Thoughts On Frugality and the Pipe.

[augiebd]

I thoroughly enjoyed the stories you shared of your grandfather’s approach to his pipe and tobacco. I think it is always good to have what is, for you, a practical approach to these things. As @workman observed, fitting to your character. I think of my Great-Uncle who was also straight forward in the enjoyment of his pipe but still allowed for the extra expense of smoking a meerschaum pipe that he delighted in the colouring of.

 

[Grangerous]

Thanks Franco. Enjoyed that!

I wonder if Pop considered his pipe smoking a hobby. I think no.

Frugal? Pipe tobacco? Well? —paying upwards of $10 for one middle-of-the-road cigar, yes it is.

A small tin of quality pipe tobacco will, for the same price, fill your pipe many times, providing as many hours of enjoyment.

Now factor in that you can buy bulk pipe tobacco and of course it’s a frugal way to enjoy tobacco.

Now, put that in your pipes and smoke it! ??

 

[Franco Pipenbeans]

Thank you for sharing. While reading, I was reminded of many wonderful visits with my grandfather. He retired a 30 year veteran of the Air Force, but interestingly enough started his credible service record in the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). Your post took me back to the wonderful stories and pictures of his many adventures and duty stations. My favorite stories were his time during the Burma Air lift and years stationed in England.
After he passed, I inherited his pipe kit: old stand, jar, worn leather tobacco pouch with his initials and of course some pipes. A modest collection that clearly speakers to his humble upbringing and practical approach to life.

Ironically, this trip down memory lane had me wondering what he might say looking at my pipe rack hanging on the wall with three rows (21 pipes) and his pipe rack on a near by table with pipes. The 13 plus blends and a recently started mason jar cellar. It made me smile and so appreciate all the simple lessons about life he passed on to me and cherish even more having his pipes to smoke.
I think I’ll go and get one of my favorite pipes of his (a KW 88S), pack it with an English and relive a visit and imagine the tales this ‘Ol pipe could tell!View attachment 106124

If only the old pipes could talk, what wonderful stories they could tell.

 

[DanWil84]

Love the story! What makes a big difference is your grandfather didn't had everything one click away and (figure of speech) the same day on your doorstep. With that I think we're spoiled and don't consider the choices in the shop from being enough. Besides that, because of the one click away especially pipe tobacco is disappearing from normal tobacco shops, only some specialty tobacco shops with also cigars (which accumulate for 95% of the sales) sell a small selection of pipe tobacco.

It's funny you mention the Netherlands, did you buy Troost Slices, Voortrekker or Baai Tabak for him?

 

[romaso]

Thanks for sharing. Sounds like your grandad was in North Africa, many of them went on to the Italian campaign.

Sounds like he also learned some wisdom on life, how to be happy and not need much.

Of course, if we have more, that's part of the legacy they worked for, to leave to us. Let us toast them then in thanks and remembrance.

 

[PaulTheScandinavian]

Thank You for sharing your memories of Your Grandad, well written, yet interesting and entertaining

 

[Simmerdown☕️]

Technology has made our dreams come true, but created dependency as well. Without the internet, most of us would likely be a frugal smoker like your grandfather. Nice story & thanks for sharing. ?️

 

[Dudditz]

I enjoyed that story very much! Thanks for sharing!

 

[Franco Pipenbeans]

Love the story! What makes a big difference is your grandfather didn't had everything one click away and (figure of speech) the same day on your doorstep. With that I think we're spoiled and don't consider the choices in the shop from being enough. Besides that, because of the one click away especially pipe tobacco is disappearing from normal tobacco shops, only some specialty tobacco shops with also cigars (which accumulate for 95% of the sales) sell a small selection of pipe tobacco.

It's funny you mention the Netherlands, did you buy Troost Slices, Voortrekker or Baai Tabak for him?

I don’t remember the name but it was an aromatic with, if memory serves me rightly, a peach/light orange packet. There’s a vague memory of someone smoking a pipe next to a window (?) but this could be a false memory.

My Gran loved the smell of it and would say it smelt like a freshly cooked fruit pie. Grandad said it tasted like “smoking mothballs” but I was too young to know what smoke tasted like, let alone what a mothball was! ?

He also used to get boxes of Willem II cigars in a red box with (presumably) a picture of Willem II in a lozenge in the middle. He used to keep the box in the pantry, no humidor, boveda packs, hygrometer or anything like that; they would last him for a year I guess.

 

[Franco Pipenbeans]

Thanks for sharing. Sounds like your grandad was in North Africa, many of them went on to the Italian campaign.

Sounds like he also learned some wisdom on life, how to be happy and not need much.

Of course, if we have more, that's part of the legacy they worked for, to leave to us. Let us toast them then in thanks and remembrance.

Yes, North Africa: El Alamein and then into Tunisia - I have a ring mark d “Tunis 1943” that he sent to my Gran, to get round the censors redacting soldiers telling family or friends where they were.

Anzio and then onto Rome and Austria.

 

[DanWil84]

I don’t remember the name but it was an aromatic with, if memory serves me rightly, a peach/light orange packet. There’s a vague memory of someone smoking a pipe next to a window (?) but this could be a false memory.

My Gran loved the smell of it and would say it smelt like a freshly cooked fruit pie. Grandad said it tasted like “smoking mothballs” but I was too young to know what smoke tasted like, let alone what a mothball was! ?

He also used to get boxes of Willem II cigars in a red box with (presumably) a picture of Willem II in a lozenge in the middle. He used to keep the box in the pantry, no humidor, boveda packs, hygrometer or anything like that; they would last him for a year I guess.

That would be Troost Cavendish Aromatic, they don't make it anymore, only the Slices flakes of which there is a Edgeworth version also.

Dutch cigars are in 99% of the case shortfiller and in a lot of cases machine made, so no need for proper storage.

Again great story, love it. My grandpa didn't smoke but I was for sure very close with him and had the same great stories as he also lived during the war, also the not so great ones being deported twice to German for forced labor and escaped twice.

 

[originalnutcracker]

Pipes and pipe tobacco aren’t awfully priced at all - my other vices - cigars, whisky and shotguns are waaaaaay more expensive.

Relax and enjoy. By the time the kids inherit the remainder of my money they will probably only be able to buy a Big Mac.

 

[Franco Pipenbeans]

That would be Troost Cavendish Aromatic, they don't make it anymore, only the Slices flakes of which there is a Edgeworth version also.

Dutch cigars are in 99% of the case shortfiller and in a lot of cases machine made, so no need for proper storage.

Again great story, love it. My grandpa didn't smoke but I was for sure very close with him and had the same great stories as he also lived during the war, also the not so great ones being deported twice to German for forced labor and escaped twice.

Where did the Germans take him to do? Munitions? Roads?

 

[Franco Pipenbeans]

Where did the Germans take him to do? Munitions? Roads?

Sorry - what did the Germans make him do?

 

[DanWil84]

Sorry - what did the Germans make him do?

He never got to Germany, he jumped twice from the train.

 

[mso489]

Despite some traits of obsessive thrift, I will not follow Sherlock Holmes example and pick out pieces of unburned tobacco from the ash and dottle. I say they have already served a purpose filtering the tobacco I did smoke, and I'll not be picking through the ashes for a second chance at them. Depending on how expensive pipe tobacco becomes, I doubt I'll ever do that. However, as has been pointed out, one tin of premium tobacco will provide about twenty smokes for the price of one premium cigar you may or may not like. Also, the sales of cigars in cigar lounges creeps me out, the presentation and overpricing. I can pretend I'm a big shot without that particular prop.

 

[mikecronis]

When you start smoking pipes, there might be some excitement about the novelty of it and the many options of pipes and tobacco fan that flame for a while.
After some time the novelty wears off and the smoking becomes part of your everyday life like anything else you might have going on. At that point you'll probably approach it the same way you approach everything else in your life according to your character.
If you are a frugal sort, that's how you do it. If you are an OCD kind of guy, you'll attach all kinds of rituals and rules to it, if you are a collector type, you'll collect and hoard stuff.
Do what's right for you, within your financial means. There is no certain way of doing it better than anyone else.

Strange. 30 years for me and the novelty of it never wears off. It's always amazing to me. I never "settle down" to one type of tobacco blend, always experimenting and finding new delights. It's like food; so many choices and varieties all around the world. I can only guess you settled on one blend, and that's fine too. Some people only eat one food their whole lives too, and that works for them. For me? Variety. I have my favorite though. Stag Tobacconist's Snowcap (Lane Limited CAO / Sutliff Black Cavandish / Sutliff SPS-3 Cherry) [got the recipe]. I have a warm "go-to" there, but I must have over 100 in my humidor setup.

I find I go to types like cherry or English depending on the season. I go to spice and cinnamon blends in the winter, vanilla in the summer, cherry in the spring.. depends on my mood. So many tastes! Always exciting!

 

[workman]

Strange. 30 years for me and the novelty of it never wears off. It's always amazing to me. I never "settle down" to one type of tobacco blend, always experimenting and finding new delights. It's like food; so many choices and varieties all around the world. I can only guess you settled on one blend, and that's fine too. Some people only eat one food their whole lives too, and that works for them. For me? Variety. I have my favorite though. Stag Tobacconist's Snowcap (Lane Limited CAO / Sutliff Black Cavandish / Sutliff SPS-3 Cherry) [got the recipe]. I have a warm "go-to" there, but I must have over 100 in my humidor setup.

I find I go to types like cherry or English depending on the season. I go to spice and cinnamon blends in the winter, vanilla in the summer, cherry in the spring.. depends on my mood. So many tastes! Always exciting!

My way of doing it is the same as with food, drink and music. I discover some long term favorites that give me that reliable comfort some of us seem to need. I think maybe 10 blends do that for me. There are others that I like and may smoke occasionally and then I'll try something new from time to time.

 

[Misanthrope]

That was a fun read!

I went bananas when I first started, buying 40-something pipes and trying a whole bunch of tobaccos, but in the end, discovered that I'm not really a pipe collector or a tobacco conoisseur at heart.

I like Prince Albert and Peter Stokkebye Norwegian Blend, and these two are the only ones I replace when I run out. I like all of my pipes, and haven't felt a need to buy any more for months.

I settled into a pretty consistent daily rotation: a Briarworks C151XL Hungarian with my first cup of coffee, a Moonshine Cannonball with my second, a Briarworks C111 Bullmoose on my lunch break (when I remember to take one), then if I smoke in the afternoon or evening, I have a Briarworks OR05 chubby tomato, then a Moonshine Pot Still, and then a Briarworks OR01 stubby apple. I have a 4-day rotation of those in different finishes, so 24 total pipes in that part of my daily rotation.

On the rare occasion where I have the opportunity to smoke away from home, I normally take a couple of my 6 Al Pascia Curvys. Every once in a while, I'll also take one of my 2 Kirsten D estate pipes for a spin, so my pipe bookcase has a total of 32 pipes on display.

While I was preparing for and going through a cross-country move from Washington to Texas back in August/September, I had only 2 pipes in rotation (a pair of Curvy 02s) for the better part of 2 and a half months, and I was perfectly content.

I know I'd be just fine if I only had one good pipe and my 2 favorite blends.

 

[Jaylotw]

Man, sometimes a month old thread which I've missed pops up and makes my evening. Stories like this should be added to a sticky post, so we don't lose them in the rest of the ruckus.