To answer your questions: No it's not necessary. Yes I have a rotation. I choose a different Briar and tobacco every time I smoke. Sometimes I will smoke a Meerschaum more than once.
Is Having a Rotation Necessary?
- Thread starter mikethompson
- Start date
SmokingPipes.com Updates
Watch for Updates Twice a Week
PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor
Site Sponsors
PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor
PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor
PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor
PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor
OK, it seems like I am in the minority. What a shock. I have 36 -- OK, more like 40 -- in my rotation and work through them in about 10-14 days. I get great satisfaction from working my way through my three pipe racks (ergo 36, in theory, in my rotation). Because I have "culled" down my pipes to 36 (and change) it's fun for me because I get to visit with each of my pipes as I rotate. Yes, I'm OCD.
Years and years ago, I found if I smoked the same pipe day after day it got soggy and smelled rank, but it took lots of days in a row for that to happen.
I wasn’t as fastidious then about cleaning or reaming a pipe then, as I am today. Perhaps with lots of cleaning you could smoke one pipe for a long, long time with it turning sour.
The best practice is to not smoke the same pipe more than a day out of seven. That’s been the universal advice about rotating pipes all my life.
I have so many pipes now, the trouble I have is smoking every one, in a year’s time. I’ll forget a few, or I have a bunch at the farm, or in my vehicles, and I don’t keep score of which one I smoke.
It’s a very first world problem, you know?
It may have been consensus in your group. I respectfully submit that it has always been far from universal.
I don't think anything in pipesmoking is absolutely necessary.
Don't wanna clean your pipe... have at it.
Want to use a flame thrower to light your pipe... have at it.
Want to load the stem full of tobacco and use the bowl as your stem... have at it.
Want to smoke it upside down, through your nose... please post pics.
Don't wanna clean your pipe... have at it.
Want to use a flame thrower to light your pipe... have at it.
Want to load the stem full of tobacco and use the bowl as your stem... have at it.
Want to smoke it upside down, through your nose... please post pics.
My Grandfather smoked one pipe exclusively. The only times he didn't have a pipe in his mouth was while eating and sleeping. He never had two pipes in his possession and any time. He smoked Kaywoodies, Grabows and medicos. He replaced his pipe about every six weeks.
Mike S.
Mike S.
Working a 7/12, most people see me only in uniform blue shirts.
I have multiple rotations. Which I smoke is based on the tobacco I feel like smoking.
I have an English pipe rotation for English tobaccos. I have an Italian rotation for Virginias. I have an American rotation for Burleys and Perique. I have a Danish rotation for Aromatics.
I like all the pipes in my rotations. I don't subscribe to the "what I reach for" method. That's how you hold onto things you never use. If I ever get to a pipe in my rotation I don't feel like smoking, I'll sell it and buy one I do feel like smoking.
Rotations are for people who enjoy all their pipes.
I have an English pipe rotation for English tobaccos. I have an Italian rotation for Virginias. I have an American rotation for Burleys and Perique. I have a Danish rotation for Aromatics.
I like all the pipes in my rotations. I don't subscribe to the "what I reach for" method. That's how you hold onto things you never use. If I ever get to a pipe in my rotation I don't feel like smoking, I'll sell it and buy one I do feel like smoking.
Rotations are for people who enjoy all their pipes.
The main thing is to keep your bic's in rotation, working through the rainbow during the week, and grey through black in the weekend. White for pubic holidays obviously.
Darn! I just bought a pack of 50 BICs. Not sure how I will manage to rotate them, along with rotating pipes, tobacco, tampers and pouches. Guess I need an AI program to help,.
Quite simple, really....
Sort your pipes in ascending order of chamber volume, cross referenced by weight. The lighters should be sorted by colour and remaining butane. The tobaccos should be rotated in order of reverse age, cross referenced by the cut of the blend and then by its constituent types of leaf. it goes without saying that you should never smoke pipe that is in the top 37% of chamber volume with a blend that is less than6 months old while using a primary colour lighter. Some of the lesser known rules of rotation have to do with the alignment of the constellation Orion with the phase of the moon, but only if you're in the northern hemisphere. Don't forget that bent pipes and shag cut tobacco is an absolute no no on any odd day of the month unless its between the summer solstice and the fall equinox.
Or, you can smoke any friggin' way you feel like it...
I find that as i prepare for the day that a pipe pops into my mind and That invariably that is the pipe which goes into my pocket. While i have about 60 pipes at present, most of the time it is one of about 20 which get regularly smoked. Sort of a natural rotation which is also informed by the type of blend which i take with me. It is not perfect but it is comfortable and it works
Why own pipes that you don't smoke?
This is exactly why I have an organized rotation; so I know that I'm smoking all my purchases. Space and money are too valuable in my collection to own a pipe I don't want to smoke.
