How would you dedicate these pipes?

[StogieNinja]

So I have a whole bunch of tobacco samples to work through (some of it thanks to some of you crazy pipers here!), and I plan to start really smoking my pipes a lot this winter as I have less time to be outside, and the weather gets colder, and I've found myself smoking it more frequently than I was before.

I have a broad variety of tobacco samplers, so let's just assume I have a standard assortment of everything, which I think I probably do. I'm especially fond of GL Pease Quiet Nights and Stonehaven, but also seem to enjoy burley and VaPers. Not sure yet how I feel about some of the other stuff, and I'm not particularly fond of aromatics, or anything that's particularly raisin-y/plum-y, or especially fruity.

Here are my pipes:
1. Savinelli Trevi Smooth 607 - unsmoked
2. Peterson Irish Harp 80s - a couple bowls of Stonehaven and GL Pease Quiet Nights.
3. Nording Signature Partially Rusticated Freehand with a churchwarden stem - came used, unsure what the previous owner smoked in it
4. Mississippi Meerschaum Diplomat 5th Avenue '13 Stogie Friends pipe - unsmoked
5. Mississippi Meerschaum Diplomat Apple - smoked a whole lotta different stuff in this one. It was the only pipe I had for a while.
6. & 7. Dr Grabow Savoy x2 - both have been used to smoke various tobaccos, but neither has had more than half-a-dozen bowls smoked in it

Notes: I'm particularly partial to the top four pipes. I find myself especially fond of Stonehaven, Quiet Nights, and other strong dark tobaccos, or else tobaccos like VaPers. I do like burleys and they seem to smoke really well in a cob. Only the Dr Grabows and the MM Diplomat Apple have seen much use. I was kinda afraid to use the other ones until I figured out what I wanted to do with them.

So... how would you dedicate each pipe?

 

[Grrrrr609]

Well if it were me, I would not smoke the quiet night in the same pipe I smoked stonehaven, with quiet night being an English and stonehaven a va.

I'm opposite of a lot of people. I smoke Va. out of my big Nording freehands. And English blends out of my other pipes.

So with with that said I would smoke stonehaven out of the Nord. The trevi and the peterson I wound smoke english. I smoke more English blends than any other.

I would save the MM cobs for Aros.

I have a pipe dedicated to stonehave, a pipe dedicated to penzance, one for semois, one for cigar leaf, Nord and freehands for Va. Meers and cobs and 1 briar for Aros. The rest for engliah.

 

[Hoshneer]

Well if it were me, I would not smoke the quiet night in the same pipe I smoked stonehaven, with quiet night being an English and stonehaven a va.

I'm opposite of a lot of people. I smoke Va. out of my big Nording freehands. And English blends out of my other pipes.

So with with that said I would smoke stonehaven out of the Nord. The trevi and the peterson I wound smoke english. I smoke more English blends than any other.

I would save the MM cobs for Aros.

I have a pipe dedicated to stonehave, a pipe dedicated to penzance, one for semois, one for cigar leaf, Nord and freehands for Va. Meers and cobs and 1 briar for Aros. The rest for engliah.

He is pretty spot on. I would smoke anything non-aromatic in the first pipes and save the cobs for aromatics. They are pretty resilient.

 

[Deadman's Point]

Wouldn't the churchwarden be best for aromatics? You know, to keep the mushiness down.

 

[Grrrrr609]

Wouldn't the churchwarden be best for aromatics? You know, to keep the mushiness down.

For me, I prefer aros in my meers and cobs and Va in a churchwarden. Va bites me the worst, cuz of the sugars (so I've been told), and Nord with the churchwarden stem is just spot on for me. Longer stem. Yadda yadda. You know what I mean.

 

[rdomfoto]

Gotta ask: how long did it take you gents to get to the point where you understood which (and why) different pipe shapes and materials were suited for different tobaccos?

I still love cigars but pipes have become a huge fascination and I'm in awe of everyone's palettes and experience.

In fact, this topic alone I wouldn't even know where to start answering.

 

[StogieNinja]

Thanks for the insight gents. I'd appreciate anyone else who wants to chime in.

Grrrrr, when you say "opposite of most people" would most folks smoke va in the other two and English in the Nording? If so, why, and why do you do it opposite?

 

[Grrrrr609]

Thanks for the insight gents. I'd appreciate anyone else who wants to chime in.

Grrrrr, when you say "opposite of most people" would most folks smoke va in the other two and English in the Nording? If so, why, and why do you do it opposite?

When I say opposite I mean that I prefer Va. In larger bowls. A lot of people like them in smaller bowls. I've read that supposedly it burns better yadda yadda. But me I enjoy the flavor of my Va in a larger bowl.

 

[WaRevo]

I am like no one when it comes to what I smoke my Va's in. I to tend to smoke them mostly in Big Bowl but find my self smoking them in some smaller bowls from time to time. My Aros I feel are best in my IMP Meer or a Cob. Flakes I do prefer in smaller bowl but have found my self to smoking them in a bigger Freehand from time to time. Also I don't unlike most have a pipe set out for one type of tobacco. My Pipes are Cleaned after every use and smoke what ever feels right at the time. However some pipes have and do have extra gurgle or have to run more pipe cleaners then other pipes however that don't change the fact that I like to just smoke what ever pipe I like at that moment. Also the wet tobacco I tend to try and dry out more before I smoke it and seems to let me smoke it in pipes that I wouldn't smoke it in if wet.

james

 

[Deadman's Point]

For me, larger bowls have a tendency to get pretty damp and foul towards the end regardless of the blend. Unfortunately, I live in America and portion size is king so every pipe I find is a group 5 or larger. Foul English is much worse them foul VA. So I stick with pretty full bents with a group 3-4 size for English while saving the larger ones for the VA.

I don't have a meer yet, but it looks like I need to pick one up since you aro guys swear by them. I've also been eyeing the tandem Savinelli so I could try the churchwarden while hedging my wager with a bent stem as well.

 

[gravel]

Grrr gave some great advice.

Since I smoke predominately VAs, most of my pipes are used for those. I use a couple of pipes for burley blends, a Pete for aromatics, and a couple for English. When a blend sings in one pipe, they get matched up.

I use cobs for anything. One cob is used exclusively for Lakeland blends as they ghost like nothing else. I've smoked unscented VAs in it after having smoked Ennerdale in this one and the result was nice.

Meers and clays seem to be more forgiving of ghosting.

Most of my pipes are on the group 3-4 range. I can't speak to church wardens as they are not my bag.

 

[javajunkie]

my opinion is, find out what works in YOUR pipes. every briar is a little different, as is every smoker. start with VA, then Va base (VaBur, VaPer, etc.), then go towards big LAT, and then aro. two or three smokes does not a ghost make. listen to what the pipe tells you, and if it isn't clicking, switch. worst case, you may have to salt/alcohol treat it, and start again, which ain't that big of a thing.

OR. buy more pipes. o)