Dilemma of Piping Decisions: Tobacco vs Pipe

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DanWil84

Lifer
Mar 8, 2021
1,690
12,607
39
The Netherlands (Europe)
An interesting inference here that a subpar just means not fancy.

If that’s the case there are plenty of non fancy tobaccos that are enjoyable and I’d take the exceptional pipe to enjoy them in.
Thank you for reminding me I have no 1 but 2 commissioned pipes running... I can buy a gazillion of corn cobs for that money!

But the topic said would you rather. To me that sounds like making a choice, which I don't have to as im in a lucky position my wife allows me to spend money on this money on this hobby (yeah yeah, I know....) instead of model trains. But my choice still stands, if I wasn't allowed to spend money on this hobby I'll be buying cobs and tobacco instead of commissions and tobacco.
 

gervais

Lifer
Sep 4, 2019
2,078
6,973
39
Ontario
I'm not a tobacco snob. Ive never smoked a tobacco that I had to dump out because it was that bad. As long as it's not a goop-laden aro, I'm happy with most of it. What tobacco would be considered sub-par? I like natural tobacco flavours, so I find enjoyment with all properly dried/cured leaf. Now PIPES!!! I love staring at and admiring my pipes. I can definately live with a "sub-par" tobacco if I can keep my little beautiful briars. Put me on the other side of the majority on this one. Id just smoke cigars if I had to have an ugly, narly corncob hanging from my jaw.

I know. Them are fightin words!
 
Jan 30, 2020
1,850
6,091
New Jersey
Cobs being referenced as subpar is also interesting. I consider a cob on par with any pipe standard and would preclude it from being a subpar option.

A subpar pipe, to me, would be a drilling 1/4” off center, doesn’t pass a pipe cleaner and enters your tobacco chamber 1/4” high. I don’t care how exceptional my tobacco is, it’s not going to be great in a piece of garbage.
 

gervais

Lifer
Sep 4, 2019
2,078
6,973
39
Ontario
Cobs being referenced as subpar is also interesting. I consider a cob on par with any pipe standard and would preclude it from being a subpar option.

A subpar pipe, to me, would be a drilling 1/4” off center, doesn’t pass a pipe cleaner and enters your tobacco chamber 1/4” high. I don’t care how exceptional my tobacco is, it’s not going to be great in a piece of garbage.
I wouldn't say they are sub-par instruments for smoking, but in my opinion, they are downright hideous. I mean c'mon...it's a hunk of corncob glued to a stick for heaven sakes. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder I guess
 
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Misanthrope

Can't Leave
Apr 26, 2020
367
1,126
Texas
If sub-par means the pipe ruins or detracts from the exceptional tobacco, then this seems to me to be one of those "same clown in different makeup" choices. There's no point in smoking terrible tobacco in a lovely pipe or smoking wonderful tobacco in a pipe that makes it unenjoyable. If those are my choices, I'm passing on both.

If sub-par just means "factory pipe that's not a $500 artisanal piece", then I definitely am fine with smoking good tobacco in a perfectly fine non-artisanal pipe.
 

dog_park_piper

Can't Leave
Jun 15, 2021
484
3,264
The Woodlands, TX
If sub-par means the pipe ruins or detracts from the exceptional tobacco, then this seems to me to be one of those "same clown in different makeup" choices. There's no point in smoking terrible tobacco in a lovely pipe or smoking wonderful tobacco in a pipe that makes it unenjoyable. If those are my choices, I'm passing on both.

If sub-par just means "factory pipe that's not a $500 artisanal piece", then I definitely am fine with smoking good tobacco in a perfectly fine non-artisanal pipe.
Agreed.


If we place "sub-par pipe" on the spectrum of a functional & piece of art, "sub-par", for me, rests much farther on the functional side, but that doesn't mean "a piece of garbage"


I was thinking about what mug to use for black tea, hot coco, coffee, and green tea, and I immediately realized that it's the same. The "bowl" has to be big enough to coffee + cream but it doesn't matter if it was made by a famous clay turner.

I know you're all going to point out that a pipe's physics is much more of a factor for a good smoke than a mug's is for a good green tea, black tea, coffee, or hot coco. Those points are true - But I think the analogy can teach us something about pipes vs tobacco.

Could I drink Folgers coffee in a beautiful mug for the rest of my life? - Sure!

Could I drink my favorite coffee ever in a really generic mug? - Sure !


In the context of pipes & tobacco: I still lean toward "Folgers" (OTC tobacco) with a pipe that brings the experience up one notch more.
 
I was thinking... I could just make me a better pipe... then I remembered that, hell, I also grow great tobacco. So... I'm just a DIY sorta guy. I also make wine, grow my own food, hunt, fish... so... “¯\_(ツ)_/¯“
I don't really rely on the world for much, except nice clothes and good shoes. Maybe some other stuff from time to time.
 
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