How Long Have You Been Smoking a Pipe? And Who Cares?

[jpberg]

I see lots of posts wherein we learn how long members have been smoking. Does it matter?
Is wisdom gained merely by decades of lighting a pipe?
To a slight extent, I’d say yes, but do you, dear reader, bestow auto genius on any and everyone who prefaces a post with “In my xx decades of smoking…”?
Discuss.

 

[cshubhra]

No … Rocket science is easy. Smoking a pipe is even easier.

Learning about Tobacciana history takes time though.

 

[warren]

Depends entirely on the poster. Years of experience certainly can lend credence to an answer and weight should be given to experience. That is, unless the respondent has a history of "off the mark responses," Keep in mind most here offer assistance/responses that are anecdotal at best. So yes, weight should be given unless history has demonstrated otherwise.

Yes learning to smoke is absurdly easy. Getting into blend differences? Experience counts. Asking about the experiences of others, "time in grade" is certainly a consideration when reading responses.

 

[Merton]

While I have learned technique in the 40 or so years, I have discovered that the pastime has a lot of exit ramps along the road. I have enjoyed reading about the history of pipes, most especially the recent thread which included a great array of ads from yesteryear (truly one of the very best threads ever on the site. It sent me to wikipedia several times to read more). I have learned a lot about different tobaccos but can still learn more (see Chuck Stanions piece in today's SP blog) and I have discovered that my tastes in pipes and tobaccos have waxed, waned and change over the years. Most importantly, I am no longer a pipe or tobacco snob and have come to realization that if you like pipesmoking you should smoke what you like...

 

[badbeard]

There is something to be said for years of experience, so in general, yes I respect that someone with more tenure than I deserves to be given a certain amount of assumed wisdom - until proven otherwise. It's how I was raised, I suppose.
On the flip side of that, I am highly suspicious of any person making absolute statements about anything, experienced or otherwise. Though, typically people who do this are those keyboard warriors poo-pooing a certain type of pipe or pouch/bulk tobacco, and you later find out they've only smoked a pipe for 3 months, and smoke like 1 bowl a month, and keep hoarded bags of Esoterica in humidity controlled converted wine fridge, or something ridiculous like that.

 

[mikebjrtx]

20 years and I’m sure there are some on here with more experience who have smoked less than a year.experience takes time and attention, and you learn a lot from mistakes

 

[ray47]

I've been smoking a pipe for 54 yrs and pretty much pack and smoke a pipe today like I did 54 yrs ago. What has changed and continues to change over time is my tastes in tobacco. I credit my participation in pipe smoking forums to opening up the world of blend selection.

 

[captainsousie]

For me, only about 10 years. If you ask my previous selves, it's about 150 years. I joke, I joke.

 

[olkofri]

Considering that mastery is attained after 10,000 hours of doing a given task, I'd say time put in does matter.

Of course, you have to have been doing it right those 10,000 hours.

 

[captainsousie]

Considering that mastery is attained after 10,000 hours of doing a given task, I'd say time put in does matter.

Of course, you have to have been doing it right those 10,000 hours.

This is truth. We can waste hundreds of hours but doing it right is the general idea.

 

[badbeard]

There is something to be said for years of experience, so in general, yes I respect that someone with more tenure than I deserves to be given a certain amount of assumed wisdom - until proven otherwise. It's how I was raised, I suppose.
On the flip side of that, I am highly suspicious of any person making absolute statements about anything, experienced or otherwise. Though, typically people who do this are those keyboard warriors poo-pooing a certain type of pipe or pouch/bulk tobacco, and you later find out they've only smoked a pipe for 3 months, and smoke like 1 bowl a month, and keep hoarded bags of Esoterica in humidity controlled converted wine fridge, or something ridiculous like that.

I also should point out that by feeling the need to flex, and use your years of experience as a qualifier to what you'll say next, immediately turns on my BS-O-Meter.
Sort of like when people say, "I don't mean to be rude, but..", and then everything after that is obviously going to be bold-faced rude.

 

[condorlover1]

Never really thought about it really but it is an intriguing question.

 

[bullet08]

Honest truth is, smoking is easy. People just aren't willing to try new things before asking others who have. If someone sits down and try bunch of things and experiment, they would learn to smoke somewhat comfortably in a week or two. Of course, some primer is helpful. Guide is good. But someone has to be told dry the tobacco and check, and keeps coming back saying "I dried it 15min! No didn't pinch it.." You gotta ask yourself how long it will take to understand a simple instruction. Not sure if years without results really counts.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

If it takes you more than a year or two to figure it out, you may have issues. But that also depends upon how many bowls per day or week you smoke. I think it's quantity over time. And now you have forums like this where the answer to practically every question can be found, you don't have to learn much by trial and error.

 

[jpberg]

Never really thought about it really but it is an intriguing question.

Simon, in my 4 decades of pipe smoking, I’ve never seen a more astute observation.
Ha! See what I did there.

 

[JOHN72]

Only two years or so. The pipe and tobacco destruction test has passed. Now I smoke happy, and I know when there are figs and plums, baked bread, and when there are roasted tyres with ketchup..............??

 

[jpmcwjr]

I see lots of posts wherein we learn how long members have been smoking. Does it matter?
Is wisdom gained merely by decades of lighting a pipe?

By many; not all!

To a slight extent, I’d say yes, but do you, dear reader, bestow auto genius on any and everyone who prefaces a post with “In my xx decades of smoking…”?
Discuss.

Absolutely not. Some of the worst advice or "tips" come from very long time smokers.

And I don't really care.....as much about that as capitalization in titles! (Edited to capitalize important words.)

 

[condorlover1]

I still don't have answer even after thinking about it. Let us be frank here. Who on the lords earth would want to get smoking tips or guidance from me? The only other person I know who is similar is @weezell. Every blend I like is usually unpleasant and designed for max nicotine delivery. My taste in pipe styles is at best questionable. Occasionally I can add something to a conversation if it involves something ancient and circa 1890/1900 but beyond that I am great believer that every pipe smoker finds his own pathway to inner smoking enlightenment!

 

[jpmcwjr]

Well, many at least!

Good point!

 

[JOHN72]

I am honestly very grateful to be surrounded by tobacco masters. I just smoke what my body accepts. I don't have enough experience. But all I know is that I love tobacco..............