The Vessel or the Contents?

[Ctbill]

Before I started smoking only one pipe at a time, I always knew what tobacco I was in the mood for ( I only smoke a handful of blends) and then picked the pipe after that. But out out my 25 pipes, I again only ever smoke 3 or so. Simple.

I see you’re working through a year long Dr Grabow Challenge!

 

[Casual]

I am new, and have unsmoked blends to try. I don’t have any unsmoked pipes to try. So I pick a blend first.

No idea how I’ll do it when I’ve settled into a routine.

 

[stogie37]

Definitely in the minority. I premeditate on the tobacco I’m craving (I keep 10-12 blends open at any given time) and then pick a pipe to smoke it in. The only deviation is when time factors in and either requires me to use one of the few small pipes, or allows me to use one of the few XL pipes in my collection. Still, even in those cases, I’ve probably decided the blend I’ll be smoking ahead of time.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

I have no idea. I cannot remember picking out a pipe at all most of the time. I have 96 on a rack on the wall and more in drawers, but somehow I end up with one... all the time... different ones.

Sometimes, I will think, "I really need to smoke that custom blah blah blah pipe," and then latter that day I am smoking it.
It's like driving... I must have done it... I didn't think much about it at the time... I don't remember much about the drive... but here I am.

I have to make a four hour drive twice a week, and I do remember selecting pipes for that. I usually just grab my deepest chambered pipes and toss them in my bag. Then when I am on my way, I open the bag and think, "look at that... I picked the good pipes."

Also, I don't remember putting my clothes in the morning, but before I walk into a store, I check... and "yep, got clothes on." Life is good.

 

[frankrem]

I am definitely a pipe first guy - Whatever I am feeling at the moment - I look at my pipes and one of them will speak to me and that will be the chosen one. From there its all about the flavor of the moment. Pipe smoking for me is a delicious treat at the end of a hard day or a great way to enjoy a beautiful morning . It's all about the pleasure of the moment.

 

[ormazd]

Definitely in the minority. I premeditate on the tobacco I’m craving (I keep 10-12 blends open at any given time) and then pick a pipe to smoke it in. The only deviation is when time factors in and either requires me to use one of the few small pipes, or allows me to use one of the few XL pipes in my collection. Still, even in those cases, I’ve probably decided the blend I’ll be smoking ahead of time.

This is my normal process.

 

[lawdawg]

I'm kind of surprised by some of the answers here. I strictly pick a tobacco first, and then I'll pick one of the pipes I've dedicated to that genre of tobacco. A lot of times my pipe choice is based on how big the chamber is and how long of a smoke I want. I've got bigger and smaller pipes dedicated to Virginias, as well as bigger and smaller pipes dedicated to latakia blends. If I'm in the mood for an aromatic or a burley, then it goes in a whatever cob I grab out of my container full of cobs, though I do try to divide the cobs between aros and non-aros but I'm not super strict with it.

 

[mso489]

I may have one or two pipes on deck to smoke, trying to keep all of them in action, but if I then decide on a particular blend that seems to go better in a different pipe, I'll pick out that one. This sounds sort of dithering, but actually it is pretty instantaneous. Comparatively speaking, your original post is not long winded, but thank you for thinking of your readers.

 

[jeff540]

I'm kind of surprised by some of the answers here. I strictly pick a tobacco first, and then I'll pick one of the pipes I've dedicated to that genre of tobacco. A lot of times my pipe choice is based on how big the chamber is and how long of a smoke I want. I've got bigger and smaller pipes dedicated to Virginias, as well as bigger and smaller pipes dedicated to latakia blends. If I'm in the mood for an aromatic or a burley, then it goes in a whatever cob I grab out of my container full of cobs, though I do try to divide the cobs between aros and non-aros but I'm not super strict with it.

Exactly, blend first then I'll usually pick the cleanest tasting one of the same 3 or 4 pipes I favor. I have several pipes that don't see any smoke for months, those that I just don't favor for whatever reasons.

 

[brooklynpiper]

Warren - do you keep it simple on the tobacco side, or the pipe side? Just curious...

time is a flat circle

 

[cigrmaster]

I first decide what tobacco I want to smoke, then I match it with a corresponding pipe. I dedicate all my pipes into genres and blend specific.

 

[Frozenoak]

Tonight, on the way home I wanted to smoke a cube cut burley. As I was selecting a pipe for that tobacco, the wrong one caught my eye so I also had to change the tobacco. This is a normal process for me.

 

[cshubhra]

I choose the tobacco first 87.9162% of the time. Other times I choose the pipe first.

 

[seanv]

Today I chose the tobacco first, tomorrow, who knows

 

[instymp]

Tobacco first.

 

[jpmcwjr]

I first decide what tobacco I want to smoke, then I match it with a corresponding pipe. I dedicate all my pipes into genres and blend specific.

Sometimes I choose a pipe and match a tobacco to it (though none of my pipes are dedicated to a genre much less a blend.) Sometimes I choose tobacco and then a pipe that complements it to perfection.

Most of the time I just load a pipe that I like with a tobacco I like (which is simple for me, as I smoke a dozen blends of English I like, and I like all my pipes.)

So, Harris' method is very different from mine, and we are both happy campers. (And smart, good looking, and rich, to boot!)

 

[Parsimonious Piper]

For me it depends on whether my wife is going to sit outside with me. If so, it’s an aro in a cob. Otherwise it’s a burley or VA blend. Flakes go in one of the Billiard/Lovat/Canadian types because I’m a fold-and-stuffer and those seem to work better for me. Latakias go in the one pipe dedicated to them. Everything else gets any briar with a bowl commensurate to the amount of time I have to enjoy it.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

I smoke 5 to 6 bowls per day so I don't want to invest a lot of time contemplating pipe or tobacco choices. What helps me is I have a fairly strict regimen in terms of genre. My first 3 and often 4 blends of the day are going to be some type of Virginia. I generally start mild with something like Hamborger Veermaster, Orlik GS, Wessex GS or something along those lines. Then it is generally a Va that is more middle of the road MB HH Pure Virginia, Patriot Flake or some other brown flake. Then it is either something like Simply Red or Rhythm & Blues or Astley's No 44, a stronger VA. So I'm 3 or 4 bowls in and the tobacco choice has been a no brainer.

I dedicate pipes to a specific genre and pretty much rotate through the pipes. If a pipe isn't good enough to be part of the rotation, it needs to be sold. So that makes the pipe choice fairly straight forward as well.

The 4th and 5th or 5th and 6th bowls of the day are generally a VaPer or as is the case lately, a VaOr. Everything now and then, I squeeze in a Balkan or Burley. This probably just has more to do with mood than anything. I choose a pipe dedicated to a genre. It would be unusual for me to have more than 5 to 10 seconds elapse from the time I've decided to smoke a bowl to where I have the tobacco and pipe in hand.

 

[anotherbob]

typically the pipe I try to rotate them evenly. Unless I've opened a new tin then, I pick that before anything else.

 

[olkofri]

Heh, I start thinking of which blend the night before. That narrows the pipe choice, as I've 'dedicated' some pipes to certain genres. Day of the week/occasion also plays a part: if it's Sunday and/or I'll be wearing a suit, cobs are out.