Minimum number of pipes a pipe smoker should own?

A minimum of 1.
2 is ideal.
And 3 is more than enough.

Chamber size doesn't matter.
A small pipe can be refilled and re-lit for longer smokes.
A big pipe can be used for short smokes if only partially smoked (with the rest saved for later) or only partially filled.

2 is ideal because you then have one pipe to smoke while reaming/cleaning the other.

I smoke the same pipe twice per day for a week usually, I have gone as long as a month on the same pipe. Clean them after each smoke and let them cool between smokes.

My grandfather was an old time pipe smoker. His favorite tobacco back then was Granger. For the first five years his pipe collection consisted of three pipes. I remember him telling me he got by just fine. Then he was exposed to a business his father owned, he ended owning endless pipes from that point on. His favorite were 7 pipes. He believed one pipe a day and 7 makes a weeks proper rotation. The other pipes he owned ended up being never or rarely smoked.

In ‘67 I started with four pipes, that lasted a few years until I was given a number of pipes from my grandfather ......more pipes than I could ever smoke. Many have been saved. I’ve since accumulated 250 plus pipes....I lost count. I’ve also made myself a few briars. Ended up gifting many pipes I made to smoking friends. All pipes were made out of well aged briar. At times I still gift pipes and tobacco’s, gives me pleasure 👌👍👍

Seven good pipes would get you through the week and most likely your life. Providing the pipes were well cared for and cleaned properly.

Mark ^^^^^^ a Falcon Pipe with two Meer bowls would serve you well👍👍

It’s never to late, take a look @ Tobaccopipes website when you have time,

Have a great weekend 👌👍👍

I use two different pipes for a week when I am out in the field. I then smoke a third pipe when home in the evening. Right there that is 12 pipes. I also like to very my rotation between briars, meers and cobs.That puts it up to 24 pipes. Then I enjoy the occasional one off pipes, the MacArthur, the church warden, the meerschaum saxophone or something from my Rogers Rarity collection. So now I am up to 48 pipes. Next are the pipes given to me by a old friend of the family which jumps me up to about a 100 pipes. And last but not least if I add the pipes that are waiting to be worked on, probably 200 pipes. Pipessssss/tobaccooooo, must have mooooorrrre. 🙂

A minimum of 1.
2 is ideal.
And 3 is more than enough

This is my thinking too....however I have quite a bunch more...don't smoke them all.

Actually, all you really need are cobs...they do the trick...but if you insist...get at least 1 briar.

Yes, that's one of the reasons I always carried two on the road. Mine probably rested at least 2-4 hours between smokes. YMMY.  

Years ago I thought 4 or 5 was a good number. I'd smoke each one once a day so they had a day to dry. It's probably still a good number, so why do I have about 90 pipes?

Unless you smoke more than two or three bowls a day, one pipe is plenty. I've thinned the herd down to twenty or so. Mostly, I smoke the Ashton squashed tomato... it doesn't seem to need or want a rest.

I find I like small bowls for Virginia flakes. Generous bowl for aromatics and other blends then there is Lakeland . . . . So at a minimum 4 pipes. Toss in the fact I like to smoke while floating in the pool or fishing and that adds a cob to the mix. So really 5 is the minimum for me.