Almost a silly exercise for me to choose one I favor the most. I have to think of what makes one more desirable to another. What do I either consciously or subconsciously value that causes me to pick up one or another pipe more often than the rest of my 50 or 60 pipes?
As the child of parents who endured the aftermath of TGD, I am a frugal and cost conscious consumer, and I thoroughly enjoy obtaining inexpensive quality smokers.
But, what do I consider to be such a beast? The pipe itself should be almost effortlessly smokeable.
A pipe that allows my index finger to penetrate its bore, that allows the tobacco I load to almost fall into place without being a Grand Canyon of a bowl is the beginning.
That this pipe will sustain its combustibility from start to finish, is also part of its appeal.
How the pipe feels in both hand and maw contributes. How it looks comes into play, but only toward the end of my list.
When I look at my racks and see those I've enjoyed but that I no longer reach for on a regular basis, I think that maybe I just have too many and have fallen into a lazy habit with just a few of my acquisitions.
A pipe that burns to the bottom without having to work at it, that therefore tends not to generate moisture in the last parts of my smoke, is generally light enough to clench but that feels somehow 'good' in my hand, is all I really want. Durability? Artful beauty? Recognition? These qualities and attributes are in play.
I'm still so new to this endeavor that I will not provide an answer because I cannot. I have several that work as I've described and I feel very fortunate to have learned (I think) what makes a good pipe, but a favorite is something I'm still working out.
I imagine that the one I got as a gift from a fellow member is my most treasured, if only because of the spirit of generosity and brotherhood it engenders. It happens to be a wonderful smoker, too, but I leave my options open, and seriously consider that when I have a truly treasured burner, one that I value beyond all others, I will have little need for another, which we mostly all know is not conducive to our development and dialogue.
My first pipe is still smoked on a regular basis. It looks like it's been around the block and has since the second week I owned it.
Now, a full year and a half old, my MM Legend doesn't really have the bowl diameter to fulfill my 'favorite' requirements list as a smoker, but the fact that it opened the door to the experience of decent pipe tobacco and pipe smoking in general, places it high on my list. I've also noticed that the flavor it delivers as it has become seasoned, has revealed another pipe trait to value.
As the child of parents who endured the aftermath of TGD, I am a frugal and cost conscious consumer, and I thoroughly enjoy obtaining inexpensive quality smokers.
But, what do I consider to be such a beast? The pipe itself should be almost effortlessly smokeable.
A pipe that allows my index finger to penetrate its bore, that allows the tobacco I load to almost fall into place without being a Grand Canyon of a bowl is the beginning.
That this pipe will sustain its combustibility from start to finish, is also part of its appeal.
How the pipe feels in both hand and maw contributes. How it looks comes into play, but only toward the end of my list.
When I look at my racks and see those I've enjoyed but that I no longer reach for on a regular basis, I think that maybe I just have too many and have fallen into a lazy habit with just a few of my acquisitions.
A pipe that burns to the bottom without having to work at it, that therefore tends not to generate moisture in the last parts of my smoke, is generally light enough to clench but that feels somehow 'good' in my hand, is all I really want. Durability? Artful beauty? Recognition? These qualities and attributes are in play.
I'm still so new to this endeavor that I will not provide an answer because I cannot. I have several that work as I've described and I feel very fortunate to have learned (I think) what makes a good pipe, but a favorite is something I'm still working out.
I imagine that the one I got as a gift from a fellow member is my most treasured, if only because of the spirit of generosity and brotherhood it engenders. It happens to be a wonderful smoker, too, but I leave my options open, and seriously consider that when I have a truly treasured burner, one that I value beyond all others, I will have little need for another, which we mostly all know is not conducive to our development and dialogue.
My first pipe is still smoked on a regular basis. It looks like it's been around the block and has since the second week I owned it.
Now, a full year and a half old, my MM Legend doesn't really have the bowl diameter to fulfill my 'favorite' requirements list as a smoker, but the fact that it opened the door to the experience of decent pipe tobacco and pipe smoking in general, places it high on my list. I've also noticed that the flavor it delivers as it has become seasoned, has revealed another pipe trait to value.
