Pipe Forum: new members (introduce yourself)

[thewileyman]

Thought I'd stop in and say hi.

I've been smoking since summer 2002, when a friend of mine, inspired by the pipes shown in The Fellowship of the Ring, gave me a foot-long clay churchwarden. I'm only an occasional smoker, so I still consider myself a newb.

I've been lurking here for about three weeks now (maybe four), after stumbling across the forum during a pipe-related google search. Due in part to my reading here I just recently purchased my sixth pipe, a Neerup Bent Dublin with a nice partial sandblast finish. Thanks to all who unwittingly influenced that decision!

[DeadFrog]

Welcome everyone!

[mighty]

Hey all, thought Id introduce myself. Ive been smoking cigars for about 3 years and started pipe about 1.5 years ago. Funny thing with me is some pipe tobaccos give me instant headaches. All aromatics do this to me and even some of Gawith's blends as well. I try to avoid any tobaccos with casings or toppings, especially if I am buying it to avoid the potential immediate headache. SO I avoid aromatics and prefer virginians and english blends.

Im not the biggest fan of latakia at this moment, and lately Ive been enjoying blackwoods flake, and Red Cake. I recently bought a new meerschaum pipe and have been enjoying smoking that as well.

Mighty

[RJpuffs]

Welcome, Mighty and all the other noobs

[dj1340]

Welcome to the forum, great place to learn about all the tobaccos out there to be enjoyed

[Rhinochaser]

I live in the southwest corner of NY state.I used to smoke Fischer pipes,and they blended a tobacco called Clove&spice.Dam,it was good!anyway they went out of business and I`m still trying to find something as good.

[freemansrus]

Hey guys, i'm a final year student and the University of Southampton, England, studying Biomedical Science, moving to London next year with my girlfriend where i'll hopefully get a job! Before coming to university, i lived at home with the parents in Pembrokeshire, Wales.

I picked up pipe smoking about a month ago, and so far its been enjoyable, i started off picking up 4 aromatic flavors from my local tobacconist which i smoked in the first few weeks of my pipe career in a filter corncob pipe i ordered online. It went pretty well but having previously never really smoked, apart from the odd cigarette at the pub before the smoking ban kicked in, i found the tobacco to be a bit strong, and i was unable to taste the labeled flavors.

So recently a took another trip to the tobacconists and after scouring youtube and tobaccoreviews.com for suggestions, bought myself a tin of Peterson's Connoisseurs Choice, and MacBaren Vanilla Creme. Both have been an absolute delight and have solidified my faith that i would enjoy pipe smoking.

As far as purchases of pipes go, besides my trusty cob, i have purchased a few ebay pipes, and with the recent passing of my 21st birthday, i invested in 2 very pretty pipes.

My first purchase was a cheap little Parker 9mm straight billiard. I purchased it as i thought it would be a sound first briar. I've only smoked it once, and in unideal conditions - walking from my house, into town, in the rain under an umbrella. I must say it smoked very well at first and the aroma wafting from the Connoisseurs choice within it turned a few happy heads. But then the rain came pouring down and as i hit the second half of the bowl, the smoke suddenly became very wet, like, dripping wet. With every draw from the pipe i at first thought i could feel ash hitting my tongue, but after careful examination i concluded it was actually droplets. Now i don't know how the smoke suddenly got so wet, whether it was my fault - or a big drop of rain actually landed in the pipe bowl, but tomorrow i intend to spark her up again and see where the problem came from. It may be worth noting i was using a filter in this pipe!

The two "birthday" pipes i bought, i think, are great looking pipes. I purchased a Stanwell 1/4 bent Colonial shaped estate pipe, with an un-engraved silver plate on the side - possibly an unmarked pipe of the year? And the second pipe i purchased is a new Mario Grandi bent freehand sand blasted beauty. Both pipes have yet to reach me here in sunny England but i await them with eager anticipation!

So anyway that's a fairly lengthy introduction which you may/may not find interesting. Hopefully i'll find plenty of questions to ask and responses to give on this forum. I'd really like to hit 30posts/30days so i can read this newguy sampler thread. I'd really like some suggestions on wistful/enchanting tasting/smelling tobaccos that i can acquire here in the UK!

Thanks!

Joe

[DSturg369]

To update since my last post on here....

to everyone.

[Reverie Forest]

Welcome Joe. Glad to hear about your early experiences. Sounds like you're on the right road...listen and learn from these fellow pipe smokers. You'll be ensured some quality advice.

[David M]

Originally Posted by freemansrus

So anyway that's a fairly lengthy introduction which you may/may not find interesting.

- - -

...in Pembrokeshire

I liked your intro Joe. I am sure everybody else did as well. Welcome.

If you dont find that job in London, there are a lot of BioTech positions here in the San Francisco Bay Area (GenenTech, Gilead etc...) so just fyi if you and the lady have ever considered moving.

- - -

I had a few friends over last night and I was waxing poetic about my personal new found treasures in Cigar & Pipe Smoking and very quickly the jokes about pipe-smoking started flowing.
A good joke was about the Tobacco Samples that I have spread out over my dining room table being from the "Shire". An obvious Lord Of The Rings hobbit reference. That was a good one. Mid-way into a few drinks, produced a good round of laughs among us.

[Hendu3270]

Welcome to the forum Joe!

[freemansrus]

thank you to everyone for your warm welcomes! i think this forum is going to be a great home!

[Twiggz]

Hello all, I'm new to the forum and have yet to introduce myself.

I'm a new pipe smoker, just started a little over a year ago. I have smoked cigarettes once or twice, and have had the occasional drugstore cigar, so I was not what you would call a smoker.
One day I was having a discussion with a friend about how I don't understand people that start smoking cigarettes. When I tried it, it did nothing for me other then leave a bad taste in my mouth and made my breath stink. Cigars gave me a nice feeling, but didn't taste good.
Our conversation went in the direction of how pleasant pipe tobacco smells, and how I never see any one smoking a pipe these days. Later that night on an impulse, I googled "tobacco pipe" and found frenchys site. It was all down hill from there.
First pipe I ordered was a BigBen, just because I loved the grain and color of the stain. Keep in mind I had no idea how to smoke a pipe or anything about them, I just ran on an impulse and dropped over $100 on a pipe, bag, lighter and tool. I tend to do that from time to time

Now I have a few pipes, and smoke every chance I have to relax. It seems to be less often these last few weeks, as my Girl Friend is pregnant, and I don't want her breathing the smoke. But as the nights are getting nicer, It looks as if Ill be having some late night smokes in my patio with the dog.

In my current rotation are my Big Ben imperial walnut, a Peterson that I bought on a whim (its green and not black as it looked online), Stanwell H.C.A., and my Fav to date Savinelli porto Cervo. Ill try to get some pictures up soon.

I'm still trying new tobaccos, but the ones I keep coming back to are Just For Him "Short Cut to Mushrooms" or their "Tree Beard". And on the days I want something with a bit more kick, I grab my tin of Peterson university flake. Every once and a while I fill my bowl with a full english from a local pipe shop. I have to be in the right mood for that one haha.

I'm looking forward to reading everyones suggestions, and any advice before I make my next impulse purchase.

Dean

[Reverie Forest]

Welcome, Dean. Nice to hear your story...and for the record, there is no "downhill" in regards to pipe smoking. Well, in most cases.
I also enjoyed the Just for Him blends as my first tobacco purchases. Good beginner weed, as it's easy to fill a bowl with, no bite, and has a pleasant nutty sweetness.
Enjoy the wisdom and eclecticism of our old timers here!

[Mad Hatter]

Welcome to all you new members