What is the MOST important thing...

[luckydogguy]

...that a good pipe MUST have? Please, understand that I no clue about pipes. I have the following pipes:

Stanwell Vario
Peterson Killarney

Any good?

What makes a pipe good?

How much do you have to pay for a good one?

Are Dunhills worth the price?


Thanks,
Lucky

 

[thomas james]

Lucky,

Enjoy the experience of smoking a pipe,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,go with it!

Everything else is subjective.

Your pipes are as good as any.

Do what pleases YOU!

Drug store Burley and a cob are as valid as ANY combination,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,maybe more if it flips your switch.

Again,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,welcome aboard.

Soon, you'll be answering ?'s instead of asking.

It can come pretty fast.

Use the Force

:king: tj

 

[Anonymous]

Pipes are female. This realization changes everything.

As with all things female, long acquaintence is the key to grokking.

The best thing you could probably do to get up to conceptual speed would be to go to http://www.glpease.com/ and read through The Briar & Leaf Chronicles and Articles & Essays.

:face:

 

[glpease]

...that a good pipe MUST have? Please, understand that I no clue about pipes.

As important as the pipe is the patience of the smoker. MOST, but certainly not ALL pipes can be turned into decent smokers, given sufficient time smoking them. In some cases, they can be "fixed up" to great benefit, and can even become excellent. I picked up a GBD Prehistoric on ebay for $34 that, with some careful airway work, transformed into a spectacularly excellent pipe. Sadly, not all stories have happy endings. Read on...

What makes a pipe good?

I may be in the minority camp amongst the post-modern pipemen, but I'll crawl out onto the thin limb anyway. Good wood is THE most important factor in a great smoking pipe. Period. Today, people pay a lot of attention to the so-called "engineering" of a pipe (a grossly abused term, I'm afraid), and pay too little attention to THE most important component. If the briar is bad, no amount of "engineering" will make it good. If the briar is good, bad "engineering" will certainly prevent the pipe from being optimal - making it a wet smoker, or one that is hard to light, or that doesn't deliver its flavour in the best way - but it will have more going for it than the perfect pipe made from terrible wood. (I'm not saying that pipe makers are producing exquisitely made pieces from bad wood, just that wood is more important than many of the discussions would indicate, and that it deserves more credit than it usually gets, these days.)

The old-timers, though, knew about the quality of the wood. That's almost ALL they talked about. Companies like Dunhill, Comoy, BBB and Barling made well "engineered" pipes, and this fact was taken for granted. What people talked about was the wood.

How much do you have to pay for a good one?

This question has no real answer. You can find extreme good fortune amongst the "basket pipes" at your local tobacconist's, getting an amazing smoker for $15. Or, you can spend $500, and wind up with a pipe that doesn't taste good at all. There are no guarantees.

There ARE probabilities, though. For instance, if you were to get a Castello, the probability of it being a fantastic smoke is very high. For those "basket pipes," it's rather lower. People I know in the retail end of things have told me that Bjarnes, Petersons, Stanwells reflect good value, generally providing good smoking qualities for under $100.

Unfortunately, the probability of buying a pipe for under $50 that will be well crafted, from excellent briar, and will deliver an excellent smoke is low. It DOES happen, but not frequently. However, with reconditioned "estate" pipes, your chances go up considerably. You can still find some wonderful values in old Comoys, GBDs, BBBs, Savinellis (especially Corallos and Capris), and others.

I hope others will add their own perceptions. This is a really good group, with a lot of collective knowledge, and a great willingness to share it.

-glp

 

[luckydogguy]

Hey guys,

Thanks for the feedback. I'm enjoying the process and welcome more input from whoever is willing.

GLP,
Thank you for the indepth answer.



Lucky

 

[Puff Daddy]

Good wood is THE most important factor in a great smoking pipe. Period.

Well, don't leave us hanging, how does one look at a case full of beautiful briars and determine which ones have good wood? Is it possible for the average pipe enthusiast to tell? Are you better off sticking with a few specific brands that have a reputation for using good wood if it's not possible for the rank and file smoker to tell the difference with the naked eye?

These are the questions that keep me awake at night

 

[luckydogguy]

I am wondering that myself. I think almost all pipes' wood look like "god" wood. What are the diferences and how can a mere mortal tell what's good or not?

Lucky

 

[Richard Burley]

I am wondering that myself. I think almost all pipes' wood look like "god" wood. What are the diferences and how can a mere mortal tell what's good or not?

Lucky

"God" wood?  Well, there's this, I suppose.  (Sorry.  It was a conjunction of happenstance and the devil that made me do it.)

" />

 

[Feazelle-n-it]

:fpalm: :fpalm: That's just wrong! Hahahahaha :fpalm: :fpalm:

 

[RobJ]

There's always one isn't there?

You're killin' me over here Mr. B!

:lol!:

 

[monbla256]

EVERYTHING Greg said in his reply is some VERY SOUND advice !! I'd only add that pricing of a pipe and whether it is WORTH the price asked is truly up to the person buying the pipe and their pocketbook !! As far as the wood, decades ago, it was more of a practice to age briar BEFORE it was made into a pipe as well as more OLDER wood was avilable back then!! Back in the late '60s early '70s when I was doing most of my pipe buying, it was not uncommon that a pipe from GBD, BBB, Comoy's etc would have been made from 100 yo wood and I would have paid a moderate price for it. Sadly this is NOT the case today other than a few producers but sadly the pricing has gone up for this. As far as Dunhill's go, my opinion is that the current pricing for their products is INSANE!! You can fins Savinelli high grades that are as good if not BETTER than Dunhill's ( they are not even Dunhill's now, rathher they are called White Spots as Dunhill no longer sells tobacco releted products! :twisted: ) at easily 1/2 the price! But again, price is a personal matter ie "... one mans cieling is another's floor" ! Take your time, do some more research and buy more pipes !! :twisted: :twisted:

 

[SpeedyPete]

Mr Burley where did you get hold of this thread?!!

It was posted 7 (seven) years ago and the OP left us looooong ago.

I'm real sorry about that because I wanted to tell him that the main thing any pipe MUST have is a bowl/shank. No need for a stem if you are hard-up for a smoke. I smoked a pipe without stem while I was in the army and totally broke.

 

[idbowman]

This has GOT to set some sort of record for resurrection of a zombie thread.

 

[Richard Burley]

Mr Burley where did you get hold of this thread?!!

It was posted 7 (seven) years ago and the OP left us looooong ago.  

I'm real sorry about that because I wanted to tell him that the main thing any pipe MUST have is a bowl/shank.  No need for a stem if you are hard-up for a smoke. I smoked a pipe without stem while I was in the army and totally broke.

You may call me Rick, Rick the Pr*ck. I was just somewhat bored with the current commentary and went back in time. I believe it was the oldest page under this heading. I agree with the bowl/shank requirement. I vaguely remember doing this myself, but the occasion eludes me. Probably camping out when in Explorer Scouts. You could do that back then if you had a cool scoutmaster, and that I did.

Monbla, sir: I agree with your assessment. My recent Punto Oro poker is an absolutely awesome smoker, at least as good as any Dunhill in my possession. I can "taste" the good wood. Kind of hard to describe, as it isn't actually burning or anything. Maybe the heat? Anyhow, it's great.

 

[Feazelle-n-it]

This has GOT to set some sort of record for resurrection of a zombie thread.

I agree. Reviving a thread that's seven years old and the author hasn't logged in since 2008. Got to be a record. But it's a good one to have some fun with.

 

[SpeedyPete]

This has GOT to set some sort of record for resurrection of a zombie thread.

:lol!:

 

[SpeedyPete]

Mr Burley where did you get hold of this thread?!!

It was posted 7 (seven) years ago and the OP left us looooong ago.  

I'm real sorry about that because I wanted to tell him that the main thing any pipe MUST have is a bowl/shank.  No need for a stem if you are hard-up for a smoke. I smoked a pipe without stem while I was in the army and totally broke.

You may call me Rick, Rick the Pr*ck.  I was just somewhat bored with the current commentary and went back in time.  I believe it was the oldest page under this heading.  I agree with the bowl/shank requirement.  I vaguely remember doing this myself, but the occasion eludes me.  Probably camping out when in Explorer Scouts.  You could do that back then if you had a cool scoutmaster, and that I did.

Monbla, sir:  I agree with your assessment.  My recent Punto Oro poker is an absolutely awesome smoker, at least as good as any Dunhill in my possession.  I can "taste" the good wood.  Kind of hard to describe, as it isn't actually burning or anything.  Maybe the heat?  Anyhow, it's great.  

Rick, I just LOVE my Punto Oro's and have 8 of them. Only had one old Dunhill in my life which was no good but maybe that's why my "friend" gave it to me. As for Savinelli's, I'm an unashamed fan of the brand with 14 in my rack. I just adore each and every one of them.

 

[puros_bran]

Luckydog and his brother were pretty cool dudes...

 

[the rev]

There is one thing good in life to vanquish your enemies see them fall before you and hear the Lamentations of their women

Oh pipes...

Good open uninstructed smooth airway

Rev

 

[desertpiper]

I recently red a book called "The Perfect Smoke" by Fred J. Hanna. This is one of the best pipe books I have read. Gregory Pease would be familiar with this book. And If you want to learn about pipe smoking and what's most important read this book. You can get it for you smart phone, tablet or Kindle for a pretty low price.