Pipe rotation does not mean turning your pipe while you smoke it. Instead, it’s the practice of purchasing several tobacco pipes (typically, though not always, briar pipes) and using them on a rotating basis. Why would anyone do such a thing? Because briar wood (the burlwood of the white heath tree) has a tendency to absorb moisture released by tobacco during the combustion process.

While the ability of briar wood to absorb moisture produces a cleaner, dryer smoke it also creates a situation where the moisture content of the wood increases. Unless it’s given some time off to dry out the briar will eventually get to the point where it can no longer absorb moisture and that will have a negative effect on the smoking experience.

By rotating your pipes you make sure that you always enjoy a high-quality smoke. Below, we’re going to take a closer look at the practice of pipe rotation.

If You Like Your Tobacco Pipes, Consider Rotating Them

While pipe rotation is usually recommended for those who own briar pipes, rotation can benefit any type of wooden pipe, including those made from pearwood or rosewood. That's because briar wood's tendency to absorb moisture is not the only reason pipes need to be rotated. Pipes made from other types of wood develop their own issues if they're used constantly.

One of the most common of those problems is heat-related damage. Pipe tobacco gets extremely hot during the combustion process. How hot? In the combustion zone of the bowl, temps fluctuate between 380° and 620° C, usually settling in at around 500° C, or a toasty 932° Fahrenheit. That’s hot.

If you have one pipe and you use it several times a day, constant exposure to that kind of extreme heat is going to alter its structure. That’s because like almost everything else wood expands when heated and then contracts when it cools. Constant expansion and contraction due to overuse is going to eventually weaken the integrity of the wood leading to cracks of various shapes and sizes. Once that happens the clock begins ticking on your poor pipe.

But the problem isn’t confined to just wooden tobacco pipes. Meerschaum pipes should also be rotated but for different reasons. First of all, if you use your meerschaum pipe several times a day it's going to undergo rapid discoloration. For that reason, it's recommended you don't use a meerschaum pipe more than twice a day. Second, smoking produces moisture, as we mentioned above. If the threads in the mortise of your meerschaum pipe get too moist they can weaken and crack, effectively ruining the pipe.

The Solution: Pipe Rotation

The solution to the twin problems of moisture absorption and overheating is to rotate your pipes. How long you let them rest between use will depend on a few things, including:

Your style of smoking

Not everyone smokes their pipe in the same way. For instance, some folks draw more frequently on their pipe than others creating more heat in the bowl. Others are fond of wetter tobaccos which, as we’ve discussed, can lead to the briar wood absorbing a lot of moisture. If either of those sound like you then you should probably adopt a day on/day off rotation schedule. Or, if you have three pipes, put them on the three day rotation.

We’ve seen some pipe experts suggesting that you give your pipe a full week off after using it. This, however, will simply not be tenable for most people. After all, if you only have one pipe that means only smoking it once a week. And where’s the fun in that? You could buy wholesale tobacco pipes to ensure you have one for every day of the month, but that too is not a realistic option for individuals. A more common sense approach is to have two or three pipes and rotate them on a daily basis.

Where you put pipes when rotating them

One of the first things you should do after purchasing a tobacco pipe is to look into some tobacco pipe accessories, that includes a pipe reamer, pipe cleaners and, of course, a good pipe rack. After you’ve used your pipe, give it a good cleaning and then set it up on the rack to dry out and cool down. Remember, good pipe maintenance is the key to longevity.

Is Pipe Rotation Actually Necessary?

We sell a lot of tobacco pipes and talk to a lot of pipe smokers in the process. The majority seem convinced that, if you can afford two or three (or more) pipes then rotating them is definitely a good idea. Still, there is a significant portion of the pipe smoking community that insist pipe rotation is nonsense and that you can and should smoke your pipe as often as you like.

All you have to do, these folks say, is make sure you don’t draw too hard or too frequently and clean your pipe after each use. We’re certainly on board with not overheating your pipe and cleaning it regularly. We also know that rotating your pipes has no downside and a lot of potential upside. But the choice is yours.

Trust Paykoc For Colorado’s Best Wholesale Pipe Variety

Tobacco pipes will last for decades if you treat them with the respect they deserve. That means keeping them clean, not smoking in a reckless manner, storing them properly and, in our opinion, rotating them as best you can.