The temperature of the flame you use to light the pipe (matches vs butane vs naphtha) somehow affects the flavour of the smoke half an hour later.
Myths, Misconceptions, and Other Fooey
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"Big myths: People who smoke a pipe are nicer, smarter, more sophisticated, more honest, better grounded, politer, dress better, have more money, are better looking, have fewer illnesses, live longer, are deeper thinkers, smell better, or in general are just better people."
Actually, this one is not a myth -- it is true!
Actually, this one is not a myth -- it is true!
Should we not revive the "pipe cleaner left in the stem is the best way to dry it" vs not?? Or matches vs. lighters? 
OK, let's not.
I wonder if the "don't remove the stem while hot" has credence only if it's also left off for any length of time? At least the only problems I've had with tenon fit is when I've done that....
I think sablebrush has hit most of the shibboleths, but I for one am very grateful for the experiences of others, as it's helped me a lot in getting a better smoke. Also in feeling less guilty re buying more pipes!
OK, let's not. I wonder if the "don't remove the stem while hot" has credence only if it's also left off for any length of time? At least the only problems I've had with tenon fit is when I've done that....
I think sablebrush has hit most of the shibboleths, but I for one am very grateful for the experiences of others, as it's helped me a lot in getting a better smoke. Also in feeling less guilty re buying more pipes!
Lighting a pipe, tamping and then relighting has always worked better for me than just lighting it and going, but that's my personal preference.
I don't like tobaccos which are cased or topped, but if you like these blends then live and let live I say.
Cleaning a pipe around the rim, if it is finished, when hot can produce some problems considering the finish is usually softer and may flake or rub off more easily. Again, my experience, not due to become pipe lore.
Myth: The more expensive a blend the better it is.
I don't like tobaccos which are cased or topped, but if you like these blends then live and let live I say.
Cleaning a pipe around the rim, if it is finished, when hot can produce some problems considering the finish is usually softer and may flake or rub off more easily. Again, my experience, not due to become pipe lore.
Myth: The more expensive a blend the better it is.
I probably light/tamp/light more often than not, but not because it's a ritual - because it's needed. If it's not needed, I don't. Depends on how ornery my tobacco is being.
As far as cleaning the rim, I smoke cobs and clean my rim exactly never, so who knows
lol...cobs ARE wonderfully low maintenance. Since we are talking cobs...
Myth: Cobs smoke cooler than briar...I have not found this to always be the case.
Myth: Cobs smoke cooler than briar...I have not found this to always be the case.
With regard to matches VS lighters, I use both. I find that I can do a more careful job of covering the top of the tobacco when using a match than a BIC. But using a pipe lighter with a side flame gives me the same level of control that I have with a match.
More myths and BS:
It's important to burn every scrap of tobacco in the chamber, right down to the bottom.
It's important to be able to smoke the entire bowl without a relight.
Relighting is a sign of poor technique.
Smoking a pipe properly consists of puffing and creating thick clouds of smoke.
More myths and BS:
It's important to burn every scrap of tobacco in the chamber, right down to the bottom.
It's important to be able to smoke the entire bowl without a relight.
Relighting is a sign of poor technique.
Smoking a pipe properly consists of puffing and creating thick clouds of smoke.
+1, especially on having to burn every scrap of tobacco.
Myth: Tobacco which produces white ash is superior to those that do not.
Myth: Tobacco which produces white ash is superior to those that do not.
The myth about aging tobacco and that aged tobaccos get better with age. Phooey. If anyone is sitting on any old Virginias or VaPer's, just PM me and I'll dispose of them properly, I'll even send you some fresh stuff to offset.
"Smokes down to a fine white ash with one light" is something I've seen in countless reviews. Talk about coming out the south end of a north-bound horse.
I smoke 3 aromtatic flakes as part of my rotation so am I not a real pipe smoker?
I like a dime's worth of cake in my pipes because for me the pipe smokes cooler and gives more flavor. If someone were to ask me about cake, I would tell them what works best for me.
I load my bowls to the top when I break in a new pipe as I get a nice even hard cake by doing so.
I use a char light, a tru light and a tamp on all of my pipes as the flakes I smoke begin to get really high and they need a tamp so they don't over flow the bowl. I like to use the char and tru lights as I get a nice cherry going which allows me to smoke more than half the bowl without having to re light.
I never break down my pipe when it is hot as all of my stems( except 1) are vulcanite and they expand to such a degree that they get so tight and I am afraid of breaking the stem. On my lone acrylic stem, I will break that down when hot as it does not expand like my vulcanite stems and it is no where near as tight.
I used to use a reamer on my pipes and never had an issue as I was extremely careful. Now I use a pipe knife as I like the control I get from that more than the reamer.
I like a shank dimension to be around 4.0-4.5mm as for my smoking style, I get a drier and more flavorful smoke. I prefer a pipe that can practically smoke itself.
For my tastes, I prefer an artisan made pipe with a hand cut vulcanite stem over a factory pipe. If I could get factory pipes with hand cut vulcanite stems I would own some.
I believe that my VA, Vaper and Vabur flakes all get better with age, I also enjoy many of them fresh. I don't believe that any of my flakes will get worse with age no matter how long I age them.
Notice that I preface my statements with for my tastes, or I like and the omnipresent I, as to me, pipe smoking is such a subjective thing that there are no set rules and no set guidlines that everyone has to follow. We all like different ways of doing things so people should do what is comfortable for them and not worry about what other people think. I believe in experimenting and finding a way that works for the individual. It took me months of experimenting to find a way that I could get a consistent smoke from SG Full Virginia Flake. I read all kinds of different opinions on that blend, but in the end it was my experimenting that lead me to the way that works best for me.
ps. Dunhill's are the best pipe money can buy and they should be priced 3 times as high as they are now because of how good they are. Anyone who does not think this is a neophyte. :nana:
I like a dime's worth of cake in my pipes because for me the pipe smokes cooler and gives more flavor. If someone were to ask me about cake, I would tell them what works best for me.
I load my bowls to the top when I break in a new pipe as I get a nice even hard cake by doing so.
I use a char light, a tru light and a tamp on all of my pipes as the flakes I smoke begin to get really high and they need a tamp so they don't over flow the bowl. I like to use the char and tru lights as I get a nice cherry going which allows me to smoke more than half the bowl without having to re light.
I never break down my pipe when it is hot as all of my stems( except 1) are vulcanite and they expand to such a degree that they get so tight and I am afraid of breaking the stem. On my lone acrylic stem, I will break that down when hot as it does not expand like my vulcanite stems and it is no where near as tight.
I used to use a reamer on my pipes and never had an issue as I was extremely careful. Now I use a pipe knife as I like the control I get from that more than the reamer.
I like a shank dimension to be around 4.0-4.5mm as for my smoking style, I get a drier and more flavorful smoke. I prefer a pipe that can practically smoke itself.
For my tastes, I prefer an artisan made pipe with a hand cut vulcanite stem over a factory pipe. If I could get factory pipes with hand cut vulcanite stems I would own some.
I believe that my VA, Vaper and Vabur flakes all get better with age, I also enjoy many of them fresh. I don't believe that any of my flakes will get worse with age no matter how long I age them.
Notice that I preface my statements with for my tastes, or I like and the omnipresent I, as to me, pipe smoking is such a subjective thing that there are no set rules and no set guidlines that everyone has to follow. We all like different ways of doing things so people should do what is comfortable for them and not worry about what other people think. I believe in experimenting and finding a way that works for the individual. It took me months of experimenting to find a way that I could get a consistent smoke from SG Full Virginia Flake. I read all kinds of different opinions on that blend, but in the end it was my experimenting that lead me to the way that works best for me.
ps. Dunhill's are the best pipe money can buy and they should be priced 3 times as high as they are now because of how good they are. Anyone who does not think this is a neophyte. :nana:
Haha! YES! ....and cobs are the best pipes my money can buy, because they're nearly the only pipes my money can buy!
Cobs are the finest handd made pipes in the world because of their incredibly high quality stems that are made by virgins.
When I didn't have money for pipes I just loaded my four fingered fist and puffed from my thumb! lol
...and it smoked cool, down to a fine white ash without having to relight and didn't impart any flavor or ghost?
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