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INFO! Requesting your input

luvmysuper

My elbows leak
Staff member
Fellas, I need some input from you guys please:

Regarding the B&B Brown Leaf Limited Edition Pipes, what is important to you?

Is it that the item is Branded with B&B BL LE?
Is it that the item is a custom pipe from a great pipe maker?
Is it the cost of the item that drives you most?

There have been some changes recently which complicate the B&B BL LE pipe projects, and specific criteria that must be met before the owners will provide approval for a release with the B&B branding.
Options are to try to continue as we have done before with a branded B&B LE item, or to abandon the B&B branding altogether and simply go with a custom made pipe, but under the auspice of a "group buy" without the B&B LE branding.

Anyone who has done one of these projects can attest to the difficulty and the work involved. An "arduous" task it has been referred to. The new requirements make it, as one very astute fellow stated: "Arduouser".

Your opinion, as you guys are the life's blood of the Brown Leaf, is important.
What are your thoughts?
What is important to you?
 

Isaac

B&B Tease-in-Residence
In my humble opinion, the LE pipe is produced by an artisan maker whose cost are brought down by a group buy.

Having the B&B stamping is nice, but what drives my purchases is having a pipe that showcases a certain carvers signature pipe or process at a better price point for the members.
 

Columbo

Mr. Codgers Neighborhood
I don't buy expensive pipes at this point in my life, so pass on these annual pipe buys. They are great deals.

But if I were to do so, such as these lovely LE runs, it would be enough that it was a high quality pipe at a good price.

Stamping a club brand is a nice novelty, but not as important as far as I'm concerned.

Yes, it means that distant history may forget this unique collection run someday. But not as long as the Internet is still around.

Alternatively, you might consider a non-protected mark to denote the unique nature of the item. Perhaps something as simple and generic as "BL22". That would also provide a fun archeological task for some pipe collectors 50 or 60 years from now.
 
Frankly, after being apprised of the new requirements, I kinda figured we had seen the last of the LEs.

A custom pipe from an established artisan, available at a relatively nice price due to the efficiencies of making multiples of the same design - I feel like that's the key of an LE.

The "B&B" stamp really has no particular bearing on it; something that just says "Brown Leaf" or "BL" I think would get the job done seamlessly.
 
I would be perfectly happy going under the auspice of a "group buy" without the B&B LE branding. Important to me are the carver, shape, size, texture/material, and (discounted) price. Love seeing the pics of the pipe at different carving stages. As my PAD abates, throughout the year, infrequently I'll buy an estate pipe, and have been guilty of helping other BL members "cull their herds", but once a year I'll splurge on the LE if it's in the wheelhouse..
 
I was thinking the same thing as Isaac. I couldn't care less about the B&B aspect of the pipe. The loner in me loves getting a pipe, from a maker I probably didn't know, at a good price point. The social aspect of me doesn't even think of it as B&B anything. For me it's a group buy with some of my online friends.

For all I care you can stamp it "Phil worked on this." Truthfully, that's the important part to me.
 
While looks and quality are important the price of most of the limited pipes have priced me out of participation. Nice pipes for sure but sometimes its tough coming up with those amounts for one pipe.
+100 The 2021 LE pipe was just my type, but the price -- which I fully understand; it's a limited run by an artisan -- was way out of my range. That said, a simple "BLnn" carved into the shank would be all I see necessary to denote its pedigree.
 

Hirsute

Used to have fun with Commander Yellow Pantyhose
I think the B&B LE pipe has been a great tradition, and it would be a little sad if there were changes to it. The Brown Leaf has always been a quiet little cul-de-sac in the big B&B community, and lots of the guys that hang out here don't frequent the shaving side much any more. I think one of the values of the B&B LE pipe is that is strengthens the bonds between the Brown Leaf denizens with the rest of the site and ties us to the whole. It's also our part of our identity, and frankly gives some weight behind the ask when we approach an artist to make an LE pipe. We're not just a random assortment of people online. We're not just a virtual pipe and cigar club. We're Badger & Blade. And folks know that name, and we have an 11-year tradition of the LE pipe, and people out in the pipe world know about it. Some artists know who we are when we ask them to make the LE pipe. What would the ask be going forward? Make a pipe for us, but don't call it B&B and don't post on social media that it's a B&B pipe? I think that waters it down. I know some makers have posted about the process of making the LE pipe for us on social media, and I think there's a pride in being asked to do our pipe. It's not just a group buy, it's a limited edition club pipe for a specific club, in a specific community on the internet that is known and has some cache. I'm just worried that these changes dilute the connection between the BL and B&B, or diminish the return for a pipe maker. If a B&B branded LE goes away, I think it's a missed opportunity to spread the B&B name and tie this great group of guys (who are always very active and generous in the auction) to the larger B&B world.

With that said, there is still value in continuing the tradition even if it's not branded B&B, and I'd still participate in the LE pipe even if it didn't say B&B.
 

luvmysuper

My elbows leak
Staff member
I think the B&B LE pipe has been a great tradition, and it would be a little sad if there were changes to it. The Brown Leaf has always been a quiet little cul-de-sac in the big B&B community, and lots of the guys that hang out here don't frequent the shaving side much any more. I think one of the values of the B&B LE pipe is that is strengthens the bonds between the Brown Leaf denizens with the rest of the site and ties us to the whole. It's also our part of our identity, and frankly gives some weight behind the ask when we approach an artist to make an LE pipe. We're not just a random assortment of people online. We're not just a virtual pipe and cigar club. We're Badger & Blade. And folks know that name, and we have an 11-year tradition of the LE pipe, and people out in the pipe world know about it. Some artists know who we are when we ask them to make the LE pipe. What would the ask be going forward? Make a pipe for us, but don't call it B&B and don't post on social media that it's a B&B pipe? I think that waters it down. I know some makers have posted about the process of making the LE pipe for us on social media, and I think there's a pride in being asked to do our pipe. It's not just a group buy, it's a limited edition club pipe for a specific club, in a specific community on the internet that is known and has some cache. I'm just worried that these changes dilute the connection between the BL and B&B, or diminish the return for a pipe maker. If a B&B branded LE goes away, I think it's a missed opportunity to spread the B&B name and tie this great group of guys (who are always very active and generous in the auction) to the larger B&B world.

With that said, there is still value in continuing the tradition even if it's not branded B&B, and I'd still participate in the LE pipe even if it didn't say B&B.
What you've said is my own personal perspective.
The B&B BL LE has not been the cheapest pipe available by far, and to be fair - it shouldn't be.
Hence the Limited Edition designation.

Perhaps there may be a way to keep the BL LE tradition alive, while allowing for group buys that better suit the budget conscious.
The best of both worlds perhaps.
 
Typically not purchasing new pipes these days and especially not expensive ones. Well almost never. :)

Less appreciative of maker name but something nice with special branding would be interesting. A Peterson run with special stems or something. I am less inclined to purchase artisan pipes though many gentleman like them. To each their own...
 

Whisky

ATF. I use all three.
Staff member
I think the B&B LE pipe has been a great tradition, and it would be a little sad if there were changes to it. The Brown Leaf has always been a quiet little cul-de-sac in the big B&B community, and lots of the guys that hang out here don't frequent the shaving side much any more. I think one of the values of the B&B LE pipe is that is strengthens the bonds between the Brown Leaf denizens with the rest of the site and ties us to the whole. It's also our part of our identity, and frankly gives some weight behind the ask when we approach an artist to make an LE pipe. We're not just a random assortment of people online. We're not just a virtual pipe and cigar club. We're Badger & Blade. And folks know that name, and we have an 11-year tradition of the LE pipe, and people out in the pipe world know about it. Some artists know who we are when we ask them to make the LE pipe. What would the ask be going forward? Make a pipe for us, but don't call it B&B and don't post on social media that it's a B&B pipe? I think that waters it down. I know some makers have posted about the process of making the LE pipe for us on social media, and I think there's a pride in being asked to do our pipe. It's not just a group buy, it's a limited edition club pipe for a specific club, in a specific community on the internet that is known and has some cache. I'm just worried that these changes dilute the connection between the BL and B&B, or diminish the return for a pipe maker. If a B&B branded LE goes away, I think it's a missed opportunity to spread the B&B name and tie this great group of guys (who are always very active and generous in the auction) to the larger B&B world.

With that said, there is still value in continuing the tradition even if it's not branded B&B, and I'd still participate in the LE pipe even if it didn't say B&B.

What you've said is my own personal perspective.
The B&B BL LE has not been the cheapest pipe available by far, and to be fair - it shouldn't be.
Hence the Limited Edition designation.

Perhaps there may be a way to keep the BL LE tradition alive, while allowing for group buys that better suit the budget conscious.
The best of both worlds perhaps.
I agree 100% with both of these statements.
 
I think the B&B LE pipe has been a great tradition, and it would be a little sad if there were changes to it. The Brown Leaf has always been a quiet little cul-de-sac in the big B&B community, and lots of the guys that hang out here don't frequent the shaving side much any more. I think one of the values of the B&B LE pipe is that is strengthens the bonds between the Brown Leaf denizens with the rest of the site and ties us to the whole. It's also our part of our identity, and frankly gives some weight behind the ask when we approach an artist to make an LE pipe. We're not just a random assortment of people online. We're not just a virtual pipe and cigar club. We're Badger & Blade. And folks know that name, and we have an 11-year tradition of the LE pipe, and people out in the pipe world know about it. Some artists know who we are when we ask them to make the LE pipe. What would the ask be going forward? Make a pipe for us, but don't call it B&B and don't post on social media that it's a B&B pipe? I think that waters it down. I know some makers have posted about the process of making the LE pipe for us on social media, and I think there's a pride in being asked to do our pipe. It's not just a group buy, it's a limited edition club pipe for a specific club, in a specific community on the internet that is known and has some cache. I'm just worried that these changes dilute the connection between the BL and B&B, or diminish the return for a pipe maker. If a B&B branded LE goes away, I think it's a missed opportunity to spread the B&B name and tie this great group of guys (who are always very active and generous in the auction) to the larger B&B world.

With that said, there is still value in continuing the tradition even if it's not branded B&B, and I'd still participate in the LE pipe even if it didn't say B&B.
You do make a very valid point that I must admit I had not fully considered, counselor. :cool:
 
You do make a very valid point that I must admit I had not fully considered, counselor. :cool:
That is true. While I personally enjoy having the opportunity to purchase a great artisan pipe at a better than market price, stamped or not, I also appreciate the point that without the cache of B&B, convincing a particular carver to take on the project might prove difficult if not impossible. As far as the cost goes, I tend to rathole money all year long in order to purchase the B&B BL LE; it is, after all, the pipe (2018) that dragged me into pipe smoking after a 30+ year absence (and you enablers, of course)!
 
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