Machined pipes.New Factory in Nashville.

[The Smoking Yeti]

so those who make turd pipes, are they now considered fartisans?

When the body is deprived of half of one of it's senses....

[notow1]

So as I read this there is some resentment towards people that make pipe turds and charge premium prices for them. I have a question about when Someone goes from an aspiring pipe maker to a turd maker. I do not know nor have I met Todd Johnson but from reading His posts and what has been written about Him I feel that I should value His opinion. I have gotten good advice and critique from Walt Cannoy, Todd Bannard, Tyler, Wayne Teipen, and Mr. Sandahl. No One told Me My pipes were turds but I told Them I was hoping to get $60.00-$80.00 per pipe. I now wonder if I said I wanted $300.00 per pipe They would have said stop making turds. Some of this is in jest but I wonder if a pipe is well drilled and smokes well and You sell it for $80.00 so You can buy more materials and tools, what is the opinion of the established pipe makers? I am 64 years old and do not have any aspirations to make a living at this but I want to make the best pipe I can. Some day I hope to command a price of $100.00 per pipe and have the owner say He got a bargain. I hope this thought puts Me in the same camp with Mr Johnson, Norm. Oh yeah I was going to put a snide remark in about that Bannard Guy not being helpful but He is.

[Joe Hinkle Pipes]

Haha that's one I hadn't thought of.

One I.


Get it?


HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHhahahahahahahahahaha

[Vermont Freehand]

so those who make turd pipes, are they now considered fartisans?

When the body is deprived of half of one of it's senses....

you don't know the half of it....

[Ocelot55]

So as I read this there is some resentment towards people that make pipe turds and charge premium prices for them. I have a question about when Someone goes from an aspiring pipe maker to a turd maker. I do not know nor have I met Todd Johnson but from reading His posts and what has been written about Him I feel that I should value His opinion. I have gotten good advice and critique from Walt Cannoy, Todd Bannard, Tyler, Wayne Teipen, and Mr. Sandahl. No One told Me My pipes were turds but I told Them I was hoping to get $60.00-$80.00 per pipe. I now wonder if I said I wanted $300.00 per pipe They would have said stop making turds. Some of this is in jest but I wonder if a pipe is well drilled and smokes well and You sell it for $80.00 so You can buy more materials and tools, what is the opinion of the established pipe makers? I am 64 years old and do not have any aspirations to make a living at this but I want to make the best pipe I can. Some day I hope to command a price of $100.00 per pipe and have the owner say He got a bargain. I hope this thought puts Me in the same camp with Mr Johnson, Norm. Oh yeah I was going to put a snide remark in about that Bannard Guy not being helpful but He is.

Norm, I think there is no shame is the approach you're taking. You're doing it the right way. What irritates most of us are the guys who make 2-3 pipes then hang out their shingle as a "pipemaker" and charge 2, sometimes 3 hundred dollars. I've only been doing this for about four years and I have yet to charge some of the prices these other guys get away with. Even after you can make a well engineered, good looking pipe you still need to price conservatively to build your brand and get your name out. In my view there is also a lot of respect and deference that you should show those guys who have been at this for decades. Slow and steady wins the race.

[andrew]

Slow and steady is one way. It's also the way most people should go. I'm just about ready to toss instagram and the whole lot of social media in the crapper (if only there was a way to do that). I wish I could say that they do more good than harm, but sadly it's just another misused tool (99.99% of the time). Seems like most think their learning curve moves at the same rate as instagram.

[Nate]

I wanted to write something funny, but I got nothin. This has been a great thread!


Oh, and yeah....I use instagram, my only hope is I've used it in the right manner. Reminds me of the anti-drug commercials when I was a youngling. I learned it by watching you dad!


Stupid instagram...

[Sasquatch]

Good news is that we can use your toilet pipes to flush the pipe turds!

[Nate]

Good news is that we can use your toilet pipes to flush the pipe turds!

HEY! That's Space Shuttle toilet parts, thank you! They're different...

[sandahlpipe]

Good news is that we can use your toilet pipes to flush the pipe turds!

It just keeps getting better!

[LatakiaLover]

Here's the scary part:

https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&sit ... 58&bih=963

(Nate, I think you need to have a word with Mr. Brin.)

[Nate]

Here's the scary part:

https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&sit ... 58&bih=963

(Nate, I think you need to have a word with Mr. Brin.)

Holy cow what a myriad of images there...

[caskwith]

Actually..... it's probably more because I pretty much spent last year telling people that you didn't have a hot clue how to drill a pipe, Chris.

Wow. Canada at war with England. Who'da thunk it?

We'll talk lots of trash, but at the end of the day, we'll have a gin and tonic, which is a type of alcoholic mixed drink, and say "Gosh, it's sure lucky we're not Yankees."

Hear hear old Chap!

Chin chin

[sethile]

so those who make turd pipes, are they now considered fartisans?

That is brilliant, Steve

Perfect! Now we can join this thread with the is this art vs. craft thread! So, if certain high grade pipes are art, would Briarworks's versions of those pipes then be akin to something like enhanced art prints?

[Tyler]

No One told Me My pipes were turds but I told Them I was hoping to get $60.00-$80.00 per pipe. I now wonder if I said I wanted $300.00 per pipe They would have said stop making turds.

You mentioned I've reviewed a pipe of yours, and I apologize for not remembering. (I lose track switching back and forth between real names and usernames.). I mention that first because I am in no way making this comment about your pipe(s). I don't remember that review.

The answer to your question is YES. If someone hands me an pipe that could use a little refinement, and tells me they get $80 a pipe that elicits a different response from me than if they say they get $300. Also, if they say they WANT to get to $300 someday, that elicits yet another response.

[wdteipen]

Norm,

Tyler said more eloquently what I was thinking. If the quality of your pipes is in line with what you are asking, my feedback will be different than if there is a disparity between the two. I would be much more critical of a pipe that is terribly over-priced. I think your prices are right for where your skill level is currently. As you improve, so can your prices. That's the way to do it.

[ToddJohnson]

No One told Me My pipes were turds but I told Them I was hoping to get $60.00-$80.00 per pipe. I now wonder if I said I wanted $300.00 per pipe They would have said stop making turds.

You mentioned I've reviewed a pipe of yours, and I apologize for not remembering. (I lose track switching back and forth between real names and usernames.). I mention that first because I am in no way making this comment about your pipe(s). I don't remember that review.

The answer to your question is YES. If someone hands me an pipe that could use a little refinement, and tells me they get $80 a pipe that elicits a different response from me than if they say they get $300. Also, if they say they WANT to get to $300 someday, that elicits yet another response.

I agree completely. It's all about price category, and delivering excellence within that price category. Not everyone is expected to make genuine "high grade" pipes, and for those who aren't trying to do that, there is a different bar to be cleared. If you're selling a pipe to a buddy for eighty bucks to buy more briar and mouthpieces, fantastic. I really think that's sort of the price category where (almost) "anything goes," especially when the transaction takes place in person with a friend who's seen and held the pipe and wants to buy it.

The problem comes when that same pipe gets passed off as an "artisan" pipe for $250 in a 2"x2" photo on Instagram. There's a lot of psychology working against the consumer in that scenario, and those dynamics allow for this to take place. To me, it borders on being predatory, but a lot of these guys just don't seem to care. Normally I follow the mantra "never attribute to malice what is more readily attributed to ignorance." The problem is that I've seen behind the curtain, and there's not much ignorance back there, just a whole lot of "git 'er dun" and make a quick buck while it's there to be made. There seems to be very little integrity behind that Instagram curtain.

TJ

[wdteipen]

Social media can be a great tool for artisans. A new, relatively unknown pipemaker would be remiss to ignore it. That being said, you should never misrepresent what you're selling. If you're sales are primarily via the internet, the honest thing to do is to have a generous return policy.

[sam a]

Social media can be a great tool for artisans. A new, relatively unknown pipemaker would be remiss to ignore it. That being said, you should never misrepresent what you're selling. If you're sales are primarily via the internet, the honest thing to do is to have a generous return policy.

I agree with most of what you're saying there, but I've gotta disagree with the part about new pipemakers being remiss to ignore social media. When I started selling, alot of folks urged me to sign up for twitter, instagram, and facebook, etc. and failing to do so would be silly. So I reluctantly set up a facebook page and I'm still not sure what all the fuss is about (although I admit that could very well be due to my lack of active usage)

Anyway, I suppose my point is simply, I don't really use social media and I'm really happy with where I'm at and where I'm heading as a pipemaker. And if a new maker isn't into social media, I personally don't see how that will hold them back in any way.

[The Smoking Yeti]

Anyway, I suppose my point is simply, I don't really use social media and I'm really happy with where I'm at and where I'm heading as a pipemaker. And if a new maker isn't into social media, I personally don't see how that will hold them back in any way.

Social media has certainly helped me broaden my audience. However, the visibility I gain from retailers is far and away greater than my own personal efforts. Use both if you can, but never underestimate retail visibility.