Putting my 2-3month pipe experience away.

shotokun16 · Apr 29, 2010

Well after acquiring 9 different kinds of tobacco (i.e. W.O larsen signature, penzance, dorchester, stonehaven, blackrasberry, devils holiday, da vanci, scottis cake by R. Mcconnell, and 8oz of full virginia flake Only smoked 1 flake!!!) and acquiring 5 different pipes i've made the decision to put them away and not smoke after 6 months.
Reason: To test that habitual pipe smoker can easily shift into a cold turkey state w/o any serious side effects. I shall be active on pipes magazine, but i'll see how the mental process plays. I hope its nothing like a cigarette smoker who is following a 12-step program that gets chills or shivers in the first 2-weeks. Anyways good bye savinelli, corn cobs, and my peterson. You will be stored in a cold and dark place. Good bye...
And i hope cellaring tobacco after 6 months will improve the taste and smell. byeeee
PS: watching sherlock HOLMES from redbox! =)

cortezattic · Apr 29, 2010

Sometimes, and for some things, a layoff is a good idea. To preserve the condition of your tobacco you should consider the advice offered in Bob Tate's Pipe Tobacco Storage blog.

classicgeek · Apr 29, 2010

I did the same thing, back in 2005. I was new to it. Had no experience with smoking otherwise and I found myself always looking forward to the next bowl. Was it just anticipating the enjoyment of the bowl, or was it the Lady N calling to me?
So I put it away for months. Eventually I brought it out again, and since then I've proven on a number of occasions that when the time isn't right, the pipe can go unused for months at a time. I'm no longer really worried about it, but if you need to, go ahead and prove it for yourself. From your pics in the stash thread, it all looks stored for "maturing", so no worries there.

Cheers,

Simon

jcsoldit · Apr 29, 2010

I smoked pipes and cigars for at least 7 years and then one day decided to quit, which I did for the better part of 5 years without a problem. Then came to cigar boom and I started smoking cigars with my friends and colleagues. Now that went on till sometime last year when one day it just seemed like the cigars just didn't taste that great anymore and I was smoking some high-end sticks, so I decided to give one of my old pipes a try after it had set idle for about 20 year and to quote Jackie Gleason “How Sweet it is!” I love the taste and the relaxation that comes with smoking a pipe.

Hey it’s okay to quit, after all this is a hobby that is not for everyone. You made a choice to try it and now you can choose to stop.
I’m going to guess that you will miss the hobby more than you will miss the effects of the tobacco.
I’ve enjoyed your posts and I wish you much success in whatever you do.
Keep in touch,

JC

pstlpkr · Apr 29, 2010

I used to smoke those "coughin' nails" and had a hell of a time putting them down.

I used to have to have that smoke about once an hour, and that really cuts into your productivity.

But, the pipe is different. You can smoke at your leisure. There is no need to "grab a quick smoke". In fact in my last position, I would only smoke at work when visiting customers would light up.

I admire your resolve, and you'll find it's easy to set the pipe down then pick it up when you're ready.

raftergtex · Apr 29, 2010

I am completely convinced that pipesmoking is not addictive, at least chemically. I was out of town last week for three days with no pipe and had no issue at all when, on a normal day, I would have had 3 bowls. Of course, it might be different if you moved from cigarettes and inhale, but otherwise no problem. (I do use a special mouthwash to help prevent any oral issues. Its called Biotene I think, and is designed not to dry out the mouth lke a normal alcohol-based mouthwash).

jonesing · Apr 29, 2010

Shoto:
You sure your GF isn't makin' you quit? :>)
My personal opinion is that the concept of "addiction" is tremendously over inflated.
I use tobacco in many forms and have found giving it up to be about like quitting caffeine. Maybe a little edgy for a few days and miss it a bit. But the discomfort winds down pretty quickly
It seems the concept of addiction has been blown our of proportion to create victims rather than willing participants. The anti tobacco folks either believe or claim to believe that people use tobacco because they have no choice. So then if we have no choice we need to be protected from ourselves. I say it's total bullshit.

runewolf · Apr 29, 2010

I don't think pipe smoking is addictive at all. Sometimes I'll smoke every day for a month, then I put the pipe down and don't smoke it for weeks. It is more of a mood thing for me...like sometimes I'm just in the mood for a good scotch, sometimes I'm not. All the smokers at my work just seem to crave that smoke break every couple hours, but I don't even bring my pipe to work. I just don't feel the need to smoke all the time.

cortezattic · Apr 29, 2010

It seems the concept of addiction has been blown our of proportion to create victims rather than willing participants. The anti tobacco folks either believe or claim to believe that people use tobacco because they have no choice. So then if we have no choice we need to be protected from ourselves. I say it's total bullshit.

Rick,

I don't think I've ever heard a more cogent analysis. Good insight.

wallbright · Sep 20, 2010

Any update how its going?

juozapas · Sep 21, 2010

I have put down the cigarettes now for a month, and I feel really great. There is no more "panic" for a smoke anymore. My life has taken on a more "mellow" type of day, instead of an "injection" of nicotine, I am in a more "moderate" state of being. PLUS the ENJOYMENT and PLEASURE and FLAVORS of smoking a pipe surpasses the destructive nature of the cigarette....I FEEL MORE HUMAN.

Hmmmm Hmmmm Goooooooood.....!!

tedswearingen · Sep 21, 2010

Hmmm. A few weeks ago during a cross country drive it dawned on me that I hadn't sat with my pipe for four days. Unless you're only smoking for the nicotine (like cigarettes), I don't think you're going to suffer tremendous withdrawals. That's just my opinion.

dudleydipstick · Sep 21, 2010

Unless you're only smoking for the nicotine (like cigarettes), I don't think you're going to suffer tremendous withdrawals. That's just my opinion.

Agreed. A pipe smoker's withdrawals (if any) compared to a cigarette smoker's would be about as noticeable as someone who has a couple beers with lunch and dinner versus someone who drinks a quart of vodka a day and goes into DTs.

pstlpkr · Sep 21, 2010

Way to go Joe! I know that place... Been there, Done that, Bought a new pipe!
Ted, That's the thing about pipes. One can walk away from them at will, unlike "coughin' nails", where you hear that little voice saying "it's easy, just fire me up".

I hold no ill will toward those who use nicotine "injection" devices because I understand.
My wife recently noted that I did not have my pipe or accoutrements, and that we were going to be away from the house all day. I told her... "I hadn't noticed." She was surprised. With the pipe it's not an addiction to nicotine thing, but a state of mind.

If your heads in the right place.... idle hands don't present a problem as cigarettes can and do.

tedswearingen · Sep 21, 2010

pstlpkr, well stated and too true!

lordnoble · Sep 21, 2010

I agree it's not a physical addiction, but there is an addiction of sorts that does come with pipe smoking. I've found that I crave that point in the day where I can relax and enjoy a pipe. There's no physical compulsion, but I do yearn for the tranquility I feel when I'm puffing away.
I'm sure I'm not alone in this...
-Jason

krgulick · Sep 21, 2010

I wholeheartedly agree with lordnoble that it is more of a way of real relaxation for alot of us.

classicgeek · Sep 21, 2010

I'm sitting at 5 days since my last bowl. I'm annoyed that I haven't had a chance to enjoy one in that time. Life, family, etc. intruding. Maybe tonight.
To hear Joe's story, it sounds like pipes should be marketed like "the Patch", as a way to step away from cigarettes.

Sorta the opposite of a "gateway drug". An "exit strategy", and a damn fine one at that!
Simon

mlaug · Sep 21, 2010

About the only real "craving" I get, when I've been away from the pipes for one reason or another, is a taste craving for whatever tobacco I happen to focus on....just like missing a nice juicy steak, burger, etc.
Its the flavor I miss to most.

wallbright · Sep 21, 2010

Its the flavor I miss to most.

I agree, I recently went four days without a bowl and the only thing I missed was the flavor (if you want to call it that) and aroma of PA.

Putting my 2-3month pipe experience away.

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