Process Of Selecting Next Smoke.

[bullet08]

Although I don't do much now days, time is rather important to me. Not sure why. I really don't do much. But, an hour sitting out there for a pipe smoke is a big commitment. Sometimes, it's big enough, i don't make it. So, I try to make most out of it. This means pipe and tobacco selection night before the next smoke. Since I only smoke pipe once a day at most, i try to make it as enjoyable as possible. Typically, tobacco is first selected. Then, a pipe to match the tobacco. Sometimes, the pipe will change depends on the mood or how I'll prep the blend. Today, I had aromatic. Tomorrow will be VA. Picked out Peterson SH Rathbone for the experience. The tobacco will be a flake, and it will be fold and stuffed. Pipe was cleaned, silver polished, once over with microfiber.. Sitting on a stand and waiting for tomorrow. Of course, it's a rather silly issue, but I can't sleep and sauce's getting to me.

 

[blackpowderpiper]

I'd like to say I have a process but I really don't. I smoke around 3-5 bowls a day and while I enjoy each one, it's not something that I put a lot of thought into. I may think about it a minute or two prior to loading up. Sometimes I'll smoke the same two or three pipes for several days in a row. Same with blends. If I'm into a blend, I may smoke it till it's gone. I'll go through spells where all I smoke is Virginias, and then I may have a week or two or a month where I primarily smoke burleys. I guess I'm trying to say that there is no method to my madness. The main thing is that we all enjoy our smokes.

 

[The Amish Tyrant]

Although I don't do much now days, time is rather important to me. Not sure why. I really don't do much. But, an hour sitting out there for a pipe smoke is a big commitment.

Time is a precious commodity that you can't buy, own, or modify and you'll virtually never know how much remains. While you can "extend" the day by carving out sleep, there are trade offs with doing so (less energy later or reduced productivity/quality of "work").

Some even feel there time is running out, as though the sword of Damocles is dangling above (which I happen to be since my father didn't get past 58, nor his before him, nor him before then).

As a result, "economy of movement" and prioritizing are essential to profit from this commodity. Likewise, don't put off for tomorrow what you can get done today.

As for tobacco, I generally smoke weekends and may lay out some flake or prep a rope or plug to dry a day or two in advance (although my mood may change when the weekend comes). Otherwise, my trusty Half and Half or other blend I keep in a jarred humidor connected to my pipe rack will ring true (always the ideal level of moisture and like a good friend, rarely disappointing in providing what I ask of them).

 

[UB 40]

Yes there is a process, especially when there is more wonderful tobacco there than I can smoke at one time. Which one I crave the most and in what pipe is sometimes a Complicated Game:

 

[Chasing Embers]

Generally whichever jar is easiest to reach.

 

[bobpnm]

I don’t know how much of a system it is. 99% of the time I grab one codger burley and smoke it all morning. Later in the day I smoke something more VA/PER. I am not a big fan of Latikia although I am learning to like it in blends some call American. I’m really a two maybe three blends a day guy. The only other selecting I do is to try and vary the afternoon choice so I don’t smoke the same blend every day. I do seem to enjoy them more that day.

 

[Searock Fan]

Although I don't do much now days, time is rather important to me. Not sure why. I really don't do much. But, an hour sitting out there for a pipe smoke is a big commitment. Sometimes, it's big enough, i don't make it. So, I try to make most out of it. This means pipe and tobacco selection night before the next smoke. Since I only smoke pipe once a day at most, i try to make it as enjoyable as possible. Typically, tobacco is first selected. Then, a pipe to match the tobacco. Sometimes, the pipe will change depends on the mood or how I'll prep the blend. Today, I had aromatic. Tomorrow will be VA. Picked out Peterson SH Rathbone for the experience. The tobacco will be a flake, and it will be fold and stuffed. Pipe was cleaned, silver polished, once over with microfiber.. Sitting on a stand and waiting for tomorrow. Of course, it's a rather silly issue, but I can't sleep and sauce's getting to me.

You mentioned polishing silver. I may have posted this before, but.... Did you know that tobacco ash makes a great silver polish? Just rub a little ash on the silver and wipe it off with a tissue. Works great.

 

[bullet08]

You mentioned polishing silver. I may have posted this before, but.... Did you know that tobacco ash makes a great silver polish? Just rub a little ash on the silver and wipe it off with a tissue. Works great.

Yupe, read that. Only thing is, I polish before smoking. So just use jeweler's polish cloth. After smoke, just give it a quick pass with my t shirt.

 

[hawky454]

Yes there is a process, especially when there is more wonderful tobacco there than I can smoke at one time. Which one I crave the most and in what pipe is sometimes a Complicated Game:

That’s a great album! Tis a complicated game… now that song is stuck in my head.

Yeah, I have no system, just whatever I’m craving, sometimes I will sit there and look at all my jars for way too long. Considering I always smoke two pipes at a time, it takes me twice as long to figure out what to smoke. When I can’t decide I just go with my “dumb reach” blends, the ones I know will satisfy every time.

 

[hawky454]

You mentioned polishing silver. I may have posted this before, but.... Did you know that tobacco ash makes a great silver polish? Just rub a little ash on the silver and wipe it off with a tissue. Works great.

I didn’t know that, I’ll have to give it a try. I did just buy a jewelers cloth though, works great.

 

[NomadOrb]

I have about a dozen jars out in different blend categories that may cover any one of my cravings. Big jars are for my daily smokes which is an easy choice as it's usually Embarcadero or a burley based blend.

Other categories include aromatic, latakia blend, oriental blend x2, rum flavored blend, codger all day blend, pure VA, dark fired blend, and VaPer.

 

[kcghost]

i just light up whenever the mood hits and out the pipe down when I am through.

 

[ThermionicScott]

I don't really have a process. Even when I have a cube-cut/read-rubbed burley already drying in a pipe, I might go ahead and fill another pipe with something different. About the only pattern is that I rarely smoke the same genre twice in a row.

@bullet08, at the risk of taking the spontaneity out of it, have you considered making a weekly schedule so that you'll know in advance what you'll be smoking each day?

 

[OzPiper]

When it comes to smoking I'm generally not a forward planner.
Some days it's picking a couple of pipes I haven't smoked for a time, then picking the blends.

You'd think that being a weekend smoker, I'd have 7 days to think up what I'll smoke next.
But I like being a bit more spontaneous with my choice(s).

Downside is I often don't have enough time to get the tobacco dry enough.
That's where meer chips or Nording keystones come in handy.

 

[bullet08]

I don't really have a process. Even when I have a cube-cut/read-rubbed burley already drying in a pipe, I might go ahead and fill another pipe with something different. About the only pattern is that I rarely smoke the same genre twice in a row.

@bullet08, at the risk of taking the spontaneity out of it, have you considered making a weekly schedule so that you'll know in advance what you'll be smoking each day?

Haven't thought that far in advance. It's simple to think tomorrow, but a week down the line seems little too far. Not sure if that would take spontaneity out of it since things can be changed.

 

[Sobrbiker]

I’ll bag a few bowls of a few blends and toss them in my lunchbox for work the next day the night before. Then sometime in between 3:20 and 4:20 when I head for work I’ll change my mind and adjust what I take.
At home I’ll get up to load a pipe and load up something different than I got up to load.
The only consistency I have is my inconsistency.


I doubt anyone scheduled off of cellar spreadsheets between the 1850’s and the beginning of the 21st century….

 

[didimauw]

Out of all the burley blends I keep handy, there's 3 categories I consider. Sweet, salty, and sour. So it's whatever Im in the mood for.

 

[Piping Abe]

Out of all the burley blends I keep handy, there's 3 categories I consider. Sweet, salty, and sour. So it's whatever Im in the mood for.

Salty you say. Have you tried C&D Shandygaff? It’s like smoking a saltine cracker while in the middle of the Ocean.

 

[didimauw]

Salty you say. Have you tried C&D Shandygaff? It’s like smoking a saltine cracker while in the middle of the Ocean.

That sounds pretty interesting. Maybe I'll try it.

 

[NomadOrb]

Salty you say. Have you tried C&D Shandygaff? It’s like smoking a saltine cracker while in the middle of the Ocean.

I've heard it tastes like the sea in a good way, I'm going to get 4oz of bulk with my next order to see what's up.