Myths, Misconceptions, and Other Fooey

pipesmokingtom · Jun 20, 2015

I got to thinking on this the other day when the topic of "real pipe smokers don't smoke aromatics" came up.
Way back when, when I started smoking a pipe, I heard often that this snobby attitude was prevalent, but never really came across it. The overwhelming majority of attitude that I've encountered is "smoke what you like." Another one was "people will tell you that corncob pipes are junk, but..." or similar. In my experience, even the biggest briar-collector-snob types extol the virtues of the cob if prompted.
Are there any other "myths or misconceptions" that you've come across in your pipe smoking adventures? Truisms that you were led to believe but found not to be true? Not misinformation necessarily, but things you were told to expect that didn't come to fruition about what "other smokers will say" or the like?

perdurabo · Jun 20, 2015

Building cake. I clean the cake out of my pipes with Golden Grain after every five smokes. I've heard that cake makes briar smoke cooler, but it's going to smoke cool if you sip. Now I may be wrong and get beat up about it. Although I've never seen any draw backs from doing this.

northernneil · Jun 20, 2015

The "myth" I've found would be that breaking in a new briar pipe is difficult and painful. I have over 30 new briar pipes and have never ran into a "bad break-in" experience.

framitz · Jun 20, 2015

I have been smoking for 55 plus years I have found some adages true some false and most mindless parroting! Put a piece of apple in humidor false causes mold, aromatics are foul goop

Creators true coat chamber to break in nonsense! Some Marques are better maybe, grain is important esthetic ally yes! People don't read forums research define try! In old days you searched literature now you believe anything on web! Nonsense. Shel

voorhees · Jun 20, 2015

I was under the misconception that flake was going to be hard to figure out. I took to it easier than ribbon or anything else. I fold and stuff and go.

elbert · Jun 20, 2015

If you smoke Molto Dolce you'll end up like the guy in the advertisement.

pipesmokingtom · Jun 20, 2015

If you smoke Molto Dolce you'll end up like the guy in the advertisement.

Seriously, that commercial is the reason I'll never try Molto Dolce. I mean, I get it, but that is so over the top I've sworn to never touch the stuff :roll:

elbert · Jun 20, 2015

Haha I've never tried it myself, but I chuckle every time I see the ad.

agnosticpipe · Jun 20, 2015

Back in the early 80s, I got most of my pipe info from various pipe shops and those that worked there. Now I'm probably going to get some grief about what I'm about to say, but it's just my opinion, based on my own experiences. One misconception that I totally believed was when I was told by many of these folks, was that the best smoking pipe you could buy was a Dunhill, and that straight grain pipes smoke better and cost more is because the grain follows the direction of the smoke. So I spent a great deal of time seeking out Dunhill pipes, and straight grain pipes, especially the ultimate, a straight grain Dunhill, which I never found.

Over the course of a few years I found this all to be a bit of nonsense. I bought about 7 Dunhills, and a few straight grain pipes, NONE of which smoked better than many other pipes I had. I believe that Dunhill makes great pipes, and straight grain pipes can be beautiful, but to me they are not worth the extreme prices they seem to demand and don't smoke any better than other pipes that are well made out of decent briar. Yeah, I currently have a couple of Dunhills, and they're great smoking pipes, but honestly, just give me a well made briar pipe of any brand with a nice birds eye grain, and I'm a happy camper!

pipesmokingtom · Jun 20, 2015

One misconception that I totally believed was when I was told by many of these folks, was that the best smoking pipe you could buy was a Dunhill, and that straight grain pipes smoke better and cost more is because the grain follows the direction of the smoke.

Whaaat? A retailer fed you a line to get you to buy the most expensive items in the shop?! :D
I think the majority opinion these days (especially from people not retailing the stuff) is that any properly cured and drilled briar smokes as good as the next. Grain adds aesthetic value and that's probably about it.
Your fear of reprisal is kind of the point of the thread, though. I don't think you'll get grief, because I don't think MOST people actually believe that stuff. They think people believe it though. Like people believe that people believe real smokers don't smoke aros. Not really.

lostandfound · Jun 20, 2015

I've found that the whole char light, tamp, true light routine, to be a bunch of hogwash. If one packs their pipe properly, one can smoke quite a bit of tobacco off the first light.

tbradsim1 · Jun 20, 2015

Breaking done a pipe when it's hot is a sorry myth I"be been taking them apart for 50 yrs while hot, no breakage, shanks clean with Q tips very good and it doesn't solidify letting it cool overnight. Rim also cleans better while hot. I clean my pipes after every smoke. You hear they will wear out if you do this, don't believe that. That's my story and I"m sticking to it. : puffy

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pipesmokingtom · Jun 20, 2015

I've found that the whole char light, tamp, true light routine, to be a bunch of hogwash. If one packs their pipe properly, one can smoke quite a bit of tobacco off the first light.

Totally agree. I dispense with the routine and do what the pipe wants me to do. Rubbed out flakes like to crawl out of the bowl a lot, so I will light those and then tamp to get a flat ash, but the char/tamp/light bla bla... no thanks.

mcitinner1 · Jun 20, 2015

Ditto Bradley, some folks take pipe smoking way too seriously.

gloucesterman · Jun 20, 2015

some folks take pipe smoking way too seriously

I'm inclined to agree. For some it's almost ritualistic and they believe what they say. I use the old KISS method,

"Keep it simple stupid". We smoke for the enjoyment, it should please the smoker not others. I readily concede experience helps but sometimes some like to make it so very complex. Why? Who knows but I don't find it all that difficult and I've been smoking a pipe for over 50 years.

pipesmokingtom · Jun 20, 2015

I think about this a lot too. In this information age, you can make a career out of LEARNING how to smoke a pipe without ever touching one. All the YouTube videos and how-to's and 101's and blogs... I'm as guilty as anyone else, but the value of just DOING it and learning as you go gets lost some times when any question can get answered immediately.

pipesmokingtom · Jun 20, 2015

Some of the value of pipe smoking gets lost in the educational pursuit and gathering everyone else's opinions I guess is what I'm saying.

dochudson · Jun 20, 2015

I've found that the whole char light, tamp, true light routine, to be a bunch of hogwash. If one packs their pipe properly, one can smoke quite a bit of tobacco off the first light.

Agree

Breaking done a pipe when it's hot is a sorry myth I"be been taking them apart for 50 yrs while hot, no breakage, shanks clean with Q tips very good and it doesn't solidify letting it cool overnight. Rim also cleans better while hot. I clean my pipes after every smoke. You hear they will wear out if you do this, don't believe that. That's my story and I"m sticking to it.

Agree

some folks take pipe smoking way too seriously.

Absolutely agree
All the packing rituals and that you have to have a certain style/size of pipe. for certain tobacco. Then add the plip myths.

wilson · Jun 20, 2015

Probably the biggest myth, as noted by others, was the break-in / build cake nonsense. Just fill 'er up and smoke away. Cake happens and they break in just fine if you smoke slowly.
Next would be the myth that aro's are best for beginners.

pipesmokingtom · Jun 20, 2015

Next would be the myth that aro's are best for beginners.

I think this is another one that no one believes in reality. I think a lot of people start there because that Lane 1Q smell is what people associate with pipe smoking and they don't even realize anything else exists (unless they research pipe smoking exhaustively before actually smoking like I mentioned before).

Myths, Misconceptions, and Other Fooey

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