Questions You Thought Were Too Dumb to Ask (Pipes Edition)

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Originally Posted by JustTroItIn

Yes and no. It's kind of a lottery. There are Grabows and Brogs that will smoke as well as any Dunhill, but I'm sure there are some duds. When you buy a higher end brand you are almost always going to get a tool that performs well at the job it was designed.

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So in a nutshell... it's half insurance. Ironically my first pipe was a basket pipe that seems to do better than my brog and MM.

I really appreciate the time you've taken. I've researched this before and the resounding answer I've seem to come across was it depends lol.

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Originally Posted by NWSmoke

So in a nutshell... it's half insurance. Ironically my first pipe was a basket pipe that seems to do better than my brog and MM.

I really appreciate the time you've taken. I've researched this before and the resounding answer I've seem to come across was it depends lol.

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Welcome to pipe smoking! :D

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Originally Posted by Haebar

What kind of glue should I use to glue the nickel band back on a Peterson pipe?

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I would try some heat rated weld epoxy.

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Originally Posted by NWSmoke

OK I'll go. Seriously, what's the difference between a $25 Grabow or Brog and a $100 savinelli? I'm referring to smokemanship not so much craftsmanship (although at some point those two must cross paths). I have 4 inexpensive pipes (2 baskets, a MM, & a Mr Brog) and every time I think of getting something in the 100+ range I get scared and back out. Is it really worth it?

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I have 40+ pipes in rotation...5 of them were originally over $100. If you're interested in the artisan aspect, aesthetics, etc. then buy away. There is certainly nothing to be frowned upon with building a collection of nice pipes. Just don't fall into the trap of believing you can't get just as enjoyable a smoke from something in the $30-$50 range (if chosen wisely).

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Originally Posted by bluenoser

I see alot of people on here have a large amount of pipes, I'm sure alot of it is collection but is there a need for multiple pipes or could a guy get away with just 1?

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Generally you want to let a pipe rest a bit between smokes (for the moisture to leave the briar). I've found that repeatedly burning the same pipe over the course of a day works, but once it has sat for about 8 hours, it needs to rest a day or two before it is good again. That said, if you smoke once or twice a day, you can easily get by with 3-4 pipes (of which 2 or 3 can be inexpensive cobs).

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Originally Posted by Alligator Gar

I am anxiously awaiting my first pipe in 30 years. Can you offer any advice on breaking it in?

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Many suggest only partially loading it and smoking it down the first couple times. I just pack and smoke. The key is simply to make sure that the cake forms all the way down the walls and to the heel of the bowl.

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Originally Posted by Horseshoe

I have 2 new pipes. A peterson Christmas 2014 and a Sav. #607. I am afraid to use them until I get more experience with smoking a pipe. Should I just suck it up and use them or give it a bit of time? I am getting to the point to where I can minimize my re-lights but I am not great yet.

Also are there better break in tobaccos?

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Pipes are for smoking. I find Burley and VA blends are better for breaking in than most aromatics, simply because they tend to burn dryer.

When do the stupid questions start?

Oh, wait...

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Originally Posted by NWSmoke

Thank you sir for the run down. Some of this I knew or suspected, but this was a great explanation. I love your tool break down as that I can understand. Harbor freight tools you end up fighting with but yet might be able to get the job done with; I assume this would be basket pipes. Snap on are beautiful pieces but I'd say beyond diminishment of returns. I still must ask though how does all this come down to smoking tobacco? I get that some pipes have more attention to detail, cleaner pieces of briar, but when it comes to getting the job done (asthetics and "quality" aside), is a grabow or brog going to be any different than a $100 pipe?

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One of the big differences in a more expensive pipe, IMHO, is the break in. Good pipes break in much faster than cheap pipes. This is one reason a cheap pipe may drive a new piper away from the hobby. Another difference is the engineering and design. A well designed pipe will smoke better. Another difference is the closer tolerances in manufacturing of the better pipes. No matter haw well designed, if the tolerances are loose, the pipe does not conform to the original design and may not perform as intended. Get a Savinelli or Nording and try it, and then you will know. If you try this and come to the conclusion I am wrong, you can write it up to the cost of education, but I don't think that will happen.

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Originally Posted by Nachman

One of the big differences in a more expensive pipe, IMHO, is the break in. Good pipes break in much faster than cheap pipes. This is one reason a cheap pipe may drive a new piper away from the hobby. Another difference is the engineering and design. A well designed pipe will smoke better. Another difference is the closer tolerances in manufacturing of the better pipes. No matter haw well designed, if the tolerances are loose, the pipe does not conform to the original design and may not perform as intended. Get a Savinelli or Nording and try it, and then you will know. If you try this and come to the conclusion I am wrong, you can write it up to the cost of education, but I don't think that will happen.

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OK, now this makes sense. I appreciate you taking the time.