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There once was a time when I lived deep, deep inside the Rust Belt, in the kind of area that lived up to the name. Seldom did you see an automobile even approaching a decade old that didn't have holes eaten into it along the lower body work, and dilapidated and abandoned structures were as common as can be for place that is still actually inhabited.
And the funny thing was, I got used to it.
We get used to things sometimes, even though somewhere deep down inside, we know we shouldn't. I know, because I've done it. And I know others do it too, because I've seen their pipes.
Dear God, the things we have seen done to pipes! Whether a Dunhill or a Dr. Grabow, they didn't deserve it. Did you know that stems can be removed for cleaning out the mortise and airway? Yes? Some people didn't. Did you know you could still smoke something with an inch-and-a-half wide chamber even with so much cake built up that all that's left free you couldn't fit a pinkie finger inside? Well you can, evidently. I've seen the evidence. You can even smoke a pipe long after the cake has become the only thing holding the bowl together.
If you have a friend who habitually destroys their pipes, you can help. If you are a friend who habitually destroys their briars, you can get help. We're all adults here, and no one should be embarrassed to ask what a pipe-cleaner is for. If it wasn't for manning up and asking awkward questions, who amongst us would know what all that talk of the birds-and-the-bees was about, after all? And who would have wanted to go through life never knowing that?
A better cared-for pipe is a better cared-for pleasure, and in the long run, offers a better return we can put towards future pipes, from those briars we pare out of our collections. For those fans of vintage pipes of course, better cared-for smokers are also where most surviving examples of certain shapes, brands, and series come from. So for ourselves, for our friends, for the pipe smokers of the future, we owe it to ourselves to clean our pipes, and to encourage others, in as friendly a manner as we can manage, and by example, to clean their pipes too.
"But Eric," you might be thinking, "don't you work for a business that buys and sells estate pipes? Might you not have your own personal motives in mind, giving this advice?" I'll answer this simply: Yes, yes I do. Because I'll never find another of those neat, gold-banded old S.T. Dupont briars floating around our office again if we let our friends destroy them all! Don't you see, we're all in this together?
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Comments
I THINK A CLEAN PIPE ALLOWS THE TASTE OF A TOBACCO TO COME THROUGH MORE READILY THAN ONE WHICH HAS A LOT OF BUILD UP.
Entropy is the Universe' enforcer. There is no escaping or avoiding this.
You can do your best to maintain your favourite pipe but, ultimately, Entropy will exploit any opportunity: My favourite pipe of 34 years, a Saseini 4-dot Transitional Prince, found its way onto a chair upon which I had decided to sit. The distinctive 'crack' told me I had done something regrettable. If you look up the definition of 'regrettable', you will see the remains of my beloved pipe.
I cared for that little smoker from day one. It still smoked as sweetly and cooly as my first experience; Entropy cared not a jot for my connection to that little briar and capriciously waited its opportunity.
Entropy, thow art a bitch!
I lent the same degree of care to my Pipes that I did when it came to optics and electronics when I was in that business. Still when a hair line crack appears right at the mortise of the Savinelli I have smoked over 25 years one starts to wonder "Where did I go wrong? It was never dropped, sat upon, or molested by one of the cats.
Sometimes, no matter how careful one is, things die.
If you're all that concerned about how well we maintain our pipes, you'd convince someone at SPc to sell retorts along with all the other cleaning supplies. ;)
I agree with Bruce P...occasionally despite our best efforts a favorite pipe develops a flaw that breaks one's heart. Even the best quality pipe isn't indestructible - unfortunately.
I am a huge fan of pipes that need help. In fact I search them out on eBay etc. sometimes I lose and sometimes I win big! Regardless, I take really good care of my pipes and hope to find some really nice neglected American makers pipes that need my attention. I am over the Dunhills, Caminetto's and Peterson's although I love the ones I have.....