Newbie Here, Question About Pipes & Tobaccos

[Goggy302]

I've been in the pipe world about 3 months so far and I thinks it's great. But sometimes it seems so confusing. My question it's probably been ask before.
1. Pipe bowl chambers size for different blends of tobacco. True or False. If true what size chamber size is recommended for what blends.
2. I started having pipes for my Englishs, Balkan and Orientals blends. Pipes for my Virginia's, Va, Burleys and Kentucky's. Now I have pipes just for my Aeromantics.
Don't know if I'm doing this right or just over thinking it.
3. Can I just smoke English's and Virginia blends out of one pipe.
Thanks

 

[Jaylotw]

1. Somewhat true. Some English blends burn better in bigger bowls and you get a wider variety of flavors-I think just because you can fit more tobacco in there and thus have a wider array of whatever leaf types are in the blend. Might be some technical aspects with burning etc. but you can smoke whatever you want, in whatever sized bowl you like. It’s all preference, not right or wrong.

2. The only dedicated pipes I have are one cob for the occasional aromatic. I’ve tried dedicating pipes to “families” of tobacco, and a lot of people do that, but I tend to forget which is which and I enjoy my pipes just as much as anyone else. Do what you want, you’re not hurting anything! Aromatics do tend to ghost a pipe, so I keep a separate pipe for those, but everything else gets smoked in whatever. You can do as you please, again as long as you’re enjoying your smoking, you’re not doing anything wrong!

3. Of course you can! Now, some might say that the ghost of the English blend might mask some of the nuances of the VA, but then again, maybe not. Maybe you don’t care so much about nuances. You’re not going to ruin any pipes this way, so just enjoy them! Maybe one day you’ll want to dedicate a pipe to VAs, and that’s fine. Maybe you won’t care. That’s fine, too!

 

[Goggy302]

1. Somewhat true. Some English blends burn better in bigger bowls and you get a wider variety of flavors-I think just because you can fit more tobacco in there and thus have a wider array of whatever leaf types are in the blend. Might be some technical aspects with burning etc. but you can smoke whatever you want, in whatever sized bowl you like. It’s all preference, not right or wrong.

2. The only dedicated pipes I have are one cob for the occasional aromatic. I’ve tried dedicating pipes to “families” of tobacco, and a lot of people do that, but I tend to forget which is which and I enjoy my pipes just as much as anyone else. Do what you want, you’re not hurting anything! Aromatics do tend to ghost a pipe, so I keep a separate pipe for those, but everything else gets smoked in whatever. You can do as you please, again as long as you’re enjoying your smoking, you’re not doing anything wrong!

3. Of course you can! Now, some might say that the ghost of the English blend might mask some of the nuances of the VA, but then again, maybe not. Maybe you don’t care so much about nuances. You’re not going to ruin any pipes this way, so just enjoy them! Maybe one day you’ll want to dedicate a pipe to VAs, and that’s fine. Maybe you won’t care. That’s fine,

 

[Goggy302]

So pretty much about do what you feel. There is no wrong or right way. Just enjoy your pipes and tobaccos. I'll just keep aside pipes for my Aromatic blends. Thanks for the reply ?

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

I prefer smaller bowl ID for Virginia's and flakes in general. .75 - .80. While I don't smoke many English blends, a larger bowl ID seems to work well with more complex blends.

I definitely dedicate pipes to a genre.

It's your pipe, you can do what you wish. However, Virginia's are a more delicate blend, I can easily detect a Latakia ghost if I smoke a Virginia in a pipe that has smoked Latakia blends. I don't find that to be a good thing. YMMV

 

[edger]

I prefer smaller bowl ID for Virginia's and flakes in general. .75 - .80. While I don't smoke many English blends, a larger bowl ID seems to work well with more complex blends.

I definitely dedicate pipes to a genre.

It's your pipe, you can do what you wish. However, Virginia's are a more delicate blend, I can easily detect a Latakia ghost if I smoke a Virginia in a pipe that has smoked Latakia blends. I don't find that to be a good thing. YMMV

Amen, brother.

 

[gamzultovah]

I can easily detect a Latakia ghost if I smoke a Virginia in a pipe that has smoked Latakia blends. I don't find that to be a good thing. YMMV

+1... I bought an estate pipe that was used exclusively for Balkan blends and no matter what I tried in an effort to remove the flavor, I could never fully remove it. Virginia blends just tasted nasty in that pipe. Certain tobaccos do need a dedicated pipe (IMO).

 

[Goggy302]

That's why I'm going to keep to my routine lol. English/Balkan/Orientals pipes. Virginia/Va/Burleys/ pipes and Pipes for aeromantics. You can never have enough pipes anyway lol?

 

[wyfbane]

Agreed. I keep pipes to genre. Some tobaccos, like those with deertongue or Lakeland essence, should have a pipe dedicated just to them.

 

[ashdigger]

This is supposed to be easy and if you way overthink it then you are absolutely a pipe smoker.

Wait until you fret about the perfect smoke, perfect cleaning methods, bulk vs tin, aging 6 months vs 8 months vs 28 years, does Latakia really smell like my hair is on fire or do matches work for the initial light, but only a brass zippo with an estate wick for the true light.

 

[Mr_houston]

I keep it simple generally with pipes for Virginia blends and pipes for English blends. If I forget which is which, a quick smell test tells me.

I don’t smoke burley or aromatics much, but I do have a general pipe for everything else that doesn’t fit the 2 categories above, which is particularly useful at pipe club meetings.

So, it depends on how much you like Virginia’s and care about their nuances. If you don’t care that much, then smoke them in whatever.

 

[Goggy302]

Agreed. I keep pipes to genre. Some tobaccos, like those with deertongue or Lakeland essence, should have a pipe dedicated just to them.

You see now I'm lost. Now I need Separate pipes for Lakelands essence. I never even heard of deertongue. This is getting over whelming ?

 

[Jaylotw]

So pretty much about do what you feel. There is no wrong or right way. Just enjoy your pipes and tobaccos. I'll just keep aside pipes for my Aromatic blends. Thanks for the reply ?

so I guess maybe I should add that keeping pipes to genres is a good thing in lots of smokers minds, and has its merits for sure, but it’s not some kind of requirement. It very well may increase your enjoyment, or it might complicate things or provide no noticeable difference. That’s for you to decide!

For a while, I had a Comoy’s pipe that I only used for VAs, then, one day, I wanted some Billy Budd and only had that pipe...so I smoked some Billy Budd in it and it was delicious. The next day I remember filling that pipe with Full Virginia Flake, and yeah I could taste a little ghosty Latakia in there, but I was ok with it. I was so OK with it, in fact, that I just decided to stop keeping pipes to genres except aros.

Like Hoosier said, your mileage may vary, but don’t feel like you’re breaking some kind of rule if you switch pipes. The worst that can happen is you’ve got some ghost flavors happening, or you don’t taste every nuance of a milder blend-and neither of those things is a really a big deal.

 

[cigrmaster]

I dedicate all of my pipes to either a genre or a specific pipe. For example, I smoke flake or plug tobacco 99% of the time. I have my Virginia pipes, my Virginia Perique pipes, my Virginia/Kentucky/Burley pipes and finally my aromatic pipes(only 2 blends). I then have my blend specific pipes. I have my Esoterica Stonehaven pipes, my Orlik Dark Strong Kentucky pipes and others. I have found that when I get a really great combo, I stick with it until I get bored or I want to try a different blend in a different pipe.

This is what I do, plenty of people look at me like I am a wack job and laugh at me behind my back and that is ok. There are no rule books and we can do what ever we like and never have to answer to anyone.

 

[gamzultovah]

You see now I'm lost. Now I need Separate pipes for Lakelands essence. I never even heard of deertongue. This is getting over whelming ?

Don’t worry, it all comes with time and how much you truly take an interest in the hobby. To tell you the truth, I was much happier before I knew what Lakeland and deertongue were. This to, is good.

 

[Goggy302]

Don’t worry, it all comes with time and how much you truly take an interest in the hobby. To tell you the truth, I was much happier before I knew what Lakeland and deertongue were. This to, is good.

I'm just going to enjoy my pipes and tobaccos and not think that much. I'm not going to make it hard. It's supposed to be about relaxation not stress ?

 

[anotherbob]

I never worry about any of that. I just smoke whatever I feel like in whatever pipe. I know I could never dedicate as I'd end up breaking my own rule if I tried it. Though I like the subtle hint of what I have smoked before coming through my pipe.

 

[PipeIT]

I'm just going to enjoy my pipes and tobaccos and not think that much. I'm not going to make it hard. It's supposed to be about relaxation not stress ?

As mentioned by others, some blends, they can possibly leave behind some scent/flavor, AKA a Ghost. ?

Keep the pipes cleaned good, also smoking some straight burly on occasion is suppose to clean out a Ghost, if you ever run into that problem!

Enjoy, there’s a wealth of information here, you’ll get it! ?

 

[tschiraldi]

You see now I'm lost. Now I need Separate pipes for Lakelands essence. I never even heard of deertongue. This is getting over whelming ?

Ooooooh! Deer tongue is YUMMY!!!

 

[pipesmokersg]

I have a couple of cobs dedicated for new blends .. C&D Visions of Celephaïs was one aromatic that ghosted and that cob is now dedicated to aros.