Good Smokes vs. Habitual Smokes

[mso489]

I smoke about a bowl a day, each one intended to be a good smoke. I'd say I succeed about two-thirds of the time, though every week or two something ascends to above just good. The other third don't burn as well as hoped, don't summon the flavor desired, are too flat or bland, or go harsh or stale, sometimes with perfectly good pipes and blends. Sometimes these lesser smokes are okay in some dimension, part of the time. Few are a total loss, just not as good as expected.

 

[jpmcwjr]

Good observations above. Probably why I enjoy the first bowl of the day the most. If I am outside for any length, I tend to smoke bowl after bowl. Maybe I can modify that.

 

[bnichols23]

+1...

...dozen.

 

[bnichols23]

luigi: What's your definition of a "good smoke?" "5 bowls" is pretty arbitrary. How did you arrive a "5"?

It's been many years since I've experienced a bow less than "good" by my definition. I smoke more than "5" bowls a day because I enjoy my pipe. If I didn't enjoy my pipes I'd not smoke pipes and stick with cigars and cigarettes.

What he done said.

 

[bnichols23]

My amateur understanding of a "good smoke" would be every smoke that is really pleasant for at least half of the time when I'm smoking. I knew somebody would ask why "5 bowls". ? Roughly 5 bowls is a limit that I rarely exceed during the day. I wish my body would allow me to clench and enjoy more different tobaccos but assuming that one pipeful lasts approximately 45min and if one smokes 5 bowls a day that would be almost 4 hours of holding a pipe. And that's quite a lot for having one hand occupied for let's say 25% of the time when being awake. :D

Definitely KWYM. BITD (college, 45+ years ago), if I was awake I usually had a stem in my mouth (not in class, though). Oddly/sadly enough, I was at the old school a couple of weeks ago for a choir reunion & didn't know till 2/3s of the second day was over that the campus is 100% tobacco-"free" now. Bummed me some; when I was there a lot of both the students & the faculty smoked pipes. I had several of mine with me, & my car was my lounge. Nobody said anything; maybe they just didn't notice. :\

 

[danimalia]

I think it's a fair question. I smoke a bowl of strong tobacco every morning with my coffee. I am in nicotine withdrawal when I start, and I am positive that plays a role in how delicious and satisfying I find that bowl of GHC Dark Flake. When I smoked cigarettes, I absolutely agree that out of the 20 or so I smoked each day, maybe 5 at most were all that good.

I do smoke 5+ bowls on average (usually around 5-7), and I try to only buy tobaccos I really enjoy. Of course, some bowls are more pleasant than others. And while I do depend on the nicotine, I feel lucky to have found some blends that satisfy on that front, but don't sacrifice flavor. I also smoke some bowls almost entirely for flavor. Most English blends don't have much of a nic kick to me, but they can be sublime.

 

[cigrmaster]

I live to excess and moderation is a foul word in my existence.

 

[Lyle b]

How often do you have a bowl which could be defined a good smoke?
If you're one of those who smoke more than 5 bowls a day, is it just a habit?

I enjoy and appreciate every bowl i pac , if i,m smokeing i,m enjoying it , but to me its all about having the time or the right moment to put spark to pipe , as a long time former durrie smoker , i find its the having time to enjoy a pipe , and the quality of tobacco , is just one of many reasons why for me , pipe smokeing is so much more than how many bowls you smoke . You cant just jam one in whenever as with cigs . So no , for me pipe smokeing is not a habitual act.

 

[subsalac]

Hmmm. As a born-again newbie pipe smoker, getting everything just right is tough for me-- packing, a well rested pipe, ideally dried tobacco, the right tobacco, a pipe that smokes well. When these things align, I get a good smoke. Some days are just off days, alas.

My goal is always to experience what the tobacco has to offer in sensory terms, smell, taste, texture, effects on my feeling of wellbeing. I don't think I'm just going through the motions out of habit or anything, but it could be the case. When that nirvana smoke occurs, I savor it.

 

[Chasing Embers]

When that nirvana smoke occurs, I savor it.

The less you think about it, the more of those you get.

 

[tokerpipes]

Habitual, habit, addiction, try instinct. I was a nail smoker for over 20 years with a 2-3 pack habit. My dad was a pipe smoker most my life till about 2 years before he died. My grandfather smokes nails his entire life also. So, for me to call it a habit, it sounds dirty, it sounds negative. Both of them died of bacon and eggs not the tobacco they used. Will I? Don’t know but for me it’s all instinct, tradition passed down from father to son.

 

[Chasing Embers]

So, for me to call it a habit, it sounds dirty, it sounds negative.

Habit

noun
an acquired behavior pattern regularly followed until it has become almost involuntary

?Yep, that'd be me.

 

[blackpowderpiper]

I smoke anywhere from 2-5 bowls a day depending on various factors. The morning bowl with coffee and the evening bowl before bed are the constants. I may grab a bowl here and there during the day if the mood strikes and time provides. Having said that, I would say that most all of my bowls are good and I enjoy them immensely. Occasionally, factors will combine to make certain smokes great. Rarely do I ever have what I would consider a bad bowl.

I firmly believe that my pipes contribute to my overall well being. They provide me with comfort and relaxation, they help reduce anxiety, they clear my mind and focus my thoughts. Last but certainly not least, they provide me with much appreciated nicotine. As with many others, I too used to smoke cigs and also used smokeless tobacco so the nicotine, at least for me, is a very welcome thing. All of these things contribute to the pleasure that I receive from my pipes.

 

[davek]

Hmmm, I'm going to define habit as that monkey on my back as opposed to a muscle memory ritual withheld.

When I'm craving nicotine a little and also maybe am in a place in my day where I can relax a bit, that would would give a great smoke. Early morning before anyone else wakes up... strong tobacco... maybe take a deep breath while the smoke from that first puff is still floating around my head so as to inhale a little bit... yeah...

So, the tobacco habit may play a role in those great smokes for everyone, actually. Be it a large habit or a small one.

 

[sumusfumus]

Hello, and Merry Christmas to all... Peace on earth to all men of good will.

Since I started smoking and blending my own special mixture, I have enjoyed the routine and experience of smoking my pipe(s). I didn't enjoy every bowlful when I was less discerning, and still searching and sampling around for that "go to" blend....that 'special" blend that would strip my gears every time I light up. Eureka!...I made it, and so I found it, and now I smoke it....and those less-than-satisfying old days, are over. Now....it's all good.

However, since I could, but will not, smoke in my home, (I hate the smell of old, stale smoke, and stench of rank pipe cleaners/ashtrays), I only manage to smoke one or two bowls a day, sometimes not even that. I smoke a very large pipe, and it takes a good hour+ for each smoking session. I hate being vexed by trivial problems and interruptions while smoking, so I have to pick and chose where and when I light up. Not easy to do living in NYC- with its bitter, freeing-cold, broiling hot weather cycles, and constant nerve-jarring noise. To get away from it all, I need to drive a few miles away, to a quiet spot, overlooking the Long Island Sound. There... I can kick back, smoke my pipe, watch the seagulls catching those balmy breezes, effortlessly drifting by.... while crapping on my car windows. Nirvana!

I'm generally a solitary smoker, and enjoy some contemplative, quiet time, without all the inane yapping that usually intrudes when smoking with others. So, I really can't sit in my living room, whip it out, and light up when ever the bug bites me. I'm fine with this. It forces me to enjoy my smokes when I do get to occasion to sit back, relax and light up my favorite pipe-du-jour. Sometimes, less is more.

Ever notice how your newest, "I-just-gotta-have-it", pipe....quickly becomes your "favorite" pipe! ....and just as quickly, gets dropped for the old, well used, stand-by pipe that you've been smoking for years? Some pipes punch you in the face, some kick you in the groin, forcing you to take them home....but others gently sing their hymns of praise, and in the end, will always be your humble friends.

 

[tokerpipes]

Ever notice how your newest, "I-just-gotta-have-it", pipe....quickly becomes your "favorite" pipe! ....and just as quickly, gets dropped for the old, well used, stand-by pipe that you've been smoking for years? Some pipes punch you in the face, some kick you in the groin, forcing you to take them home....but others gently sing their hymns of praise, and in the end, will always be your humble friends.

I am not sure but most of us (or at least me) call that the break in period. Although when I started on here there was a member that had so many pipes that he never smoked the same pipe twice in a year.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

I smoke 5 or 6 bowls per day. Most days, all of them are good smokes.

 

[mso489]

This is somewhat a philosophical question, about what is good and what is habitual. Many cups of morning coffee are completely habitual and completely good. Since time and inclination seem to steer me toward a pipe bowl a day, some days two, and on the occasional weekend the wild debauchery of three, most seem at least somewhat special, that is, good. My dad smoked from breakfast to bedtime, with time out for meals. He said often that first pipe bowl was what got him up in the morning, so it may have been habitual and good too. When I have three or four bowls in a row, I just naturally think it's enough. An element of scarcity makes it better ... for me.

 

[verporchting]

Can’t speak for anyone else but for me if it ever becomes a habit I’d probably drop it like a hot rock. The entire point for me is the enjoyment and relaxation, enjoying the flavors. Zen. So, yeah, they’re all good smokes, never habit. YMMV. It’s all good though. Whatever your reason for smoking is, it’s not wrong if you enjoy it.

 

[hauntedmyst]

The only smokes I have that aren't good are when I am trying a new tobacco that doesn't suit me or I have a cold coming on.