HOW MANY PIPES DOES ONE MAN NEED?

opipeman

I have posted several pictures of my pipes with of some of the tobac that I have dug out of my cellar on "What are you smoking now". I have about a dozen pipes I would classify as my favorites or those that I smoke on a regular basis. I have several more. I don't consider myself a pipe collector. I have accumulated more than I have counted trying to find one that smokes the best. I will continue to post more as I work through my cellar. At any rate, it occurred to me, how many pipes does one man need? Would like to get the opinions of the brotherhood.

motie2

Nine briars and a cob. I’ve put away the pipes I don’t often smoke. If I could only keep a couple of my active briars, I’d be ok with that.

mapletop

I'm probably the last person you'd want to ask this question, but since you asked.

1) As many as your heart desires.

Or

I classify pipes the same as I do with Tobacco, firearms, ammo, and a few other things, you need as many as you can safely afford, or said another way, you can never have too many. I should note I am a collector.

Or

Just 2, (minimalist's view) one to smoke today while giving yesterdays pipe a rest.

I am a firm believer of overkill.

opipeman

@mapletop;
I like the way you think.

opipeman

@Motie2;
I wish I could have found my dozen favorites without buying so many to get there. Maybe I am a collector.

RockyMountainBriar

I’m with @mapletop view number one.  Whatever I can afford, and as with @mapletop all kinds of things, pipes, tobacco, tampers, lighters, hand tools, power tools, cars, motorcycles, guns, ammo, knives, HotWheels, straight razors, pocket watches.  I find I collect things for awhile, then I just stop cold turkey, then start on something else.  I’m pretty sure it is some mental problem with me, but it does not hurt anyone else, so what the heck.  I think it may be called OCD🤔
When it comes down to it, probably one pipe would suffice.

opipeman

@RockyMountainBriar;
I'm a huge collector as well of a variety of things and like you I move to other things when I find that items get too expensive or scarce. OCD, I think not. It is a disease that we both have, but I don't know what its called.

judandhispipe

Need has absolutely nothing to do with it.

Winton

I just counted 38 pipes in my racks. I have a few cobs in the garage. I also have 50-100 small clay pipes, to be used at Chicago Pipe Show. 

At this stage, I am buying to support the pipe carvers. I want them to continue to produce pipes, so that our hobby will continue from generation to generation. 

AnantaAndroscoggin

I can't think of anything "sensible" to add.

I guess, as many as he/she takes a liking to, whether for smoking or conversation fodder (e.g., Now, that's a weird one!)

PappyJoe

One more than he has.

motie2

I was limited by the amount of bookcase space SWMBO allowed me.

opipeman

@Pappyjoe;
You may have gotten right to the heart of the issue.

pipeman83

I have roughly 40 pipes right now, some are smoked more than others, I don’t have a lot of time to smoke so I’m smoking just a few that I have as of now, I’m not able to spend as much time as I used to with them.

Balisong

The last time I counted I had 37 briars and 57 cobs. Last summer I switched to mainly cobs remembering a doctor's advice, who was a pipe smoker, from back in the eighties. He said don't smoke but if you do don't inhale. He smoked a cob and would toss it when the tars built up. He was also against flavored tobaccos. 

buflosab

I’ve got six, but will shortly be buying a new one. still haven’t learned not to take out the stem on a hot pipe, but I’m learning.

PappyJoe

Now you've made me go count my pipes.
Total: 63 pipes
Briar: 41
Meerschaum: 10
Clay: 6
Cob: 5
Metal: 1 (with three briar and one meerschaum bowl)

mfresa

"Just one more..."  paraphrasing David Rockefeller

thebadgerpiper

I've hit over 50 briars and cobs in my collection. IMO, as long as they're all used and it's not becoming a problem, then I say keep collecting. 

Londy3

... as many as it takes.

mapletop

Ok Ok, I am going to give all of you the answer to this question,as this discussion has  by my estimation, has run it's course.

The answer it (42) , no mater what you believe to be the truth, the answer is 42.

No it's not necessarily the number of pipes in your collection; we are talking about the answer to every thing, is 42.

Don't believe me, that's ok because the universe doesn't care. The answer is still 42. google it

motie2

After my father, of blessed memory, passed away (Alzheimer's and pneumonia) my mom and I kept finding things in groups of 43 all over the hourse: 43 wrapped pennies, 43 toothpicks, 43 postage stamps, etc., etc., etc.  We couldn't figure it out. After a long while, we found out that that was my father's name in the orphanage. 

Close to 42, but as they say, "No cigar."

AnantaAndroscoggin

Ummmm . . . how many pipes are there in this world?

opipeman

There have been some great answers to this question!!

RockyMountainBriar

How Many?
More than I have now?

daveinlax

All I need is one but I’ve always thought having 366 pipes would be about right. 

opipeman

@daveinlax
One for each day and a spare. I like it!

Zouave

I don't keep count. If I don't know, then I can't give an accurate inventory to my wife. This is how I avoid lying about how many pipes I have/spent money on. 😂

opipeman

@Zouave
I wish I was as scary smart as you. It would keep me from having to explain "why", on a number of levels.

daveinlax

@opipeman
got to have a pipe for leap year! 

motie2

You can't always get what you want
But if you try sometimes, well, you might find
You get what you need.
                                    ~  The Rolling Stones