Cheaper/basket Pipes vs More expensive name brand

Darmon

Can anyone who has smoked both types, explain the differences.  I'm just curious, what differences in the pipes say Basket/DrGrabow price range vs say Savenilli/Peterson price range.  I'm mainly interested in the usefulness, aesthetics aside for now.  Do they smoke all that different or is it durability or something else I'm not thinking of?

drac2485

Some of it comes down to quality.  Some of it comes down to name.  Generally speaking, basket pipes are don't hold the same quality as name brand pipes, in the Savinelli/ Peterson price range and up.  They are sometimes the seconds of those factories where they have been misdrilled or have other flaws that the bigger names don't want to make into a pipe.  Also, sometimes the stems are plastic instead of vulcanite or acrylic, sometimes.  There was a discussion talking about basket pipes quality in regards to smoking, I believe.  Personally, I have some basket pipes that smoke better that some of my Petersons.  I like them too because it was a cheap pipe and if it gets damages, scratched, dinged, or destroyed it was a $20 pipe not a $200 pipe.  You an however get a not so nice pipe. Some people stop smoking when they start with a basket pipe because they don't have a good experience because it has problems, while some get good ones.   I know I am a little long winded, I'm doing online college and am used to making a set word count.  Long story some are hidden gems and some need to be hidden but for the cost it may be worth it for a yard/garage pipe if you don't just use a cob.

drac2485

This was a short discussion but.... http://thispipelife.com/us/tpl/forum/index.php?p=/discussion/comment/3245/#Comment_3245

Darmon

Thanks, I should have posted this in that discussion.  Sorry

judandhispipe

It's the quality of the briar.

drac2485

@Darmon I was just trying to link them together.  They were different questions for each discussion.

PappyJoe

I have several basket pipes in my collection that I bought at antique/junk shops because they looked good and were stamped imported Italian briar. They are decent smokers. I actually put basket pipes at a step below Dr. Grabows and Kaywoodies but some basket pipes really are a name brand pipe where the discovered a finishing flaw before stamping.

tomatobodhi

I like to browse through the basket pipes. 90% of them are seconds and/or poorly drilled or have blemishes that have been filled, but sometimes I find one that almost wasn't a second.

I just recently picked up a Dublin pipe that has brilliant Birdseye on it, but if you look very closely, the shank had a small crack with the grain that they repaired and then sealed. I really had to look for the repair, so I grabbed it for $30. It smokes brilliantly.

So sometimes you can find the hidden gems @drac2485 is talking about, but you will only find them if you look for them.

PipeProfessor

I have basket pipes that are just as good if not better than more expensive pipes. It all comes down to the briar, how they were made, and the way you smoke them.

Woodsman

A lot of times you can correct airway problems with a judicious use of Needle Files or Drill, I got a beautiful Atlantic Brandy that actually hadn't been completely drilled, The surprising thing was it is a German made pipe. One of my regular rotation now.

Bphasty

I have never smoked a basket pipe, however in my mind I'd rather have a used name brand pipe (estate) than a lesser name/quality new pipe. So I regularly bid on ebay estate pipes. So for the price some of these guys paid for 1 custom pipe I've bought: a MM cob, a Comoy, a Bing's Favorite Savinelli & a Brooks for under a $100 all together.