Scared to Try a Different Style of Pipe?

[coming to_falling too]

Well; apart from 1x Porsche Design and 2x Butz-Choquin all my pipes are Petersons. Not against trying other makers; just everytime I have some funds for a new pipe I see a Pete that I like the look of.

More relevantly my Porsche Design is my only straight pipe; all of my pipes are bents of some sort. They also vary from very small to very large with shortish stems through to church wardens and are pretty much most shapes Peterson have made.

The Porsche is also my only unsmoked pipe; I bought it as unsmoked estate pipe so not particularly expensive but what is putting me off is it has straight stem!

So no; I'm not stuck to a particular size or style of bowl but I just cannot bring myself to smoke a straight stemmed pipe.

But why?

 

[timelord]

But why?

I don't have a logical explanation!

Mind you, you should see similar threads in the watch forums if you want to see lots of illogical "I won't wear this watch because ..." type posts.

Side note; as I was posting this I noticed a comma after the second 'you' in 'you, you' above. No matter what I did the comma was always present and I started cursing the great evil 'auto-corrrect' until I finally realised it was a perfectly aligned speck of dust on the screen! Time for

 

[frozenchurchwarden]

I don't worry about the smoking characteristics of any given pipe because I've re-drilled dozens of them, including a $400 Silver Spigot Ferndown.

Anyone who makes a pipe with an airway of less than 1/8" diameter is just asking for trouble.

 

[gamzultovah]

No. As variety is the spice of life, function is the necessity. As I’ve grown in this hobby, I’ve come to realize that different size chambers smoke different tobaccos better. For example, if I am smoking a dense flake (SG FVF, Capstan Blue etc.) I use a narrow, taper bore, stacked pipe such as these:


If I’m smoking loose flake and ribbon cut, I choose a wider, straight bore pipe such as these:


If I am smoking a Semois (or any Burley), I use a wider, shorter, straight bore (pot shaped) pipe such as these:


For me form follows function, and function is the necessity for a perfect smoke.

 

[Merton]

Keep in mind that as the years go by your taste will likely change both in style/maker of pipes and in tobacco. I used to love big pipes and avidly collected them and i loved English and Oriental blends. Now, all of the big and heavy pipes have been traded and i have migrated toward small/chubby pipes with a high end maximum weight of 2 oz. Almost all are sandblasted or rusticated straight billiards, lovats or pots. Moreover, i have come to moment in life where my pipe purchasing days are winding down.However, there is a pipe on Alpascia's site which i keep looking at and feel confident that my stalwart resolve not to buy it will, in short order, completely dissolve. I also rarely smoke English blends any longer and now love Red Virginias, Amphora full and a couple of aromatics. A long winded way, I suppose, of saying that pipe smoking has a long arc and you should enjoy each chapter of the story.

 

[jpmcwjr]

Have you ever purchased a pipe that smokes so good, now your scared to buy a different brand or style? For fear of being disappointed, and wasting money? Just curious.

Not so far.

 

[jpmcwjr]

No. As variety is the spice of life, function is the necessity. As I’ve grown in this hobby, I’ve come to realize that different size chambers smoke different tobaccos better. For example, if I am smoking a dense flake (SG FVF, Capstan Blue etc.) I use a narrow, taper bore, stacked pipe such as these:
View attachment 68864
View attachment 68865
If I’m smoking loose flake and ribbon cut, I choose a wider, straight bore pipe such as these:
View attachment 68866
View attachment 68867
If I am smoking a Semois (or any Burley), I use a wider, shorter, straight bore (pot shaped) pipe such as these:
View attachment 68868
View attachment 68869
For me form follows function, and function is the necessity for a perfect smoke.

Beautifully illustrated and cogently written!

I don't go there myself, as I am into English blends 90% of the time.

 

[maduromadness]

I've purchased a variety of pipes and have been gifted pipes I wouldn't have bought. Not all are excellent smokers but they all smoke at least a good. Now I love shapes that I never have because of my variety. +1 gamzultovah

 

[cigrmaster]

I would first figure out exactly what it is about the pipe that makes it so enjoyable. Is it the size i.e length of pipe,bowl height,inside bowl depth, inside bowl width,weight of the pipe, stem design. I have an entire criteria like I just posted so at least I don't make the mistake of buying something with the wrong dimensions. Once you understand why one pipe smokes better than another, then maybe branch out into different makers and always refer to your criteria before even thinking of buying it.

 

[telescopes]

It turns out, I have a thing for Rhodesians and similar pipes that roll out to a bit of a calabash shape.

 

[mso489]

I have a wide variety of pipes, none outlandishly different, but diverse for sure. Sometimes people have given me pipes I didn't own, gifts, like a Meerschaum, an Oom-Paul, my first churchwarden, and a Nording signature freehand. Also, I have different sizes, finishes, shapes, and nations of origin. Now I'm just scared of "another pipe," since I pretty well have the waterfront covered without having hundreds of them. The self-critic in my head sees something fetching and just says, "No ... no, and no."

 

[cigrmaster]

It turns out, I have a thing for Rhodesians and similar pipes that roll out to a bit of a calabash shape.

I also like Rhodesians and Bulldogs. Does your idea of a Calabash like this what you are talking about.

 

[telescopes]

I also like Rhodesians and Bulldogs. Does your idea of a Calabash like this what you are talking about.

Yes. That’s the shape.

 

[anotherbob]

Have you ever purchased a pipe that smokes so good, now your scared to buy a different brand or style? For fear of being disappointed, and wasting money? Just curious.

nope my pipe instinct is good.

 

[gamzultovah]

Beautifully illustrated and cogently written!

I don't go there myself, as I am into English blends 90% of the time.

Thank you, my friend!

 

[cigrmaster]

View attachment 68928
Yes. That’s the shape.

That was made by Rad Davis who has retired. I would contact Jack Howell, he makes great pipes. Here is a Bulldog and his prices are great for the quality pipe you get.

 

[telescopes]

That was made by Rad Davis who has retired. I would contact Jack Howell, he makes great pipes. Here is a Bulldog and his prices are great for the quality pipe you get.

Yes, I’ve started to notice his pipes in various pictures.

 

[uzzi101]

I’ve enjoyed trying different shapes and bends to see which suits me best. I find some days I just prefer the bend while others days I’d rather a straight pipe. I haven’t found a shape that trumps them all, as I enjoy variety.

I do find myself grabbing the natural finishes. I enjoy seeing the pipe “mature” in color and like the feel of the natural, unstained wood.

 

[jpmcwjr]

I’ve enjoyed trying different shapes and bends to see which suits me best. I find some days I just prefer the bend while others days I’d rather a straight pipe. I haven’t found a shape that trumps them all, as I enjoy variety.

I do find myself grabbing the natural finishes. I enjoy seeing the pipe “mature” in color and like the feel of the natural, unstained wood.

I have found that no shape suits me best.....at any given time. In other words, I like a variety of shapes of the classic genre.

I have a few unfinished pipes that I got in 1967 that you'd swear were stained dark brown. And they buff up like a sumbitch!

 

[RainKing]

I get stuck on certain styles during periods of time. I was big into Spigot’s for a while, then that rolled into pokers, and that rolled into something else. I go in phases based on looks I’m into at the time. Usually not based on how they smoke. If there’s a chamber and a draft hole, usually you can make it work.