What makes a pipe a good pipe?

[2asprins]

Does paying $1000 for a pipe make it a better smoke, or better tasting, or better manufacturing compared to that $20 basket pipe? Ok, let's assume that the details to the draw hole is better, the briar is 100 years older, someone spent hours of time putting just the right touches on the stem and bit, hand polished the bowl to a gleaming sparkle, the grain was all straight or bird's eye or flawless or all of the above. What makes a pipe a good pipe?

In my eyes, to be able to quietly sit anywhere with a pipe, outside or in, and watch the flora and fauna, a stream or lake or ocean or a lazy fire in the fireplace or campground, the clouds or the moon, my loved ones, what ever it is at the time, and get lost in thought and truly enjoy myself.
For what ever time it takes to smoke that bowl, 15 minutes or 2 hours, for if in that brief moment in my life span I can feel that life is good and I am content, happy, satisfied, calm, not rushed. . . that pipe is the best pipe in the world, better than any other pipe made in past or present. That pipe, no matter what it cost or its shape or color or size or age or condition, has done what it is supposed to do. Whether you actually smoked it or not and just held it, has done what it is supposed to do. That is why I cherish a pipe.


Off to la la land and to another night in paradise at work, be safe all.

 

[puros_bran]

Most definitely ...
a $1000 pipe smokes 10 times better than a $100 pipe..

 

[bruins]

i'll probably never know what a $1000 pipe smokes like. but here's a similar thread to the question you asked, 2asprins, and even mr. greg pease weighs in on the subject.

https://www.brothersofbriar.com/the-tobacco-jar-f2/does-the-pipe-really-make-that-much-difference-t10048.htm

 

[Anonymous]

PeeBee's pullin' your legs, folks :lol:

The answer : Soul.

:face:

 

[2asprins]

Hey there all, finally got time to get back on. Hope all are well and life gives a fair shake to those in need.
I believe there isn't a wrong answer to the question. All are right in their answers. Whatever makes a certain pipe good to you may not apply to many (or any) others. What ever makes that pipe good to you is the right answer.
If there is absolutely nothing one can do to a pipe to make it smoke well, usually that person will sell or trade or give it away or even sit in a drawer until that person is long gone. IMHO, that pipe just hasn't found the smoker it's looking for, and by letting it move on to continue its ever-ending search, sooner or later, it will find its home and allow itself to be the wonderfully sweet smoker it is for its new owner. Granted, there may not be many pipes with the perserverance to look that hard or wait that long, and compromise with the present owner and give up a fair or decent smoke to settle down and have a home. Then there are others that are willing to make that multi-decade journey to find that one person that can appreciate not just the pretty looks but the entire reason that one particular pipe exists. Then it gives it all to be what it can be, no matter what tobacco is run through it.
I am fortunate and blessed to have experienced that a few times and doubly blessed to have found an anvenue to express that on here on BOB where an opinion may not have many that agree, but is still allowed to be voiced without malice, good hearted ribbing for sure, but I haven't seen any malice. I guess that is why this is the first forum I have ever joined.
Thanks for letting me be long-winded. I'll try to do better next time.

 

[2asprins]

Sorry, one more thing, thanks Bruin for the link, BeeBiz has it down now. That's the fun and pleasures of smoking a pipe, all the tobaccos in the world want a place to be needed too. They just want a home in the right pipe, just as a pipe wants a home with the right pipe smoker. Sorry, wordy again. Blast all theses bottles of wine wanting a home down my gullet. (my only night off a week)