When was the last time you saw a pipe smoker? Now I don't mean at the local brick and mortar, and I am not talking about a friend or family member. I mean a genuine, out and about, glance over and spot a pipe smoker sort of moment. Sad to say it doesn't happen that often, at least not in my neck of the woods anyway. My father smoked a pipe; he was seldom seen without one. Thinking back to my grade school days, (we will just say the 60's and let it go at that), it was not uncommon to see someone with a pipe nearly anywhere. So what happened?
The answer is that several things happened.
Business changed a few aspects of the hobby. A good number of tobacco blends that were produced in this country changed or disappeared completely. Dad smoked Half & Half for years, and when I decided to take up the pipe I started with this old favorite. I wanted to like it, but I simply could not. Turns out the blend had changed some little bit. I expect that many new pipe smokers simply could not get into these old favorites that had changed over the years. I know then as now there were a great many tobaccos out there to be substituted when the old favorites changed. Remember that with the exception of a few large metro areas most pipe tobacco came from the local drug store or variety store. Selection was limited.
The popularity of pipes is not helped by the fact that they seem inconvenient. Perhaps they are but I really don't think so. There is that whole packing, lighting, tamping, and tending thing. My thoughts are "so what". If you are so busy that you have no time for this, could be time to lighten your load a bit. What about everything you have to carry with you to smoke a pipe? Well, I say ok, what about it? When I leave for the day I take a pipe, tobacco pouch, a few pipe cleaners, and wooden matches. It all fits in two pockets of a flannel shirt on cooler days, and carries nicely in a pipe bag when the weather is warmer.
I have had a number of people tell me that pipes cost so much, it is cheaper to buy a good cigar. Well I can't argue with that point. Until the first pipe is purchased! I will grant that it can be an expensive proposition, but it doesn't have to be. Some really good pipes can be had for well under a hundred bucks! This may still sound like a good chunk of change, and it is! The last cigar I bought at a shop was a "CAO Brazillia Amazon". It cost me $7.00 give or take. Ten of these and you've got yourself a good Peterson, or Stanwell pipe. Now for the savings part. If you were to spend $20.00 on cigars you may get, depending on what you buy, three to five or maybe six hours of enjoyment. That $20.00 will keep you in pipe weed for a month or even two, depending.
The last point I want to deal with is the "a pipe will make me look, (old, nerdy, odd, whatever)". Well what can I say to that? I'll tell you what I say. Take a look around you! Nearly every person you meet on the street will fit one of these categories. What makes you so special? At least ask your wife, if applicable, or if not a few of your friends. They may tell you it would be an improvement.
The truth of the matter is that I believe that there are far more pipe smokers today than we realize. For whatever the reason they simply prefer to smoke at home, in the comfort of familiar surroundings.
This truly is a grand hobby we share, and one which I am sure will be with us for many years to come.
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©copyright Perry S. Fuller, 2005
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