There are too many brands and makers out there who make some truly amazing pieces of briar, that I would be denying myself many pleasures if I stuck to just one brand or maker. As much as I like Stanwell pipes, I couldn't imagine only sticking to their pieces.
I know a few who swear by a given brand or maker - be it Dunhill, Castello or BBB. But I wonder how widespread it is.
I use to only have Stanwell and Savinelli pipes, but now i have got some nice peterson and Winslow, tsuge, bjarne to my collection so no im not a one brand/maker guy
I've had over one hundred pipes now by a lot of different makers. I've had machine made and I've had pipes custom hand made for me. When push comes to shove, I've only been consistantly satisfied by these two brands. The loyalty is earned with me, not given. Both brands have given me 100% satisfaction over the years. No exaggeration: 100%. I can't say that about any other brand I've tried. So why bother with any other brands in the future? For me, there is just no reason. YMMV.
If I buy a pipe and I don't like it goes away and becomes part of somebody else's collection, but there are certainly carvers whose work I gravitate to- and with good reason being I like the way their pipes smoke and the experience of smoking it is pleasurable to me. Also they ain't half bad to look at;) For me a pipe has to be as visually stunning as it is smokable for it to be a keeper, sometimes my tastes range to the simple variation on a traditional shape and then they range to the other end of the spectrum to regions others have described as pipes that look like unusual internal organs;) I think my absolute favorite carver hands down is Former simply because of the impact he has made on the Danish pipe movement. He has instructed many of the worlds greatest pipe carvers and his self been able to earn a decent living as a VERY well respected pipe carver now for over 40 years. Now that's a record to be proud of. Tonni Nielsen is another master- and for many years a pupil of Former.
On February 25th, 2008 Caydel (not verified) says:
I'm somewhat partial to Bertrams and Brighams... they are the two brands I search for first on Ebay. At the same time, there are too many nice pipes out there to restrict myself like that!
to acquire a pipe not made from ckr, but if he does not get off his keista and make some I could very easily switch Love Geiger. Not to say they are in the same league, just one I could easily switch over to.
I have many brands but my favorites are Savinelli,B-C, and Kaywoodie. So what do I say? Sorry I voted Yes already...(who comes up with these questions anyway?)
I'm still tooling around and seeing what I can about what I can afford. I like BCs and Petersons so far. But, being an outdoorsey type, Savinelli and Big Ben offer a lot in affordable, quality toughness.
Early in my smoking career, when there were still horse and wagons and gaslights, I probably would have bought pretty much any pipe that appealed to me. There was always a visceral "twinge" that I gradually recognized indicating a pipe was 'right' for me. Perhaps, 15-20 years ago, the tide shifted and there began a paring down of what felt best to me. I began to sense that a smaller number of shapes were more comfortable for the way in which I was smoking. I began a myopic tour of B&Ms, then flea markets and yard sales, looking for billiards, apples and dublins. The bents appeared to be awkward and unwieldy, the free hands bulky and asymmetrical. I also sought the simple, the unencumbered, the classic. Curiously, or really not so curiously, I began the unintentional accumulation of Custombilts, KWs, Ben Wades, Charatans, and the Petersons. Accumulations grow irregularly. Sometimes, we delude ourselves in visions of what we perceive to be a new wonder, a new direction, but than the fire burns out, and the illusions disappear. Inevitably, for me, reality struck. The accumulation was prohibitively large and progressively unsmoked. The paring in earnest began.
Today, with the one exception of Stevenson pipes, of which I recently obtained 4 new ones, my focus is KWs and Petersons, and only in some slight variation of straight stemmed billiards, apples, and dublins. I still have a few Ben Wades and Charatans, and the Custombilts, and I'll never turn my back on a '30s-'40s era billiard or apple, but I just prefer the smaller intimate feel of a KW or the timeless styling of a Peterson. I realize, too, that I'm not getting any younger. Perhaps, I'm preoccupied with growing older, and that factor permeates my decisions. I'd rather have fewer that I smoke all the time than an unmanageable number of unsmoked, and thereby unappreciated by me, pipes.
The polls are partially pulled out of my ... creative mind ... Others are presented to me with a nice red ribbon around it through the mail system on this site.
If you happen to have a great idea for a poll, feel free to send me a message through the inbox.
I've been collecting Le Nuvole smooth pipes for about 5 years and have lots. Will I buy more? Sure- especially since Maurizio now is sandblasting some pipes and using dark stains.
I started buying any smaller/lighter Ruthenberg pipes I could find last year after getting one in my shape (lovat). I have a dozen or so and am content for now.
Lovats are another passion and I am collecting mid-range US and Italian lovats.
I'll pick up an occassional something else but far and away the majority of my pipes are old school (pre-1940) Kaywoodies. Like my choice in tobaccos, these pipes are not flashy, spendy or exotic but have a kind of rugged consistency and reliability that never seem to fail. These are all fine old pipes that are great smokers every one.
I'm rather surprised with the split too Lars. I thought we'd see two people voting for brand name: 1OLDGI for Kaywoodie and me for Dunhill. I figured everyone else would be all over the place.
If I had to choose between the two, I'd go for the Pick-Up! Jags back then were total pieces of crap. I used to work with a guy that collected old Jags (by the way, hell no it isn't that assinine way of saying the cat's name). He had 6 Jags dating between teh 1960s to the early 1980s (pre-Ford buy out). I was mesmerized over how he knew how to do his own mechanic work on them. Once day I asked him why he had so many and why he did his own work and in a moment of honesty (he was a total bullshitter) he told me he never had any intentions of becoming a Jag mechanic but the cost of repairing them was so high he was forced to learn because ... honestly ... 5 were in the garage while 1 ran ...
Thank God it isn't that way anymore. Now they're rated in the top 3 or 4 most reliable cars on the road! Of the 3 I've owned I've never had any problems.
But, back to the Ford ... damn man, I'd love to just go cruising around town in that for sure! That would be a hoot. What would you smoke in that thing? The Jag would have to be Dunhill Nightcap in a very proper Dunhill Straight Billiard ... but a Ford Pickup is more of a cigar vehicle I'd think ... you're probably thinking burley though .................
I used to be like Corneel and collect shapes, hoping to get most represented on my rack. Of course freehands are the wildcard. Approximatley 1/3 of the pipes I own are ones I have made myself. I'm my favorite maker and give myself a 12% discount! I still do buy I pipe if I like the shape regardless of the maker/brand or briar. The shape is the pipe... Bought my car in the same fashion. And like my Wally Frank deeply carved Rhodesian, it looks good on me. : )
But concerning brand loyalty, I find it fun to collect Peterson. More importantly though, and often overlooked is carver loyalty. It does a carver good, but you reep the rewards even more so. I've seen may carvers make a pipe and then know amongst their customers the pipe is best suited. Its really a cool dynamic and an exmaple of positive energy rarely found in other "industries." And if you stick with a few carvers I gaurantee you will get pipes best suited for you when that carvers comes to know you and your somoking habits, likes, and dislikes. You will also, coincidentally, be on your way to a fine collection.
Just think about how many areas of our lives lack loyalty... the type of loyalty are fathers expected, especially relative to employment. "The Company" was loyal to my Dad, and my dad was l0yal to the company. Those days are gone so why not be loyal if not for the sake of nostalgia. I think most pipesmokers are most nostalgic. Loyalty. Its a good thing!
Who comes up with these titallating polls anyway? ; )
There are too many brands
There are too many brands and makers out there who make some truly amazing pieces of briar, that I would be denying myself many pleasures if I stuck to just one brand or maker. As much as I like Stanwell pipes, I couldn't imagine only sticking to their pieces.
I know a few who swear by a given brand or maker - be it Dunhill, Castello or BBB. But I wonder how widespread it is.
I use to only have Stanwell
I use to only have Stanwell and Savinelli pipes, but now i have got some nice peterson and Winslow, tsuge, bjarne to my collection so no im not a one brand/maker guy
Im a shape guy...
More than a brand guy... I think Lar's and I are in the same category on this one.
I think everybody knows where I stand.
I collect a shape, and find the differences one can notice between the different carvers/makers very interesting.
I'm all about brand: Dunhill or Cavicchi.
I've had over one hundred pipes now by a lot of different makers. I've had machine made and I've had pipes custom hand made for me. When push comes to shove, I've only been consistantly satisfied by these two brands. The loyalty is earned with me, not given. Both brands have given me 100% satisfaction over the years. No exaggeration: 100%. I can't say that about any other brand I've tried. So why bother with any other brands in the future? For me, there is just no reason. YMMV.
I Buy What I like
If I buy a pipe and I don't like it goes away and becomes part of somebody else's collection, but there are certainly carvers whose work I gravitate to- and with good reason being I like the way their pipes smoke and the experience of smoking it is pleasurable to me. Also they ain't half bad to look at;) For me a pipe has to be as visually stunning as it is smokable for it to be a keeper, sometimes my tastes range to the simple variation on a traditional shape and then they range to the other end of the spectrum to regions others have described as pipes that look like unusual internal organs;) I think my absolute favorite carver hands down is Former simply because of the impact he has made on the Danish pipe movement. He has instructed many of the worlds greatest pipe carvers and his self been able to earn a decent living as a VERY well respected pipe carver now for over 40 years. Now that's a record to be proud of. Tonni Nielsen is another master- and for many years a pupil of Former.
I'm somewhat partial to
I'm somewhat partial to Bertrams and Brighams... they are the two brands I search for first on Ebay. At the same time, there are too many nice pipes out there to restrict myself like that!
Way too early
to settle on a single maker. I am fond of Pete's, but still too early. I may never go exclusive.
It is a rarity for me
to acquire a pipe not made from ckr, but if he does not get off his keista and make some I could very easily switch Love Geiger. Not to say they are in the same league, just one I could easily switch over to.
I didn't get the question...
I have many brands but my favorites are Savinelli,B-C, and Kaywoodie. So what do I say? Sorry I voted Yes already...(who comes up with these questions anyway?)
I believe Slartie
pulls them out of ... err, a hat.
Too many
There are too many brands to try before I settle on a favorite(s). Maybe one of these days.
Still trying
I'm still tooling around and seeing what I can about what I can afford. I like BCs and Petersons so far. But, being an outdoorsey type, Savinelli and Big Ben offer a lot in affordable, quality toughness.
Coin tossing and equivocation
Early in my smoking career, when there were still horse and wagons and gaslights, I probably would have bought pretty much any pipe that appealed to me. There was always a visceral "twinge" that I gradually recognized indicating a pipe was 'right' for me. Perhaps, 15-20 years ago, the tide shifted and there began a paring down of what felt best to me. I began to sense that a smaller number of shapes were more comfortable for the way in which I was smoking. I began a myopic tour of B&Ms, then flea markets and yard sales, looking for billiards, apples and dublins. The bents appeared to be awkward and unwieldy, the free hands bulky and asymmetrical. I also sought the simple, the unencumbered, the classic. Curiously, or really not so curiously, I began the unintentional accumulation of Custombilts, KWs, Ben Wades, Charatans, and the Petersons. Accumulations grow irregularly. Sometimes, we delude ourselves in visions of what we perceive to be a new wonder, a new direction, but than the fire burns out, and the illusions disappear. Inevitably, for me, reality struck. The accumulation was prohibitively large and progressively unsmoked. The paring in earnest began.
Today, with the one exception of Stevenson pipes, of which I recently obtained 4 new ones, my focus is KWs and Petersons, and only in some slight variation of straight stemmed billiards, apples, and dublins. I still have a few Ben Wades and Charatans, and the Custombilts, and I'll never turn my back on a '30s-'40s era billiard or apple, but I just prefer the smaller intimate feel of a KW or the timeless styling of a Peterson. I realize, too, that I'm not getting any younger. Perhaps, I'm preoccupied with growing older, and that factor permeates my decisions. I'd rather have fewer that I smoke all the time than an unmanageable number of unsmoked, and thereby unappreciated by me, pipes.
The polls are partially
The polls are partially pulled out of my ... creative mind ... Others are presented to me with a nice red ribbon around it through the mail system on this site.
If you happen to have a great idea for a poll, feel free to send me a message through the inbox.
Le Nuvole and Ruthenberg Pipes + lovats
I've been collecting Le Nuvole smooth pipes for about 5 years and have lots. Will I buy more? Sure- especially since Maurizio now is sandblasting some pipes and using dark stains.
I started buying any smaller/lighter Ruthenberg pipes I could find last year after getting one in my shape (lovat). I have a dozen or so and am content for now.
Lovats are another passion and I am collecting mid-range US and Italian lovats.
-bw
Definitely Kaywoodie!
I'll pick up an occassional something else but far and away the majority of my pipes are old school (pre-1940) Kaywoodies. Like my choice in tobaccos, these pipes are not flashy, spendy or exotic but have a kind of rugged consistency and reliability that never seem to fail. These are all fine old pipes that are great smokers every one.
One...
brand, one shape, that's all there is for me.
Regards,
Mike
Even though SOME people made
Even though SOME people made a sly remark about my polls, I actually think this one turned out to be pretty darned interesting :)
In all honesty, I didn't expect this 50-50 split on the subject.
50-50 split
I'm rather surprised with the split too Lars. I thought we'd see two people voting for brand name: 1OLDGI for Kaywoodie and me for Dunhill. I figured everyone else would be all over the place.
We Could Do a Coolest Vehicle Survey
I would say a fully restored turquois blue 1956 Ford pick-up and Rick would probably say a 1967 Jaguar (pronounced Jag U are I do believe) XKE.
Actually ...
If I had to choose between the two, I'd go for the Pick-Up! Jags back then were total pieces of crap. I used to work with a guy that collected old Jags (by the way, hell no it isn't that assinine way of saying the cat's name). He had 6 Jags dating between teh 1960s to the early 1980s (pre-Ford buy out). I was mesmerized over how he knew how to do his own mechanic work on them. Once day I asked him why he had so many and why he did his own work and in a moment of honesty (he was a total bullshitter) he told me he never had any intentions of becoming a Jag mechanic but the cost of repairing them was so high he was forced to learn because ... honestly ... 5 were in the garage while 1 ran ...
Thank God it isn't that way anymore. Now they're rated in the top 3 or 4 most reliable cars on the road! Of the 3 I've owned I've never had any problems.
But, back to the Ford ... damn man, I'd love to just go cruising around town in that for sure! That would be a hoot. What would you smoke in that thing? The Jag would have to be Dunhill Nightcap in a very proper Dunhill Straight Billiard ... but a Ford Pickup is more of a cigar vehicle I'd think ... you're probably thinking burley though .................
Loyalty
I used to be like Corneel and collect shapes, hoping to get most represented on my rack. Of course freehands are the wildcard. Approximatley 1/3 of the pipes I own are ones I have made myself. I'm my favorite maker and give myself a 12% discount! I still do buy I pipe if I like the shape regardless of the maker/brand or briar. The shape is the pipe... Bought my car in the same fashion. And like my Wally Frank deeply carved Rhodesian, it looks good on me. : )
But concerning brand loyalty, I find it fun to collect Peterson. More importantly though, and often overlooked is carver loyalty. It does a carver good, but you reep the rewards even more so. I've seen may carvers make a pipe and then know amongst their customers the pipe is best suited. Its really a cool dynamic and an exmaple of positive energy rarely found in other "industries." And if you stick with a few carvers I gaurantee you will get pipes best suited for you when that carvers comes to know you and your somoking habits, likes, and dislikes. You will also, coincidentally, be on your way to a fine collection.
Just think about how many areas of our lives lack loyalty... the type of loyalty are fathers expected, especially relative to employment. "The Company" was loyal to my Dad, and my dad was l0yal to the company. Those days are gone so why not be loyal if not for the sake of nostalgia. I think most pipesmokers are most nostalgic. Loyalty. Its a good thing!
Who comes up with these titallating polls anyway? ; )