What makes a pipe a great pipe?

[Zoomschwortz]

Thank you for your input.

I guess I will need to get a lot more bowls under my belt before I have a good idea of what will be great and what won't.

I have dabbled with pipes on and off (mostly off) since the late 80's when I bought a Tinder Box Christmas briar. Unfortunately I have yet to be able to say that I have had a great smoke.

I know that comparing cigars and pipes is like comparing apples and oranges, and I have some definite likes and dislikes with cigars, but I can't say that I have found a pipe tobacco that I love.

I'm not sure if it's the tobacco, the pipe, my inexperience or a combination of all three, but I haven't found a combination that I really look forward to smoking.

I couldn't tell you if I have been using any pipes that would be considered great, but they are well known names such as Peterson, Barling, GBD, Kirsten, Giorgio Orsini and a Meerschaum.

For tobacco, I have McClelland Royal Cajun, around 15 (VA and Aromatic) Cornell & Diehl 1 oz. samples and a couple bags of some Tinder Box mixtures and nothing has made me say, Wow I really like that.

I'm starting to think that maybe my tobacco is too moist since I have never come close to smoking a bowl without a lot of relighting.

I'll keep plugging along until I find something that works, I just hope my tongue holds out against some of this dragon fire.

Thanks again.
Ken