Rotation - how long should your rack really be?

[DubintheDam]

This is one that gets me thinking. I was reading how someone said that with 80 odd pipes he needs to slim down the collection just to have an effect rotation, meaning too many is just impractical and unworkable. I have close to 50, I think I should get it down to 30 and I think having 25 up and running most of the time would be the perfect ideal.

I'd love to have just 12, but that's just silly as I can smoke up to 8 a day. I think it really boils down to 30 being the magic number for workability.

This isn't a "how many pipes should you have?" It's more what limit is unworkable?

[gjcab09]

CRICKEY! I've only got 2! Of which I only actually smoke 1! The shame.....the shame! lol

[Mad Hatter]

I have about 85 pipes and while they don't all get smoked regularly, they do all get smoked at one time or another. What matters is that you enjoy each one. Three round racks holding 24 pipes each don't take up much space.

[commonsenseman]

I only have seven pipes that I smoke regularly, seems to be enough for me. I plan to expand my collection soon though.

[Requiem]

14 here (collected in 1 year) and I think that's a good number for me, as that's about how many bowls I smoke per week, although my favorite pipes get smoked 2 or 3 times a week, while others only see action once a month.
Being a good number doesn´t mean I don´t want more pipes... I know I can use more, although I'll drastically reduce my purchases and focus more on tobacco to cellar.
I still have to decide, however, if I'll keep buying pipes in the $100 range or if I'll move up a bit.

[dmkerr]

I currently have 45 pipes and have been slimming the collection but not for "regular rotation" reasons. I've simply gotten rid of those I do not smoke. Well, now that I see it in print, I guess it IS for rotation reasons!

But of the 45, I smoke them all. Granted, I smoke some more than others but they all have their turn in the fire. 45-50 is a good number for me. I do intend at some point to buy a very expensive piece just to fondle, hold and brag about but it too will receive a regular if not real often baptism by fire.

[Savvy]

I think my ideal range would be about 24 pipes. I've got about 12 right now, there are still some I want to pick up. I also need to get into some new kinds of tobacco as well. So, in the end, I'm guessing my rotation would be around 24 pipes.

[KBibbs]

Wow, I only have 2 (only 1 of which can I even find!) I think having too many is the least of my problems, but if anyone seems to be in that sort of trouble, I'd be happy to help you out.

[Pugsley]

Let me see .... so far I have,.....umm, one, if I don't count the cobs, but I think 12 would be a serviceable number. Of course, that will very likely change when my collection reaches 12.

[MarkC]

I've got nineteen, but I find that only about nine of them get smoked. I'd love to have more eventually, but only if I'm going to smoke them. The difference between the Stanwell I recently bought and the basket pipes I already had was enough to make me want more nice pipes, and I'd certainly like to be able to actually rest each pipe more than a day. I'm sure eventually I'll be at the stage where I have to "thin the herd", but it's a long way off, unless you count pipes I have that I'd never sell on eBay for fear that someone I know might bid on the junk...

[dmkerr]

Originally Posted by KBibbs

Wow, I only have 2 (only 1 of which can I even find!) I think having too many is the least of my problems, but if anyone seems to be in that sort of trouble, I'd be happy to help you out.

When you get enough posts under your belt here to the point you can send PM's, send me one - I might have something you can use. I currently have two pipes on the cutting board that could use a new home. I haven't reconditioned them yet but probably will do so within the next couple of weeks.

[selleri]

I have 11, and not all of those seem to get smoked that often. As the matter of fact, I have at least 2 that have been smoked over a year ago and while I like them, I really could live without them (or could I? Really?).

I have kind of seasons, at the moment it's mostly my Peterson 999, Ashton panel billiard & Cavicchi Cherrywood that get smoked most often, before that it was 3 others. Think I'll give something to smoke today for those 2 most rarely used pipes just to justify why I keep them.

[levallois]

I have 18 - at one point this number was around 30 but I found I wasn't smoking some pipes at all so some were traded away. Now out of the 18 I have some favorites that are smoked more than others. And, of course, I'm always on the lookout for another great smoker.

John

[Jack Straw]

I think for me 12 would be closest to ideal.

[Mister Entertainer]

Well I only have 2 pipes at the moment, but hopefully will get more soon Only 10 more then I'll be at 12 haha. I think I may look for some estates considering that I've heard you can get them at decent prices.