Good And Bad Smokers

[K.E. Powell]

It's an age old debate, and a good one. I'm always of the mind that between the two, the user is always of greater importance than the tool. A great bass player, for example, can make a cheap bass sound groovy, but someone with no aptitude for musicianship will make even the best bass sound horrid. At the same time, the tool is still very important. Using the bass analogy again, a great player can play and sound even better with a high quality setup. And if you give a bass player a, say, harpsicord, you gave him the wrong tool, and he will sound terrible regardless of his skill. The right tool, for the right job, for the right person.

That all being said, smoking a pipe isn't exactly a high-end skill like learning an instrument. Even so, good technique and good tobacco make a major difference. If you suck on the stem like a $10 hooker in Tijuana, then that tobacco will burn hot no matter the quality of the *ahem* wood.

I think the real sticking point of the debate, in my opinion, is a matter of diminishing returns. You see, a lot of smokers that invest in very expensive artisan pipes will make it sound as if their $1000+ pipe truly smokes better than a $100 factory pipe. Now, it almost surely does! But does it smoke ten times better to justify that cost? That determination is up to the buyer, of course; however, I do think that at a certain point, the differences in quality become less readily apparent as costs rise.

But that leads to another issue, i.e. most of us are inclined to treat our pipes as more than just tools. Their value to us is not just solely based in their performance, but also their aesthetic appeal, craftsmanship, shape, material makeup, etc.

 

[huntertrw]

Good and Bad Smokers

Good Smoker:


Bad Smoker:

 

[TheIronMonkey]

Good Smoker:
View attachment 174904

Bad Smoker:
View attachment 174905

There’s no evidence that @Carol has bad smoking technique.

 

[Searock Fan]

...and the debate goes on. Here's a few things I believe and you can accept them or not. Your choice.

. The most expert pipe smoker in the world can't get a good smoke from a bad pipe.

. The quality of the raw briar will have a large effect on the pipe's final taste.

. The "curing" of the wood is a big factor in the final quality of the smoke.

. A well made factory pipe can smoke as good and any so called "artisan" pipe.

. Some "artisan" pipes are not so artistic after all... and can smoke like crap.

. High price does not always insure a good smoking pipe.

. Some brands almost always guarantee a good smoke and others not so much.

. Some smokers get "star struck" by an artisan maker and over rate their pipes.

. The reputation of a brand can depend on it's promotion as much as it's quality.

. There is a lot of BS in the pipe smoking community... just like ever where else.

 

[FLDRD]

"I kept trying that little Pete, and it kept on giving wet smokes. No matter how slow I smoked or how much I dried the tobacco"

How can that be? Doesn't the "well" in a Peterson prevent wetness? Or could it be like I've always thought, that the well is

"I kept trying that little Pete, and it kept on giving wet smokes. No matter how slow I smoked or how much I dried the tobacco"

How can that be? Doesn't the "well" in a Peterson prevent wetness? Or could it be like I've always thought, that the well is just a selling gimmick and nothing more?

just a selling gimmick and nothing more?

If it was a "little" Pete, then doesn't that most likely indicate it did not have a reservoir?

 

[Searock Fan]

If it was a "little" Pete, then doesn't that most likely indicate it did not have a reservoir?

Maybe you're right.... in that case, never mind!

 

[cigrmaster]

Got it. More blondes, brunettes, and redheads.

Allrighty, then...

View attachment 174845
View attachment 174847
View attachment 174848

LOL, George how about a warning next time, I almost spit one of my Jack Howell Rhodesians out of my mouth. I always knew you were twisted but man that is a whole new level. Thanks for the belly laugh.

 

[cigrmaster]

It's an age old debate, and a good one. I'm always of the mind that between the two, the user is always of greater importance than the tool. A great bass player, for example, can make a cheap bass sound groovy, but someone with no aptitude for musicianship will make even the best bass sound horrid. At the same time, the tool is still very important. Using the bass analogy again, a great player can play and sound even better with a high quality setup. And if you give a bass player a, say, harpsicord, you gave him the wrong tool, and he will sound terrible regardless of his skill. The right tool, for the right job, for the right person.

That all being said, smoking a pipe isn't exactly a high-end skill like learning an instrument. Even so, good technique and good tobacco make a major difference. If you suck on the stem like a $10 hooker in Tijuana, then that tobacco will burn hot no matter the quality of the *ahem* wood.

I think the real sticking point of the debate, in my opinion, is a matter of diminishing returns. You see, a lot of smokers that invest in very expensive artisan pipes will make it sound as if their $1000+ pipe truly smokes better than a $100 factory pipe. Now, it almost surely does! But does it smoke ten times better to justify that cost? That determination is up to the buyer, of course; however, I do think that at a certain point, the differences in quality become less readily apparent as costs rise.

But that leads to another issue, i.e. most of us are inclined to treat our pipes as more than just tools. Their value to us is not just solely based in their performance, but also their aesthetic appeal, craftsmanship, shape, material makeup, etc.

K.E, great post. I have been reading all your posts and they are always very informative. Even after smoking a pipe over 20 years you can always learn new stuff. I like how you use paragraphs as that makes things easier for me to comprehend. I deal with Dementia and reading how you format your posts is a big help.
I hope you stick around as I believe you have a lot to offer our community here. Thanks for taking the time to do what you do.

 

[sablebrush52]

​

 

[K.E. Powell]

K.E, great post. I have been reading all your posts and they are always very informative. Even after smoking a pipe over 20 years you can always learn new stuff. I like how you use paragraphs as that makes things easier for me to comprehend. I deal with Dementia and reading how you format your posts is a big help.
I hope you stick around as I believe you have a lot to offer our community here. Thanks for taking the time to do what you do.

Thanks, man! I really appreciate the kind words.

 

[Ryan]

If it was a "little" Pete, then doesn't that most likely indicate it did not have a reservoir?

It was an Aran smooth 03 (apple) with nickel band. It was not a system pipe, but it actually did kind of have a reservoir because the mortise hole went pretty deep into the pipe, far past where the tenon extended. The draft hole went in at a different angle.

 

[mingc]

There seems to be some disagreement about whether some pipes smoke better than others. I hear some people say such-and-such pipe is a "good smoker" as opposed to others which may tend to gurgle, whistle, or have a restricted draw, etc. On the other hand, some other members have assured me, comparing pipes is like comparing drinking straws. They all do essentially the same thing, which is deliver smoke to the mouth, and the factors which determine whether or not you get a "good smoke", are related more to tobacco moisture, smoking cadence, relative humidity, atmospheric pressure, etc. etc. So, which side do you fall on? Are there "good smokers" and "bad smokers" in the world of pipes, and what factors determine which pipes fall on one or the other side of divide?

To anyone who doesn't believe that a pipe can be inherently bad smoking, give me a hundred bucks and I'll make a you a pipe that proves you wrong. Caveat: I'm a busy guy, so it might take me a while to get to it, though I don't plan to spend much time making the pipe.