Thread: Pipes: what is your favourite?

I'm a very amateur pipe smoker myself... though I've been at it for 8 years now despite the "on and off" character of my pipe smoking.
I have 3 pipes at the moment: a bent biliard with no name brand, though it's a briar pipe, and a billiard Chacom that is my pride and joy. I also bought - today, infact - a new pipe: a very small billiard Peterson. I guess this is a clear enough statement in what concerns my tastes...
So I'd like to know - for the sake of conversation - what are your particular tastes. What do you look for in a pipe? What are your favorite models and brands and sizes?...
Thanks!

I have many pipes in many sizes and shapes... my latest addition is a nice meerschaum churchwarden I got for xmas. very cool smoke.

eta: I have aspirations of owning a true african calabash someday.

I really enjoy my vintage savinelli bing, as well as a couple of petersons that are more recent. I just wish I got to use them a bit more.

Since having kids (2 yrs now) my acute PAD has been replaced with RAD, it seems a bit healthier in the long run, but i still enjoy the process of pipe smoking when i get a chance.

-tom

I have quite a few pipes but by far my favorite is a large bent brandy made by Rad Davis. Anyone that really loves pipes should check out his website. Fabulous work at an affordable price (relative term of course). Rad is rapidly gaining notoriety and his pipes are really getting attention. If at all interested I would get him to make one while they are still affordable.

Originally Posted by fpessanha

I'm a very amateur pipe smoker myself... though I've been at it for 8 years now despite the "on and off" character of my pipe smoking.
I have 3 pipes at the moment: a bent biliard with no name brand, though it's a briar pipe, and a billiard Chacom that is my pride and joy. I also bought - today, infact - a new pipe: a very small billiard Peterson. I guess this is a clear enough statement in what concerns my tastes...

Hey, so you bought it How is it? How's the bowl? The lip? Have you smoked it already?

Originally Posted by fpessanha

What do you look for in a pipe? What are your favorite models and brands and sizes?

To me, a pipe must be: handmade, have no bowl coating and have a smoke channel from chamber to lip that is at least 4 mm in diameter. Most pipes dont meet these criteria, so I do not even consider them. The ones that I do consider I look at in terms of shape, grain, weight and size (in this order). I rarely buy pipes over 50 grams, I like classical shapes (billiard, apple, Rhodesian, Lovat, bulldog, Dublin, etc.). Favorite makers include, but are not limited to, Brian Ruthenberg, Rad Davis (excellent value for money indeed), Cornelius Mänz, Jack Hiowell, Peter Heeschen, David Enrique, Will Purdy, Alexey Florov and Viktor Yashtilov.

Originally Posted by Cornelius

Hey, so you bought it How is it? How's the bowl? The lip? Have you smoked it already?




To me, a pipe must be: handmade, have no bowl coating and have a smoke channel from chamber to lip that is at least 4 mm in diameter. Most pipes dont meet these criteria, so I do not even consider them. The ones that I do consider I look at in terms of shape, grain, weight and size (in this order). I rarely buy pipes over 50 grams, I like classical shapes (billiard, apple, Rhodesian, Lovat, bulldog, Dublin, etc.). Favorite makers include, but are not limited to, Brian Ruthenberg, Rad Davis (excellent value for money indeed), Cornelius Mänz, Jack Hiowell, Peter Heeschen, David Enrique, Will Purdy, Alexey Florov and Viktor Yashtilov.

Yes, I bought it... I'm very pleased. It was good value for money. In the end I chose the billiard because my GF prefered it over the bent Dublin... I like to keep her happy with my vices! The bowl seemed to be coated but I sanded it, as you told me to. Couldn't know if it made a difference but I'm glad I did. The bowl is really small. It's a... err... 2 cigarete-time long bowl. It's much smaller compared to my Chacom. The lip is a "normal lip". I guess Peterson only does P lip pipes on the high-end of the line... this is a budget pipe! It is also extremely light. I was used to the wheight of my Chacom and this baby pipe just felt too light... but it grew on me. Considering it's a cheap pipe it smokes very very well and it's a great pleasure to puff it away. It's burning cool and lightly. I guess a Peterson is always a good pipe... It serves it purpose: its a discrete pipe that I can smoke without feeling pretencious or self conscious. I still think I'm too young to smoke a pipe (24 years of age here...) I really like it. I'll try to post pictures of it and my others as soon as I can... may I ask you all to do the same? That would be great.

Thanks for all the replies, guys. I'll be looking up those makers you said. Rad Davis is interesting me...
The only problem is that I can't afford very expensive pipes. For the record, my Chacom is the most expensive I have and it costed me, 6 years ago, 60 Euros... so... I guess top end pipes are out of the question for now. I do have to eat, right?

i have two petersons that i smoke regularly, they are both system pipes with p lips one is a 304 in natural color and the other is 302 in black (that the wife got me for christmas), i also have a straight i dont know what brand or anything all it says on the bottom is H.I.S. italy its not bad though. then i have one of those cheapy ones you get from wal-greens that just sits around and collects dust.

-dan-

Originally Posted by jockeys

eta: I have aspirations of owning a true african calabash someday.

What's the significance?

I've only got a corncob now, but it serves its purpose nicely. I'd like to get a Meerschaum, but the dollars are tight in the pipe department (more like nonexistent).

I like Castello lovats with long shanks and Canadians with long oval shanks. Pokers and billiards too. Usually Ashtons or Dunhills with those.

Originally Posted by Quick Orange

What's the significance?

I've only got a corncob now, but it serves its purpose nicely. I'd like to get a Meerschaum, but the dollars are tight in the pipe department (more like nonexistent).

The true African Calabash is made from a gord with a Meerschaum bowl insert. There is an open air space between the bottom of the Meerschaum bowl (in the gord) which cools the smoke. It is supposed to give a very cool smoke. I have never had one, because I have other things I would rather drop $150+, but if and when I come into extra money, and I have no major other need/desire, I would get one.

See here: Calabash Pipes

Matt