Your Best Barter Story

[maddis]

One of the many things I enjoy about pipemaking is bartering. Today, for example, I ended up trading one of my pipes for a much needed repair to the AC in my house - completely unexpected. I've also traded a mandolin and a fiddle for well over a year's supply of briar.

What say you? Let's hear the stories...

[LatakiaLover]

I've also traded a mandolin and a fiddle for well over a year's supply of briar.

I know the guy on the other end of that one. The "fiddle" was a golden period Stradivarius, the mandolin was a Lloyd Loar F5, and the wood was a load of sub-extra ebauchons that were tagged for fuel.

In short, you may like bartering, but I don't think you're very good at it.

[Vermont Freehand]

I know the guy on the other end of that one.

I do know that guy, and the mandolin was a perfect upgrade for me, I shouldn't need another for a very long time.

Bartering is quite often the best bet for me. I trade veggies for all the meats we eat, makes for a record low food bill every year.

Not to mention the pipe collection I've been building up, with bartering.

I barter wild ginseng for 99% of my medical needs, mainly chiropracter, accupuncture, and herbalist, but other eastern minded doctors too.

My rent is offset by bartering my land manicuring abilities.

I could go on and on, but I barter with everything I can for things I need/want, especially guns and ammo

[wdteipen]

I like to barter too. Just today I agreed to open a couple stem airways for a guy for a few bucks and a paracord bracelet. I got a few of JM's Hewa arrows for a pipe and they are probably the coolest thing I've ever owned.

[maddis]

I've also traded a mandolin and a fiddle for well over a year's supply of briar.

I know the guy on the other end of that one. The "fiddle" was a golden period Stradivarius, the mandolin was a Lloyd Loar F5, and the wood was a load of sub-extra ebauchons that were tagged for fuel.

In short, you may like bartering, but I don't think you're very good at it.

Man, you is one oppositional dude. You gonna start telling people everything they should know about vintage instruments too?

[maddis]

I know the guy on the other end of that one.

I do know that guy, and the mandolin was a perfect upgrade for me, I shouldn't need another for a very long time.

Bartering is quite often the best bet for me. I trade veggies for all the meats we eat, makes for a record low food bill every year.

Not to mention the pipe collection I've been building up, with bartering.

I barter wild ginseng for 99% of my medical needs, mainly chiropracter, accupuncture, and herbalist, but other eastern minded doctors too.

My rent is offset by bartering my land manicuring abilities.

I could go on and on, but I barter with everything I can for things I need/want, especially guns and ammo

Great mando Steve - glad you're liking it!

[LatakiaLover]

I've also traded a mandolin and a fiddle for well over a year's supply of briar.

I know the guy on the other end of that one. The "fiddle" was a golden period Stradivarius, the mandolin was a Lloyd Loar F5, and the wood was a load of sub-extra ebauchons that were tagged for fuel.

In short, you may like bartering, but I don't think you're very good at it.

Man, you is one oppositional dude. You gonna start telling people everything they should know about vintage instruments too?

Wooooosh....

[LittleBill]

I could go on and on, but I barter with everything I can for things I need/want, especially guns and ammo

I traded a $400 rifle for a $1000 rifle because I had he wanted. It was his idea and we both walked away very happy and are still friends. I've bartered teaching time for tools, tools for wood, turning time for tree removal, and all sorts of things. In the vast majority of cases everyone has always been happy. I am in the middle of a barter deal right now where it looks like I am going to be left holding the bag and feeling used, but we shall see.

[baweaverpipes]

I love to barter and have always gone by the principal that "if both parties feel as if they got fucked, it was a good trade"!

[wisemanpipes]

I've bartered a taig for my large air compressor. Normally I just barter with this coloured paper stuff...

[Sasquatch]

I bartered a pipe against a pound of tobacco once. Now, that sounds nuts, but understand up here in the GWN, tobacco costs a LOT, like 30 bucks a tin kinda thing. So a pound is an unheard of quantity.

I've had all kinds of tobacco shipped across to me, seldom gets taxed, and I wasn't worried. The guy broke it into 2 half-pound shipments and mailed at different times. BOTH got caught in customs, both got taxed up the yin-yang, and I wound up trading a pipe for a pound of Old Ironsides, and it cost me well over 100 dollars to get the tobacco out of customs. So I totally lost, although... I do have a pound of Old Ironsides and I'll bet you don't.

[Ocyd]

Did they stop making it or something or was there some buyout or take over?

Anyway don't you watch movies. You take the product and press form it into knick knacks and figurines then you hire some grandmas to drive it across the border on their dashboards. gah it's no wonder you got caught.

[Sasquatch]

It was unobtainium for a little while, Dan Tobacco in Germany was flooded etc, all kinds of goofiness, and that series of tobaccos was hard to find for awhile.

[Ocyd]

Heheh it's kind of ironic what with the nautical themes of their brands. If it's any consolation to get a pound of it now I'd probably have to buy it in tins which may round out to about what you payed in the end minus the pipe.

[Joe Hinkle Pipes]

I bartered a pipe against a pound of tobacco once. Now, that sounds nuts, but understand up here in the GWN, tobacco costs a LOT, like 30 bucks a tin kinda thing. So a pound is an unheard of quantity.

I've had all kinds of tobacco shipped across to me, seldom gets taxed, and I wasn't worried. The guy broke it into 2 half-pound shipments and mailed at different times. BOTH got caught in customs, both got taxed up the yin-yang, and I wound up trading a pipe for a pound of Old Ironsides, and it cost me well over 100 dollars to get the tobacco out of customs. So I totally lost, although... I do have a pound of Old Ironsides and I'll bet you don't.

Wow. I bought a pound of macbaren navy flake for $33 US a few years ago. Still sitting on half a pound. I sent 6 tins of tobacco to wisemanpipes in Canada this spring and the shipping was $33. Give me a tobacco shopping list Sas I'll bring it to chicago next year and we can settle up then. lol

[Sasquatch]

LOL Appreciated Joe but I have all I need and more. There's an army of guys who feel sorry for me and I am the frequent recipient of all kinds of small favors. I asked one friend to tell me the difference between Mellow Mallard and Hamborger Veermaster. I had some Mellow Mallard on hand.

Here's his answer:



And it's this kind of thing that makes the pipe-smoking and pipe-making community so special, to be honest. "Oh you need some of that? Take mine."

[Ocyd]

.....uhm yeah I also live in Canada, but my mailing adress is in texas for um, political reasons so...

wait is that tobacco really from 1975?

[Sasquatch]

Yup. It's black and sticky, and tastes like Beyoncé.

[LatakiaLover]

Yup. It's black and sticky, and tastes like Beyoncé.

You are a bad, bad man...

[Charl]

My best was a Myford for 4 pipes