Price versus various lines of machine-made pipes

[chaissac1]

So, recently I bought a Peterson Irish Sea line billiard. I got it for 100 bucks which seems the normal price for the pipe. Basically, It seems I just paid xtra for the finish, and the band on the pipe, which increased the price. No big deal, I liked the pipe and bought it. It smokes well.

But, is it the same quality throughout their lines no matter what pipe you get? Or are you paying for bells and whistles. Example: paying 50.00 dollars for a Kapet, or shelling out way more for a Samhain or a Castle series pipe. Do they all relatively smoke the same?

This question could coincide with Sanwell (bamboo stems and some of their freehands), Savinellis, and other pipe manufacturers too.

Which lines of given manufacurer give you more bang for the buck? Or, do you get what you pay for?

[acaciavet]

I have found some High end Pipes smoke better becuase of the way they are drilled,the way the Tenon and Mortise fit togeather,and the quality of the Briar. However I just won a Erlich pipe on Ebay made in 1950,It cost me $9.06 cents.It arrived in fair condition I cleaned it from stem to stern worked on it 2 Days let dry for 3. Ok the bottom line this pipe smokes better then some of my High end Charatans. I have never owned a pipe thats smokes as cool and dry as this old Lady does. I would love to get my hands on an Old Dunhill 1961 or older these puppys cost a small fortune and so far I have not made that leap.
Some Pipe names and models are Ego pipes I am on the hunt for the aged Briar and there are some real dream smokers out there you have to mine your own diamonds. So much for this ramble.Cheers mate and Enjoy that Pete they make a great Pipe.

[Muddler]

In theory all pipes should smoke well - if they are equally well engineered. My experience is that whether a pipe is a great smoker or not is not consistently a function of its price. Generally the higher-end pipes are classified that way because of superior cosmetics - grain, silver band etc., or because of their branding - like Dunhill for example. Personally I think how well a pipe smokes is a function of many things: design, engineering, briar age, cake & some mysterious, indefinable elements. These factors are not always strongly correlated to price.

[BillConnelly]

There is no doubt that when it comes to high grade pipes, the difference between the 200 dollar pipes and the 2000 dollar pipes, is just the finish (give or take). Whoever the maker is decides that this pipe is grade XXX200+special and hence they add an extra 0 onto the price tag.

On the other hand, cheap pipes can be actual rubbish. (not saying that that expensive pipes can't either, just that when expensive pipes are poorly made, it is an accident, rather than the norm, while if you get a great smoking cheap pipe, that is the accident). In my experience you are FAR better off getting an estate pipe than getting a new cheap pipe. Firstly, someone has already broken it in for you. If the Mortise was going to crack, it would have already. And I'm not a pipe snob, I probably have the worlds biggest collection of cheap pipes, and I wish instead of having 100 cheap pipes, I had bought 10 good ones.

I think if you're looking for good value for money you should get either a) a cob b) an estate or c) maybe a Johs pipe, or Butz can be good, i.e. semi-hand made by people who turn out high grade pipes too. Hardcastle is okay as well.

Though my tips for cheap pipes is to ignore the brand (that is, if were rummaging in the pipe bin), find a pipe with thick walls. Avoid dark stains, Rustication can be good. Don't ask me why these things often mean a good smoke, but most of the cheap pipes that have turned out to be good smokers, fit that description.

[gnossos]

I generally think a pipe is only as good as its briar, and a company has standard methods of treating all of its briar. So a Pete will generally smoke the same whether "low" or "high" end, IMO. Drilling does matter of course but IMO it's all about the briar.

[morleysson]

I never met a Peterson or Peterson product that did not smoke well, whether firsts or a Captain Pete. Even the Irish Seconds smoke exceptionally well, IMHO. There are many machine made pipes which will offer fine smokes. The KWs, and especially the newer lines, always seem to deliver a fine smoke to me. In the past, the Ehrlichs were quite good (Good choice, BTW), and the Webers and Custombilts were outstanding smokers, and hold their own in the estate market.

[Smoker99]

I don't know it for a fact, but have always made the assumption that pipe brands do not vary the briar or the finishing methods with their line. Based on that, when I buy what is generally considered a high grade make, I stick to the bottom of their line generally. I figure I am getting the same smoke as the straight grain jobs with the gold bands etc.

[Karok01]

Here are your true machine made pipes.
http://www.lucienne.com/tobacco-pipe.html

[RompinDonkey]

I always thought that Peterson did "grade" their briar - the top quality briar went into their "top of the range" pipes. Maybe I'm wrong ....

[SmokinFool]

I had an infatuation with Boswell pipes when I first got serious about pipesmoking. JM and Dan create good solid smokers, all handmade, and at very reasonable prices. They use good aged briar (JM is an importer of brair), but some of them don't necessarilly have great grain. I have in recent months started looking at other makers such as Peterson, Bjarne and Savinelli. I just bought a Sav Champagne Poker with excellent grain. I haven't smoked it yet, but I anticipate it being a class A smoker. So far though, the Boswells are still my best smokers, with my Sav 320 fast on their heels.

[Nightshade]

[quote="chaissac1"
Which lines of given manufacurer give you more bang for the buck? Or, do you get what you pay for?[/quote]

You always get max bang for the buck with an E.A.Carey pipe if all you expect a good smoker that has just ok looks. http://careysmokeshop.stores.yahoo.net/

As to "do you get what you pay for"...... That depends on what your expectations are when you spend more money on a pipe. If you expect a work of art then the price will be high. If you expect a high quality prettier pipe that smokes well then that is always a crap shoot since briar is briar which has a mind of it's own.

To me I smoke a pipe for the calm I get from the effort. Calm doesn't require a fancy high dollar pipe to enjoy.

[gnossos]

I always thought that Peterson did "grade" their briar - the top quality briar went into their "top of the range" pipes. Maybe I'm wrong ....

My impression is that all the briar gets treated the same way, and that their grading has to do with grain and, hopefully, drilling. I think that's pretty much the case across the board, which is why I tend to think a pipe from a company is going to smoke the same from low to high end - it'll just be prettier. Or maybe better drilled I guess?

[HowlinWolf]

But, is it the same quality throughout their lines no matter what pipe you get? Or are you paying for bells and whistles. Example: paying 50.00 dollars for a Kapet, or shelling out way more for a Samhain or a Castle series pipe. Do they all relatively smoke the same?

I've often wondered the same thing myself. A Peterson #999 in the Kenmare finish is about $75. A Peterson #999 Supreme is about $320.

The Supreme has straight grain, silver band, etc. Maybe it's even sanded, stained, and finished better too. At those prices I would hope so.

But other than those differences, they are the exact same same shape made by the same company.

Other than the bells and whistles, are they different? You ask 10 pipesters and you'll get
6 "absolutely they're different" answers - most of which will use the fanciness itself as evidence of the difference
2 "no, one's just fancier and has nicer grain etc." answers
1 "I dunno" answer and
1 "who cares? - they're all factory made junk anyway" answer
For what it's worth, I have:
Two #999's - a Rosslare Royal Irish (mid $$$) and a more expensive Sterling banded green job I got in Dublin
Two #408's - a Shamrock (cheap) and a Celtic ($$$)
In each case I don't notice any difference in the smoking, just the fanciness. I guess I've settled the issue to my own satisfaction.

[RompinDonkey]

I still think that with Peterson you get a much better briar with their higher priced pipes. Their low end stuff - Donegal - I love and find they smoke brilliantly. I have a Sherlock Holmes Prof, which cost five times as much - the grain is tighter and better - does it smoke any better - nope.

[gnossos]

I still think that with Peterson you get a much better briar with their higher priced pipes. Their low end stuff - Donegal - I love and find they smoke brilliantly. I have a Sherlock Holmes Prof, which cost five times as much - the grain is tighter and better - does it smoke any better - nope.

bingo

[stoked]

I agree with those who said briar quality/age and engineering. Beyond that I believe getting a good smoker is a crap shoot.

[highstump]

In theory all pipes should smoke well - if they are equally well engineered. My experience is that whether a pipe is a great smoker or not is not consistently a function of its price. Generally the higher-end pipes are classified that way because of superior cosmetics - grain, silver band etc., or because of their branding - like Dunhill for example. Personally I think how well a pipe smokes is a function of many things: design, engineering, briar age, cake & some mysterious, indefinable elements. These factors are not always strongly correlated to price.

As far as I am concerned, Mike nailed it. Personally, my mood and what I am involved in at the time has a great deal to do with how well (or not) a smoke goes.

[morleysson]

You always get max bang for the buck with an E.A.Carey pipe if all you expect a good smoker that has just ok looks. http://careysmokeshop.stores.yahoo.net/ [/quote]

I'm certainly happy that you mentioned Careys. Too often, these are neglected, ot worse, ridiculed by many smokers as 'filtered pipes', which they're not. Technically, the 'Magic Inch' functions like a carburetor to regulate the flow of air, and provide a cooler and drier smoke. But, the briar's good, the designs are mostly classic and they're most affordable. And, durable; did I mention durability for smoking. The Careys' cost/benefits ratio is quite favorable to the benefits rec'd for the costs incurred.

[Smoker99]

Question, should I buy a $120 Pete, or a $600 Castello. What is the difference? The difference is the Pete will probably have fills, the "engineering" is by machine so it is pot luck, and the quality of the briar is vastly different. The Castello will be made of Algerian Plateau ten year dried briar, will be of perfect fit and finish, no fills, and perfectly engineered. Just a matter of what you want to put your money down for, a random chance or a sure thing.

[SmokinFool]

Many, if not most of us cannot afford the $600 Castello, so we go for the "random chance," as you call it. The vast majority of the time it works out just fine. Two of the pipes I acquired a couple months ago were iffy in the beginning, but they have come around quite nicely. So far I am the owner of some really good smokers. Not a dud in the bunch. Luck? Perhaps. But, to be perfectly honest, that $600 Castello offers nothing to me that would make it worth the investment. Not trying to start a cast war, just stating my perspective.