If I may offer my two pennies... I, being a poor college graduate and full time worker, have never owned a high grade pipe. The only thing comparable would be my Sherlock Holmes "Original" from Peterson that an esteemed member of our board gave me a really sweet deal on. So, I really don't know what I'm missing if anything. I know that the high grades are really pretty and I love the organic shapes and such, but to be completely honest, I can't afford them now or in the foreseeable future. I can, however, afford Stanwells and I have one. It is quickly becoming one of my go to pipes. It feels good in the hand and in the mouth, as I am a bit of a clencher these days. I haven't really noticed too much of a difference between the Holmes and the Stan. They are both great smoking pipes and I love them both. I would love to one day own an S. Bang or an Eltang or a Rad Davis or one of the many many other pipe artisans pipes out there but like I said, right now it's pay check to pay check living! That's it from the novice! Smoke on brothers!

Exactly Aaron. Priorities.
Some of these guys here (you know who you are ) can drop big bills on a gorgeous pipe like I put a quarter in the Tip Jar at the coffee house.

Aaron, you're on a good path. You don't need high grade pipes, you'll do just fine for a long time with the Stanwells and Petes. If you really start to get into pipe artistry - that is, you start to see certain pipe designs and the creations of certain makers as beautifully artistic - then you'll eventually be drawn to buying one (then two, then twelve) because you'll find the intricate level of work and the artistic execution and the history of certain producers enthralling. Pipe collecting can take on many forms and the high grade collector just seeks out the best and the most beautiful, as in any other form of art collecting. As for smoking enjoyment, yes, a high grade can lead to more enjoyment for the individual who derives added pleasure from using such a beautiful creation, but the pipe wont smoke any better - or to be more specific, it won't give you any advantage towards better delivery of tobacco combustion - than any other well engineered pipe. My advice to you is to seek out Stanwell, Peterson and Savinelli pipes with open airways (pipe cleaner easily passes), draft holes dead center bottom of the chamber, and comfortable bits. Beyond that, you'll need nothing but some good tobacco to give you many, many years of pleasure. If I were to start all over I'd stick with Stanwell and avoid the high grade bug, it's awfully expensive

Aaron, when I was a poor college student all my pipes were cheap, too. But I was always happy with them and enjoyed every single one. No concept of rotation whatsoever, either, just smoked them in serial. And smoked tons of Mixture 79. What I had in my favor was that there was no internet and ignorance was bliss. PD and the others have it right, you don’t need expensive pipes. Having a good blend is much more important.

Dock,

I really appreciate your humility!!!



It's part of what makes BoB what it is!

Aaron, I started with S.S,Pierce pipes $2.95 each, well I still have some of them and they are still smoked! 50 years later! Ken
Pacem en Puffing!

I remember a time I only smoked cobs and Walgreens brand bulk black cavendish and was perfectly happy! I still occasionally load up some bc and im instantly transported to the summer days of 1991, listening to the Dead with friends that are long gone...ah, those were the days!

On the basis of having had some anywhere from unsmoked to pretty new "good" pipes (assuming Dunhills, Cavicchis and a Winslow D qualify) and a lot of distinctly old pipes (going back to around 1920 or so) : a good new pipe is to be treasured. But after the initial infatuation wears off (Latakia Lovers' Rule : No pipe is allowed to be listed as a "favorite" until you've had 50 trips around the block with it), the nod goes to the old ones. Emphatically. Especially when their airways have been tuned.

Old briars just, IMHO, taste rounder, fuller and mellower.

And not necessarily high-end ones either. The right Parker after 50 years will probably match the taste of any Dunhill and stomp any new one.

Those who remember Doc from the knox board might recall that his all-time favorite pipe was an old Bewlay (which was a chain of tobaconists in England that put that name on the manufacturers' over-runs they sold).

If I could only have one pipe, it would be a Peterson Kilarney (at that time, a decent briar with a few small fills) from around 1970 or so. Or a Stanwell I can recall.

I have approximately 50 pipes or so and not one high end job. Love them all and wouldn't give them up for the world. In my collection you will see names like Stanwell, Peterson, Jobey, Alpha, Bari and the list goes on. I'd put up many of my pipes against the Dunhills and Rad Davis' of the world when it comes to great smoking properties. If I had the cash would I buy one, absolutely but I'm not the least bit jealous of those who can afford it. I'm quite proud of my collection.

This is a great thread...wish I had seen this a while back. I guess I appreciate it more because I had two great smokes last night, one being in a cob, and another in a no-name old drug store briar. Nothing high end there but great smokers.

I have recently been admiring Stanwells for their style and good reviews. Def time to pick one up!

-Adam