Dedicating Pipes

[Toddmw81]

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. ?

 

[ray47]

Sounds like your doing what's best for you.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

I make a circle of several different genres of tobaccos, put the pipe in the center, and wait to see which tobacco it goes to. Simple!!

 

[haparnold]

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.

 

[olkofri]

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.

 

[hauntedmyst]

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.

 

[olkofri]

You might also want to dedicate a pipe for lakelands. Although I have barely noticed any Ennerdale or Top Black Cherry ghosts.

 

[laniromee]

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.

 

[Toddmw81]

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

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

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.

 

[Toddmw81]

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]

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.

 

[tabakpfeife]

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.

 

[jpmcwjr]

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.

 

[cigrmaster]

I dedicate all of my pipes. Most are to certain genres i.e Va, Vaper and Vabur flakes and plugs. I also have some pipes that are dedicated to one specific blend. When I find a magical combo between blend and pipe, I stick with that.

 

[voorhees]

I tend to use my smaller chambered pipes for Virginia based tobaccos and larger chambers for Latakia based ones.

 

[Mr.Mike]

I'm so glad you started this thread, as I was going to today as well.

 

[luigi]

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.