All this talk of E A Carey pipes has intrigued me. I’ve only smoked cobs for the past two years but since I won a nice Carey on eBay I guess that streak is coming to an end!
You cannot really smoke a Carey without a papyrate sleeve..... too much air, making for lousy/loose draw. (Unless you keep the top and bottom slots closed with tape or fingers, and then, what's the point?) Looks like some idiot tried putting tape right on the Magic Inch.
Motie2 .. thanks for that information. I appreciate it,,, waiting for the sleeves to arrive...Lots of info there to digest. Yeah, it looks like idiot put tape there, will try to clean it ...and sanitize it
@KenofAhwlby I use 180 proof Everclear....have to be careful of acrylic stems and finishes, unless you want to remove the old finish/stain. The lowest proof liquor I use is 100 Proof Evan Williams (White Lable) Bourbon, it works great inside the bowl, it leaves a slight sweetness.....very slight, a little nicer than Exverclear. Everclear cuts tar and sludge better, and works much better in the retort.
Received that lion’s head Carey today,, kinda disappointed. It is very small,, my thumb won’t even fit in it.. It is unsmoked,, but the material sure doesn’t feel like meerschaum, Though I don’t know what else it could be.
Life lesson #1 on eBay..... buyer beware. Check the description and pictures carefully on every pipe you are tempted to bid on.....
Buying Pipes on eBay
There are two main categories of pipes offered for sale on eBay: new and estate.
New pipes are just that: un-smoked and never sold before. On the other hand, estate pipes are pre-owned and offer a great opportunity to get a very good pipe for half or less of the normal price at retail. These estate pipes can be smoked or un-smoked. Pre-smoked pipes offer the greatest chance at an excellent bargain and, when properly cleaned and sterilized with any potable alcohol, can be truly marvelous acquisitions.
Often you can find exquisite handcrafted pipes made by some of the finest pipe makers in the world at a small fraction of the price on eBay. The standard rule of thumb is that if you have no issues with using restaurant silver and glassware, you should have no problem smoking an estate pipe once it has been properly cleaned and sterilized with alcohol.
The internet is a great boon to the pipe smoking enthusiast hoping to purchase an excellent pipe or locate some rare tobacco. At any given time, there are literally tens of thousands of items under “ pipes” on eBay. However, a huge percentage of them are, if not junk, then at least not to be recommended. Purchasing pipes or anything on eBay can be fun, and the possibilities of finding a bargain on a jewel are frequent, but such purchases are best made with strategy and wisdom.
Here some tips to purchasing pipes on eBay:
1. There are no great pipes for a dollar or two. If it seems too good to be true, it probably is.
2. Most of the Made-in-China pipes that say “quality” are pure junk.
3. A pipe advertised as "genuine wood" is not a "briar" (see tip #5)
4. Stick with reputable pipe makers if you’re not pipe-savvy. Brands like Savinelli, Peterson, Dunhill, Stanwell and Davidoff will always offer you a great smoking experience if it’s authentic and the pipe is in good condition. Even less expensive brands like Dr. Grabow offer a good introduction to pipe smoking.
5. Look for pipes made from Briar and Meerschaum only.
6. Before buying or bidding, you might be able to research the pipe on various pipe forums and Facebook groups to see reviews and information.
7. There is such thing as counterfeit pipes so be sure you examine the photographs, read the description and determine whether the seller is reputable.
8. Examine the photos and descriptions carefully; look for cracks, charring, teeth marks, discolored stems, etc.
9, When in doubt, ask one of the TPL forum members.
10. Use the eBay search function to narrow down your search.
That reminds me @motie2 One person that would probably be interested is @Kmhartle but I just realized I haven't seen or heard from him in at least a month. It could be like 2 ships passing in the night, but I don't think so. Any ideas?
@motie2 Yeah, I know. Well we all realize (even if we don't want to think about it) that none of us is getting out of here alive, but it doesn't mean we don't miss him / them...
By the way, those are some pretty nice looking Carey pipes...
Nice pipe @motie2 .I like the lines on that pipe. At first, to me, it ALMOST looks as if someone cut down the bowl, until you see the nice corresponding finish on the rim...
Well after fixing up that beat up cracked Carey pipe, I found myself liking it enough to look for one in decent shape. Not a fan of freehand shapes too much, but still appreciating their beauty, I found this one. Looks like a Danish design, but has no COM stamp on the briar anywhere. Just the usual Carey Magic Inch stampings. However on the bottom of the stem Great Britain is stamped. So maybe made elsewhere, and sold in GB? What ever, it smokes great but not all that much different than the beater pipe. I'm still on the fence about the stem. Apparently it's made from some sort of Nylon and not plastic, and I'm slowly getting used to the feel of it.
Comments
Ahh, not sure, but it's kinda nasty, maybe a loogie? Get out the sanitizer.
You cannot really smoke a Carey without a papyrate sleeve..... too much air, making for lousy/loose draw. (Unless you keep the top and bottom slots closed with tape or fingers, and then, what's the point?) Looks like some idiot tried putting tape right on the Magic Inch.
See https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=carey+pipes+magic+inch+ for more Carey info.
94 proof Jonah's Curse black spiced rum.......
Hell yeah! Anything with a high alcohol content, but take care to protect the pipe's finish.
I use 180 proof Everclear....have to be careful of acrylic stems and finishes, unless you want to remove the old finish/stain. The lowest proof liquor I use is 100 Proof Evan Williams (White Lable) Bourbon, it works great inside the bowl, it leaves a slight sweetness.....very slight, a little nicer than Exverclear. Everclear cuts tar and sludge better, and works much better in the retort.
Buying Pipes on eBay
There are two main categories of pipes offered for sale on eBay: new and estate.
New pipes are just that: un-smoked and never sold before. On the other hand, estate pipes are pre-owned and offer a great opportunity to get a very good pipe for half or less of the normal price at retail. These estate pipes can be smoked or un-smoked. Pre-smoked pipes offer the greatest chance at an excellent bargain and, when properly cleaned and sterilized with any potable alcohol, can be truly marvelous acquisitions.
Often you can find exquisite handcrafted pipes made by some of the finest pipe makers in the world at a small fraction of the price on eBay. The standard rule of thumb is that if you have no issues with using restaurant silver and glassware, you should have no problem smoking an estate pipe once it has been properly cleaned and sterilized with alcohol.
The internet is a great boon to the pipe smoking enthusiast hoping to purchase an excellent pipe or locate some rare tobacco. At any given time, there are literally tens of thousands of items under “ pipes” on eBay. However, a huge percentage of them are, if not junk, then at least not to be recommended. Purchasing pipes or anything on eBay can be fun, and the possibilities of finding a bargain on a jewel are frequent, but such purchases are best made with strategy and wisdom.
Here some tips to purchasing pipes on eBay:
1. There are no great pipes for a dollar or two. If it seems too good to be true, it probably is.
2. Most of the Made-in-China pipes that say “quality” are pure junk.
3. A pipe advertised as "genuine wood" is not a "briar" (see tip #5)
4. Stick with reputable pipe makers if you’re not pipe-savvy. Brands like Savinelli, Peterson, Dunhill, Stanwell and Davidoff will always offer you a great smoking experience if it’s authentic and the pipe is in good condition. Even less expensive brands like Dr. Grabow offer a good introduction to pipe smoking.
5. Look for pipes made from Briar and Meerschaum only.
6. Before buying or bidding, you might be able to research the pipe on various pipe forums and Facebook groups to see reviews and information.
7. There is such thing as counterfeit pipes so be sure you examine the photographs, read the description and determine whether the seller is reputable.
8. Examine the photos and descriptions carefully; look for cracks, charring, teeth marks, discolored stems, etc.
9, When in doubt, ask one of the TPL forum members.
10. Use the eBay search function to narrow down your search.
Poking fun,,,,,,, you were the one who put me onto that particular pipe,,,therefor I assumed that covered Rule #9.
lol
Uh.............yes?
@motie2 Yeah, I know. Well we all realize (even if we don't want to think about it) that none of us is getting out of here alive, but it doesn't mean we don't miss him / them...
By the way, those are some pretty nice looking Carey pipes...
Thanks, I know it has been awhile, just wondering if I had missed something.