Looking for 'economical' pipes - and a blasphemy ...

**JCinPA** · 07-08-2012, 12:05 PM

First, the blasphemy. I do not suffer from the various AD mentioned around here. I went a bit nuts on lather products, but have it firmly under control. Compared so some around here (Price?) I never really did go nuts. I have two excellent razors, and I'm done. A few brushes, and I'm done. When I got into the fountain pen thing, I got a Lamy to find out if I really like it, then got one used Cross Townsend and that would have been it except I wanted a fine nib. So I got another Townsend from a B&B member. I never click in there anymore, I have a couple pens, why would I want more? The odds of me ever spending $200 on a briar pipe are astronomically against. Why I could get a decent Milsurp rifle for that kind of dough!

To me a pipe is a tool, the tobacco is the key. If the tobacco is the nail, then the pipe is the hammer, and I don't buy hammers with exotic wood handles or weird looking heads designed by Scandinavians. Lord knows I can drop a ridiculous amount of money--truly stupid money--on a handgun, so I understand the condition, but pipes just ain't my bag, so it's not where I will spend my dough.

ON THE OTHER HAND ... after a bit of net surfing, I now realize why I probably had so many wet, gurgling pipes in my youth. I bought the cheapest junk I could find, including screw-togethers. Now I realize that gaps between the stem tenon and the shank mortise can cause moisture problems. I now realize those pipes of my youth with perennially wet heels probably had air holes drilled above the bottom of the bowl.

So what I'm looking for, I guess, are seconds, or decent used pipes where I have a fair degree of confidence they are properly built. If the bowl has a blemish or large fill, I care not a whit, as long as it smokes properly. I want a decent hammer, in other words, not a collector or designer hammer.

I will also pay up a bit for confidence. For example if I can get $30 used pipes on eBay from some knucklead who knows nothing about them and every 4th or 5th pipe is a dog ... well that's foolish. If there is a respected seller who would sell those same pipes for $40 or $45, but I knew he examined them and knew they were all good, and would take returns, I'd use him exclusively. I'm cheap, but I'm not penny-wise and pound foolish. I've wasted enough money in my life that way to finally have learned my lesson.

Any ideas? I did search 'economical' and 'inexpensive' in thread titles and got nothing. I'm sure this has been talked about before, but I don't know how to turn it up in a search. Thanks for any help you can give.

And no, I'm not gonna 'get the itch'. They said I would in razors, and I did not. They were positive I would in pens, and I did not. Like I said I'll pour money down a rat hole on guns sometimes, but not pipes. Sorry, fellas, pipes just don't make my socks roll up and down like they do some of you guys!

But clearly I acquired some really crappy pipes in my youth and now I know why they were such dogs. I want to spend enough, but just. No more than needed.

**syngent** · 07-08-2012, 12:36 PM

John i just today bought my 2 dot pipe for about 75 bucks, but they had a lot of nice lookers in the 1 dot at around 40 bucks at my store, there are a lot of things in the 40 dollar range online from a lot of different companies, i cant account for quality but my larenzetti seems nice to me

**Argonaut** · 07-08-2012, 12:45 PM

Oh your no fun. Just smoke cobs, you can have a seven day rotation for $40. Anything briar wise in that range is going to be hit or miss.

**haiku44** · 07-08-2012, 12:48 PM

Originally Posted by JCinPA

I bought the cheapest junk I could find, including screw-togethers.

You talking about Falcon metal pipes? They do gurgle because of condensation building up in the metal part of the pipe, but that is all about cooling down the smoke. They are well built, pretty cheap($50 new probably), and can take a real beating. If you only want to buy one pipe, a Falcon is tough to beat.

**JCinPA** · 07-08-2012, 02:27 PM

Originally Posted by jmallen5

Oh your no fun. Just smoke cobs, you can have a seven day rotation for $40. Anything briar wise in that range is going to be hit or miss.

Yeah, not much fun! But I'm not looking for a 'cheap' brand, but rather a brand (or used vendor) I can trust to deliver properly constructed pipes--blemished seconds would be ideal.

**JCinPA** · 07-08-2012, 02:48 PM

How is this? I just won it on eBay. I hope it's OK.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...EOIBSA:US:3160

**Argonaut** · 07-08-2012, 03:02 PM

Originally Posted by JCinPA

How is this? I just won it on eBay. I hope it's OK.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...EOIBSA:US:3160

Beautiful pipe! Can't see the drilling, but I'm sure it will be suitable. Like I said, anything briar is a crapshoot. That goes for $400 Dunhills or $40 basket pipes, though the percentages are better with a known brand. If you can pick up a Peterson or a Nording on the cheap, you should be good. Maybe that one will be "the one", it sure looks good. Let us know how she smokes.

**haiku44** · 07-08-2012, 03:06 PM

I thought you didn't care if it looked good. Very nice grain on that hammer. Haha.

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I'm sure it'll be great.

**oc_in_fw** · 07-08-2012, 03:13 PM

Originally Posted by JCinPA

How is this? I just won it on eBay. I hope it's OK.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...EOIBSA:US:3160

Very nice

**JCinPA** · 07-08-2012, 06:20 PM

Originally Posted by haiku44

I thought you didn't care if it looked good. Very nice grain on that hammer. Haha.

I'm sure it'll be great.

I don't mind if it looks good, I just don't want to pay for it! I'm hoping if I get some older pipes with brand names (which I am not familiar with anyway) I might get something that would cost me $120 today for a lot less. This was $45. If it smokes dry, I'm happy. Looks are a bonus!

**Kentos** · 07-08-2012, 06:25 PM

Cobs are fun too, as was noted earlier.. and when paired with a Forever Stem look pretty nice IMO.

**JCinPA** · 07-08-2012, 07:27 PM

I just got a MM Country Gentleman the other day, and I do like them. ~~What is a 'forever stem'????~~ found it!

And I suspect my pipe was not the deal of the century, looks like it may have gone for $80-100 new, but what the heck, if it smokes dry, it is my price range, I'll be delighted regardless of what it went for originally. I can't wait to see it.

**JCinPA** · 07-08-2012, 07:31 PM

Hmmmm. I know I can keep the 'Forever Stem' and move it from cob to cob. But just out of curiosity, how many smokes does one expect to get out of a cob? Thanks.

**Argonaut** · 07-08-2012, 08:07 PM

Originally Posted by JCinPA

Hmmmm. I know I can keep the 'Forever Stem' and move it from cob to cob. But just out of curiosity, how many smokes does one expect to get out of a cob? Thanks.

Depends on how poor a smoker you are. Somewhere between 1 & 10,000 seems about right.

**Kentos** · 07-08-2012, 08:22 PM

I have noticed sometimes the fit between the stem and shank gets loose- I just spread some bees wax on the tenon and it tightens right up.

**JCinPA** · 07-08-2012, 08:30 PM

Originally Posted by jmallen5

Depends on how poor a smoker you are. Somewhere between 1 & 10,000 seems about right.

Wow! With care they really last, eh? Cool!

IIRC vulcanite is cossidered more comfortable but lucite won't oxidize or bite through. Pretty much it? Those tortoise forevers look nice, may have to get one if my original cracks.

**TheVez2** · 07-08-2012, 08:33 PM

Look at antique stores for some good deals on estate pipes. I recently picked up a few beauties for around 3-4 bucks each. A couple nice brands as well. Just need a little TLC And they'll be good to go.

**whiskerwacker** · 07-08-2012, 09:11 PM

Originally Posted by TheVez2

Look at antique stores for some good deals on estate pipes. I recently picked up a few beauties for around 3-4 bucks each. A couple nice brands as well. Just need a little TLC And they'll be good to go.

This has been my experience as well, although the nicer pipes in my area go from $15 and up.

**PugslyCat** · 07-09-2012, 09:04 AM

Most of my pipes were acquired 10-15 years ago when you could get a decent basket pipe for $10. I've never paid more than the $50 for a pipe.

My experience with antique mall pipes has been kind of scary. Most that I encountered hadn't been cleaned, so nasty used filters and partially smoked bowls of tobacco still in place.

I've done much better with low end pipes at tobacconists. David's Briar Shop in Des Moines, IA has several scores of new pipes in stock at any time in the $25-$50 range, plus cobs, a few estate pipes, and maybe a few higher end pipes on hand. Anything else has to be ordered, but they are more than happy to do that.

Ted's Tobacco in Omaha, NE hasn't got as much for low end new pipes, but seems to have a couple of hundred pipes on hand at any time. Half seem to be estate pipes in the $35-$50 range and the rest are newer, more expensive pipes. That's pretty impressive for what is primarily a cigar store. I'm told that Ted's in Lincoln actually has more of an emphasis on pipes, but have not checked it out.

**JCinPA** · 07-09-2012, 08:59 PM

Originally Posted by TheVez2

Look at antique stores for some good deals on estate pipes. I recently picked up a few beauties for around 3-4 bucks each. A couple nice brands as well. Just need a little TLC And they'll be good to go.

Good idea! I never go into those places, now I will check them out!