Maybe a Lifetime

 I wrote a post similar to this one, but decided to post this one instead.  A pipe may or may not last a lifetime.  It just depends.  Under normal usage a pipe could last a long time.  But Briar does burn.  It just depends. There was a time when a typical pipe smoker might own a few pipes.  But a collector who buys on average a few pipes a year, might not ever burn through a pipe.  But it just depends.  

I would rather smoke a pipe than cigars, because of health reasons.  The typical pipe smoker might not have a shorter life than any non-smoker, but the number of pipe smokers over age 65 is rather rare.  Most pipe smokers are between the ages of 18 and 25, with all other age groups evenly represented except those over 65, who are the least represented in a fairly recent study done in 2014.  Generally those who are 65 and older aren't in as good of health.

It is the older pipe smoker who has the money to spend on both pipes and more exotic pipe tobacco.  But generally health concerns are a consideration.  But while cigar smoking is a status, pipes are even more of a status symbol, particularly if one smokes expensive pipes.  I have found cigars to be more expensive, but it's a matter of taste with the average spent per cigar being about $7.  There are no hard and fast numbers here, but pipes are considered more of a status than cigars simply because there are fewer of us.

I wouldn't say every pipe smoker asks thus question, but a common question I often heard and talked about in pipe shops is whether one would smoke a pipe costing ten grand.  I used to think that if I had that much money for a pipe, I would smoke it.  But now I am not so sure.  A pipe costing ten grand will still last as long as one costing a hundred under normal use.  And once smoked a pipe will depreciate by half.  That is a pretty expensive bowl of tobacco.  I'm not so sure I would smoke a pipe costing more than a grand.  I might wonder about smoking a pipe costing half that.  

I don't care about status.  I'm not so sure cost is equal to pleasure.  If I have to spend a mortgage payment on a pipe, I might not smoke it.  I have derived pleasure from pipes costing far less.  And as to whether I would spend a lot for any pipe is a question I can't answer.  I know a box of the best cigars can cost upwards of several thousand and cigar collectors might save such cigars as one saves an expensive bottle of wine.

My thinking about pipes these days is that no pipe should cost more than $150.  And pipes at a pipe shop can cost a lot more than I could pay on-line.  I won't buy pipes at a pipe shop as I am not sure I would buy tobacco at a shop.  I'm finding great deals on-line.  But I hate to see pipe shops disappearing.  A pipe from Smoking Pipes will cost about $50-100 less on-line.  I no longer need to see a pipe and inspect it before purchasing.  That used to be a big deal for me.  

But any more, even if I had ten grand for a pipe, I probably would think such a pipe to be a poor investment.  I want to smoke a pipe without worrying about it.  I never worry about any pipe I own.  They all either smoke well, or I have smoked them as much as I can.  Today I am enjoying my Olive wood pipe with Autumn Evening tobacco and for me this is just fine.  Thank you for your time and Peace to each one of you.

Dave