Pipe Forum: new members (introduce yourself)

[cherrymax]

Greetings All,
Like many others, I've been smoking cigars for a couple of years but have recently wanted to dabble in the pipes. Someone gifted me a sample bag of bakky, so I guess I'm off and running. Just lookin for that "right" pipe. Have seen the corn cobs and the 1,000 dollar jobs but nothing in the middle yet. I guess everybody starts with the cob and moves up from there. I've noticed the cob has a filter in it. Is this required, and why? Do you change the filter or toss the pipe and start over?

Thanks for all help, hopefully I won't be a newbie for long.

Alan

[Hendu3270]

Originally Posted by cherrymax

Greetings All,
Like many others, I've been smoking cigars for a couple of years but have recently wanted to dabble in the pipes. Someone gifted me a sample bag of bakky, so I guess I'm off and running. Just lookin for that "right" pipe. Have seen the corn cobs and the 1,000 dollar jobs but nothing in the middle yet. I guess everybody starts with the cob and moves up from there. I've noticed the cob has a filter in it. Is this required, and why? Do you change the filter or toss the pipe and start over?

Thanks for all help, hopefully I won't be a newbie for long.

Alan

Welcome to the forum ALan. A cob is a good place to start. If after trying it, you feel pipe smoking isn't for you, just throw it out and you're not out much coin since cobs are so cheap. I don't use filters personally, but some do, and you'll just have to figure out which you prefer. The filters are made to be replaced every few smokes. I started with a cheap briar pipe that cost me $30, and for me, that's not so much that I wouldn't just throw it out if I found pipe smoking wasn't right for me. After I had a few pipes, I picked up a couple of cobs to see what all the fuss was about and found they smoke really well.

You're overlooking quite a few pipes if you're seeing cobs on one hand and thousand dollar pipes on the other and nothing in the middle.

Check out the link to a thread below. It has links to pipe websites that have pipes between $6 and $999 Seriously though you can find decent pipes in the $40 range. And check out Ebay as well.

Pipe Websites

Good luck!!

[indigosmoke]

Here are some good examples of quality pipes you can buy for a reasonable price.
The Gray Fox

Also, based on the advice I've received you can't go too wrong with most Stanwells or Savinelli's. Check out my thread entitled Briar vs. Meerschaum for suggestions on lines from these brands from the more experienced forum members.
Briar vs Meerschaum?

I have been doing some research on these lines and have found Cup o' Joes and Frenchy's seem to have a good selection and price. There are others out there as well I'm sure. I've been seriously considering something from the Stanwell Golden Danish line myself.

[Uncle-Festus]

Greetings Everyone,

I am new to the board but have been smoking a pipe now for probably 12 years off and on. I don't smoke nearly as much as I would like, seems I never have the time - however I am slowly remedying that. I've done the whole cigar thing, humidors, etc etc, but they just don't hold my interest like pipes do. The craftmsmanship, the warmth of the wood, in my opinion it just can't be matched.

I have a fairly nice collection I have aquired from all over. Barbi, Spanu, West, Design Berlin's, CAO, Brebbia, etc etc. Ironically though, since my love affair waxes and wanes, the member who recomended this site is the same person who I helped get his first pipe. Now he has forgotten more about pipes and blends than I will probably learn. LOL!

As for "taste" - here I am eccentric I suppose. I prefer virginias and cavendishs but in blends with some burley. I tend to not care for Latikias or Periques or any of the "orientals" but can say that truthfully; If I smoke it and like it, I dont care what's in it. If I try it and am unsatisfied, I dont care how awsome it was, I just didn't care for that particular blend. Examples I like would include McClelland Grey Havens, Virginia Woods, Deep Hollow, MacBaren No. 8, Vanilla Cream, and London Blend, among many other tins and blends.

Again, it's nice to be here and meet everyone ---

[indigosmoke]

Fellow Grey Havens fan here. Welcome!

[IHT]

Originally Posted by Uncle-Festus

Ironically though, since my love affair waxes and wanes, the member who recomended this site is the same person who I helped get his first pipe. Now he has forgotten more about pipes and blends than I will probably learn. LOL!

hey chris.
i hear that guy's a jerk.

actually, i think it was '96 in that old apartment, i went and got a cob pipe and some Capt Black... then you added fruit to the mix.

i smoked that Savinelli yesterday, with some Solani Mystery X or something... sitting in my office right next to me.

[Uncle-Festus]

Originally Posted by IHT

hey chris.
i hear that guy's a jerk.

actually, i think it was '96 in that old apartment, i went and got a cob pipe and some Capt Black... then you added fruit to the mix.

i smoked that Savinelli yesterday, with some Solani Mystery X or something... sitting in my office right next to me.

Yep, that was a LOOOONG time ago - (in TX for work wasn't it?)

Oh by the way, whatever that tin was that you had me try the other night ---- still REALLY liking how that was. When you get extras (as I'm sure you will) I want to "aquire" some from you. LOL!

[IHT]

i believe we were in Dallas for that Macromedia school, at that 4 story Mall with the ice skating rink.

[Mallory]

First post here. Started enjoying pipes a little over a year ago and looked this place up because I don't know many other pipe smokers to talk about the pastime or bounce questions off of.

[commonsenseman]

Originally Posted by Mallory

First post here. Started enjoying pipes a little over a year ago and looked this place up because I don't know many other pipe smokers to talk about the pastime or bounce questions off of.

Welcome to Puff!

[cherrymax]

Well, lit up my fancy, schmancy, corn cob pipe tonight and got some really good smoky puffs out of it; and some not so smoky puffs. Still learning how much bakky to put in the bowl and tamp down. Probably coulda put more in it, but for the first time out it was ok. I like the aroma. But, it sorta tasted like plastic. Maybe after the pipe gets some seasoning this will go away. Did like the aroma though. Will keep pressing on and learning.

[NeverBend]

Originally Posted by cherrymax

...Still learning how much bakky to put in the bowl and tamp down. Probably coulda put more in it, but for the first time out it was ok.

Hi Alan,

You're right to start a Cob gently.

I taught customers to think of the amount of tobacco that you will need in thirds (1/3). First third is placed in gently and just pushed gently into place. Second third is tamped lightly and the last third is tamped more firmly. Better to err on the side of too light than too much tamping.

When you tamp, press at the edges of the bowl - not in the center, except for the last 3rd and even then be tender about it.

Hope this helps.

Pete

[cherrymax]

Ok, another newbie question. If I want to try different tobaccos, do I have to get a different pipe for each one?

Thanks for the help

[NeverBend]

Originally Posted by cherrymax

Ok, another newbie question. If I want to try different tobaccos, do I have to get a different pipe for each one?

Hi Alan,

It's a good idea if you're going to smoke different types of tobacco, such as English, Virginia or aromatics.

Aromatics have processed sugars in their casing (flavors) and they build a softer carbon cake (you want to build this) inside the bowl. Similarly, English (usually) has less natural sugar than Virginias and they too build a cake differently from each other (and aromatics). The soft cakes created by aromatics don't breathe nor absorb moisture as well as harder, more dense cakes of (especially) English tobaccos.

Smoking aromatics in the same pipe as English (as an example) will muddy or cloud the flavors.

If you smoke regularly you should want to build a rotation that gives the pipe some time to rest between smokes (and allow the bowl moisture to evaporate) but contrary to some thinking I will smoke the same pipe more than once on the same day.

Hope this helps.

Regards,

Pete

[HU1844SMOKER]

I have been smoking pipes for well over 10 years, I am HU1844SMOKER on the cigar side. Do I need to join the pipe forum or is it all in one? I stocked up on pipe tobacco back in 1998 before Prop 10 was passed in California and I have tins of pipe tobacco over 10 years old stilled unopened. I did have one (Ashton) can that literally expanded from the fermenting gases and it still smoked okay. I guess back then I was on a pipe tobacco spending spree and did not realize how long a can of tobacco would last me.