Pipes or tobacco?

Desertdweller

If you have limited disposable income do you invest in nice tobacco or cheap to tobacco in order to afford a better pipe? Is there a faux paus to smoke OTC tobacco in a $100 pipe or vice versa, smoking fine tobacco in a cheap cob? What do you think?

mfresa

Go for the higher grade tobacco.  You can make a nice pipe.

KA9FFJ

I agree with @mfresa You can have all the expensive pipes you want, but if your smoking garbage, a great pipe will not help that situation...

Woodsman

With the supply of Estate Pipes out there you shouldn't have that much of a problem affording good tobacco. Remember that  good tobacco is dependent on personal taste. Over half the tobaccos I smoke are bulks which are often less expensive than tinned varieties with as good or better quality.

KA9FFJ

I agree with @Woodsman I mostly buy bulks and, for the most part, they suit my tastes just fine. I have my share of those "fancy-schmancy" blends, but a lot of the bulks give me a pleasant tasting "bang for the buck"...  

ghostsofpompeii

I think if you've already got a nice collection of pipes - or even two or three for that matter ... getting better tobacco would be the way to go. It's like asking if you'd rather have fancy expensive dinnerware to eat a can of Vienna sausages or delicious T-Bone Steak on a paper plate.

thebadgerpiper

Back when I first started smoking a pipe, I spent the first few years collecting pipes until I had a good collection. Now that I have a good amount of pipes, I concentrate on pipe tobacco. While I think it's better to get a good selection of tobacco, I got into pipes because I was interested in pipes themselves. I'll still pick up a few pipes a year, even though I like my collection.

PappyJoe

I know people who only smoke OTC tobacco. It's what they like and they load it into whatever pipe the pick up in the morning. The same with using a cob to smoke expensive tobacco, there are some who prefer smoking cobs to briar. 

I, for one, would not look down on anyone loading a Rinaldo or a Peterson pipe with Prince Albert or cheap bulk pipe tobacco in their pipe. I say smoke what you can get in the pipes you have and like.

Also, the price you pay for the tobacco doesn't always mean it's better than that you find on sale.

jfreedy

I, like @thebadgerpiper, also started out in this hobby focused on the pipes and just smoked whatever blends my local pipe shop had. This was fine the first several years until I discovered a couple tins that rocked my world. Plus, buying online is cheaper than buying locally due to our state’s taxes. And, my pipe collection has become quite large. Therefore, I’m now mostly focused on tobaccos. Love all the subtle nuances that each blend brings. Flake tobaccos are my current favorite. To go with @ghostsofpompeii’s example... I’d rather eat steak on a paper plate. 

Desertdweller

Thanks everyone. I was just curious. I have one Savinelli, a high end artisan pipe, and a bunch of cobs. The pipes I want are usually at least $50 (even for estate) and for me that is a lot of money. I always end up going for tobacco instead.

mfresa

@Desertdweller, good choice.

PappyJoe

I have 6 cobs. I enjoy all the tobacco I smoke in them.

jfreedy

Can’t go wrong with cobs. Absolutely the best bang for the buck.