I just finished a new pipe. It has hebrew letters on it and spells the word that is used in the Old Testament as "Fire" or "Burn" or "Burning". Someone mentioned in passing that it was a good "gimick." I wasn't offended, perse, but I did think to myself, "I wasn't necessarily going for a gimick."
I want to say ahead of time that I'm un-decided about gimicks. I didn't make the last pipe to sell to christians (like there's a HUGE market of christian smokers out there anyway... I know there are *some*). So my question to you is:
Are gimicks like sell-outs or are they useful for selling pipes?
There's a fine line I think between a gimick and a ...well somthing thats not a gimick. Gimick has a crass connotation. Your use of hebrew letters on the pipe was, I thought, very tasteful. Definatly not gimicky. A self lighting pipe would be gimicky for example.
I agree with Nick. I have no problem with it when it's done with taste. Doing one in the image of a bottle of Black Jack, might be tasty but not of good taste. Not to mention you would get sued in hurry.
bscofield wrote:
Are gimicks like sell-outs or are they useful for selling pipes?
Well, since I'm only making pipes for my own pleasure I think it's fine. I think the Hebrew writing on the pipe is a great idea, but wouldn't really classify it as a "gimmick".
Another almost gimmicky idea I've played with is a walking staff with a carved out "pocket" for a matching pipe to be stored on a long walk.
Rob
While I guess that would be somewhat of a "gimmick", I recall seeing something similar on Antiques Roadshow. I think on that one the pipe formed the handle, and pulled out of the walking stick for smoking.
It was quite a novel idea, and a nice reminder of the gentler days of yesteryear!
