Newb question about trying tobacco with only one pipe.

[CLFman]

Hello everyone, this is my first post here.

I just purchased a new Peterson Kinsale x15 rustic. It is my first real pipe and I am trying out a lot of different tobacco to figure out what I liked.

There is a problem though, I only have one pipe at the moment. Is it bad to switch between tobacco with only one pipe? Do you guys only use one pipe for one tobacco?
I read something about the pipe cake, and how it absorbs the flavor and that if I switched tobacco it would confuse the flavors.

So, how many types of tobacco do you smoke with one pipe?

Thinking of investing in some corn cob ones until I figure out what I liked too.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[tiltjlp]

Corncobs are always good smokers. Check out both my Primer and Buyers Guide to make wiser choices. You might prefer them over briar.
https://www.brothersofbriar.com/t12942-the-corncob-new-smoker-primer
https://www.brothersofbriar.com/t12900-mm-buyers-guide-5-31

 

[calipuffer]

I started with two pipes for many years. Ghosting (retention of flavor) is most prominent with a well established cake, but isn't required. You can spend much time thinking about these concerns, or just enjoy smoking. With only one pipe my advice is to give a blend five smokes without switching to another blend to give it a fair assessment. This will help overcome minor ghosting and allow you to give the tobacco a chance to show its flavors independent of previous tenants.

 

[Richard Burley]

Ditto on the corncobs. If you're going to be "all over the place" trying to figure out what you like, that would be the way to go. But I always mixed tobaccos in the same pipe, until fairly recently. You do get a carryover effect, but it eventually dissipates. If you're trying aromatics though, they will do a number on the briar. If you go from an aromatic to a virginia, say, you won't know what the hell you're smoking. Better stick to cobs, in that case. Excellent choice in a first pipe, by the way.

 

[Rusty]

I take it you're new to pipe smoking? If so then don't worry about it. Smoke whatever you want in the same pipe. Simplify. Many pipes will just make it harder for you to learn. Those are for later. There is a skill to smoking a pipe and enjoying it. There has always been quite a significant quitter rate among new smokers because of this. So don't make it harder with subtle complications that are irrelevant at the beginning.

There would be far fewer cigar smokers if they handed them a wrapper leaf and a pile of filler so that they could roll it before smoking it. But this is exactly the situation with pipe smokers.

 

[jefe1037]

I take it you're new to pipe smoking? If so then don't worry about it. Smoke whatever you want in the same pipe. Simplify. Many pipes will just make it harder for you to learn. Those are for later. There is a skill to smoking a pipe and enjoying it. There has always been quite a significant quitter rate among new smokers because of this. So don't make it harder with subtle complications that are irrelevant at the beginning.

There would be far fewer cigar smokers if they handed them a wrapper leaf and a pile of filler so that they could roll it before smoking it. But this is exactly the situation with pipe smokers.

+1 for this. something I had taken up at the beginning. That being said, one pipe might like one style of tobacco better than another, so if you find you aren't liking something -- for example, latakia heavy blends, don't swear them off entirely, and take advice from another brother, LIPIPE, and NEVER throw out tobacco. Set it aside, when you end up with a new pipe (IT WILL HAPPEN EVENTUALLY... PAD hits us all), revisit it again. Your tastes change, the weather changes, and pipes smoke differently. A $7 E-bay pipe that I bought for aromatics so i didn't "Captain Black"-up my Peterson is now my A-1 lat pipe.

There was a time when a man only had one pipe, and that was his pipe that he smoked day in and day out. Don't sweat it, and enjoy what you have. Get some cobs if you like, keep your eyes on the trading post after you have been here for 30 days, and have fun!

 

[Kyle Weiss]

I agree with simplifying and I also agree with experimentation and getting your feet wet.

Having a few pipes to dedicate to both getting used to how they smoke differently (and believe me, even two identical pipes will smoke differently) and learning how to smoke in general is fine, and somewhat recommended. To my reckon, you can learn to smoke one pipe really well, or have a rotation of them (cobs are a great idea) to figure out how to smoke pipes of varying nature. Either school of thought will "get you there." It all depends on your preference. Me? I go whole-hog and get whatever I can get my hands on, make a friggin' mess, and learn as I go. Others are meticulous, and finish one tobacco with one pipe until they feel they have a handle on it. Others still keep one pipe and bounce around tobaccos, or keep lots of pipes an stick with one tobacco blend as they learn.

The pipe you started with is a good one--it won't let you down. With that in mind, I wouldn't worry about ghosting until you really find a blend you like and want to dedicate it to that flavor. Ghosting usually occurs with many pipefuls of the same stuff, with a sudden switch down the road. Even then, chasing out the ghosts is usually a pretty easy remedy.

Go smoke and relax with your Pete. If you want more pipes and tobacco, that's okay, too. 8)

 

[TCnBham]

I'm new here, but I'll throw my 2 cents worth in...If you can, get at least one more pipe, even if it's "just" a Cob. That way, you can rotate them every other day and give each a chance to "rest" for 24 hours. Start out with milder tobacco so that the whole experience will be a pleasant one. Some of the English blends can be a bit much for new smokers, no matter what pipe you smoke them in. Eventually, you'll settle on a few favorites for different times of the day and that work well with your taste buds. What one person loves, another may find tastes terrible. Everybody is different. I can't stand most whiskey or scotch, but love good tequila. I enjoy good beer, but some are too "hoppy" for my palate.

 

[CLFman]

Thanks, I picked up 3 corn cobs for 15 bucks, one for each tobacco I own currently. Unfortunately I picked up two more tins.... so I am short two pipes.

 

[Kyle Weiss]

Thanks, I picked up 3 corn cobs for 15 bucks, one for each tobacco I own currently. Unfortunately I picked up two more tins.... so I am short two pipes.

...and so the game begins... 8)

Read John's cob missive thoroughly so you know how to best take care of your new acquisitions!

 

[loki993]

Thanks, I picked up 3 corn cobs for 15 bucks, one for each tobacco I own currently. Unfortunately I picked up two more tins.... so I am short two pipes.

You don't really need a pipe for each tobacco, just a pipe for each type so to speak. I think a lot of people have a Latikia pipe, an aromatic pipe and one for Virginias. Then I think some will break that down more having one for straight Virginias and one for Va/pers.

I don't really worry too much about it. All I really concern myself with is aromatics and non aromatics that's how I break it up. Honestly though I don't even smoke a lot of aromatics and I haven't really found any I really like so Its kinda rare anyway one finds it way into that pipe.

Ive noticed ghosting if I go from and aro to a non aro in the same pipe. But Ill go from a latikia blend to a Virginia and not notice, or not care, enough for it to make any difference to me. Maybe my palate is just not refined enough

 

[KevinM]

>>>Thinking of investing in some corn cob ones until I figure out what I liked too.<<<

Perfect. Don't worry about about 1 pipe = 1 tobacco at this point. Just develop the basic skills, relax and enjoy. Plenty of pipes out there. Plenty of time to enjoy 'em. Bon voyage!

 

[DrumsAndBeer]

Corn cobs hell yes, love them. Don't worry about ghosting your briar pipes and don't designate a pipe to a specific blend until you find that magical blend/pipe combo. Some tobaccos perform better in certain pipes, it's up to you to find out. Sure if you smoke peanut fudge honeysuckle one night and EMP the next you may notice a few off flavors, but I think some of those crossover smokes are great!

 

[idbowman]

I take it you're new to pipe smoking? If so then don't worry about it. Smoke whatever you want in the same pipe. Simplify. Many pipes will just make it harder for you to learn. Those are for later. There is a skill to smoking a pipe and enjoying it. There has always been quite a significant quitter rate among new smokers because of this. So don't make it harder with subtle complications that are irrelevant at the beginning.

There would be far fewer cigar smokers if they handed them a wrapper leaf and a pile of filler so that they could roll it before smoking it. But this is exactly the situation with pipe smokers.

+1 for this. something I had taken up at the beginning. That being said, one pipe might like one style of tobacco better than another, so if you find you aren't liking something -- for example, latakia heavy blends, don't swear them off entirely, and take advice from another brother, LIPIPE, and NEVER throw out tobacco. Set it aside, when you end up with a new pipe (IT WILL HAPPEN EVENTUALLY... PAD hits us all), revisit it again. Your tastes change, the weather changes, and pipes smoke differently. A $7 E-bay pipe that I bought for aromatics so i didn't "Captain Black"-up my Peterson is now my A-1 lat pipe.

There was a time when a man only had one pipe, and that was his pipe that he smoked day in and day out. Don't sweat it, and enjoy what you have. Get some cobs if you like, keep your eyes on the trading post after you have been here for 30 days, and have fun!

I agree with all of this. Look...the thing is, we pipe smokers have a way about unnecessarily complicating things with our rules and regulations. If you like what you're smoking and how you're smoking it, all of the specifics are trivial (and matters of personal preference).

Now, if you find that you want to try more tobaccos and don't want to invest in more pipes at the moment but are worried about ghosting/cross-contamination.whatever then cobs are a great way to put your mind at ease. Smoking multiple blends from the same pipe is just fine if you like it - but if you don't, or if you have to give it enough thought that its affecting the enjoyability of the hobby, you can get really good cobs for less than a tin of tobacco.

Being new to the hobby, make your primary concern figuring out what makes you enjoy what you're doing. Everything else will fall into place soon enough!

 

[tech2576]

Corn cobs hell yes, love them. Don't worry about ghosting your briar pipes and don't designate a pipe to a specific blend until you find that magical blend/pipe combo. Some tobaccos perform better in certain pipes, it's up to you to find out. Sure if you smoke peanut fudge honeysuckle one night and EMP the next you may notice a few off flavors, but I think some of those crossover smokes are great!

I am just curious, where in name of all that is good and proper did you find peanut fudge honeysuckle ?!!! :shock:

 

[DrumsAndBeer]

Corn cobs hell yes, love them. Don't worry about ghosting your briar pipes and don't designate a pipe to a specific blend until you find that magical blend/pipe combo. Some tobaccos perform better in certain pipes, it's up to you to find out. Sure if you smoke peanut fudge honeysuckle one night and EMP the next you may notice a few off flavors, but I think some of those crossover smokes are great!

I am just curious, where in name of all that is good and proper did you find peanut fudge honeysuckle ?!!! :shock:

Haha, nothing literal by any means.

I was just trying to think of a flavor that might have a good chance of tainting your next smoke if one were to switch smoking tobaccos in the same pipe all the sudden.

Not that I haven't seen some weird aromatic tobacco flavors in my time.

 

[DustyRoundup]

They all said it right.
I just started last year, and to be honest, cobs didnt really hit me as something Id want for all the time. I just figured theyd get me by till I got more bryers.
Man, was I wrong!
I have a Diplomat, and a Great Dane spool that I use ALL THE TIME. I love em ! I have a General with a "Forever churchwarden stem " that is perfect for my late night TV watching. and I still have my first 2 'Ponys" that I bought to try Latakia's and Aro's. The Lat pony is a small bowl, but I think it smokes Bobs Choc Flake the best of any of my Lat pipes.
The MM cobs definitely are the best bargain pipe Ive seen. Dont tell MM, but I think they sell em too cheap, for the amount of use we get out of them.

But of course "Peterson's" pipes are the best of them all! Congrats on your Pete ! It shows you are a man of good taste.
(that ought to get a rise out of a few fellers on here )