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Brothers of Briar

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I think this is pretentious pipe snobbery at its worse. It makes pipe smoking look like the sort of elitist activity that it should never be. How, for instance, does Jeff feel about those who don't follow his example. Are they lesser beings, with their "souless" pipes?

If money is no object then perhaps we would all go for the bespoke option, but I for one could never pretend that I was enjoying the "soul" of the pipe I was smoking. All pipes undergo a period of initial design, whether hand or machine made. If soul is ever imparted into a pipe then that's the point at which it would happen. The fact that a machine might subsequently produce thousands of the same pipe is neither here nor there, as all pipes have some degree of hand finishing anyway.

I like buying pipes form producers with a long history. Taking the Peterson argument espoused in the comments section of the quoted piece: I get everything from knowing something about the history of Petes that I could possibly get from buying a pipe from someone I know and like. Really.

But maybe that's just me, a non-supporter of Emporer's New Clothes syndrome.
 
To each his own, I always say. For me, all my pipes, from $5.00 flea market finds to the most expensive, have "soul" as well as history.
Terry
 
Exactly. Everyone makes choices about his or her pipes for their own reasons.

I have never met anyone that I could describe as acting elitist when it comes to their choice of pipes. I know there is talk of it on the forums. Wish there was less of it.

I have shown off a few of the wondrous pipes I have. But come by the house sometime, and you will be just as likely to find me out on the porch smoking an old MM cob with some cracks in the side walls.
 
ruraldean":dqs1j9e8 said:
I think this is pretentious pipe snobbery at its worse. It makes pipe smoking look like the sort of elitist activity that it should never be.
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My sentiments exactly, I know of Jeff Folloder from years ago when I use to be a member of ASP and now you know one of many reasons why I am not a member anymore and haven't been for years.
 
A pipe can cause an emotional response but it doesn't have soul.
I had a wood carver friend of mine carve a pipe from a kit. Whenever I reach for it there's a brief reminder of friendship between us.

There are good reasons to buy from Trever or Tom or Teddy, but keep it in perspective. You're paying a large premium for creativity. If you're able to pay that, more power to you. Enjoy yourself. But don't lord it over the rest of us.
 
Well, choose your illusion. Whether you feel that meticulously scrutinized modern handmade briars or British pipes with old pedigrees or corn cobs from Missouri are what floats yer boat, it's all a matter of choosing your fancy and nothing more. I think the difference between an enthusiastic collector who maybe goes a bit overboard and an elitist is that the elitist actually believes that you're beneath him because you don't share his position and possessions.

Besides, now there will be more nice estates on the market :D Sell em all Jeff! :cheers:

I don't see a problem.
 
I wish these kinds of topics would go away.... Sadly they seem to be carried on by both 'sides'. DPG has some mind blowing pipes, JP has an affinity for Kaywoodies.. They are both BoBs. There's room for all of us. Its not what you partake of, its that you partake... Don't misunderstand me, I'll argue my particular brand is best, but just because it's fun..not because it matters. I'd venture a bet that LL and the other pipe guys do highdollar repairs on as many 'basket/seconds/factory' pipes as they do 1 off masterpieces... A trusted old friend is just that..it doesn't matter what label is on it. Whether your a high end guy or a Pete lover I'd suggest turning on some Buffett or Marley, mixing up some rum concoction and relaxing... If someone doesn't like your brand, who cares? Personally I wish fewer people liked my brand, it'd be less competition in the PAD race :D

Light up a bowl... Enjoy it...Don't worry about what others think.
 
Absolutely PB! I like the idea of putting on some Buffett or Marley, relaxing with a Rum concoction and forgetting about it. :D
 
puros_bran":dimijb7q said:
I'd venture a bet that LL and the other pipe guys do highdollar repairs on as many 'basket/seconds/factory' pipes as they do 1 off masterpieces... A trusted old friend is just that..it doesn't matter what label is on it.
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Yup, they do. There are four no-names going through my Rejuve process right now, in fact. A good pipe is like a good dog. What's an 11 year old mutt worth in dollars and cents? Zero. You'd have a hard time giving it away, in fact. But I remember my dad spending $600 on vet bills (in 1970's money) to save his after a car crunched him.

One of my all-time favorites out of the hundreds of pipes I've owned is an early Willmer that would probably bring $25 on Ebay.
 
To each their own, smoke what you like, like what you smoke :pipe:
 
Good ol' ASP. I think it's a very good thread, hey it's about pipes not politics or one of the many shoe or bag ads ASP gets every day. I don't agree with some of it but it's been a fun read. After having a computer in the house for 15 years and the library before that ASP is still the site I look at first each morning. I was forced into the computer age when the mailers stopped coming. :shock:
 
"It has nothing to do with the expense or the cachet. It has everything
to do with the soul. I've bought and sold 1000's of pipes in every price
range. Slowly but surely I am divesting myself of most of my pipes that
are not handmade. There will be a few special pipes that are kept that
do not fit this narrow description, but not many."

My opinion echo's that of Kilted 1 and Puffdaddy. In the first paragraph the author (Jeff) puts it clear that for him it is NOT about elitism. Nothing to do with expense AND he is keeping some special ones. Being a knifemaker myself I have clients that buys knives to brag with, or the "mine is better than yours" crowd (IMO the elitists) and those that have a feel for the personal touch or in other words those who like them for what they are and appreciates the craftsmanship and sees it as a form of art.

If you are a collector of pipes (or anything for that matter), what you collect will probably be determined by the size of your wallet. How you feel about what you collect and your attitude towards other collectors will expose you personality or lack thereof............

I smoke what I like. Anything from my own rejects to whatever it is I can afford :pipe:
 
kilted1":akkvgw38 said:
To each their own, smoke what you like, like what you smoke :pipe:
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Couldn't agree more. I'd like to think all the pipes have soul, especially estates. Little marks here and there - perhaps a ghosting of what the smoker liked - any refurb that was done - then I refurb them and I put my soul into them - I've sent a couple away for ferrules and stems and the pipe repairer puts his soul into them. I'm sure Jeff corrected himself in those threads - the points a little moot actually.

A Dunhill from 1935 doesn't have 'soul' - impossible. Rather than a soul - how bout "every pipe tells a Story" - some of the stories you know - some you don't - and that is the Mystery of our tremendous hobby.
 
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