Regarding Your Roation...

[spartan]

I try to smoke all the pipes I have. I don't want one to go neglected and feel like I don't love it anymore.
So when I've finished smoking a bowl I will put it back on the rack with the bowl facing inwards. After a few days of smoking through the other pipes I will turn the others back into the ready to be smoked position. It's a little strange, but it's simple and it works.
I won't always follow it, but it prevents me from smoking the same pipe I puffed out of yesterday.
I try to rest them for at least 2 days after smoking them. Try...
@ bryanf
I'd be interested to see a few pics of your pipes.

 

[rondyr]

My rotation depends upon the day and how busy I am, but I typically smoke one or two of my briars each day and then rest them after one, perhaps two, bowls each for a few days, and I have a large amount of MM Cobs to smoke whenever I want or when I doing activities that I would be afraid to smoke an expensive briar while doing, like fishing on a boat.

 

[rigmedic1]

My tobacco rotation: Morning: first thing is a straight Virginia. Always. I think they taste best before the palate is destroyed by breakfast.

After breakfast until Suppertime: Burleys, VaPers, or light Englishes. Sometimes I will do Virginia all day, but once I smoke something different, I cannot go back to a Virginia.

After dinner: Strong Latakia blends, or an aromatic.
Pipes: One pipe per smoke per day. Sometimes that means 7 pipes! But I let them cool 24 hours, then go through them again for 5-7 days before cleaning the whole bunch.

 

[carcosa]

I started out smoking every day, once or twice a day, and I would immediately pack a bowl after I finished one sometimes. Now with the weather it varies, I smoke a few times a week. I have 8 briars now, and I usually let them rest for a week, though like I said, I might pack a bowl right after I finish smoking one, especially with my smaller pipes.
Some pipes I like better than others, and they tend to pop up more often in my rotation, but they still get at least a week to rest.

 

[deithial]

I smoke mine once then let rest for 24hrs.
But I am with Bryanf, I have one that I will over smoke, beat on walls and over all abuse, "tough love" indeed. Usually a basket pipe or a grabow. Treat it like an old pick up, my current red headed stepchild pipe was a basket I have had for almost 7 years, still smokes like a pipe should.

 

[hobie1dog]

My wife told me not to rotate, just pump faster. :nana:

 

[joeval]

I only own two pipes, so I'm not sure it counts as a rotation! Both Briars, no cobs or meers hanging around.

Luckily, I only smoke one bowl a day, so I don't have many problems.

As a general rule, I'll smoke a bowl in the evening, then let the pipe rest overnight and throughout the day. Then, I might smoke the same pipe the next day, or I might switch. So far, no ill effects from a short rest...

 

[brudnod]

The more I read bryanf's post the more I think about the whole pipe smoking culture. If you read the books currently available (hard cover, paperback and Kindle-esq) you get the idea that we all have 60 pipe collections of straight grained pipes that are mantle piece worthy and polished to the hilt. The reality is far different for the "common" smoker - and I do not mean "commoner" by that. Pipes get used frequently, abused slightly less but smoked to death eventually. Sure, I have some pipes that I infrequently smoke, clean meticulously and polish to a high sheen. But more of my pipes are "users", they get smoked, laid aside for a day, get the routine cleaning and are ready for more in a day or two. Although I have never worn out a pipe, I have some that show their age. The smoke is the main reason we do this and whether we rotate or not, the enjoyment of a pipe in one's mouth is what it is all about.

Spencer

 

[bryanf]

I've just always been, basically, a one pipe guy. I like a fairly thick cake because it smokes cooler. Think about cake. It's porous. Ever heard of Indian fire walking? They use igneous rock because it's porous and doesn't hold heat. Same concept. More cake, and the wood is insulated. Doesn't get as hot. It's not an opinion to me. It's science. Ever touch the cake on a pipe when the wood is hot? Guess what....the cake is never hot.
My one pipe for years was a basket billiard group 3, but with the cake was a 30 minute smoke tops. Because I smoked it all day up to 10 bowls, the bottom was always wet, and never formed good heel cake. I just dumped the bowl before I got to the bottom every time. Wasted some tobacco, yes. But not much. Maybe 5 minutes worth. I lived with it.
Then, last May, I bought a Peterson system pipe. It works for me, and I can smoke to the bottom each time. Never seen any moisture at all in the heel, and the heel cake is fantastic. The reservoir collects a lot of moisture. Enough to dump out a good amount after each smoke, which I do, and blow out the stem hard. I try and clean it every day with a pipe cleaner and a paper towel in the reservoir, but i have been known to skip a few days. Yes, it tastes better if I clean it every day. Much better, but I've been places where I just didn't have a chance. Okay, I was lazy.
I don't like rotating because I don't like collecting pipes. The reason is that if I have a pipe I like, I am impatient and want to smoke it all the time, so I do!
Besides, I'd rather spend my money on tobacco.

 

[rigmedic1]

I've just always been, basically, a one pipe guy.

Way back when I started out, I wanted to be that way. First, I had a Missouri Meerschaum bent bulldog. Then I bought a Dr. Grabow bent billiard, to try out a briar. Then I got a Yellobole. Etc.
Used to smoke one pipe a day, all day, as well. I burned through a few of those cobs and Dr. Grabows that way.

It wasn't until I met someone who knew pipes, that I realized there was a better way. Unfortunately, I think I have the male version of the "shoe" gene. I bought #86 last week.

 

[vdrifter]

I smoke a few times a week (2-3bowls, sometimes more). Each bowl is in a different pipe, no pipe gets two bowls in a row, there's at least a day in between pipes.

 

[bryanf]

My current all day one pipe. This is about the point where I scrape out all the cake. About every 3 weeks. Peterson 317.

Not a very good pic, but this was my previous one day all day pipe. Group 3. I recently scraped out all the cake and smoke the pipe every few nights only, but sometimes I'll still smoke it through a weekend if I want longer smokes. Basket lovat. I adore this pipe.

Smoke this pipe every few nights. It smokes great. Paid $10 for it brand new. 70's yellow bolle centura. This pipe has really grown on me. Wide open draw, and smokes nice and cool.

The only pipe I smoke every few nights and gets "babied". I take this out when I'm dressed up and going to a nice dinner so gotta keep it looking nice!