Pipe suggestions

[client32]

Prompted by the cigar thread.  I feel we shouldn't discriminate here  

What do you people suggest if one were to want to start this habit.

[jamz]

OOoo, pipes.  I got into pipes after cigars became prohibitively expensive for a while.

Pipes are harder, require more attention, but are just as rewarding, if not more so.

I'd go to a tobacconist, get a pipe (you can get some nice cheap ones that don't have as nice wood as the really good ones) for $20-$30 or so.  Ask the tobacconist for a good starting blend.  Stay away from anything you can get in a drugstore.

Good luck!


Love, James

[cordex]

I got a very simple Meerschaum to start out with and have been very happy with the limited use I've gotten out of it.

[Azrael256]

My staple blend is Dunhill 965.  I wouldn't recommend it as a starter, but do try to work your way into latakia blends.  They really are worth the effort.

I would start on something in the $60-70 range.  A Peterson or Savinelli would do well.  I started with a Peterson second, and my second pipe was a Savinelli.  Do try to stay away from the "system" pipes.  The Savinellis use this little balsa wood filter dealie, but it just creates more of a problem.  Instead of soaking up the spit and tobacco juice with a pipe cleaner, you now have to deal with a goopy little filter.  The Peterson "system" is just as bad.  It has a little spit trap that just collects goo and is nearly impossible to clean out.  Go with one of the regular pipes, and you won't be disappointed.  They're generally even smokers for a decent price.  Obviously more expensive pipes will tend to smoke better, but you'll get around to that later.

As for blends to smoke...  Do try to stay away from the aromatics.  If it contains the name of a fruit or somesuch, avoid it.  Find one of the milder McClelland blends.  McClelland 5100, which is just a simple red Virginia, will do well, and you can mix it with some stronger stuff.  A friend lives on 5100 sprinkled with a high-grade latakia.

Play around with it, don't get discouraged if it burns your tongue a bit as you learn, and enjoy it!

[jamz]

I wouldn't necessarily stay away from aromatics.  One of the best things about a pipe for me is the smell, (and a heavy latakia blend is going to drive away any nonsmoker SO in the vicinity) so fro a newbie I'd say actually to start with one.

A really nice balance between sweet smell and good taste is Frog Morton.  Smells nice enough for people to enjoy it, and tastes nice enough to smoke often.

My absolute favorite used to be Penzance.  I wouldn't start with it though.  965 is pretty heavy duty too, but for some reason, I never liked Dunhill brands.  Guess I'm just wierd.  


Love, James

[Nathaniel Firethorn]

Check out www.pipes.org and the Usenet group alt.smokers.pipes.

- NF

[Smith]

Before I went to cigars I played with pipes too.  I also started with Peterson seconds, and they were ok, but the best smoking pipes I ever had (you need at LEAST two, as they will sour if you smoke the same on on successive days) were Nordings and Dunhills.  My Nordings were my favorites though.  Hmm, and an Italian I don't remember the name of.  Pipa something.  Good smoking pipe.

Guys who smoke daily usually have 5-7 pipes in rotation.

Next topic: seasoning....I'll get to that later.

[K Frame]

"What do you people suggest if one were to want to start this habit."

A swift kick in the ass and a sanity check?

Dunhills are nice pipes.

[Smith]

OK, now to seasoning.  Before a pipe really starts to transfer heat well and to concentrate flavor, it has to "season" which means build a hard layer of char along the inside.  You can achieve this several ways, the most traditional being smoking small amounts of tobacco with cool temps, many times. The easier way and the way I was taught was to line the clean, brand new pipe with a layer of honey, then smoke a bowl of whatever you like.  The pipe will season almost completely in your first bowl.

Avoid filtered pipes, or if you get one you like but it has a filter, just yank the filter out.  Remember you're not breathing this stuff, so your health concerns are not like that of a cigarette smoker, or even that of a dip user since nothing is sitting in your mouth.  However, a pipe smoker DOES run a higher risk of mouth cancer than a cigar smoker, as a pipe is usually held between the teeth and the heat will cause your mouth to salivate.  Your saliva will create a place for tars to settle.  If you want to do this right consider brushing your teeth after each bowl.

[SRoper]

Stanwells are probably the best value machine made pipes you can get.  They start in the $40 range.  You can also find good deals with estate (used) pipes.  Look for old (before 1970's) GBDs or Comoys.  Sometimes you can find them for under $30.

I have a CAO meerschaum that I like.   I hear that one should avoid crushed meerschaum, although I have no personal experience here.  Keep in mind that meerschaum has the advantage of not requiring "rest" between smokes, but they are not as durable as briar pipes.

I like GL Pease blends the best.  My favorites of his are Mephisto and Raven's Wing.  All his blends are very high quality, but not all are to my liking.  Other blenders that I recommend are Rattray's (Hal O' the Wynd is an excellent Virginia), Robert McConnell (not as common, but Red Virginia is good), and Dunhill.  I also recommend McClelland with reservations.  An excellent resource is tobaccoreviews.com.

[client32]

A swift kick in the ass and a sanity check?

Possibly the best peice of advice.  I was really more interested in starting this thread rather than starting smoking, but it peaked an interest.  It seems like this could become an expensive hobby really fast.

[Azrael256]

Actually, you might be surprised how cheap it is.  My staple blend runs $30/lb, which is about a three month supply.  Camels used to run me $27 a carton, and that was a 10 day supply.  Pipes can be expensive, but I only own one that's over $100.  So doing the math, I can buy one $60 pipe a month for the amount I'm not spending smoking Camels, and it's a much more enjoyable smoke.

[S. Williamson]

Listen to the guy above me.  He knows what he's talking about (and is responsible for getting me into the hobby.)

I started out with a cheapie "Missouri Meerschaum" carved maple pipe that was about $6.00, a $1.00 pipe nail, a small bundle of $2.95 pipe cleaners, an ounce of Gaelic Blend (~$2.00) and a free ounce of English/Oriental.

Total cost for what got me started and kept me going the first two weeks: ~$13.00 including tax.

Pipe smoking isn't my number one smoking hobby, much along the same lines as cigars... they're to be enjoyed and savored, not had in the space of ten minutes (at most).  Hence, I'm more of a cigarette snob--140 different brands and types at last count.

When I do smoke a pipe, however, I like a nice blend of about two parts Red Virginia, one part Golden Virginia, a pinch of Syrian latakia, and another pinch of my homemade (Capt. Morgan Spiced) Rum-soaked Golden Virginia.


Put it all in my favorite pipe (the black-and-Sterling one marked "Dublin") and I've got my evening planned.  Well, throw in a nice glass of Glenfiddich or Glenlivet on the rocks and then it's planned.

[SpookyPistolero]

This is pretty good timing as I just picked up my pipes again. I had some free time on spring break and forgot how relaxing and methodical a good smoke was. I wish I could reccomend my blend, but I've already forgotten which it was. If I get a chance to stop by the store this week I will be sure and post.

I have a couple of briar pipes and a meerschaum, which I like very much. I believe, just from my research, that it is a Turkish meerschaum. Either way I enjoy its light weight and small size. Length is still good enough to keep smoke out of your eyes though.

The hobby is basically as cheap as you want to make it. And the good part is, over somone that smokes cigaretes for example, you won't feel a 'need' to smoke. It's more of something pleasurable you look forward too. A relaxing activity instead of a habit.

Enjoy!

[...has left the building.]

I use a Sasieni 4 Dot.


Dionysusigma- Who makes those pipes above?

[Harold Tuttle]

those are Irish Petersons:
http://www.peterson.ie/

maybe we need a pipe smoking emoticon

it would need to take about 10 minutes to load, light up and make its point