Delusion?

[itsKot]

Not to change the topic, but where's LL been? I used to see him posting a lot, but the past year (my best estimate) I haven't seen a single post from him.

 

[CygnusXII]

I cannot speak to owning an Artisan Pipe. I just do not have that kind of money. Most of my pipes come from the 80's and early 90's. I bought small carver pipes back then and Estates that found their way to my local shop. I started smoking a pipe with a bright blue painted Dr. Grabow. Luckily that didn't last for long. My first expensive pipe was a Peterson 302 System Pipe, I bought at Tobacco Lane for the Princely sum of $75. Being 18 then, that was a ton of cash; I think equivalent to about a million in today's dollars. My next expensive pipe was a humongous Rhodesian Bulldog by Randy Wiley $90. All in all the most expensive pipe I've owned has never cost more than $100. I own 14 S&R's and none of them ever cost over $100, but those were 1980 / 90 Dollars. Now having said all that, to the topic at hand... Out of all those pipes, they have yet to disappoint. I find that my disappointments come from factors I cannot control. Tobacco is a fickle Mistress, blends vary from batch to batch; even with quality control. Environmental factors effect my smoking. Hot day, Cold Day, Wet Day, Dry Day. I find a bowl packed in a hurry leads to heartache and a bad smoke. I just do not think price makes a difference. Then again some pipes are just crap. What might smoke bad for me, might smoke fantastic for someone else.

Case in point... I recently picked up a Mountbatten (sp?) off eBay. It came from a collection that I am familiar with, from a specific individual I know, that is selling off a collection from a dead friends Family. That pipe cost me all of $20 not including shipping. My first smoke on that pipe produced a complete smoke. I mean all the way to the bottom, nothing but ash when I dumped her out. Additionally it smoked cool and long, and was completely a pleasure from first light to final tamp. That happens very infrequently for me. I've always got some small dottle on my smokes. I think personal preference plays a role for each pipe smoker.

I learned from a pair of "old codgers" that hung out at my best friends Tobacco store, and I think they ruined me. :roll: They got into my head and put my love of the Pot Shape, and a generous thumb sized bowl, in my mind, and I have yet to own one of that type that has ever smoked bad. The thickness of a Pots Walls, and the openness of a Pots draft, and draw is such a nice smoke. The only other shape that is close is a quarter bend bulldog, as long as it meets the similar criteria as a Pot, generous wall size, nice open and relatively deep bowl, and the ability to get your thumb in it.

 

[puros_bran]

Not to change the topic, but where's LL been? I used to see him posting a lot, but the past year (my best estimate) I haven't seen a single post from him.

Got pissed off and left when someone moved one of his topics to the RR.
he's over on smokersforums.