What Do You Mean When You Say….

[Papamique]

“This pipe is a good smoker”? I hear this often and read it even more often but I wonder if everyone means something entirely different from each other. I know what it means to me when I say it but what do YOU mean when you say this?

Is it only about the mechanics for you? “This pipe is a good smoker” meaning, it smokes cool, dry, even etc?

Or does it mean taste for you? “This pipe is a good smoker” meaning, the tobacco tastes sweet and true?

-OR-

All of the above and then some? “This pipe is a good smoker” meaning, it burns even, tastes consistently sweet/true, open draw, balanced, dry, cool, clenches effortlessly etc. everything but the looks.

Or something else?

We use this seemingly cliche statement often but what does it mean to you?

 

[Infantry23]

To me, a good smoking pipe is one with a nice draw. Not too open, not restricted at all. Additionally, a "good smoker," to me means one that isn't fussy about cut vs flake vs rolls etc. It doesn't smoke hot and it also tastes good.

There are other metrics for a good pipe for me such as clenchability, easy to maintain, comfort, aesthetics, etc. However, I don't factor those things in when I talk about a "good smoker."

 

[Waning Embers]

what does it mean to you?

That it's drilled all the way through. Basically any finished pipe.

 

[FLDRD]

“This pipe is a good smoker”? I hear this often and read it even more often but I wonder if everyone means something entirely different from each other. I know what it means to me when I say it but what do YOU mean when you say this?

Is it only about the mechanics for you? “This pipe is a good smoker” meaning, it smokes cool, dry, even etc?

Or does it mean taste for you? “This pipe is a good smoker” meaning, the tobacco tastes sweet and true?

-OR-

All of the above and then some? “This pipe is a good smoker” meaning, it burns even, tastes consistently sweet/true, open draw, balanced, dry, cool, clenches effortlessly etc. everything but the looks.

Or something else?

We use this seemingly cliche statement often but what does it mean to you?

Some of them simply have a magic that works for me.
Cool, dry, smooth, easy, burns well, needs less fiddling, tastes great; all the above; and none of the above.
It's really indescribable on the whole, but some are just "better for me" than others.
And that is how I'll eventually trim down my 100 or so pipes to something more reasonable.

 

[didimauw]

The ease of draw, and the flavor it produces.

 

[PaulRVA]

Consistent draft and open drilling without restriction. Lack of gurgle, tastes well once broken in and burns consistently without hot spots.
Stem work with a comfortable bit and no fiddling to get it swabbed out.
Pleasing to the eye and hand is a bonus!

 

[Briarcutter]

To me, a good smoker is a great tasting pipe, effortless draw. Dry,not harsh and the tobacco is smooth and creamy. With just about any tobacco.

 

[mortonbriar]

The draw for me.....is the draw.

 

[anotherbob]

That's like asking what makes a cat or dog a good boy. It's just all the factors coming together and adding up to a good boy.

 

[spearheadbill]

All of the normal functions of what is to be expected from a pipe. Air flow, fit and finish, drilling close to bottom of bowl, doesn’t have a whistling sound or any noticeable turbulence. But also just as importantly to me is feel in hand. I don’t like a clumsy pipe and I have large hands.

 

[sablebrush52]

Pretty much door #3 for me. Not all briar is equal. I have a few pipes that heat up just by looking at them, and others, of similar construction, smoking the same blends, that barely register warmth. And I’m generally a super slow smoker, no freight training here.

 

[Gerald Boone]

I like a pipe that is durable, holds up, isn't delicate, easy to clean and maintain. With a good pipe you taste the tobacco well. A good pipe looks well, but isn't such a work of art you are afraid to use it often.

 

[HeadMisfit]

That's like asking what makes a cat or dog a good boy. It's just all the factors coming together and adding up to a good boy.

A good dog is always good when it's not making a mess on the carpet.

But a good pipeor bad pipe is yet another useless cliche like sipping on a pipe. What would create a sip on my Umbria with its 3mm airway is completely different from my system spigot. It's all subjective

 

[Richmond B. Funkenhouser]

A pipe with an open draw is a good smoker. IMO

 

[bluegrassbrian]

It means it’s a keeper.
It consistently delivers easy smoking action with no overt flavors, no gurgle, minimal heat, and supreme comfort while smoking (clenching).

Pipes of all shapes and sizes can be good smokers. They become more easily recognized and appreciated once you’ve experienced BAD SMOKERS.

 

[VDL_Piper]

Mechanically sound pipe but a wide open draw is of the utmost importance to a good smoke. In my opinion you should have to put very little negative pressure on the bit to get smoke which negates the need to draw hard and lose flavour and create heat…………

 

[blueeyedogre]

Good draw, no gurgling, stays cool.

 

[Chris T]

That's like asking what makes a cat or dog a good boy. It's just all the factors coming together and adding up to a good boy.

Sometimes my good boys forget they're good boys, and are usually immediately remorseful.
I've never had a pipe do that. I guess maybe I haven't got any good smokers? Most are satisfying, but some less so. So for me a good smoker is one that's not a bad one.

 

[HeadMisfit]

Any pipe can gargle. Some by bad design others be smoking environment. Others the only thing that keeps a gurgler from being a non gargle is a filter.

Does that mean the pipe is good or bad?

 

[metalheadycigarguy]

For me it is a pipe that provides the following:
- smooth even draw
- doesn't collect to much moisture
- doesn't get hot in the hand
- is comfortable in the hand and/or clenching
- provides a good flavor of the tobacco
- will smoke all types of tobacco without issue (i.e. ribbon cut, course cut, cake, flake, plug)

Now the material and mechanics of the pipe can only go so far as some of these factors have to do with the smoker. If you're drawing to frequently you can over heat the pipe. If you have a lot of saliva build up that can lead to more moisture or gurgling. How you pack the tobacco can affect the draw as well, so if one is packing the pipe and smoking it correctly, these should be non-factors and lead to a good smoke. If the pipe is a well crafted pipe with good mechanics this can lead to a great smoke.