Pipe Professions

PipeProfessor

An often cited profession when one thinks of a pipe smoker is a professor, a lawyer, a fisherman, a sailor, and/or a farmer. Sometimes this holds true (I'm a pipe smoker who is a professor), but many times it does not. What professions do you think of when you think of a pipe smoker? Does the image hold true to your profession?

thebadgerpiper

Those professions come instantly to my mind as well. Even with some of those professions, a specific pipe will join that mental image. For the farmer, it's a cob, and I'll smoke a cob while working on my garden. I also have a few bent dublins, and when I smoke them I'm reminded of a sailor working on a ship.

For me, being a writer conjured up images of someone writing while having a pipe in their jaw. It fits, and so I added it to my writing routine.

thebadgerpiper

Forgot to mention that all I need is an old tweed jacket to wear when writing and I'll have the look down perfectly.

PipeProfessor

Yes @thebadgerpiper, you could nail that look!...and how did I miss Writer? Don't tell @pappyjoe I forgot, he'll give me a tounge lashing!

PappyJoe

@pipeprofessor - No tongue lashing. I thought you had left writer off just to get a reaction from me.

drac2485

I'll agree with the list and add  a doctor (old school), a moonshiner, and a hillbilly.

GrandpaSmokes

I can add to the list the following from my own smoking experience:  soldier with a cob; article writer with a Dublin; lawyer with a Peterson Limerick; and Dad reading a story to his daughter while smoking a Bing special.

PappyJoe

My grandfather was a pipe smoker. He was a transmission mechanic back in the 50s and early 60s. 

Topaz75

Let's not forget Santa Clause and his many professional impersonators. Oh, and old men who ride BMW motorcycles.

LostMason

Don't leave out Jet Setting Playboys with their black rusticated straight billards

IndyJG

My grandfather who smoked a pipe was a carpenter. I've mainly been employed as a service techinician over most of my working career.

PappyJoe

 I guess I should have run down my professions. 1. U.S. Coast Guard - started smoking a pipe while serving on an icebreaker in the engineering department, finished my career as a photojournalist. 2. Executive Assistant to a Marine Insurance adjuster. 3. Managing editor of a hunting and fishing magazine and department head for a printing company. 4. Print Advertising designer.

ScootersNotBombs

School teacher!

Bphasty

I think of literary writers for the pipe imagery, but in reality I'm an Insurance Underwriter....I guess that's close it does have the word 'writer' in it    

Watchmaker61

Well mine of course, Watch and Clockmaker.

Mangoandy

A pastor/minister laboring over his sermon should have a pipe in his hand (and not necessarily a church warden).

JosiahWN

I think of; sailor, fisherman, soldier from the civil war or earlier, old school professor, black smith, coal miner, and poker player. As for me, I'm an actor. So I guess it could ring true for me if I'm playing any of those roles.

Woodsman

When I was in the Field, I often went to a customer who didn't know me. I'd walk in with a pipe in my mouth, wearing a tweed jacket. It often would actually have a calming effect and they'd leave me to service their equipment in peace. 

john1100gs

I am a cop, but before that, i've been a university professor and a writer. I guess i have covered at least one cliche. The worst thing about being a cop is i am not allowed to smoke in uniform.

Woodsman

The Anti-smoking rules have gotten harsh.

PappyJoe

I would guess that Cop not being allowed to smoke in uniform has more to do with some bureaucrat concept of what a police officer is supposed to "look like". It the same with the military, uniform regulations based on what those at the top wants everyone to look like and has little basis in reality. The ban on beards, for example. At one time, all the military services were allowed to have beards and then some General who couldn't grow one decided to get rid of them. One of the old arguments was a beard gave the enemy something to grab in hand-to-hand combat. I don't know too many guys who have gotten into those type of combat situations lately.

The Coast Guard was the last service to go beardless and that was in 1986 when the new commandant (who was a Mormon but hated beards) ordered us all to shave. His reasoning was that beards inhibited military readiness because it prevented bearded men from wearing some protective equipment like firefighting masks. I had a beard when I went to firefighting school and didn't have a problem.

From what I understand, they now frown upon people smoking in uniform but can only regulate it at certain times. 

Woodsman

If they ban smoking on post, what the heck are they going to police up, and how are the PX's going to do with the loss of 1/2 of their gross sales?

PappyJoe

@woodsman - In the "new" military, smoking inside buildings is banned already. As far as I know, military personnel can still smoke but they have to do it outside.Same with smoking aboard vessels. It's not allowed in the "indoor" spaces but is allowed in designated areas on deck. 

The exchanges and commissary have been under attack by Congress for years. There are some elected idiots that think large commissaries and exchanges are a waste of money with all the Wal Marts and other superstores that are built near large military bases. This is even though the profits of the two subsidizes military morale, recreation and welfare.

armando

What about filmmaker? Orson Welles!

Hitz53

Machinist and tool maker. Years ago a company called Troike (they made rotary tables for machine shops) ran an ad in the trade magazines showing a middle aged man holding a small Troike rotary table while smoking a pipe. The image was meant to convey traditional craftsmanship and competence. 

NickCorreia

I'm currently a teacher...I guess that doesn't really fit in the world of pipe smoking professions in this modern-era. However, I'm going back to grad-school, and plan on attaining degrees in curatorial studies and archival management. Curator definitely fits the bill!! Bow-ties and pipes always come to mind! My great-grandfather was a painter, he consistently smoked a pipe. He had one dedicated work pipe, it still has paint on it. Watching paint dry is boring, but with a pipe...

-Nick

Woodsman

I forgot my Dad, He was a career Master Sargent in the Army, his specialty earlier on was Blacksmith in the old Cavalry, later on Motor Pool NCOIC. Lost him in 1950.

Watchmaker61

My Grandfather was a Blacksmith, machinist, pattern maker, inventor and pipe smoker.

riobrusa

I'm engineer and never though about relate my pipes with my profession. Also was teacher.

irishpipedad

My father was a truck driver and he used to smoke while driving. I am on medical disability from a work injury but was an account manager who drove around all day. Now I repair and restore pipes to keep my hands busy, so I smoke when I am on the bench working.

Mangoandy

I looked back through the list and noted that @drac2485 is the only one that mentioned "doctor (old school)," but none of the other branches of health care have made the list.

I am a dentist and I maintain a very modern fast-paced private practice. 

If you were to drop by at 5pm, you would find me enjoying my daily smoke in my well-ventilated private back-office (my dog sleeps under my desk). No one has ever mentioned the smell of smoke.

Also, If I am ever need to visit a counselor, psychologist, psychiatrist or a therapist - I think I'd like to see a pipe in their mouth and a clipboard in their hand.