Questions You Thought Were Too Dumb to Ask (Pipes Edition)

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Originally Posted by Tobias Lutz

That said, if you smoke once or twice a day, you can easily get by with 3-4 pipes (of which 2 or 3 can be inexpensive cobs).

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So if smoking once or twice a day = 3-4 pipes, does that mean you smoke 20 times a day? (4 pipes = 2x a day ... 40 pipes = 20x a day)

What's the best way to use a tamper? When do you use one?

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Originally Posted by Rocket Scientologist

What's the best way to use a tamper? When do you use one?

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Use a tamper lightly. If you press too hard you pack the tobacco too tightly. I know it is time to tamp when the smoke volume decreases. The cherry is not making good contact with the unburnt tobacco, so you tamp and push it down a little.

Puffing while you tamp can reignite a pipe that's going out on you.

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Originally Posted by Rocket Scientologist

What's the best way to use a tamper? When do you use one?

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I was taught to not actually press the tamp, but instead, hold it about 1/2" above the burn line in the bowl and drop it. The weight of the tamp will provide the pressure you need and you never "over pack" it.

Straight or bent, other than appearance is there a difference in how they smoke? benefit from one or the other?

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Originally Posted by bluenoser

Straight or bent, other than appearance is there a difference in how they smoke? benefit from one or the other?

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The biggest benefit I find from a bent pipe is its ease to clinch. Bent pipes have a great center of gravity and clench a lot easier than a straight pipe does. So if you are going to be using both your hands a lot or will be moving about a bunch, a bent pipe can be handy. On the other side, extreme pipe bends make it almost impossible to pass a pipe cleaner down to the bowl, so if it is gurgling you may have some issues.

I would say 99% of it comes down to aesthetics in the end though. I, for instance, much prefer a straight pipe to bent. I find a stout straight pipe to be far more masculine than a bent one. I would say my pipe collection is around 90% straight to 10% bent.

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Originally Posted by NWSmoke

OK I'll go. Seriously, what's the difference between a $25 Grabow or Brog and a $100 savinelli? I'm referring to smokemanship not so much craftsmanship (although at some point those two must cross paths). I have 4 inexpensive pipes (2 baskets, a MM, & a Mr Brog) and every time I think of getting something in the 100+ range I get scared and back out. Is it really worth it?

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One difference I notice and appreciate with higher priced pipes is the attention to detail. It absolutely drives me crazy to be able to see any kind of gap between the stem and the shank, and it's pretty common in cheaper pipes. But then, unless it's really bad, I guess that's in the craftsmanship side.

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Originally Posted by Tobias Lutz

I was taught to not actually press the tamp, but instead, hold it about 1/2" above the burn line in the bowl and drop it. The weight of the tamp will provide the pressure you need and you never "over pack" it.

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Wow. That sounds like a sure way to do it. Thanks for the tip.

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Originally Posted by bluenoser

Straight or bent, other than appearance is there a difference in how they smoke? benefit from one or the other?

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Depending upon the severity of the bend, I have a harder time getting bent pipes to pass a pipe cleaner. I've read in another forum where, over the course of time, members have poked a hole through their stem at the curve. It's not happened myself, but listening to the metal of the cleaner scraping along the inside of my stem gives me pause as I imagine a groove being cut.

I do prefer the looks of bent pipes and, as previously mentioned, they are easier to clench. However, my go to pipes are straight and not as much trouble to clean IMHO.