Do you distinguish between expensive and cheap pipes, pipes for working and pipes for relaxing? Are you afraid of potential damage or scratches to your nicer pipes, or are they a tool for a job that can and will show some wear?
No
All my pipes work about the same. The difference is the quality of the briar stock used, which relates more to look than performance, in my collection at least.
Some smokers report that certain shapes are better suited for certain blends, but that doesn’t speak to price.
Some pipes are more expensive because they come from older, more reputable brand, or renowned craftsmen. Presumably this ensures higher quality and craftsmanship. Peterson is a very old, very reputable brand, for example, but I see complaints of miss drilled draft holes, so reputation does not guarantee quality.
Many people swear by their corncob pipes, and those are the cheapest you can buy.
I own 6 various shaped corncobs, 2 Brigham, 3 Savinelli, 2 Molina, 1 Kaywoodie, 3 basket pipes, and one Saseini estate pipe. Some feel better on the hand, some are easier to clench, some have flashy grain. All smoke about the same for me.
I don’t smoke, but I see no reason to use cheap pipe while owning expensive pipe.
Smoking is about obtaining maximum pleasure from the process at expense of future health.
Presumably expensive pipe provides most pleasure. Then why to reduce amount of pleasure if money is not a problem?
If you get lung cancer, then it will be late to enjoy that expensive pipe.
When you develop nicotine dependency you will not care for pleasure anymore and will hurry with any pipe at your disposal.
So use best pipe while you can especially if you own it already.
Non-smokers will not care what you use. They will care more for the fact of secondary smoking next to you way more than your pipe. So you’re not impressing anyone but people like yourself.
Random example: If you want to smoke while camping, would you risk damaging an expensive pipe or bring a cheaper pipe? I don’t mean using a pipe that smokes less good, but cutting back on esthetics or so.
The question contains the answer.
Bring cheaper pipe, because
- Risk of damage to pipe
- Expensive pipe is assumed too expensive and thus is irreplaceable due to cost
- It is a irregular event justifying irregular item such as cheap pipe
