Pipe and tobacco reccomendations.

I was wondering if any of the pipe smokers here had any reccomendations on a pipe and a good tobacco (easy to find) to start out with.

Ha ha, the nearest tobacconist is 2 hrs or so away. I’ll read the FAQ’s and take a chance on the tobacco.

I saw an inexpensive clay pipe the other day that looked pretty cool as well, what do you guys think of them?

clay pipes are great. The smoke is very delicious. They do burn hot as in the bowl will burn your hand if you touch it while smoking. The big problem with clay is that shit breaks so easily, I’ve literaly touched one wrong and had part of the stem fall off. I actualy recomend trying more expensive tobaccos they are alot better in my opinion.

P.s. one neat thing about clay pipes if you get a scent in it that you don’t like you can get it out. I forget how I should look it up. Though it’s kind of a moot point as they break really easily. Though I did keep one around for a few years as my test pipe.

@mars - what is a ‘basket’ pipe? Another name for a cob? I’ve seen the basket weave design on the Meerschaum pipes, but is there a specific ‘basket’ type pipe? I’ll probably drop you a line Mike before I buy anything because I want to do it right. I received a pipe tobacco sampler from Altadis in the mail the other day, so I’m planning on buying an inexpensive cob pipe from the local 5&dime to try it out.

“Basket” pipes are typically fairly inexpensive pipes or “seconds,” by larger name companies which are usually found to have some flaw or other, and are generally much cheaper and often times of a particularly good quality, minus the defect.

It may add to the confusion, or cause untold spending, but here’s a link to a tobacco review site: tobaccoreviews.com You have to take some of the reviews with a grain of salt, but I find it helpful in determining basic characteristics/components of a blend, and once you figure out the reviewers with similar tastes as your own, it may help more.

@lofat, did you sign up for the free sample at Pipe Show Online? Just register and they will send you a good size sample package.

@lofat - They sent me four sample pouches!

I just did that one myself, hopefully I’ll have my samples soon.

Like the rest of Bespoke snuffs, Stephan’s Tipple is a very good snuff.

lofat, I see you didn’t wash away from the last storm!

Yeah it got pretty bad here. Most of the weekend it was dumping buckets of rain. The wind was so strong the pine trees were shaped more like a wave about ready to break. Pine cones were actually blowing off the trees horizontally. Would suck to be a squirrel! Good thing the trees do have a lot of give to them. Luckily being in the hills, we don’t have much trouble close by with flooding, but the lower foothills had trouble with the creeks & such. Both the normal routes to Sacramento were flooded. The last few hours of the storm, the rain turned to snow and were still getting flurries. On the local Hwy 88 going East from us was shut down all weekend due to avalanche controls. The local ski resort now has about 11.5 feet of snow. This long root soaking rain will make for some good crops this year. Especially with the wine grapes.

Yep, good time to break the soil. And about end of Feb- beginning of March, start turning in some compost if you have any. Also the tobacco does real good with nitrogen & potash mixed in the soil. Wood ash & charcoal grill ashes work great. Because tobacco seeds are very small, you will need to keep them covered up and indoors for the first eight to ten days. Start them about five weeks before the final frost.

Anyone here know anything about meerschaum pipes? I’m most disappointed to discover hairline cracks in my new meerschaum I got for x-mas. Turns out the cause is most likely that I was smoking it outside 2 weeks ago in 3 degree F. temperatures. I’m told now that the bowl gets real hot and then cools too quickly when the arctic air hits it , causing cracks. I was really looking forward to seeing how long it would take to break it in and get some good color in it. If I replace it someday the new one will never be used in cold weather.

Ouch, that sucks dude. Check this forum out, lotsa knowledge there.