How Many Pipes Should Be In Your Rotation

This is a question that is presented to us on a regular basis. The answer has to be based on several variables such as the following;

1. How often do you smoke?
2. What type of tobacco do you smoke?
3. Does your smoking style lend itself more towards ending up with a somewhat dry or wet pipe?
4. Do you smoke the same tobacco all day?

As a general rule you should allow at least 1 to 2 hours for your pipe to rest after you finish smoking. This allows enough time for your pipe to properly cool down and dry out, for the most part. The time of tobacco you smoke plays a role too.

Aromatic tobacco burns slightly wetter and tends to cause a pipe to retain moisture longer. Virginias tend to burn cleaner and drier and sometimes the pipe can be put back in action in as little as 30 - 45 minutes. If you are accustomed to smoking your pipe enough to conflict with these suggested times then you should be using 2 or more pipes in your daily rotation. If you are a "wet" smoker or have a few cherished pipes that matter to smoker a tad on the wet side than you should also be using 2 or more pipes in your daily rotation.

As discussed in a previous newsletter, it is best to dedicate a pipe for each type of tobacco that you smoke. So, if you smoke more than one type of tobacco during the coarse of the day than you'll need to add more pipes into your daily rotation. Each pipe in your rotation should have the minimum of two days off after being used for the day and cleaned every five to ten bowls depending on the tobacco smoked and your smoking habits.

Well let's not and say we did and sum up with the following general rules of thumb; If you smoke on a daily basis and have a good pipe cleaning and care schedule established the bare minimum amount of pipes in your rotation should be no less than three.

Seven would be the ideal minimum and would ensure well rested, fresh pipes and spread out your time spent cleaning. What's right for you? Simply take these suggested minimum rotations and factor in the four questions above. Me? I'm a minimum 21 kinda guy.

I smoke 3 types of tobacco each day and keep my pipes dedicated within reason. Aromatic in the morn, VA mid day and a smooth English blend in the evenings. I also like to let my pipes rest for a week and set aside one night a week for cleaning. Yup, 21 for me but I always find an excuse for more.