Just How Many Pipes?????

[smoker13]

I'm caught up in the thralls of collecting these things beyond all senses of reason. Let me first say that I keep my pipes and tobacco in my library. My library is SORELY overloaded with books, and I've found myself paring it down by taking books that I'd ordinarily keep in a library and either getting rid of them or storing them in trunks in the cellar or elsewhere, which produces its own set of new problems.

So, the pipes..... I've got a nice little bookstand with various pipe stands in the shelves, holding pipes I use, and these are those that are of a certain "upper crust" based on either economics/aesthetics/factor X soul love/all of the above. There's currently well above 50 in this little stand, and I've got more pipes I like and love scattered around the place, 7 in a semi-circle rack on a wall shelf and the rest wherever....a ton of Dagner pipes in a sterling silver bowl, a bunch just in various piles in between books/magazines/flintlock pistols, WHATEVER..........

Tobacco tins............I bought one of those assemble if you're insane things from job lot. Made in Brazil (thankfully not China, but close in the degree of insanity)that has 6 drawers, is on wheels, and an absolute inordinate amount of assembling time and fidgeting to make a thousand pieces somehow fit together into a unit that floats on wheels that holds a bunch of tins of tobacco but hey, no way in hades does it hold anywhere near what you smoke NOW, let alone what you will want to try in the future, so there goes the dream of "alright! now I can keep all the tobacco housed in one nice compartmentalized unit!" There are still tins and cans EVERYWHERE about the room, those that just won't fit (think Rattray's) and well, just all those other ones that are just EXTRA!!!

So every night I go to bed and instead of looking forward to my morning after breakfast smoke with coffee like I used to I obsess about this growing mess of stuff...make that $$$$$tuff that keeps getting bigger and bigger and bigger. The morning comes, if the temp is above freezing I'm outside in the shed with my pipe and coffee and dog and I muse about all of this and it starts to threaten spoiling my morning pipe smoking respite. I just can't see an end to all of this. Clearly I must take a hiatus from purchasing anymore pipes and concentrate on finishing organizing that which I have.

I'm rambling and it's getting time for me to go upstairs and lie down with a book and rest, but I can't stop without asking the question that was the impetus, or part of the impetus that started this diatribe. Surely I am not alone in this dilemma. To those who have found a solution to keeping their pipe "collecting" and all that comes with it to a sane level, what did it for you? I guess I'm asking, what do you find an acceptable number of pipes to keep on hand to smoke, what, if any, limitations do you place on your tobacco choices? How do you keep it all going and in place at the same time?

I'm cutting it out right there and leaving the table. I'd truly be interested in hearing from the brothers on all of this, even if it's just to throw disparaging commkents at me!

Yours in Smoke - S13

 

[Brewdude]

Ya, you got the bug and there's no known cure. Go with the flow. You'll find your own middle ground at some point. Some of do, some of us don't....heh!

:twisted:



Cheers,

RR

 

[Ozark Wizard]

The pipe collection keeps growing here, yes indeed! My solution was short term, now long term.
My reachable devices must fit in either the drying rack/wall hangy-thingy, or one of four coffee mug/ beer steins, period. That works out to around 50 or so visible. Every time I file a Quarterly, I rotate out any of the really rested pipes into cedar boxes I made, and whatever I need to remove to make room, comes out and re-enters the rotation. I am reluctant to do a head count, so when I find the rotation places crowded, I make another cedar box...

The tobacco? I, well, I don't know what to say about that. The unprocessed is way more organized than the tins, jars and pouches. I have no control over that. I am weak and easily succumb to TAD.

Have you tried facing your books to the edges of the shelves and tucking tins behind them? Looks like you have hardly any tobacco at all that way! :twisted: I like the paperback ones best, as they can leave a lot of room to stash behind! I keep the boxes the canning jars come in and reload the now full jars back into the boxes they came out of. That way they stack nicely..... Unfortunately, the stash ends up organized as an archeological dig. Ah well........

This may not have helped, but you now have a window into my insanity...

 

[KevinM]

I caught myself ordering the same pipes over and over again. I'm still very fond of chunky quarter bents, and my racks are chock full of them. I also like a nice billiard with a slightly canted bowl and perfect proportions. I could go on ...  I'm still drawn to favorite shapes and designs, but now, before clicking "submit order," I ask myself, Do I already own one very much like this?"  Having something similar isn't an automatic rejection of a possible addition, but it does force adding some reason to a decision that might otherwise be made on impulse.  This method has the plus of being self limiting. As for pipe tobacco, I've never had the sense of being on a search for my perfect mixture. If it's tasty, of moderate strength and not too much Vitamin N, I'm likely to enjoy it. This approach usually keeps the number of tins under control. I don't have an absolute number as a target for building a selection of pipes or
 tobacco.

 

[RDPipes]

I don't see a reason to worry about your collection of pipes growing. If you don't want anymore, don't purchase anymore, plain and simple. Now if ya got the bug, nothing is going to stop you from purchasing more. At least until your ready to quit and that'll come soon enough. I have hundreds of pipes all on racks upon the walls, there are some out there that have thousands and there are certainly some with only 10 or less. I wouldn't fret unless you find yourself spending money on pipes that should be going to Bills. If that should start, it is then time to seriously rethink buying more pipes.

 

[Richard Burley]

I caught myself ordering the same pipes over and over again...

This is what splashed cold water on my face and sobered me up. Not the expense, the self-chastisement, or being thrashed and thrown around the room like a rag doll by my woman, but the realization that I was pretty much duplicating my favorites. I like billiards and bulldogs. That's pretty much it. What the hell does a rack or two of billiards do for me, some of which I don't even smoke? Now if I could stop gazing at pipe porn daily, while aware of my life ticking by, I'd be all set.

TAD is another matter. In view of price increases and coming restrictions on availability, anything goes. I am currently stuffing a large closet with the stuff, with no apologies to anyone. Want it to look neat and organized? Just close the door.

 

[bosun1]

I have several hundred pipes, plus accessories, a fifty pound stash of tobacco in preparation for the Tobacco Apocalypse, bench buffer with wheels, abrasives, waxes, stains, sandpapers...... The only way I managed to stop that insidious "just one more" and "I need that one" was to stop smoking entirely!

 

[Zeno Marx]

I had what I considered a large collection of pipes.  Not in the many hundreds, but a large enough amount that I would often wonder why. I worked in a tobacco shop.  Trading was heavy and constant.  A couple regular customers who traveled the roads for their careers would bring box after box into the shop for sale, cleaning, and trading.  They were relentless in scouring the landside.  And then there were the estate catalogs from the 90s, which for some reason had a lot more temptation than I feel I see now.  I was constantly tempted by both pipes and the deal.  Had the inability to appreciate and not acquire.  I sold them all but my very favorite and two cripples I couldn't sell anyway.  I'm back to around a dozen or so now, but even there, I only smoke 75% of them on a regular basis.  Have the ability to appreciate and not acquire.  It feels great and every bit as satisfying.  I have a couple shapes and makers that I would love to add to my pile, but I don't think twice about passing them up on eBay.  I don't care enough to care. Collecting is a funny business.  I battle with clutterism vs minimalism as much as anyone, but I'm always trying to work towards minimalism.

 

[Stick]

That was a great read S13 that made me smile, thank you!

Not much more to add regarding the PAD other than it needn't be regarded as a problem. There are folks out there that collect far stranger things than pipes, some requiring extensive work to their property to house said items. I guess it only becomes a problem when it starts to really bother you.

As for TAD, well, part of the problem is that you chaps across the pond have access to far greater supplies of ridiculously cheap 'baccy when compared to others round the world I get all excited about ordering a new tin, let alone having a stash of 50lbs :affraid:

Don't sweat it, enjoy it old bean.

 

[ftrplt]

PAD & TAD is an infectious calamity which is a scourge upon us BoBs!!! I now own approximately 175 pipes (all kinds/types) and enough 'baccy to last well beyond the grave!!! Oh, did I mention another pipe arrives this weekend???? I'm out of my friggin' mind!!!!:cheers: FTRPLT

 

[Idlefellow]

Over the past few years I've pared my accumulation (I'd hesitate to call it a collection) down to around 50 or so pipes; I've probably moved out about that many.  In that time, I've added maybe 2 or 3.  At that, I only smoke 10 or so regularly. I could stand to move a few more, but I have the room in my storage system (a 36-pipe rack and a cabinet that will accommodate 15 to 20), and most of them likely wouldn't bring enough to be worth the effort.  I think there are currently two open slots, so if I run across something that I absolutely love I might take the plunge, but I kind of doubt it, because there are shotguns and fly rods and guitars and banjos and books and...  ig: .

 

[smoker13]

idlefellow - I had FINALLY gotten a hold on the cashflow of my antique gun collection when pipes entered the picture.......

Funny how things like that happen, eh?

 

[riff raff]

We all seem to have addictive personalities.
I have one pipe cabinet (an old bow-front cabinet, re-purposed).
When I bought it, I said I'd never fill it, nor go past.
Well, it's getting full. Like Zeno, I smoke about 30% of that group (85 or so pipes).
I'm in the one-come in, one-goes out period right now.
I buy primarily estates, which I restore, so should I decide to pare down, I'll at least break even.

 

[Puff Daddy]

I have a 20 slot pipe rack which has 14 made in Denmark Stanwells in it. I intend to fill that eventually. My method is haphazard, I buy 2 or 3 or 4 and after a while 1 turns out to be a great smoker and has that perfect style and is in great condition, so I keep it. The others are sold. Using this luck of the draw/after further review method I am sitting on 14 of them. I'll get to 20 eventually, there are still at least a half dozen shapes I really like that are not represented and I think it will be a cool,  tidy little collection of great pipes no longer made.

I have had a love-hate relationship with Peterson pipes for over a decade. Love the style, the rugged look of the pipes, but far too many have been quite poorly made and are poor smokers with badly misaligned drilling, skinny airways and major gurgling, not to mention dip staining and dyes that come off on your hand for weeks when you smoke them. As my own smoking style has finally evolved to the quite slowly paced, laid back sipping that truly gives the most enjoyment, I've discovered that the older system pipes that gave me such fits back when I thought a pipe should offer up instant volumous clouds of smoke now produce wonderful flavor and a fine dry smoke. I have a small but growing collection of older Deluxe, Star and Standard system pipes and I will probably end up with something in the neighborhood of a dozen, representing the shapes that I like best in a few finishes.

These two groups have become my reliables. Pipes that smoke wonderfully for the way I smoke pipes, pipes that appeal to my eye, and are plentiful enough to give me plenty of hunting enjoyment on the estate market. In addition to these two groups I have the amusements and the oddballs. I have a half dozen cobs just because. They're OK enough and I like the homegrown country cool factor. They sit in the corner of a book case and are smoked occasionally. I may replace one or two as they burn out but probably won't really grow the collection. There are 3 Falcons. A big brown bent with a few extra bowls, an all black and a white stemmed straight both sporting meerschaum bowls. That's enough. They're neat, they smoke alright. There are 3 Peterson nosewarmers, sandblasted straight military mount pipes that ride in my duty bag at work. They are my truck pipes and get used regularly at work and smoke well. They are workhorses and do the job. Finally the oddballs. The BoB POY Tinsky Bulldog, a big sandblasted Ser Jacopo Bulldog, the Meerschaum billiard my daughter brought back from Dubai when she was in the navy, etc.. They don't fit in but they're staying. There are a few others floating around that I don't know what I'm going to do with, limbo pipes. Some are nothing more than inexpensive decent smokers I just don't use but haven't parted with, others I like well enough for their looks but may sell because they don't perform so well for me (the Peterson Founders Edition smooth, a huge Peterson house pipe smooth, gorgeous but "Meh" as a smoker).

Well, there you have it. The babbling and ramblings of a modest pipe nut who seeks no remedy, just a little direction.

 

[smoker13]

Interesting and thoroughly enjoyable "rant", puff daddy. I think you're on to a very good base plan on which to build your cadre of pipes.

 

[Jevverrett]

I personally have 6 in rotation that I smoke at home only. These are either fancy or special gift pipes from brothers here. I have about 18 more in some kind of a rotation that are in three groups. These are English, burley or va and va/per. 12 of the 18 I smoke the death out of daily at work and the others are for going about on the weekend. Then I have a half dozen cobs for manly adventuring lol. Working/playing outside pipes I guess. Nothing like a good cob out in the woods tromping about in the muck. I've tried not to get too into collecting them bc of what they are.

Now as for tobacco, I got bombed with many delicious and varied full English flakes and other rare gems that I only smoke on occasion bc they are offensive to my loved ones lol. All bets are off on hoarding the stuff that may soon be gone though. I buy a pound of this or that when I get some extra overtime at work for the cellar.

 

[Bonanzadriver]

Hello all,

My name is Dino and I am bitten with the PAD & TAD bug bad.

6 or 7 months ago I had 1 pipe. A 1987 Nording Signature Freehand that I received new as a gift.

One evening in October 2016, I was up in the mancave and decided to have a cigar. I then realized that my regular humidor was empty (I'd cleared it out for a golf outting ) All I had left was my Cuban's. I kinda like to save those for special occasions.

It was then that I glanced up on the shelf and saw my Nording and a pouch of Borkum Riff. Thinkin "what the heck", I pulled it down and enjoyed a bowl. While fighting with re-lights and a little bit of tongue bite I had an epiphany. I realized that even though I'd been a casual pipe smoker for 35 or so years, I really didn't know anything about it. Not near as much as I did about Cigars, Scotch and such.

So, I fired up the laptop and started lookin around. Then I turned on the tv and started watchin youtube pipe community videos.

Before the night was over I was on ebay and had bought a few estate pipes that I liked the shape of. By the time they arrived I had already gone to several stores and stocked up with the necessary cleaning supplies, micromesh and such that I thought I'd need to clean up these old beauties.

Fast forward to today... I have a variable speed two wheel buffer, tubs full of cleaners, polishes, reamers, etc... and over 45 refurbed/restored briars, another 12 waiting their turn, half a dozen cobs and upwards of 50 or so tins and jars of tobacco.

I seem to go in waves. I'll get on a kick and resurrect 6 or 10 pipes, then I'll start buying tobacco.

Most recently my son Nick (my pipe pal) and I went to the TAPS Pipe & Tobacco Expo in Raleigh, I came home with a dozen 4 oz samples of Lane Ltd.'s offerings, 8 tins of D&R and my most prized acquisition to date... A 1990's pristine unopened tin of Penzance. (still trying which pipe gets the honor and which occasion to celebrate the opening of this legendary offering).

I'm still on the lookout for some Stonehaven and would like to try Haunted Bookshop.


I've really enjoyed the journey thus far and look forward to learning from you all.


Take care

Dino