Ask a Pipe Guy

[GolfNut]

Do I need to dedicate a pipe for Latakia heavy blends? I ordered up some Frog Morton On the Town and am curious if this type should have it's own pipe or would it be alright to share with the likes of GLPease Westminster and SGalwith Full Virginia Flake which are 2 others I ordered.

I also have some Christmas Cheer 2008 coming which claims to be a naturally sweet VA. Will this play friendly with the above mentioned or should it go with my aromatic pipe?

[Slow Triathlete]

Originally Posted by GolfNut

Do I need to dedicate a pipe for Latakia heavy blends? I ordered up some Frog Morton On the Town and am curious if this type should have it's own pipe or would it be alright to share with the likes of GLPease Westminster and SGalwith Full Virginia Flake which are 2 others I ordered.

I also have some Christmas Cheer 2008 coming which claims to be a naturally sweet VA. Will this play friendly with the above mentioned or should it go with my aromatic pipe?

Well, this is where people have a difference of opinions. Some people smoke everything in one pipe. Others feel that the scents and flavors of certain tobaccos carry over into the next few bowlfuls. This is called "Ghosting". Say you have a really heavy Cherry aromatic that you smoke one day. Then you pull that same pipe out the next day and smoke a straight Virginia in there. Chances are there will still be some cherry scent and flavor that you will taste in the straight Virginia from the day before.

Of course, I am talking just about briar pipes. Meer pipes and corncobs do not carry over scents and tastes and you can smoke anything in them. That is the draw that those pipes have.

Myself, I have different pipes dedicated to different blends. This is after a time of collecting pipes however. I even have two pipes that are for specific blends (my favorites). If I were new then I would just get one briar and then some cheap corncob pipes for the other blends for right now. Here's my breakdown:

Peterson 999 Rock of Cashel - Latakia blends
Peterson 268 Racing Green - Virginia/Perique
Peterson 268 Killarney - Virginia
Peterson 80s Killarney (red) - McConnell's Scottish Cake
Peterson 80s Killarney (ebony) - Gawith's Best Brown
Peterson Belgique - Virginia/Perique
Dr. Grabow Duke - Aromatic
Kaywoodie Standard - Aromatic
Old Brebbia Sabbiata - Anything
A few corncobs - Anything, usually for working in the yard

[Slow Triathlete]

Anyone, Anyone?

[kingtut]

Here's one for you. I was at a RenFest and a friend gifted me pipe he found there sold at a hookah bar (my hookah experience sucked by the way...I'll stick to pipes and cigars!) Anyway, come to find out after his purchase that the pipe is synthetic. He asked the seller and he confirmed it. I've smoked it only once since then and it seemed to smoke fine (for the first smoke), but what is your opinion on synthetic pipes. Is there anything I should know?

thanks

[Adam-d]

Here is a question that was touched on a little earlier in the thread but I wanted to ask again.


I have read about starting a cake in your pipe and how one should use Honey and Ash to make a paste but as i was reading, someone said that it didn't work for them. so I guess my question is, what exactly does the cake do for a pipe, and what is the best way to go about building one up?

[lrhisc]

Is leaving it in the bag or tin fine. I put my cigars in a humidor. How long will it keep and what kind of care do I need to take when storing it?

[kingtut]

pipe guy doesn't seem to be answering anything anymore...

[Patrick B]

Originally Posted by kingtut

pipe guy doesn't seem to be answering anything anymore...

Slow down, someone will see the question soon enough.

[SmokinJohnny]

Speaking of tobacco storage, Walmart gots big mouth squarish glass jars with teflon seal pop off lids just like you see in pipe shops. Got some medium sized ones for $3.99 each. The mouth is big enough to scoop your pipe down there plus your hand.

[Hendu3270]

I know this is an old thread, (and I may have just missed it if it was already said), but I own a 300 cigar humidor that I purchased a couple of years ago. I have maybe 200 sticks in it at any given time. I make certain to maintain a 70% humidity level. Obviously this is to keep the smokes in a perfect smoking state and to keep beetles away and all. Does pipe tabacco need to be kept at a certain humidity level as well? I see some people like it wetter than others and some actually dry theirs out. Is pipe the dryness of pipe tabacco totally subjective?

Thanks guys,

Chris

[Slow Triathlete]

Originally Posted by Hendu3270

I know this is an old thread, (and I may have just missed it if it was already said), but I own a 300 cigar humidor that I purchased a couple of years ago. I have maybe 200 sticks in it at any given time. I make certain to maintain a 70% humidity level. Obviously this is to keep the smokes in a perfect smoking state and to keep beetles away and all. Does pipe tabacco need to be kept at a certain humidity level as well? I see some people like it wetter than others and some actually dry theirs out. Is pipe the dryness of pipe tabacco totally subjective?

Thanks guys,

Chris

It's totally subjective. However, 70% humidity is waaaaay too high for pipe tobacco. This is usually sold around 20% humidity.

[Hendu3270]

Originally Posted by Slow Triathlete

It's totally subjective. However, 70% humidity is waaaaay too high for pipe tobacco. This is usually sold around 20% humidity.

Ahh, I gotcha. I was already thinking I didn't have enough room in my humidor and might have to buy another one, (which isn't neccesarily a bad thing ). Thanks for the quick reply!

[Hendu3270]

Ok, I just received my pipe in the mail. I bought a new Nicolo. I assumed the inside of the bowl would simply look like wood but it is black. Doea this sound right for a brand new pipe? Do I need to seaon this one and if so, what is the process?



Chris

[SmokinJohnny]

Originally Posted by Hendu3270

Ok, I just received my pipe in the mail. I bought a new Nicolo. I assumed the inside of the bowl would simply look like wood but it is black. Doea this sound right for a brand new pipe? Do I need to seaon this one and if so, what is the process?



Chris

I just got a Nording. Same thing. The pipe dealer told me it's a lining to protect the wood much like you would building a carbon film. He assured me there would be no funny taste. I have no idea what the material is. It may be commercial carbon for all I know. It did smoke nice the first bowl and actually was the best tasting virgin pipe I've experienced. I broke it in to build a carbon liner anyhow.

[SmokinJohnny]

Here's a cool link for pipe seasoning and all kinds of other pipe stuff. Somewhere it also mentions the liner we are discussing.

http://vegassmokes.com/pipe-smoking-tips.htm#Ca

I think I got it here.

Some say to season it with half bowls and to work up to full bowls, some say to season it with full bowls from the beginning. Lots of different advice out there. Enjoy your new pipe.