How many pipes?

rtg90 · Feb 11, 2014

Been smoking now for a couple of months. I would like to venture in trying some more non aromatics. I currently have tried Frog Morton and really liked the latakia. I burned it through my MM cob. This is one of two pipes I currently own. My Nording has been dedicated to aromatics.
I am currently looking at purchasing some samples of different tobaccos to try. Do I need to to buy a bunch of pipes for all the different types of baccy? Or am I good to put them through the same pipe? Remember, I have only been smoking a few months and my pipes are surely not fully broken in. I am willing to buy a cheaper pipe from a local B&M to try some new blends.
Here is what I have been looking at purchasing:
Dunhill Early Morning

Dunhill Nightcap

H&H Anniversary Kake

H&H 10 to Midnight

mrgunnar177 · Feb 11, 2014

I have 6 pipes they get used for everything from virgina to Latikia to aeros.

rmbittner · Feb 11, 2014

I dedicate all of my pipes among seven different tobacco styles.
But there's absolutely no reason why you have to do that at this point. When I started, I quickly went from one to three pipes, but they were used for everything I smoked, from aromatics to English. Just be aware that it will take 3 or more bowls of every new blend before you'll burn away the previous blend and start to really taste the new one.
Dedicating pipes helps avoid some of that, giving you a "truer" smoke sooner. I also think it helps season a pipe to bring out the strengths of a particular style.
Bob

phred · Feb 12, 2014

Ultimately, you'll need to decide what works best for you. When I started, I bought a couple of pipes, then a grab bag of cobs (Missouri Meerschaum's "Smokable Seconds" deal). I bought a few aromatic samples from a local shop, then picked up a "build your own sampler" from PipesandCigars.com with 6 different blends. For me, dedicating a pipe was mostly about keeping things straight while I learned to taste tobacco - since I didn't really know exactly what I was tasting, it seemed easier to sort things out by major types (aromatics, Latakia blends) so that I could focus on figuring out the subtleties without getting distracted by the major differences. I later added a pipe for Burley blends, one for Va/Per blends, and pretty much left it at that (aside from one pipe that is specifically for Black House...).
If you don't feel like buying more pipes, don't. If you find that mixing flavors doesn't work for you, then consider getting another pipe (or several). If you don't notice a difference, then it's up to you to decide if you want to give in to the seemingly inevitable desire to add to your collection. :D

petes03 · Feb 12, 2014

I agree with Phred on the grab bag of MM cobs. For $30 you get 10 cobs, that will give you an instant rotation as well as being perfect for sampling! Cobs don't tend to ghost as easily, making them well suited for sampling different genres of tobacco.

effektor · Feb 12, 2014

In my experience, you need a lot fewer pipes than you "need."
In all seriousness, I really only have a couple pipes dedicated to particular tobaccos and none dedicated to a particular blend. If you are like me, you will end up with far more pipes than you need, but will constantly "need" to buy more pipes. I have one pipe dedicated to Latakia blends and one dedicated to aros but the rest I pretty much smoke everything but Latakia out of. I can definitely taste the Lat for a long time after, so I keep that to one like and the aro only pipe is one I am not particularly fond of but darned if it doesn't smoke cool no matter what I pack it with.

rtg90 · Feb 12, 2014

Thats a great idea for MM cobs. I have just read over and over to not put aros in the same pipe as english, thats why I asked the question.
And Phred, thanks for your explanation. I am still learning how to taste tobacco, my thoughts have been similar to yours.
Thank all for your input.

lucky695 · Feb 12, 2014

I agree. MM cobs are the way to go especially for a newbie...like me too. I don't dedicate and I like to try different things. I bought a grab back...2 actually. and I like trying new samples, you will get a feel for what best for you. The cobs are cheap and they smoke really well IMO... My suggestion is to give a new tobacco a minimum of 3 tries... unless you get some tongue burn or it's just horrendous to you. that's what makes this hobby/craft/art so interesting. You could smoke the same tobacco in a different shape pipe or a different size pipe and have endless combinations of results. Always in pursuit of that perfect smoke... HINT...you will never find it cause there is always bound to be one better...

mso489 · Feb 12, 2014

This is about your individual taste, both in the sensory way and in sensibility. Like a large minority of

Forums members, I don't designate pipes. Ghosts don't "scare" me. I tend to use broad bowls, my pot

and authors for example, to let more complex tobaccos burn more evenly. Arbitrarily, I like English blends

in billiards, but not exclusively. And for Virginias, I tend to use my bulldogs and Rhodesians. But it is

intuitive. If a little Latakia sneaks into a non-Lat Virginia, I simply don't care. But if you are a purist and

enjoy designating pipes, I think that is an authentic preference. If you dislike the mixture of tastes, or

simply would rather have that precision in your smoking, do it. Is it necessary? Not unless you say it is.

At your pipe rack, you are King, or in the case of women pipers, Queen.

rmbittner · Feb 12, 2014

"I have just read over and over to not put aros in the same pipe as english, thats why I asked the question."
But this only really matters if you absolutely never want to taste any carryover from either kind of blend in the next several bowls. A lot of people don't care about that at all; they have their favorite pipes and everything goes into all of them. They like the interesting combinations that result; those surprises keep pipe smoking interesting and enjoyable for them.
There is absolutely no "right" or "wrong" here, just personal preference. Do what you personally enjoy and what you can afford to do. If you can afford a dedicated pipe for every day of the year, that's fine. If you have one pipe only and you smoke it every day for the rest of your life. . . well, I think it would be better to have more pipes than that, but as long as it continues to delight, why should anyone else care or try to talk you out of it?
My personal preference is to dedicate pipes to the categories/blends I smoke the most: Straight VAs, VA/burley flakes, Penzance, English blends, Balkan blends, "Lakeland" blends, and aromatics. But that's a choice I made after 20 years of smoking everything in all my pipes and enjoying the hobby immensely.
Bob

phred · Feb 12, 2014

I should probably point out that my one "dedicated to a single blend" pipe is a result of having more corncob pipes on hand than I had tobacco blends at the time, and having had one transcendent "perfect" smoke out of it on my second bowl of Black House... All about the sentiment in this case, and much less to do with tasting issues. :D

puffdoggie · Feb 12, 2014

I follow the route espoused by phred & petes03. I have a modest collection of 15 "good" pipes collected since 1985. I am a dedicated Aro smoker but I am beginning to explore English & Va blends and purchased a 10 pipe grab bag of cobs to experiment with different blends. If I find some of the English or Va blends to my liking I'll probably buy a couple of new pipes just for those and smoke my fave Aros in my current rotation. Happy puffin',
Dave

salewis · Feb 12, 2014

Corn cobs are a great way to get started and for try different types and blends of tobacco. Just a word of caution. If you smoke an aros in a briar pipe this type of tobacco usually leaves some ghosting (residue in the cake of your pipe). Therefore, if you do obtain briar pipes you may want to eventually up to three pipes. One pipe for aros, one for English/Balkan blends and finally, a third for Virginias.

acutabovebriar · Feb 12, 2014

If you want to have a good rotation MHO is get some more cobs.They are great smokers, affordable and you get to have more money to spend on trying new tobacco.

In the future you can slowly build your collection.

drwatson · Feb 12, 2014

Everyone is going to be somewhat different. Out of all my pipes I have one that I smoke English only in. But I love my aro's.

rtg90 · Feb 12, 2014

Thank you all for your input. I am going to get a bag of cobs and start experimenting.

skapunk1 · Feb 12, 2014

I started smoking aromatics when I began this journey, and I found as my tastes changed I was stuck with a few nice briars that were ghosted with this flavour that I no longer liked at all. To this day I only really like 3 aromatics, but have yet to dedicate a good pipe to them. I just use cobs.
I have 3 pipes dedicated to Latakia blends, which I only will smoke about twice a month.
The rest of my 20 or so pipes are for Va blends. I have to admit though, I have 3 dedicated to Escudo, simply because those pipes handle that blend the best for me.
Its an interesting journey, and very rewarding when you find that magical connection.
Warren

johnnyiii · Feb 12, 2014

I have 8 pipes. Don't dedicate. I only smoke three different blends these days. That has covered every mood.
A good Chocolate blend, Just Plain Nut that I sometimes mix with the chocolate, and Latakia Role Cake.

allan · Feb 12, 2014

I have tried my best to keep one set of pipes for Va and Va/pers, and the other pipes for the 'English' including the oriental blends.
I have been repeatedly advised that separating them will keep the more subtle nuances of Va's clear; if you mix the English and Va's, it will lead to confusing the blends.
Although I try to dedicate, (and I don't smoke Aro's anymore) I guess my taste buds are not that acute to really tell the difference.

saltedplug · Feb 13, 2014

It's important to have so many pipes that you can't possibly smoke them all. At this point it is recommended to begin collecting, whose upper limits are only defined by the individual

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How many pipes?

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