Pipe Smokers - Ideal Setup?

[joel]

Hey fellas - help a brother out. I’ve spent a ton of time and money on dozens of hobbies over the years, and always find myself regretting not just spending money upfront and really doing it ‘right and once’ versus trying everything under the sun. I’ve got a few decent pipes, but nothing special (I think?) a few tins of tobacco nearly old enough to vote and a few accessories. So with that said - cost not being considered, what would be the ideal setup that would likely scratch most pipe smokers itch (at least for awhile)?

Stand/rest, cleaners, reamers, tamper, lighter, 2-4 more pipes, 5-10 tobaccos, etc? Again - price not being a factor here, as I’ve found I end up spending WAY LESS buying the top of line stuff up front, versus working my way up to it and amassing a stores worth of stuff.

I know with pipes in particular, it will be subjective - as folks will have different aesthetic and functional/shape preferences, but with all the knowledge you have amassed with pipes, if you had to pair it down to that “magic set” or could buy a few items to put it together, what would that look like?

Below is what I’m working with so far. If it‘s helpful the Don Carlos pipe in the upper left is by far the best smoking pipe I own.

 

[ChefJohnBoy-ardee]

You don't really need anything else besides more tobacco. Rests are nice but not needed. Pipes stands aren't required unless you want to show them off. Rests are as simple a strap of leather folder over itself and fastened together.

Pipe wise, I have a pipe for aromatics (usually my Meerschaum or a cob.) A pipe for straight Virginia or Burley. One for Virginia/Perique Blends and one for english. If you have a blend you love you can dedicate a pipe to that. There are plenty of people that smoke all blends in two or three pipes.

If you get a pipe and don't like, sell it. If you get a tin you don't like, shelve it. If you don't like it a year or more later, trade it or pif it.

Pipes after those are whatever you like the looks of be it shape, color or finish and the combination of all three. You won't know how it smokes untilbl you smoke it.

Pipe cleaners and a few tamps/pipetools are all you need after that. Pipe smoking is for the frugal man. It saves money in the long term like wet shaving

 

[Claudel Xerxes]

Getting a few more pipes wouldn't hurt. An abundance of pipes is not needed though.

Your available tobacco selection is excellent for the time being. Since everything you have is aged, many of the same blends purchased new might pale in comparison, or they might be harsh and/or underdeveloped.

 

[Kentos]

For me the ideal set up is a pipe I behold as beautiful and smokes to my liking, a tamper that feels pleasing in the hand, a lighter that works, and a lifetime supply of the tobacco I like to smoke in the cellar.

The pipe and tobacco part is what can cost as little or as much as you like. Unlike cigars pipe tobacco is a niche product and becomes harder and harder to get as the years go by.

Also as I look at hundreds and thousands of different pipes online I find my tastes starting to gravitate towards more expensive pipes. When I first started smoking spending $100.00 on a pipe seemed crazy. A few years later buying a $500.00 pipe actually seems reasonable. Maybe not rational, but reasonable considering it can last a lifetime. Right? Just like a 500.00 straight razor will save me thousands by not buying carts anymore . In another 5 years a $4,000 Former might be reasonable.

Might be better to give all the pipes away and stick to cigars boss.

 

[brandaves]

I'm still very new to the hobby so I'll leave other more experienced smokers to guide you, welcome back...the rabbit hole is dark and deep. That itch you mentioned, you can never seem to scratch it to satisfaction. I guess that's the fun part anyway. Enjoy!

 

[Hirsute]

Since you like how the Don Carlos smokes, consider adding a Ser Jacopo and a Castello. The engineering is very similar on those to the Don Carlos, and they’re awesome pipes. Go to smoking pipes and look and see what appeals to you. Consider how large or small. If you like to clench, my rule of thumb is to keep pipes under 45 grams. If you don’t mind holding, it’s ok to go bigger. The most critical measurement when shopping for pipes is the bowl geometry, and especially the width. .75-.8 inches is pretty standard, and will smoke everything well, although Englishness will suffer a little. .87 is a good size for Englishes—the larger diameter helps the different components in a more complex blend breath and big and give you a fuller more nuanced smoke. I’d stay away from anything larger for the time being.


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[2Vu5_T]

carter hall and a cob.

 

[seabee1999]

Sorry, I can’t speak much to an ideal setup. I would echo what others have said and stock up a bit on tobaccos you like and similar blends as the ones you’ve pictured above. Extra tamp tools would be helpful. I would even venture to say grab a cob or two just to have if you’d like to try a blend but don’t want to ghost a briar.

R/
Dave

 

[joel]

Might be better to give all the pipes away and stick to cigars boss.

If you only knew what kinda craziness I’ve got myself into with cigars

I did find the flavor profile to be totally different with the pipe though - it was much softer in the mouth and sinus (I retrohale every puff) and it was big fun. I’m not too worried about going down a rat hole with the pipes though for key reasons:

1. Cleaning maintenance. Cleaning a pipe and maintaining it with the wipes, sprays, reamers, etc isn’t my deal. I’ll do it, but I wouldn’t want to smoke regularly enough that I’d have to do it all the time.

2. Flavor development. There’s not much flavor development with pipe tobaccos, basically how it starts is largely similar to how the bowl ends. With a cigar - there can be constant twists and turns, based on the blend used, where they put the different types of leaves (and what part of the leaf), diameters of the cigar - and the changing diameter of figurado’s, piramades, etc keeps it really engaging for me.

3. I have a 60 year supply of cigars.

Don’t get me wrong - I intend to dip my toe in with pipes, but I’m not too worried about falling into the deep end based on the above. Famous last words?

 

[ChefJohnBoy-ardee]

Cleaning isn't bad unless you smoke all day everyday . As far as reaming goes, I've gone five years smoking mostly 10 pipes and have yet to cake built up to ream. I was at least a pipe a day guy until I got the new family vehicle.

If you keep your vulcanite stems out of heat and sunshine they won't need much maintenance. If you're careful on the light you shouldn't get rim char. If there is ash or carbon build up on the rim simply licking your thumb and rubbing it off right away does wonders.

Pipe tobacco can change flavors as you go but that depends on bowl shape and the blend itself. Va's and VaPer's tend to change more as you go.

 

[Kentos]

If you only knew what kinda craziness I’ve got myself into with cigars

I did find the flavor profile to be totally different with the pipe though - it was much softer in the mouth and sinus (I retrohale every puff) and it was big fun. I’m not too worried about going down a rat hole with the pipes though for key reasons:

1. Cleaning maintenance. Cleaning a pipe and maintaining it with the wipes, sprays, reamers, etc isn’t my deal. I’ll do it, but I wouldn’t want to smoke regularly enough that I’d have to do it all the time.

2. Flavor development. There’s not much flavor development with pipe tobaccos, basically how it starts is largely similar to how the bowl ends. With a cigar - there can be constant twists and turns, based on the blend used, where they put the different types of leaves (and what part of the leaf), diameters of the cigar - and the changing diameter of figurado’s, piramades, etc keeps it really engaging for me.

3. I have a 60 year supply of cigars.

Don’t get me wrong - I intend to dip my toe in with pipes, but I’m not too worried about falling into the deep end based on the above. Famous last words?

As the Ring Leader of thousands of men hopelessly afflicted with acquisition disorder, myself included, you may not be able to avoid it ! I just think back that if I’d never found B&B I wouldn’t have a stable of TM strops, turn of the century DE’s, custom Straights and Kamisori, Badger and Boar brushes, 50+ pipes and 80 pounds of pipe tobacco. God I love B&B, my wife, not so much.

I am into cigars as well, but once you get into straight Va’s and their various blends with Perique and Burley the flavors you can tease out are remarkable. The flavors tho are very subtle. I liken cigars to Korean food and pipes to Japanese food. Both can be very flavorful, but there is no denying Korean food is a punch in the face and Japanese food is like the breath of your lover on your cheek lol!

In any event it takes a great deal of stubbornness to achieve pipe nirvana, what with the cleaning, packing, lighting, tamping, adjusting tobacco moisture levels, burnt tongue etc. when you can clip a cigar and just enjoy the thing for a couple of hours. At the risk of possibly offending cigar smokers it’s like a DE vs a Straight. Both give stellar results, but just in different ways. I still enjoy a good cigar and have 2 humis maintained, but my heart lies with the pipe.

 

[ChefJohnBoy-ardee]

As the Ring Leader of thousands of men hopelessly afflicted with acquisition disorder, myself included, you may not be able to avoid it ! I just think back that if I’d never found B&B I wouldn’t have a stable of TM strops, turn of the century DE’s, custom Straights and Kamisori, Badger and Boar brushes, 50+ pipes and 80 pounds of pipe tobacco. God I love B&B, my wife, not so much.

I am into cigars as well, but once you get into straight Va’s and their various blends with Perique and Burley the flavors you can tease out are remarkable. The flavors tho are very subtle. I liken cigars to Korean food and pipes to Japanese food. Both can be very flavorful, but there is no denying Korean food is a punch in the face and Japanese food is like the breath of your lover on your cheek lol!

In any event it takes a great deal of stubbornness to achieve pipe nirvana, what with the cleaning, packing, lighting, tamping, adjusting tobacco moisture levels, burnt tongue etc. when you can clip a cigar and just enjoy the thing for a couple of hours. At the risk of possibly offending cigar smokers it’s like a DE vs a Straight. Both give stellar results, but just in different ways. I still enjoy a good cigar and have 2 humis maintained, but my heart lies with the pipe.

People still shave in the Brown Leaf?!

 

[Kentos]

People still shave in the Brown Leaf?!

Just cause I don’t shave doesn’t mean I sold all my stuff . And if a 1”+ WB FBU 1/4 hollow chopper ever comes up at a good price I’m buying it!

 

[Toothpick]

I think you should design The next 2021 B&B LE Pipe

 

[ChefJohnBoy-ardee]

Just cause I don’t shave doesn’t mean I sold all my stuff . And if a 1”+ WB FBU 1/4 hollow chopper ever comes up at a good price I’m buying it!

I might have a 9/8 full wedge Sheffield that was my wife's great grandfather's that has been sitting in a box in my father in law's until he moved and needs restored.

 

[Kentos]

I think you should design The next 2021 B&B LE Pipe

Let’s see how 2020 goes first. Might be a miserable failure. Maybe guys don’t want a pipe shaped like a rubber duckie.

 

[Kentos]

I might have a 9/8 full wedge Sheffield that was my wife's great grandfather's that has been sitting in a box in my father in law's until he moved and needs restored.

Uh, pics? What a great heirloom.

 

[ChefJohnBoy-ardee]

Uh, pics? What a great heirloom.

Of course

 

[oc_in_fw]

Your pipe collection is nice. I would recommend figuring out flakes and the fold and stuff method with tobacco. Flakes take up a heck of a lot less room than ribbon or shag cut. I can get a pound of flake into about 3 half pint Mason jars. A pound of ribbon goes in eight. I am a big fan of the MacBaren HH line. Even with flakes, I find the flavor of fold and stuff to be superior to rubbing out a flake.

 

[oc_in_fw]

Let’s see how 2020 goes first. Might be a miserable failure. Maybe guys don’t want a pipe shaped like a rubber duckie.

I haven’t bought every LE, but none of them were a failure.