My first pipe

[ddandb]

Pipe Smoking.. AAAhhhhh.

I have a couple of Savinellis and Butz-Choquins, but never underestimate the power of the cob. I have 3 Missouri Meerschaum cobs that are in constant rotation.
Both Carter Hall and Prince Albert are nice burley, drug store blends that have stood the test of time.
For a straight full bodied Virginian though try Samuel Gawith Full Virginia Flake. One of my favorites.

[sagedil]

My first smoke I tried was Prince Albert, and will always keep some around for when my palate just needs a bit of a break. But I already quickly jumped to some light English blends. I am guessing since I have been sucking on tobacco for 3 years, I just need a bit of a stronger flavor.

The Samuel Gawith Full Virginia Flake is actually on my list to try next. But I expect almost all the Virginia I buy over the next 4-5 years will just be to cellar and age it. Everything I have read and leaned says that Virgina's just get better and better with age.

[RRK]

When I smoked a pipe I first picked up used pipes at the local flee market. I got my first nice pipe in paris. I don't know the brand but the model was called jazz and it was pickled with a yellow/green stain.I think it was about $80. I stuck to mostly the flavored cavendish.

[sagedil]

I am doing the same thing. I picked up one used pipe(called Estate Pipes) on e-bay and bought two more through the classified section of Smokers Forums. There is a gentleman there who is gonna just send me several more - it really s an amazing site as I keep posting.

I just had no interest in breaking n a new pipe so soon. Honestly, I probably won't buy a new pipe for several years

[RRK]

I'm trying like mad to find a picture of that pipe. One of my friend's mom took it after I left it in his car. I think she figured it was for weed.

It was this style.


Colored kinda like this. But you could see more of a burl grain and it was yellow and green tones.

[TropicalBob]

Sage, we are commuting down the same highway!

I've always enjoyed your knowledgeable posts here, but now to find you've joined the brotherhood of pipe smokers -- outstanding!

I first took up pipe smoking in college, many moons ago, but quit in favor of cigarettes. Bad move, I now know. At that time, Reader's Digest had an article saying lifelong pipe smokers outlive even non-smokers.

I returned to pipe smoking more than a year ago, reading heavily, buying pipes on eBay until I now have 46 of varied styles and quality. It was the tobacco that took so long to find, however. In past attempts to move from cigs to pipes, I had to stop pipe smoking three times after demolishing my mouth. It was so raw I couldn't drink tap water. I could not even brush my teeth!

So the search centered on finding a pipe tobacco that did not burn even if mishandled. That takes some doing, but those burleys are indeed the answer. They're called "codger burleys" 'cause we old farts love 'em. For me, it's Carter Hall over Prince Albert, Half and Half, Kentucky Club, Captain Black, etc. Just .. Carter Hall.

Now .. for taste .. we pay more. Try some latakia blends. I've been through many tobaccos and now have only two favorites, both ordered online from Just for Him: Whiskey Biscuit Gravy and Shortcut to Mushrooms. These blend vanilla cavendish and latakia. Tasty smoke. That's the combination.

Share the highway, brother. I'm riding with you.

[sagedil]

I am very excited TropicalBob, and plan on updating this thread soon with more of my adventures.

I have three pipes right now, but should get two more in the mail tomorrow. one was gifted to me by a very kind gentleman from smokers forums, and the other is my first meerschaum pipe. I hope to pick up maybe 3 more over the next few months, but most of my money will be saved for tobacco. Both to smoke now, but more importantly, tobacco to be put away to be aged.

So far, I have smoked, besides the burly I started with, two English blends and a VAPER (Virginia/Perique) blend. Every tobacco I have bough so far are 4 star tobaccos on tobaccoreviews.com. I like everything I have tried, will be a long, long, long time before I could say i have a favorite. just trying to learn how different blends taste now, how different blends react in diffeent pipes. I have a life long journey ahead of me.

But I have had no issues with pipe smoke bothering my mouth. None. I did my research well before I started. As I joked with someone on SF, I am a good forum boy. i smokes very easily, truly, just "sipping" my pipes. My ppes never get hot, they barely even get warm.
but thank you for the welcome. I expect, as I do my normal sage pimping bit, a few others here might decide to investigate this wonderful hobby as well

[cobrageezer]

pipe smoke

I have smoked a pipe off and on for a number of years. Need to get back to them, fell off the wagon so to speak. A previous post spoke of their mouth being raw. Slooow down, slow way down, slow even further down. What you are doing by smokeing too fast is roasting the inside of your mouth. Sage you are on the right track, explore the world of different tobacco blends. There is even more varitiy in pipe tobacco than there is in snus. Do get a few cobs. There is just something about the taste of the first bowl in a virgin cob pipe. Never scoff at a used pipe. Clean it well, but never use alcohol that you wouldn't drink. A good scource for cobs is site called Keep Smilin, they have good prices I have ordered from them many times in the past.

[sagedil]

I have 5 pipes now cobrageezer, 4 briar and one meerschaum, and ALL of them are estate (used) pipes. Three of them were bought of of Smokers forums fantastic classified section, and all are just amazing pipes that i am most grateful. Another one was a gift I just received today, a gentleman from SF who just wanted to do something nice for a newbie. he sent me the most amazing freehand Bjarne pipe. Truly a work of art, pipe had to be several hundred dollars new,...and he just gave t to me.

I use 100 proof Aristocrat Vodka to clean my pipes after every smoke. And no, I wouldn't drink that crap but I get the point. :lol: :lol: I did just purchase my first "new" pipe last night. was relatively inexpensive and the perfect pipe to learn how to break in and season a new briar. but I expect most of the pipes I will continue to buy for a long, long time will be estate pipes.

What you said about smoking slowly is right on target. A lesson I learned before I even started and the biggest reason it has been such a pleasure. I just read that too many folks make the mistake of huffing on the pipe, trying to make sure it never goes out. Relights are NOT a problem. burning your mouth is. You should make sure the pipe is never too warm, that you can lay it on the skin of your face for 5 seconds without it burning. You do this, you will never burn your mouth

I

[RRK]

Relights are NOT a problem. burning your mouth is.

I think I do remember a taste difference if I had to relight. Burning out for me usually had to do with the pack or moisture level rather then the speed I smoked.

[cobrageezer]

Someone GAVE you a Bjarne!!!! OMG go out and buy lotto tickets right now. The gods of karma have just puked all over you. If someone gives you a Costello I'm hunting you down and crying at your feet.

[sagedil]

Yes my friend, it is exactly that, karma. the Gods are smiling back at me for the hundreds of hours I have given here helping literally over a thousand new snusers over the past 3 years. I have given so much of myself here, so it just makes sense to have someone help me like this as a newbie pipe smoker..

but yes, I am so grateful, I know what this gentleman did for me. i hope one day, I too will be able to pay t forward

[cobrageezer]

I'm astouned that someone gave away that pipe. I know that pipes can be like snus, some just don't work. But thats just amazing. I've looked at bjarnes, but always talked myself out of the purchase. I know quite well the cost of that gifting. WOW!! :shock: :shock: :shock: Good on ya!

[sagedil]

This is actually not an unusual behavior on Smokers forums. At least once a month, someone does something similar.

The pipe community is just like that. Has folks that have been doing it for 30, 40, 50 years. And they take care of newbies better than any community I have ever found myself a part of.

This pipe is amazing. He refurbished it a bit before he sent it, looks like new, not a mark on it, draws like a dream. He said he picks one person a year to do this, I was that lucky soul this time.

But makes a bit of sense. I am already developing a bit of a reputation on SF as not being like most newbies. For one, I did my research well, obviously know how to do and make use of forums well. So a bit of who I am here already shows through there too.

But yes, I know just how lucky I am.

Oh, and got my other new baby today as well, purchased an IMP Lattice Meerschaum Pipe of SF classifieds for only $50. Also in perfect condition.

So up to 5 pipes now, a brand new one coming my way in a week or so, and I am still the winning bidder on a really cheap pipe on e-bay, will be the first pipe I learn how to refurbish myself, why I am getting it to learn on

[RobsanX]

Where's the pics?!