Formula for Number of Pipes Needed.

[Streeper541]

 

[bullet08]

38. Meaning I have plenty for a month without using same pipe and extra. Takes up very little room.

 

[Briar Lee]

@greysmoke's interesting thread on "hitting bottom" got me thinking about how you'd determine the number of pipes you "need."

I guess the formula would be something like:

(number of genres you want to dedicate pipes to) x ([maximum number of bowls you might ever smoke in a day] x 2) = maximum number of pipes you could ever "need."

I say "([maximum number of bowls you might ever smoke in a day] x 2)" on the generally accepted rule of thumb that you should give a pipe a day of rest in between smokes. So, IF you ever were going to smoke from only one genre, for 2+ days, and IF you were going to have the maximum number of pipes on both of those two days, then you'd "need" this many pipes to give each one that day of rest.

Of course guys wind up with different numbers of genres they want pipes dedicated to not only because not all guys smoke all genres, but also because guys differ on how broad a category should be. E.g. one guy uses the same pipes for VAs and VaPers, whereas another guys uses different pipes for Straight VAs and for VaPers. Or, one guy uses the same pipes for Aros and Lakelands, whereas another guy uses different pipes for Aros and for Lakelands. Etc.

So, in my particular case, I want pipes in 3 categories:

1. VAs and VaPers
2. Balkan and English
3. Aromatic and Lakeland

And the maximum number of pipes I ever smoke in a day is 3 (rare).

So, I could never "need" more than 18 pipes, in my case.

Would you do the math differently? And whether you do the math this way or that, how many pipes do you wind up "needing"?

The first true pipe lover I watched smoking several pipes in rotation was Harry Hosterman.

He smoked Prince Albert, outside his home, and I doubt he even knew what cavendish, Latakia and Va Pers were.

Harry used to put one Dr Grabow in his Big Smith bib overalls pocket and he kept two in his truck, all changed over every day.

Each night he’d clean his pipes when he sharpened his saw chains and put his chainsaws to bed.

He’d let those three pipes rest a week, at least, then start over. Most all were small Dr Grabow billiards.

So he needed 21, and he probably had two dozen. Ozarkians prefer owning things by the dozen. We just do.

But since I smoke many, multiple, too many to count types of tobacco, and a lot more than Harry did, I figure I need at least a dozen dozen in service, and two gross is even better, to never run out.

My funeral will cost more than all the pipes I own, but my heirs may recoup some of the cost when they peddle my dozens upon dozens of nice old pipes, you know?

 

[Elric]

View attachment 206234

Actually, 42 may be close to the correct number!

 

[ray47]

I never was good at math. I guess that's why I have so many pipes. I can't take them with me when I leave this world, so no need for a formula.

 

[telescopes]

My brother-in-law is an engineer. He was putting together a rather large trampoline in the backyard. He calculated how the force needed to attach the springs increased with the attachment of each spring and asked me if I could assist him pulling the tarp so he could attach the springs as he neared the end. I watched as he increasingly struggled as the tension increased with the addition of each spring. Finally he called me over. I walked up and rather than pulling the tarp toward the spring , I pulled each spring toward the tarp. Effortlessly. I realized then that engineers overthink things.

 

[greysmoke]

I've tried various permutations of the formula, but the number I keep coming up with is 30.

 

[ThermionicScott]

Actually, 42 may be close to the correct number!

Now, what was the question?

 

[bassbug]

The number of pipes you actually need AxBx0+1

Assign any value or criteria you wish to A and B

 

[PipeWI]

The problem is it's not a finite set at any one point in time, unlike teeth or spouses.

 

[PipeWI]

Not of course that that is actually a problem! As of this morning's purchase, I'm at 31 in regular use, about 12-15 in my humidor waiting to be sold or for my eye to be caught again.

 

[pipingfool]

I actually reduced my number of pipes a while back from about 45 to around 21 because I had a bunch of estate pipes and sold them to purchase a smaller number of artisan pipes.

There are few more pipes that I want to get. I want a 7 day set of a particular shape from a particular carver and I currently have 2. So that's 5 more right there. And I want a really nice Meerschaum. I have one, but the stem/tenon is awful, so I would like a nice one. And I want one Peterson Silver Spigot, but I haven't been able to narrow it down to one particular shape/finish.

So that's at least 7 more pipes, not to mention any others that call to me.

I would say that a stable of 40-45 of really nice pipes will be perfect for me for the rest of my smoking journey.

 

[kcghost]

Then I would need a formula for all the pipes I have on hand. Remember we have to be able to explain our obsession to the wife.

 

[Elric]

Now, what was the question?

I always forget that part!

 

[BarrelProof]

Enough to where you forget where you keep them and have happy little surprises all the time.

 

[Searock Fan]

I've noticed that briars that go for a long time without being smoked will smoke "better" when you finally light them up. I don't know what the magic time is you should wait so I'm going to say one year to achieve maximum effect. I figure I smoke about 12 bowls a day, therefore the ideal number of pipes in my case would be 4,380. I'm a few short.....

 

[mso489]

So many variables. For example, if you aren't a purist about ghosting, you can tolerate some carryover between blends, and that is intensely associated with ones taste and sensitivity. Also, if you do not build cake, but only scoop out the ash and wipe out the bowl with an abrasive paper towel, that reduces ghosting with most blends almost to oblivion, and maintains the original size of the bowl. Plus, if you have more pipes, and no cake, you have an especially low ghosting quotient.

The only blends that would cause me to dedicate a pipe are Lakeland aromatics, and since I don't smoke them, I don't dedicate pipes.

But the mathematical reckoning to address this question is fascinating. I'm always interested in how math addresses probabilities in physics and biology, and indeed, how it sometimes doesn't.

P.S. SBC, thank you for the Tilbury! I wrote you an actual snail mail note that should get there one of these days.

 

[Grumpy11]

Formula or not, I own about 75 collected over 45 years

 

[anotherbob]

@greysmoke's interesting thread on "hitting bottom" got me thinking about how you'd determine the number of pipes you "need."

I guess the formula would be something like:

(number of genres you want to dedicate pipes to) x ([maximum number of bowls you might ever smoke in a day] x 2) = maximum number of pipes you could ever "need."

I say "([maximum number of bowls you might ever smoke in a day] x 2)" on the generally accepted rule of thumb that you should give a pipe a day of rest in between smokes. So, IF you ever were going to smoke from only one genre, for 2+ days, and IF you were going to have the maximum number of pipes on both of those two days, then you'd "need" this many pipes to give each one that day of rest.

Of course guys wind up with different numbers of genres they want pipes dedicated to not only because not all guys smoke all genres, but also because guys differ on how broad a category should be. E.g. one guy uses the same pipes for VAs and VaPers, whereas another guys uses different pipes for Straight VAs and for VaPers. Or, one guy uses the same pipes for Aros and Lakelands, whereas another guy uses different pipes for Aros and for Lakelands. Etc.

So, in my particular case, I want pipes in 3 categories:

1. VAs and VaPers
2. Balkan and English
3. Aromatic and Lakeland

And the maximum number of pipes I ever smoke in a day is 3 (rare).

So, I could never "need" more than 18 pipes, in my case.

Would you do the math differently? And whether you do the math this way or that, how many pipes do you wind up "needing"?

I don't like this formula don't like it at all. I get zero. I don't dedicate pipes.

 

[Chasing Embers]

For the meer smokers in the crowd. How would meers affect the formula? How much Rest between smokes does a meer need?

@Chasing Embers says none, and he's living it right now with that sweet owl.

Also see @didimauw

In the middle of smoke 110 right now. I've done briars the same way though.