"A Pipe To Die For"; A Unique Perspective, (Long).

[Scott M]

Stanley Glugover (nom de plume?) posted his unique perspective regarding pipes on pipes.org and alt.smokers.pipes late last year as his contribution to the pastime and its practitioners.

A Pipe To Die For;
How do I end up with a pipe so great it changes my life. After smoking a
pipe for over 60 years I am ready to reveal the secrets. Lets start
off with an explosion FORGET THE WORD ROTATION. If you rotate pipes you
will never end up with a great smoker. This word was dreamed up by
the pipe makers so you would buy more pipes. A great pipe has to be
created and you alone are the creator. Even the beverage you drink while
smoking a pipe will effect the creation of a great pipe.Enough for now we
will continue in a few days. I want my fellow smokers to enjoy a pipe as
much as I have. This is my way of paying you back for the kindness
you have shown me.
Stan Glugover

A Pipe To Die For #1
The first step and the most important one is choosing the pipe that
is going to be your friend and companion for the rest of your life.
Choose the size, shape and all the things that are going to make this
pipe feel great in your mouth. Don't rely on what other people say it
has to suit you and not your friends. The maker is one who's pipes
you have enjoyed before even though that's not that important. Make
sure you really love the pipe because it's going to be with you for a
long time. If it's one you already own make sure it's a pipe you
enjoy smoking. Remember there are two groups of pipe lovers, collectors
and smokers and you are interested in smokers. There is nothing wrong
with collectors but that is a totally different thing. We will talk
about tobaccos at a later time. Right now the most important thing is
choosing your new friend for life.


A Pipe To Die For #2
By now I hope you have picked out a pipe your going to grow to love.
Please understand I'm not trying to change any member's way of
thinking. You all enjoy this pastime in a different way and derive your
pleasure in a different way. All I am trying to do is tell new smokers
how I got to enjoy pipe smoking as much as I do.
In 1945 there were very few pipe stores. In NYC there was Wally
Frank, which was the most popular, but as a student deciding to smoke a
pipe the only choice was usually your corner drug store where you could
purchase a pipe and the blend of tobacco you were going to start with.
Today you have so many choices its awsome. Because of the situation you
bought a pipe and a pouch of tobacco and were ready to start smoking.
In my case it was a drink less Kaywoodie and a pouch of middleton
cherry which is a blend I still smoke today once in a while after 60
years. What Im going to do is lead you through the whole process of
making your pipe a pipe to die for .So for the next few days Fill your
pipe with the blend you picked and light it up with a wooden match and
start smoking after about 10 pipefulls we will start the process of
building the proper cake. The important thing here is stick to one pipe
and one tobacco.

Pipe To Die For #3
Now that you have smoked 10 pipefulls we are ready to start
the process. Get a jar of honey and dip your finger in coat the inside
of your bowl with honey make sure you get all the way down to the heel
using a Q tip if necessary . Now put your pipe in a container and let
it dry over night. The next morning fill the bowl 1/3 full and smoke
the next 5 pipes 1/3 full then 2/3 full for the next 5 and from now on
you can smoke it from the top. Remember stick to the same tobacco and
if you need to change tobaccos change pipes. Try to smoke each bowl all
the way to the bottom keep relighting until you are sure you have
smoked it all. Your saliva plays a big role in forming the cake you are
looking for. Just don't give up if the pipe gets rough; run a pipe
cleaner soaked in whiskey through it until it comes out clean let it
dry and continue. Most important is don't disturb the cake that is
forming,this is what we are seeking. I will try to lead you through the
process and then we will go into different tobaccos. I hope that when
we finish you will be a real pipe smoker and enjoying your pipe as much
as I do. Please keep watching for the next post in about 2 days.


A Pipe To Die For#4
Now that we have our pipe on the way I would like some comments
from the pipe carvers who have much more experience then I have. In my
years of pipe smoking I have noticed I get the sweetest smoke from a
pipe made from Algerian briar. When I started smoking a pipe in 1945
there was more of it around I know . What is the reason for Algerian
briar to smoke better. I'm sure this would be interesting to newbies who
are just getting into pipe smoking. I will be using the knowledge of
the carvers and collectors to help improve our pipe smoking. I really
have respect for these people for what they contribute to our favorite
pastime.


A Pipe To Die For #5
Lets try to do something now that everyone will enjoy. Lets write
a review of your favorite pipe. The pipe you enjoy smoking the most.
Lets tell everyone what makes this particular pipe your favorite.Where
did you obtain it,was it new or an estate, and how long you own it.
What makes it your favorite? Is it the way it feels in your mouth, the
taste of the tobacco,the aroma of the tobacco or the way it rests on
your jaw. Is it the daydreams you have when you smoke it or the many
memories it brings back. Is it the pipe you cant get to fast enough in
your rotation and is it a pipe you would sell if the offer was big
enough.Is it a pipe that would make you feel a though you lost your
best friend if you lost or broke it. A lot of you write great tobacco
reviews try now to do the same with your favorite pipe.
Stan


A Pipe To Die For #6
Now lets get started. First a rule that may start some pipe
smokers screaming. Never use a pipe cleaner unless the pipe is
gurgling or you can't draw on it. We want to let the tars and saliva
work it's way into the cake. This go's against everything you have
ever read or been told but its very important to develop the taste and
aroma of the pipe. If you started with an aromatic keep smoking the
same blend. If you started with an English you can switch Tobaccos. Try
keeping two pipes on hand at this time one for aromatic and one for
English. If you smoked 10 bowls of English and then feel like an
aromatic bowl just switch pipes. You do not have to let the pipe cool
off before the next bowl just fill again light up and enjoy. Having a
great pipe takes a long time and a lot of rough smokes but the one
important thing to remember is don't give up because the end result
is well worth the effort. Your great pipe will become your best friend
to be with you through good and bad times and build up a lot of
memories. Just remember that this is what I did and it worked for me
and I can only hope it will work for you. We will continue next week
with the series so enjoy your pipes


A Pipe To Die For #7
Today lets talk about tobacco. The type of moisture you use to
hydrate your tobacco will affect the taste of your pipe and the cake
that is formed in the bowl. I have made what I call my hydration
chamber. I took a large square tobacco jar and inserted an empty
plastic butter tub to hold the tobacco. The top has a large sponge that
can hold water, whiskey or rum or any other liquid I want to use or I
place cut apple slices around the tub to supply the moisture I want to
use for rehydration.I place the tobacco in the tub and close the jar
for 24 hours. When this is complete I place the tobacco in a mason jar
for further ageing or in my tobacco pouch for smoking.It Is important
not to let the moisture source not come in direct contact with the
tobacco to prevent mold.After a while you will learn to adjust the
times to get the tobacco to the moisture content that you want.The
condition of your tobacco greatly affects the enjoyment you will get
from your pipe.
It is very hard to answer every question in a post and I see
there are many questions about what I suggest I would like to answer
all your questions about my posts. Please (contact me) to discuss anything you have on your mind about my posts I would like to clear up any problems and make getting a pipe to die for easy for you.

[SIZE="1"]Lightly edited for personal information content and grammer. There have been no further postings as of the end of January, 06.[/SIZE]

This can, (and did), create quite a firestorm on the respective BBs since much, if not all, of his suggestions fly in the face of conventional practices. I can attest to some of his suggestions.

I started at the end of Dec, 05 with a small Sav Natural and various English blends I have on hand, although I generally stick with MM965 or SGs Squadron Leader. I didn't go with the honey coating, since it's been trashed by a number of pipe smokers. As of today, I have yet to clean this pipe in the traditional sense, having only run a pipe cleaner through it to open the air hole and no more. I have only cleared the stem once, again, to open it up although it didn't need it. I have smoked this pipe for 5 or 6 consecutive nights quite often, and back to back on multiple occasions. I have yet to experience a harsh, foul smoke, or any harm to the pipe. In fact, I generally choose this pipe / tobacco combination over others in my collection. As for the cake, it has built a noteable layer, but no more so than others in my collection not used in this fashion.

I don't necessarily agree with much of his sugestions, but they raise some interesting questions; just how often does a pipe REALLY need to be cleaned? It's not a surgical instrument, after all. Does the pipe REALLY smoke better (i.e. is it broken in) after all this? I think it does, but for reasons of familiarity with the pipe and the tobaccos involved, which might be an important point. Each pipe and tobacco are unique. This much exposure to a single combination can teach you about how the tobacco burns best, what rate the pipe likes to be kept at, how often to tamp, etc.

Regardless of your preference on pipe cleaning, I think if you find a pipe / tobacco combination you think you'll enjoy and smoke it for 2 weeks, (not necessarily exclusively), you'll learn much about both. Maybe even end up with a pipe to die for.

Cheers!

[Jeff]

Once again you hit us with a real gem of pipe knowledge. Thanks!

I like what that guy has to say.

[IHT]

Originally Posted by Scott M

Regardless of your preference on pipe cleaning, I think if you find a pipe / tobacco combination you think you'll enjoy and smoke it for 2 weeks, (not necessarily exclusively), you'll learn much about both. Maybe even end up with a pipe to die for.

that's how i ended up with my Savinelli Hercules w/ Mac Baren Vanilla Cream combo... just smoked it often in the same pipe, over and over and over... (the bit needs a good cleaning though).

[hollywood]

Thanks for bringing us another invaluable point of view to consider. With all of the opinions and questions on the practices needed to get the best enjoyment out of pipe smoking; it's nice to see that a majority of it comes from ones own personal preferences and choices on how and when to use those said pracitices.

[sgresso]

awesome post!

[fitzsmoke]

Sorry, not what I would do. If it works for you go for it. I don't have a regular rotation but I have quite a few pipes. I always give them a light cleaning before letting them rest for a while. I have on occasion smoked more than one bowl in a given pipe. Usually with with dissapointing results. I do smoke quite a few different blends during the week and I like to keep the types of blends to a given pipe or group of pipes. Aromatics, English, Virginia.
If you only have one or a few pipes you are going to be smoking them much more frequently than that. I think there are probably as many opinions on this subject as there are pipe blends to be tried. I have even seen one piper who claimed the best smoking in his life was in a pipe so choked with cake it would hardly take more than a pinch of tobacco! Maybe so, but too thick a cake can split a pipe bowl. My advise is to read a bunch and experiment.

[IHT]

i thought i'd reply again...
as you've noticed, i haven't been posting many ebay auctions anymore.
why? because of this topic. i've got a decent amount of pipes, nearly 20, but i've noticed the past 2-3 weeks that i've been smoking the same ones, over and over and over. i have a couple that i'd want to smoke more often, but i need to clean them up before i switch from aromatics to english/VA/oriental....

so, what's my point?

i'm not looking at "deals" on ebay anymore. i'm not looking for collectables either. i'm looking for that pipe that i'm going to enjoy smoking, due to the shape, bowl size, type of bit (thin/thick)... i'm looking for those pipes that i see and say, "damn, i want that."

does having a pipe you enjoy looking at, and if it feels good in the mouth/hand matter on overall experience? i think it does. i have a few pipes i just don't like smoking that much due to how they feel/look... it takes away from the smoking experience. i've got one that smokes fine, but i don't like how heavy in the mouth it is, nor do i like the bit, but it smokes just fine....

[fitzsmoke]

IHT makes some good points. The looks are what sells you the pipe. Most pipes (briar) are good smokers. A few are not. I have quite a few Dr. Grabows (heresey!) that I use for hauling to work, leave in the car, etc. I like the Grabows for stronger, high tar tobacs as they are generally filter pipes. Really about all that type of filter does is collect tar.

That being said, the pipes I save for my special, quality blends are usually the higher quality pipes. And those almost always enhance the smoking experience.

The only two new pipes I have bought that I have never enjoyed are quality, mid-price pipes that looked great, but always smoked hot. One is shorter than average, the other has a tapered bowl. (wider toward the top)

The coolest smokers I have seem to be those with the most mass, and yes they are tough to smoke due to the weight. Hard to clench in your teeth without damaging the mouthpiece. Also, tiring to the jaw muscles.

[Millow]

I'm at the opposite end. I'm still trying to find deals and try as much tobacco as I can.

[sfumato1002]

I only have two pipes an old BBB and a Peterson, and notice that if I don't let them rest a day or two after smoking, they don't smoke as good as when they are rested. I smoked my BBB for three days in a row the first day it smoked very sweat and good, the 2nd day worst and the third just no taste and hot smoke. I picked up my rested Peterson and it was a sweat smoke and very enjoyable. So I think letting pipes rest works for me, now I think I need to purchase 2-3 more pipes so I can smoke daily and enjoy it.

I know that this article says "FORGET THE WORD ROTATION"

So now Im confused. Some places say it's good to rotate. Is it good to rotate a pipe daily or not? Or should a good pipe smoke sweat and enjoyable smoke after smoke days after day. Please help. Thanks.

[Scott M]

Originally Posted by sfumato1002

I only have two pipes an old BBB and a Peterson, and notice that if I don't let them rest a day or two after smoking, they don't smoke as good as when they are rested. You may have just answered your own question. I smoked my BBB for three days in a row the first day it smoked very sweat and good, the 2nd day worst and the third just no taste and hot smoke. I picked up my rested Peterson and it was a sweat smoke and very enjoyable. So I think letting pipes rest works for me, (Yes... you HAVE answered your own question!!!) now I think I need to purchase 2-3 more pipes so I can smoke daily and enjoy it.

I know that this article says "FORGET THE WORD ROTATION"

So now Im confused. Some places say it's good to rotate. Is it good to rotate a pipe daily or not? Or should a good pipe smoke sweat and enjoyable smoke after smoke days after day. Please help. Thanks.

What Stan was / is trying to do is offer the community HIS preferred method of breaking in a pipe. It goes against the grain of what's suggested more often than not, but it's what he's done in the past and it works for him.

I can see, (and stated), why this could be considered plausable; repeated encounters with the same pipe / tobacco combination in a shortened time frame is going to shorten the learning curve regarding how that combination works best in terms of techinique, packing, pace, tamping, etc. If you're bouncing back and forth between pipes and tobaccos, this process will undoubtedly take a longer time to accomplish. My evidence is anectdotal, but it seems to make sense.

You, however, seem to have found something that works for you with those pipe / tobacco combinations. This is just a different path, (albeit drastically), to the same objective. Different combinations may require you to alter your approach, or abandon it all together in favor of something different.

"Keep what is useful... discard what isn't, add what's specifically your own."

Bruce Lee.

[sfumato1002]

Originally Posted by Scott M

What Stan was / is trying to do is offer the community HIS preferred method of breaking in a pipe. It goes against the grain of what's suggested more often than not, but it's what he's done in the past and it works for him.

I can see, (and stated), why this could be considered plausable; repeated encounters with the same pipe / tobacco combination in a shortened time frame is going to shorten the learning curve regarding how that combination works best in terms of techinique, packing, pace, tamping, etc. If you're bouncing back and forth between pipes and tobaccos, this process will undoubtedly take a longer time to accomplish. My evidence is anectdotal, but it seems to make sense.

You, however, seem to have found something that works for you with those pipe / tobacco combinations. This is just a different path, (albeit drastically), to the same objective. Different combinations may require you to alter your approach, or abandon it all together in favor of something different.

Thanks Scott M. I see how using the same pipe or tobacco repeatedly can be beneficial in learning how to handle them faster than if one rotates pipes or tobaccos after every smoke. In my case, although I've been rotating my two pipes on and off, I only smoke virginia tobacco and I learn how to pack it and handle it better with each smoke. I see your point... the more time you dedicate to a pipe or tobacco the better you get at smoking it. Now it makes sense to me. About breaking in the pipe, I think im still in the process, I barely have any cake on my pipes, but they do smoke cooler and better with each smoke, as long as they rest for a day or two. Anyway, I read the article again, and it's really kind of what Im doing because I only have two pipes which I dedicate all my time to. I think I misunderstood the point of the article before but now I understand. thanks again!

[Slow Triathlete]

Was searching for something else but came across this thread. Very interesting so I decided to bump it.

[Mr.Lordi]

It's amazing how a pipe post can also be taken in the context of Relationships and Sex, lol. I got 3 times the information out of that for free.


I just recently cleaned this old pipe I got in a small lot, and while the bottom of the bowl still has a spot of left over gunk I cant rid it of, I might try some of his tech with this one and see how it works out. I will prob make it my pipe for Five Brothers(which I just reviewed today. You should stop what you're doing and go read it lol )

[wharfrathoss]

different strokes for different folks i guess-i'm just starting to dedicate a certain pipe to a certain tobac, i can see where this would be beneficial, no transfer (however slight) of the previous tobac's taste-to me though that's where it ends-tar tastes like tar, old saliva tastes like funk & whatever you ate b4 you smoked-but if it works for ya, more power to ya!