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Toddmw81

Lurker
Nov 13, 2019
8
58
California - US
Hello, I’ve been in the pipe smoking hobby now for about 5 years. I began by mainly smoking aromatic blends. As I’ve become more experienced and branched out, I’ve learned to try other tobaccos and have really learned an appreciating for all the different types, such as English blends and so forth. I recently decided I should probably start dedicating pipes for certain types of tobaccos. Over the last 5 years I’ve slowly acquired more of a pipe collection ranging from a few different styles of cobs and briars to the point where I could start dedicating pipes to different types of tobacco. My current method of thinking is to dedicate a few pipes to English blends, a few to aromatic blends and I even have a couple dedicated to straight Virginia’s. Does this sound like a good way to start dedicating pipes to certain categories? Or am I overthinking it? Lol. Any info and advice would be greatly appreciated.

P.S. I have done research and have read similar threads on this forum that have explained which styled pipes should be dedicated to certain types of tobaccos. For example, I know Virginia’s burn a little hotter and can give a little more bite, so I’ve been dedicating pipes that are bent or have longer stems. Aromatic blends to similar styled pipes, since they too burn slightly hotter. And finally, English blends to shorter stemmed, and not as “thick” bowled pipes. Again, any info on this matter would be appreciated. Sorry for the long post. ?
 

haparnold

Lifer
Aug 9, 2018
1,561
2,389
Colorado Springs, CO
My dedication system is as follows: pipes for blends with Latakia, and pipes for everything else. This works for me. Some people go so far as to have a pipe for each individual blend, and some don't dedicate at all. Do whatever you like.

Regarding having certain pipe shapes for certain blends: I don't really agree. There's a little merit in the idea that blends with multiple constituent tobaccos fare better in broader-bowled pipes, but I don't buy for a second the idea that "hotter" blends will be calmed by smoking them in a bent or long-stemmed pipe. The smoke is simply traveling too fast for there to be an impact.

BUT: don't take my word as gospel. This is just one man's opinion, and I've been wrong before about far more important things.
 
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olkofri

Lifer
Sep 9, 2017
8,033
14,644
The Arm of Orion
I'd dedicate a wide bowl to Englishes. Some people recommend narrow and tallish bowls for flakes if you're into the fold and stuff packing method. Some also recommend goopy aromatics to be smoked in straight pipes due to less moisture build-up at the heel versus bents, and because passing a pipe cleaner is easier on straights.

There you have 3 guidelines to get you started. And a rule too: don't overthink it.
 
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hauntedmyst

Lifer
Feb 1, 2010
4,006
20,750
Chicago
My current method of thinking is to dedicate a few pipes to English blends, a few to aromatic blends and I even have a couple dedicated to straight Virginia’s. Does this sound like a good way to start dedicating pipes to certain categories? Or am I overthinking it?

This is an excellent way to do it and it really doesn't need to be more complicated. Some people may dedicated specific blend to specific tobaccos but that seems more trouble than its worth.
 
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laniromee

Starting to Get Obsessed
Jul 31, 2018
105
129
When I first started building up a pipe collection I too used to dedicate certain pipes to certain categories of tobacco. But nowadays since I don't, never did and never will, smoke lakelands, I just smoke whatever in whatever. To me, the implied benefits of dedicating pipes are not really worth the hassle.
 
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Toddmw81

Lurker
Nov 13, 2019
8
58
California - US
My dedication system is as follows: pipes for blends with Latakia, and pipes for everything else. This works for me. Some people go so far as to have a pipe for each individual blend, and some don't dedicate at all. Do whatever you like.

Regarding having certain pipe shapes for certain blends: I don't really agree. There's a little merit in the idea that blends with multiple constituent tobaccos fare better in broader-bowled pipes, but I don't buy for a second the idea that "hotter" blends will be calmed by smoking them in a bent or long-stemmed pipe. The smoke is simply traveling too fast for there to be an impact.

BUT: don't take my word as gospel. This is just one man's opinion, and I've been wrong before about far more important things.
Thank you! I appreciate the feedback
 
Jan 28, 2018
12,952
134,576
66
Sarasota, FL
I 100% agree with dedicating pipes to blend genres. I mostly smoke Va Flakes and have found they do best for me in pipes with smaller bowl inner diameters (.75 to .80). I will also smoke Va Ribbon in smaller diameter bowls but generally smoke these in tapered bowls for best results. No hard rule here, can interchange between flake and ribbon. Same basic rules for VaPer blends.

I have a mix of pipes for VaOr. If it is straight VaOr, I tend to smoke these in smaller ID bowls as well but use a few with somewhat larger bowls if the blend has some latakia and/or perique, especially latakia. I've found larger bowls tend to favor more complex blends such as English/Balkan Blends.

People should experiment and do what they like since it is their pipes and tobacco. Many people prefer no rules which is perfectly fine for them.
 
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Toddmw81

Lurker
Nov 13, 2019
8
58
California - US
I appreciate all the comments back. The last thing I want to do is over complicate pipe smoking. Lol. I just want to get the most out of the experience. It’s great to see the different opinions. Thanks again!
 

olkofri

Lifer
Sep 9, 2017
8,033
14,644
The Arm of Orion
Here's an article about the thermodynamics of pipe smoking: "The Thermodynamics of Pipe Smoking'

Alas, the original article has gone missing, and with it the very illustrative, er, illustrations it had. The repost on that forum is just the text.

WARNING: do NOT click on the link to the original article in that forum post: it doesn't work—right now I get a blank page, but months ago I was getting a page with malicious code.
 
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tabakpfeife

Might Stick Around
Jan 18, 2019
81
113
I dedicate pipes to VAs, VAPERS, English/Balkan, and AROs. My feeling, which I have posted before, is that tobacco is getting expensive and some blends are hard to find, so why waste the experience with a muddled taste? That said, I have found that you can sometimes smoke a ghost out of a pipe if you work at it long enough, or do a salt/alcohol treatment to "reset" a pipe, but why bother? For me, dedicating pipes to these four classes works for me.
 
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jpmcwjr

Moderator
Staff member
May 12, 2015
24,565
27,065
Carmel Valley, CA
There are tall ones,
And short ones,
and scooby dooby do.

Diff strokes, diff folks. I don't like pots, and am increasing my collection of stacks. So, I have a preference, but don't find it changes how the tobacco smokes for me.
 
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luigi

Can't Leave
May 16, 2017
456
1,265
Europe
Dedicating a pipe to straight Virginias pays off, not sure about other combinations.
My genres divisions are Va, Va/Bur, Latakia and Aros.
Since many recommend wider bowls for English blends which I somehow don't enjoy too much I'm planning to swap a Savinelli 320 and a more narrow Punto Oro, without exorcising the Latakia ghoast from the last one. We'll see how it goes.
 
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