbla's just trying to keep us all from the artisan pipes he wants. 8)

:cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
It's so clear now...
The kid in school who thought girls were the yuckiest was usually the first to get whipped on 'em.
yeah, Monbla's got it bad for artsy art pipes.

 

[Kyle Weiss]

:cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
It's so clear now...
The kid in school who thought girls were the yuckiest was usually the first to get whipped on 'em.
yeah, Monbla's got it bad for artsy art pipes.

Precisely. 8) Gotta admire his tactic.

 

[Harlock999]

:cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
It's so clear now...
The kid in school who thought girls were the yuckiest was usually the first to get whipped on 'em.
yeah, Monbla's got it bad for artsy art pipes.

Precisely. 8) Gotta admire his tactic.

Clever old fox...

 

[monbla256]

:cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
It's so clear now...
The kid in school who thought girls were the yuckiest was usually the first to get whipped on 'em.
yeah, Monbla's got it bad for artsy art pipes.

Precisely. 8) Gotta admire his tactic.

Clever old fox...

NAH, just 40 years of smoking :twisted: :twisted:

 

[Kyle Weiss]

See? There he goes, pretending to be the forgetful old man again. VERY clever. :lol:

 

[monbla256]

See? There he goes, pretending to be the forgetful old man again. VERY clever. :lol:

OK, just give me a minute, I'll remember, I will :twisted:

 

[Kyle Weiss]

OK, just give me a minute, I'll remember, I will :twisted:

(Hint: It's something you've done for 40 years, and we're demanding you tell us what it is, and quit holding out on us...)

 

[Rob_In_MO]

The only problem I have with my Tinder Box's basket pipes currently is they're all tapped for 6mm filter. I've had problems with smoking filter pipes sans the filters...except cobs.

These days I use the Savinelli 6mm Balsa filters in these types of pipes (and cobs as well) with good results. The triangular balsa filter does more to regulate air flow than filter anything, but they do turn black after about 6 smokes so they must be absorbing something...

The paper filters seem to take out too much flavor, while the Balsa leaves the full flavors untouched.


Meanwhile - back at the ranch...

I've got several basket briars. Some of them smoke wonderfully (nearly as good as my Sav's and Pete's), others aren't worth a crap. Same with Cobs. I think it's more to do with engineering and design, after all many basket pipes are factory 2nds from larger makers.

 

[TheSmokeamater]

..................

The paper filters seem to take out too much flavor, while the Balsa leaves the full flavors untouched.


Meanwhile - back at the ranch...

I've got several basket briars. Some of them smoke wonderfully (nearly as good as my Sav's and Pete's), others aren't worth a crap. Same with Cobs. I think it's more to do with engineering and design, after all many basket pipes are factory 2nds from larger makers.

That is true what you say about paper fliters. I only rarely use them in my cobs. When I do, I find that they need to be "seasoned" a bit before they start leting flavor through.

As for the basket pipes. Have you considered re-engineering them? You haven't much to loose.

 

[Rob_In_MO]

That is true what you say about paper fliters. I only rarely use them in my cobs. When I do, I find that they need to be "seasoned" a bit before they start leting flavor through.

As for the basket pipes. Have you considered re-engineering them? You haven't much to loose.

I've found that cutting the paper filters in half helps, but like you said it still takes a couple of smokes for the to 'work'. As far as re-engineering the basket pipes - the ones i've kept smoke so well that I hate to mess with them. Besides, the Savinelli Balsa Filters aren't exactly expensive and are good for at least 6-smokes before I have to change them out. Between 5 basket pipes that can take filters, that's 30-smokes before I have to change them out and clean the pipes. And that's not counting Cobs. Of course I'm not required to run filters in any of them anyway. I tried a suggestion on here not long ago, cutting a pipe cleaner in half then folding it over on itself and using that as a filter. It works great too (air flow restriction & ash catcher) and is about the cheapest option going.

Oh Yeah - I'm a Cheap-Ass too.

 

[KevinM]

One thing I've figgered out (ok, after someone told me) is that some pipe retailers who sell high end pipes have a deal with manufacturers. In carving, some of the high end pipes flunk a qualiy standard. These retailers sell 'em as "seconds." Within tne past month I'vee bought a couple of hand-carved, flame-grain beauties for under $100. In one, the tobacco chamber is slightly off center. It's not noticeable because the carving of the bowl is pretty darn slick. I still haven't found what's "wrong" with the other.

 

[TheSmokeamater]

One thing I've figgered out (ok, after someone told me) is that some pipe retailers who sell high end pipes have a deal with manufacturers. In carving, some of the high end pipes flunk a qualiy standard. These retailers sell 'em as "seconds." Within tne past month I'vee bought a couple of hand-carved, flame-grain beauties for under $100. In one, the tobacco chamber is slightly off center. It's not noticeable because the carving of the bowl is pretty darn slick. I still haven't found what's "wrong" with the other.

I have a few purchased under similar circumstances. On one of them the drilling in the shank was a little off center. It did not align with the air channel of the stem. This of course made it very difficult to pass a cleaner, and absolutely impacted the draw. Fortunately the tenon was robust enough that I was able to inversely bevel the hole with a conical Dremel bit. This opened up the draw nicely. Although it is still difficult to pass a cleaner unless the end is bent and positioned just right. That I can live with. The pipe is a great smoker now.

 

[KevinM]

I was lucky, because both my new pipes easily pass the cleaner pass through test. The one pipe, mentioned above, has a large bowl and the South side of it is carved with a slight flat spot. If I look really, really closely. the flat section isn't absolutely, exactly centered, which makes the chamber look ever-so-slightly off center. Meh. It has another hardly noticeable flat spot carved near the front of the bae of the bowl. This allows the pipe to be "set," (no hands!) to the wonderment of onlookers.