How much did you spend on your first pipe?

[rebos]

Hello Gents,

I am in the position of searching for a first pipe. The thing is, I don't know what to look for in terms of quality and what my money will get me.

I was wondering if you guys knew what you were looking for when you bought your first pipe; if you knew what to expect and what you will get
with what you spend.

I don't want to overspend on something; and yet I'd like a quality pipe (something that will last a lifetime and that I can pass along). Or will I not appreciate a quality pipe at this entry stage? Should I go cheaper, for now? My budget is $40-80.

2 Questions:

How much did you spend on your first pipe?

What kinds of things were important factors in your pipe choice?

Thanks for any words.

 

[DC_MPA]

I spent $100 and bought a meershaum. An old pipe man told me that if I could smoke a meershaum slow and cool, I could smoke any briar perfectly. I must say that looking back, he was absolutely correct.

 

[Devilpup]

Save your money. Buy 2 cobs and if you like a forever stem. It'll cost you $40 tops and you'll get a great smoker that if you char it or ghost it like crazy you're not out a bunch of money. I started with two cobs and a grabow and I've gotta say I'm happy I did. Later on you can pick up a nice briar. If you insist on buying a briar I vote viking, Benton or a Peterson. They're all great smokers. I paid $30 for my first Viking (my first briar) and $100 for a new Peterson system.

 

[Truckie]

45 and that was down from 100. The gentlemen at the shop offered me a deal I couldn't refuse. Pipe and 8oz x2 each of their blends for 80. It was worth it.

The guys at http://www.kirstenpipe.com/ know what they are talking about. I need to go back up and get some more tobacco.

 

[Domminigan]

I spent $17 on my first pipe. Bought it at a now defunct store called Bright Leaf.
I'd agree, buy a couple cob or other cheap pipes and learn on them, but also keep an eye peeled for a really nice briar or Meerschaum being sold for a low price. Makes it nice to have something to look forward to smoking.

 

[Stevew443]

Please remember that I began smoking a pipe back in 1970, but I spent $1.50 for my first pipe, a top of the line corn cob from the local drug store.

 

[rebos]

Very helpful words and suggestions here. I like the idea of starting with cobs 'till I know what I'm doing, and looking for a nice briar in the meanwhile, to look forward to.

Looks like I can get away with spending far less money that I had set as my budget, too. This is good.

 

[Hunter]

I spends $60 on my first pipe but corn cob is a good route too.

 

[Tim_McD]

$4.50 before tax on a MM cob back in June. I still have it, although it is starting to look worse for wear. Cobs are the perfect beginner and long term beater pipes because of their low cost and wide availability.

Moving up to briar pipes happened quick and I am always one away from being done, but I will continue to keep a couple of MM cobs around for those days I am out on the water.

 

[Commander Quan]

My first pipe was a <$20 Dr. Grabow that came in a blister pack. They're not exactly heirloom quality, but I have no issues recommending one to a new smoker.

 

[Devilpup]

Very helpful words and suggestions here. I like the idea of starting with cobs 'till I know what I'm doing, and looking for a nice briar in the meanwhile, to look forward to.

Looks like I can get away with spending far less money that I had set as my budget, too. This is good.

+1 spend the extra money on a good selection of tobacco.

 

[syngent]

My first pipe was a 70 dollar Lorenzetti that i still love to smoke, in truth i have still never smoked a cob pipe, but so many people love them both new and experienced i dont think that statement will be true for very long

I will say i did end up burning the lip of my pipe a few times since i was learning, i still love the pipe all the same but i would have been rather upset of i had spent a lot more on a pipe and done that to it, and thus a cob is not a bad way to go while you learn to smoke without fear of hurting anything you can not replace easily

 

[packersfan117]

My first was a $35 barrel pipe. It served me well until the mortise broke. Recently I bought a cob as my "kick around and take to work" pipe, and it works pretty well (I took out the filter and the quality of my smoke went up immensely).

 

[HLS]

About $5.00?? used from junk/antique store. A little cleaning and alot of smoking.

 

[nortac]

I inherited a bunch of old pipes from my Dad, but the first one I bought was a $98.00 Savinelli. Bought a bag of 10 smokable seconds MM cobs for about $29.95. I've since bought several estate pipes off of ebay, $15 -$75 .

 

[Buster]

$30 for my first three pipes and they are OK. Then $50 and a $90 that are sweet! One day I forgot my pipe and tobacco and picked up a MM cob for $5 and darn if that thing smokes great! So my advice is inexpensive cob or spend over fifty for some thing a little more pretty.

 

[Fishin Phil]

My first pipe was about $20.00. The least I ever managed was an estate yello-bole that cleaned up and smoked real nice for $3.00. Cobs are very nice, and I always keep a couple around. E-bay is a good place to find estate pipes at reasonable prices, but I had to swear off it because I can't stop!

 

[rebos]

Anybody know of a good source online for a new cob?

 

[cpcohen1945]

About $5.00?? used from junk/antique store. A little cleaning and alot of smoking.

You can find good used briar pipes -- Savinelli, Comoy, Peterson, and so on -- at antique shops for $10 - $20. And they're on eBay for similar prices.

I think my first pipe was a Comoy, for about $10 new, in 1967. That seemed like a lot of money, then.

. Charles

 

[PugslyCat]

I started with a couple of $5.00 cobs, but quickly moved up to $15 Dr. Grabow pipes from Walgreen's and then $10 basket pipes at David's Briar shop. My first meerschaum was an impulse buy and my Boswell was an emergency purchase when I travelled to Maryland without a pipe. All of those were 10-15 years ago. Only since coming here have I started buying pipes again.