What is Appealing about Pipe Smoking?

[OzPiper]

It's "ME" time
My wife does not like the smell of tobacco, so I get a couple of hours on my own to de-stress/relax
She pokes her head out the door to ask if she can get me a mug of tea or coffee then leaves me in peace

I used to smoke cigars exclusively but since coming back to pipe smoking a few years ago, I hardly dip into my stash of cigars.
I enjoy smoking my pipes a whole lot more.

And the Pipes Magazine Forums. You guys make my day

 

[Epip Oc'Cabot]

Originally….. the appeal was that it was far easier access. I could surreptitiously “borrow” big pinches of Sir Walter Raleigh and Prince Albert from the pound cans of each my Dad kept in a kitchen cupboard for when he would fill his tobacco pouch before work each morning. Another appeal was that my Dad had a lot of pipes laying about all over, including seldom used ones in drawers….. easier to again “borrow” unbeknownst to him at that time.

His cigars were too infrequent to “borrow” without detection, and his cigarettes were purchased by the pack and resided in the pocket of the shirt he was wearing…. again…. difficult to “borrow” without detection.

In the current day? Well, nicotine of course, but also most all of the things ChatGPT suggested…. and I guess to me…. it is by far the most enjoyable way to consume tobacco…. of the range of possibilities.

 

[anotherbob]

6. Nicotine

but why over any other form of nicotine delivery. Personally all the few I take have reasons I think they're great.

 

[anotherbob]

Nicotine. Well, that and it makes me look sophisticated, more mysterious. I'm taller when I smoke a pipe, much better looking, more attractive to beautiful women, a better driver, a better chef and so forth. Oh! More relaxed and contemplative. And, of course I'm simply a better person all around.

and that's why we have to keep you stored outside of the lower 48. We don't need everything grinding to a halt.

 

[metalheadycigarguy]

It's "ME" time
My wife does not like the smell of tobacco, so I get a couple of hours on my own to de-stress/relax
She pokes her head out the door to ask if she can get me a mug of tea or coffee then leaves me in peace

I used to smoke cigars exclusively but since coming back to pipe smoking a few years ago, I hardly dip into my stash of cigars.
I enjoy smoking my pipes a whole lot more.

And the Pipes Magazine Forums. You guys make my day

My wife hates that I smoke cigars and pipes, but she tolerates my pipes. It's taken many years, but she's gotten to the point where she'll sit with me on the patio or the porch when I'm having a pipe or cigar. More so a pipe, but from time to time with a cigar too. This past Christmas she bought me a 150 count NeedOne electronic humidor. I'm slowly breaking her down. LOL

 

[Zamora]

Relaxation and trying the flavors of different tobaccos is a bit part of it, that's why I smoke cigars and I started with those long before picking up a pipe. However for me pipes have dimensions that cigars lack. You can get super into cigar accessories like cutters, lighters, etc. sure, but for me and most people it's all about the tobacco. With pipes it's inherently not all about the pipe tobacco because of, well, the pipes.

Pipes are such fascinating items and I really appreciate the craftsmanship that goes into them, I love artisan items that are functional and not just knickknacks. I also love how customizable the hobby is. Some people are all about collecting pipes, some people are all about trying different blends, others are a mixture of the two, there's even people who make DIY blends which is something you can't really do with cigars. Plus it's much easier to age pipe tobacco than cigars, cellaring is another thing you can focus on,

So tldr I'd say pipes are a multifaceted hobby that provide a lot of freedom on how you want to enjoy it.

 

[felix Cappuccio]

I enjoy a pipe I find it very relaxing with your favorite tobacco also I would like to point out what is going on around you especially when your out side and there is no wind and the smoke is going straight up out of the bowl its a beautiful experience.

 

[ADKPiper]

When prompted for reasons for the things I do I must admit to being baffled.

 

[SBC]

Always enjoyed smoking cigars with friends. While they are more convenient to smoke, they are less convenient to store, and purchase ($$$). When I found out a pipe lasts forever and a $6 bag of SWR could be smoked a dozen times and stored indefinitely in a mason jar.... well, it was a no-brainer. Not to mention many of my favorite thinkers and storytellers smoked pipes. Continued to enjoy it for the aesthetics and fun of preserving a nearly-lost art.

Also, I cannot go back to cigars now. The smell and taste is much more satisfying from a pipe. Often get compliments on the smell, which is not a thing with cigars.

 

[canucklehead]

I like pipes primarily because they are the most aesthetically pleasing and photogenic nicotine delivery systems. The smell of tobacco is a powerful trigger of memories from childhood and a general sense of nostalgia. I like carving and making little wooden things so it appealed to a preexisting pastime. I like old things and antique stores. Collecting stuff is enjoyable. I've met new people and made some friends which I typically don't enjoy doing but it's better with pipes.

 

[Sobrbiker]

As a 40+yr nicotine user, pipe smoking (at least tobacco-see my screen name) held no appeal for me.

Cigarettes were go-to for decades, could never stomach chewing tobacco (as much as I tried), like an occasional cigar but cannot smoke them without inhaling them. I converted to an electronic “air freshener” when I found a sauce I could do all day everyday (that even quarry I hunt like the smell of) for my primary nicotine delivery.

Last year at 55 I was visiting my elderly father and spied his old Iwan Ries spinning rack and jar with all his old pipes I remembered him smoking up until about the time I went to elementary school. I asked if I could have a couple, and he told me to take them all (a dozen or so pipes-heavily Danish, a few freehands and an ancient MM cob).
I shipped them home, did some research, restored them as best I could and began my new addiction.
Now I’ve gotten into American estates, meers, and workhorse cobs.

I like everything about it: the variety, nostalgia, solitude, relaxation, geeking out on what blends I want to try, what pipes I want to buy (I don’t see me buying a new pipe outside of a CF Altinok), researching pipes, and the satisfaction of keeping old ways and items alive.

What I can’t stand about it is hipster metrosexual folks that think lumberjack clothing is a fashion and that “bearding” is a sport, that get tattoos that mean nothing also think pipes are cool.
But as grandpa said, it’s a good thing we all don’t like the same thing, or everyone would be trying to bang grandma…

 

[aspiring_sage]

To circle back, this is not some otherworldly experience I’m claiming. I just have a very busy mind (ADHD), so forcing myself to focus on something allows me to feel meditative, although it’s likely just achieving the baseline mental state of most other people.

I've recently been reading about ADHD and smoking. I'm barely-educated on the subject but it appears that there are some cases where Nicotine patches have shown to help regulate ADHD behavior (and some where it gets worse).
I thought about opening a thread to get peoples' opinions, but I fear it will immediately border as unqualified medical advice.

 

[Coreios]

Nicotine, flavor, relax, bordum, and to collect accessories/pipes.

 

[Sjmiller CPG]

I smoke a pipe because the voices in my head tell me to.

 

[woodsroad]

Beats me.
But my dear wife can tell you what people find unappealing

 

[mortonbriar]

I am not sure if I have already responded to this post, but I appreciate the increase in memory associated with smoking a pipe.

 

[Sethology12]

All of the reasons already mentioned. But one for me is that a cigarette nicotine rush will often times make my stomach feel a little off. It's also a little more stimulating. Pipe smoking seems to allow the nicotine to slowly breach your blood brain barrier in a way that is a little less jarring. I get very relaxed from a pipe. Less so from a cig for whatever reason.

 

[CaptJ]

For me the initial attraction was its association with gentleman of old, real and fictional, who were intelligent thinkers and writers.
I also just like things of bygone eras. (Antique shops are museums where one can often afford to buy something they like but I digress.)
It also completely bypassed all my childhood lessons on how smoking cigarettes destroys your lungs etc etc. Not only did pipes still exist but there was this whole other way people enjoyed tobacco that didn't inhale!

Once I got a technique down and my palate started picking up various flavors, I could start doing it to relax, read, admire the pipe, consider the tobacco, etc.

My wife has always found it interesting and has tried it a few times but currently usually joins me with a cigar so it has in the last year or two also become a nice time of relaxation with her.

 

[ashdigger]

It makes me look smarter. I’ll take all the help I can get.

 

[jndyer]

1. I like the ritual of pipe smoking.
2. I like that it cuts down on my Zyn usage.
3. I like the smell of the room after.
4. I like doing something that not many others practice