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Here is an interesting thought: Do any of you collect pipes as well as make them? If so, how many do you have? How much is too much?

I catch a lot of flack around here for having nigh 50 pipes. I'm thinking about downsizing but I don't know what I could possibly bear to part with.

Ocelot55 wrote:Here is an interesting thought: Do any of you collect pipes as well as make them? If so, how many do you have? How much is too much?

I catch a lot of flack around here for having nigh 50 pipes. I'm thinking about downsizing but I don't know what I could possibly bear to part with.

If it makes you feel better, I would guess there are currently 300 pipes in various nooks, crannies, shelves, boxes and pipe racks around my house.
But really, only about 200 of them are mine. The rest are for sale....some day.

I own about 150.

Nate wrote:I own about 150.

And he's got a tin of tobacco opened for each one.

I have no idea, the last time, (about five years back), they were assembled in one place and counted there was something over 350. Can't remember exact number. I've acquired many since then. bob gilbert

I have about 50 floating around. Of those, I now smoke about 5 or 6. I could easily do without the others but am basically too lazy to bother selling them. Sometimes I give a pipe to a newbie or someone who just can't afford something.

In the past I've thought the perfect number for me would be 21. 7 pipes for latakia mixtures, 7 pipes for VAs and VAPERs, and 7 for aromatics. One of each for every day of the week. Trouble is I just can't bring myself to part with that many

I have close to 40. Only a few of them are ones I've made/shop rejects. Tyler told me tonight that I must be good to not have more shop pipes in my collection. I told him it's because when I mess them up, I mess them up good!

Sasquatch wrote:I have about 50 floating around. Of those, I now smoke about 5 or 6. I could easily do without the others but am basically too lazy to bother selling them. Sometimes I give a pipe to a newbie or someone who just can't afford something.

Great! Here's my address!

7103 Frost Ave. Lot 2
Columbia, SC 29203

But in all seriousness, I could see myself having at least 50 by the time I get good and into it. I have only completely finished one, which I sent with my brother (Airforce) to Saudi Arabia, along with my good tobacco. Hopefully it will keep him company till he returns.

I hope to get more involved once I get the correct chuck and jaws for my wood lathe, and a compound rest as well. How long did it take you to get your tools together?

I think I have around 25 good ones up stairs where they are used.. and 6 shop pipes.. kinda like wayne... when I mess em up I mess em up good...

I do have a few finished ones sittin in a box and 5 on my in progress rack...

james

I have no idea how many is too many. I know I would like more.

I have a drawer with maybe 8 stummels in it at are messed up, but can someday probably be revived with some effort (and usually some bamboo). I have a small box with cobs and basket pipes that have somehow come into my possession, and some really early pipes that I now find incredibly ugly. There are about a dozen pipes in that box. The only pipes I smoke out of there are the cobs when I go fishing.

Then I have about 12 regular smokers that I like. 20 or so would be about the right number for me if I wanted to have a more "proper" rotation.

tyler

I used to have just 1 simple billiard for years and years. Now I've got a couple random pipes I keep for nostalgia, about 4 I smoke, and 8 unsmoked, unsold...Hint Hint pipes that are just sitting here on my desk. I keep thinking if they sit here much longer I'm just going to light them all up some day. Maybe I should build a site and actually try to sell some some day.

I could really see myself having a LOT of pipes some day, but now that I make them myself, my tastes have matured some, so not just any old pipe will do. They've got to be special. I honestly don't think I'll ever buy a pipe again, except from an artisan I've been watching and have some personal connection with. To me, there's so much more to a pipe when you know the maker of it.

When I first posted this thread I had about 50 pipes. Now, several months later I have about 65. Thing is, I've traded about 10 off since then, and wound up with a net increase.

I really don't know where they all come from....I think they breed like rabbits.

I bought a MdP on eBay and kept one of my own recently, so I've added two more. It just kinda happens...

I figure if you find yourself being crushed under the weight of intense buyer's remorse, or if all of the reasonable, worthwhile people in your life stop talking to you because of your pipes, then maybe you've gone too far. Otherwise, have fun. : )

I've been collecting for a while and the number in my collection has ebbed and flowed, peaking out at 50 and settling out at the 21 mark. 3 don't get smoked because two of them need to be fixed and another is a carved indian head I was given. 2 out of the bunch were made by yours truly.

I've got 15 pipes and one block of wood at the moment; hoping to have that block of wood a pipe by the end of the week. Given away one pipe and have a couple makers' pipes eyed, but no real plans to become a briar hoarder. Really only have 9 of those pipes in my smoking rotation.

I have three pipes, one unsmoked hoping to sell- and I have never bought a pipe. I made all the pipes I've smoked- except for trying a pipe my brother made, or an old pipe my dad bought.

I opened this thread thinking it was about the cost of pipes, and quickly realized it is about quantity of pipes. And WOW you guys have a lot. I have one that I have been loving on but don't plan on it being that way for too long. Seems like we are reckoning 5-10 is a good number for the casual smoker?

that's a pretty good round number. It usually starts as an issue of function, but then quickly spirals out of control. You will find it commonly referred to as Pipe Addiction Disorder (PAD). If you have one pipe it's already too late, but don't worry, you've found one of the few groups that will not only condone your Disorder, but will just plain ol egg you on. Glad to have you.