Pipe Myths and misinformation

[admin]

Hey guys, I need some good examples of pipe myths and misinformation.
Examples of bad advice that new pipe smokers sometimes are given.
It's for an article I am working on.

 

[cortezattic]

G.L. Pease has written a bit on the myths of pipe smoking on his blog (near the bottom of the linked page.)
And you can do a little cherry picking from the "Pipe Smoker's Gazette" article Ten Myths of Pipe Smoking
Lastly, an article by J. Lawson: Catering to Pipe Smokers: Dispelling the Myths, which relies heavily on an interview of Jean-Paul Berrod, president of Berrod-Regad, the manufacturer best-known in the U.S. for the Butz-Choquin brand of pipes.
My favorite is from Pease, who busts the tobacco snob's claim: "I only smoke unflavored tobacco."

My 2nd favorite, which is still a matter of contention, is that lacquered pipe can't breathe (I know you disagree with that on, Kevin.)

 

[cortezattic]

As for "bad advice," I cringe whenever I hear someone advise a newbie to start with an aromatic tobacco. You know he doesn't have refined smoking habits, so why not just tell the guy to stick out his tongue so you can stab it a thousand times with an ice pick?

 

[admin]

LMAO at:

so why not just tell the guy to stick out his tongue so you can stab it a thousand times with an ice pick?

 

[cortezattic]

Sorry for the multiple postings, but at my age brainstorming has slowed down to a drizzle. Probably neither a myth nor bad advice, but a misconception, is that pipe gurgle is the result of saliva somehow working its way into the stem and down to the shank.
Not being a particularly "wet smoker" myself, I always suspected that moisture collected in the shank because it condensed out of the warm smoke stream as it encountered relatively cooler parts of the pipe.
This was confirmed, at least informally, here at PipesMagazine's forums by Iowa Phil, who, with inimitable creativity, used green food color to tag his saliva. He smoked until his pipe developed some gurgle and upon inspection the moisture was not colored green. That may not be high science, but it works for me.
OK, so I'll stop hogging the bandwidth and let someone else put in their 2¢

 

[fred]

Perhaps my favorite Pipe myth is that Meerschaum Pipes do not require

a break-in period... Another one is that Meerschaums will not ghost.

 

[hauntedmyst]

Myth: If you smoke a big pipe, you must be compensating for something else.

Myth: The more expensive the pipe, the better it with smoke.

Myth: Expensive pipes aren't worth it.

Myth: When GL Pease farts, it smells like Latakia

 

[cortezattic]

LOL. Man, you're incorrigible.

 

[changojoe]

Myth: When GL Pease farts, it smells like Latakia.... LMAO!!!

 

[admin]

LMFAO!

 

[menckenite]

Most of the important stuff has been covered in previous posts and links, so I thought I share a related myth.
Putting a drop of pipe tobacco juice on the tip of a cat's tongue will kill it.
Never tried it and don’t believe it but was inspired to come up with some new blend names: Cat’s Tongue, Sour Puss, Last Meow, Feline Fatale, Bitter Kitty, Wussy Pussy.

 

[cortezattic]

Few areas of the pipe smoking hobby are so fraught with wive's tales and myths as the break-in process.

I could state my opinions and practices, and I think there's even an old thread about it here at PM's forums;

but you might do well to review Russ Ouellette's pipe break-in advice, as his practical, common sense

approach goes a long way toward dispelling some strange ideas.

 

[igloo]

That beginners should not smoke ARO blends , ARO outsell all other tobaccos if you do not like them keep it to yourself less you ruin a newcomer of the joys of pipe smoking .

 

[cortezattic]

Shooting from the hip again, are we Igloo?

Tongue bite turns more beginners from the hobby than does the advice to put off smoking aromatics until one's palate and smoking technique have matured. I'm not saying that I don't like aro's, or that anyone who does like them has a problem. In fact, what I've said is rather a back-handed compliment. You sound a little bit touchy and defensive about being an aromatics smoker.
ps. You're beefing with a guy who smokes P.A. by the pound, so don't accuse me of tobacco elitism.

 

[igloo]

LMAO , Ive been waiting for that retort all day . I think I shall smoke some PA in yor veneration .

 

[cortezattic]

...and I'll have a bowl of 1-Q; but I'll slip on a condom first lest I catch a veneration disease.

BTW, 1-Q is one of the few aro's I would recommend, if a newbie was dead set on diving into aro's.

But IMO, 1-Q (and its alias forms) is an exceptional blend.

 

[igloo]

The whole stem thing about which is better , more opinions than Carters got liver pills .

 

[hauntedmyst]

lol

...and I'll have a bowl of 1-Q; but I'll slip on a condom first lest I catch a veneration disease.

 

[storm]

I've seen the little scoop on pipe tools described alternately as a reamer and as a tobacco spoon. As far as I know it could be either, but I doubt it's both.

 

[hauntedmyst]

Myth: Tying beach towels to your motorcycles rear wheel, putting it up on the center stand and revving the engine to the red line doesn't make a great pipe buffer. (Seriously, just hold the carnuba up to the exhaust before applying, the heat makes it all melty which makes the pipe all shiny.)