A while back I purchased a bent briar pipe for about 50 bucks from a tobacco shop and a couple different pipe tobacco. I did some reading on the basics of pipe smoking and followed the methods to packing lighting and smoking. But the bowl would not stay lit. I dried the tobacco but the bowl would not light. I messed around with it for a month then sold the pipe and the tobaccos I bought. But the smoke I did get wasenjoyable and I would like to give it another try. Anyone have any tips and purchase recommendations? I tried some stokkebye flake and black cavendish. I don’t have a lot of money to spend on a pipe and unfortunately will be smoking outside. (I actually like being outside with a smoke) but pipes are a little less friendly with wind.
Buy a corncob pipe. Or two. Should be easy to find. Missouri Meerschaum brand only. Cheap to throw out if you find you don’t like pipes again. For me corncobs were the easiest to learn with. Switching to a briar will require a bit of adjustment, but the lessons learned on cob will be easily translated. Another option would be the well respected MrBrog pipes, available on Amazon and evilbay. Carter Hall is my favorite american tobacco and simple to keep lit. Orlik Golden Slices is another simple tobacco with great flavor. Pack looser than you think you need to is the best advice I can give.
I find that one of the keys to keeping the tobacco lit is to get a good charred light. You want to char the living shit out of the top before you tamp and relight even if you have to light the top 3 or more times to char the top, you want the top completely charred BEFORE you tamp and relight. Even damp tobacco will light with ease if you get a good charred light.
The corncob pipe suggestion is a very good one, but if you prefer briar, check out your local tobacconist’s “basket pipes.” Most brick and mortar stores catering to pipers will have a basket or box, usually near the cash register, filled with bargain-priced briar pipes. They often have no identifying marks – many are factory seconds and will have minor cosmetic blemishes – but they are frequently good smokers. Don’t fret too much if you have to relight a pipe often. It is often said that the perfectly smoked pipe is always on the verge of going out. Even the most experienced pipers have to relight.
I work at a pipe shop and pipes are my specialty. Corn cobs are fine pipes, though disposable (You will burn it out). Briar pipes do offer a better smoking experience but they require a breaking in period, during which they don’t smoke at their full potential. I recommend trying to find a decent quality estate pipe, that’s industry jargon for a used & restored pipe. An estate pipe has already been broken in and will be smoking at its fullest potential. A frequent problem with new smokers is keeping the pipe lit. When your learning to smoke a pipe and the pipe is “learning” to be smoked (breaking in) problems arise and it can be difficult to determine where the problem lies; new smoker or new pipe. An estate pipe will allow you to focus on your technique and should speed up the time it takes you to master pipe smoking (pipe smoking is an art much like snuff taking, it requires practice and patience, probably more so than snuff). The added advantage of an estate pipe is you can get a nicer pipe with sometimes quite superior briar for less than you’d pay for a cheap new pipe. There is an appeal to buying a brand new pipe, but work your way up to it. I also would not recommend any flake tobaccos for a new smokers. They are trickier to get lit properly and can be difficult to keep lit unless you know what your doing. I also don’t recommend the moister straight black cavendishes to new smokers as they can smoke hot and wet if you don’t pack them carefully and sip them slowly. All of these things can be off-putting to new smokers and end a wonderful hobby prematurely. I’d recommend a burley cavendish blend if you prefer aromatics; something ribbon-cut and not to goopy. Hope this helps.
@mrnose that’s all sounding like good advice to me. How much should I be looking to spend on an estate pipe? If possible I’d like to keep it below $60. Also found this website http://www.vtpipes.com/estate.html. Was wondering if any of the sub $50 pipes looked decent to you and if you think I should give their tobacco a try. I prefer a non aromatic I believe. They also sell a cheap 3 piece pipe tool and zippo pipe lighter. (if you haven’t noticed yet I’m working on a budget) I think the lighter will be a must smoking outside all of the time. Smoking of any kind in the house is not open to discussion where I live. Thanks to everyone who posted.
@Sly3904, $50 will get you a lot of options in estate pipes. You can skip the Zippo and use wood matches or a “bic” type lighter just as well. Heck if you want to go extra cheap you can use a long roofing nail for a pipe tool. See now you can spend up to $80 for the pipe. Just trying to be helpful.lol
The prices on that site look like pipe collector prices in the priced to sell range. All seemingly good deals but I think you may be able to get a few ten dollar “estates” from E-bay if you have the patience. I personally think a beginner wanting briar would be better off getting a new pipe. There are plenty of inexpensive ones out there. Pipes are not so fragile that they can be ruined easily. They ARE sensitive and this you will need to learn to get the best smoking experience possible. A used pipe cannot teach you this any better than a new one can. All pipes new or used have intricacies that you may or may not learn. Having a higher quality pipe will be something for you to live up to. As for breaking in a new pipe, don’t even worry about it. Especially if it is a basket (cheap pipe). the only thing you really need to be concerned with is smoking it so hot as to burn the briar. ( be careful in wind). Get experienced! You will learn the details as you become interested. Certainly if you had the BEST pipe, already broken in by the BEST tobacco, loaded for you with the BEST method, the BEST smoking experience would still escape you. (how would you know?)
@Sly3904: All of those pipes in the $50 range look like fine pipes (I have a personal preference against a Dr. Grabow but I’m sure lots of people on here will tell you otherwise). I can’t make any kind of assessment of their tobaccos but the descriptions look promising. If you have a local tobacconists I would recommend picking up some tobacco there as you won’t have to buy so much at a time and be stuck with something you don’t much care for. Most tobacconists sell bulk tobacco by the ounce, which is typically enough to get an idea of whether you will like to blend or not. Try to get an ounce of McClelland 5100 Red Cake if you want a non-aromatic. It is a perennially favorite Virginia with some natural sweetness and good burning characteristics. As far as Zippo pipe lighters go, I love them to death. You have to let the flame burn for a few seconds after striking to allow the Zippo taste to burn off but then you’re good to go. They burn at a slightly lower temperature than a match or any other type of lighter which will help protect the rim of your pipe from charring. However, because of the lower temp they are slower to light a pipe with. I typically use a match or two to get my pipe started and then rely on my Zippo to finish the initial light and for any relights (Zippos are absolutely the best for relights by the way, quick and gets the flavor back sooner than anything else). Hope this helps. Remember, the initial cost of pipe smoking can be a little bit, but the price of smoking a bowl of good pipe tobacco compared to smoking anything else is deliciously cheap!
Ditto to everything Mr. Nose said. I have a few cobs (Missouri Meerschaum is the oldest and best) but mostly briar and I only buy estates. No sense to me in purchasing new stock that is going to be almost always plantation grown briar with less character than any pre-1970s British made pipe. I have Ben Wade, Dunhill, Barling (pre and post transition), Peterson (pre Republics and one Patent which smokes awesome!!), and many others. The link that holds my entire collection together is the fact that with the exception of one Comoy’s Christmas pipe from 1997, all are old briar that were previously smoked, some you could say were abused. Of course, you have to do a little work in removing excessive old cake with a decent reamer and cleaning and buffing the mouthpiece and briar (tripoli and white stick for the mouthpiece and carnauba wax for the briar on a buffing wheel), but once an estate is properly cleaned up, it usually smokes like a dream. Zippo pipe lighters are great and I have a couple of Bentley pipe lighters (butane like a bic but made for pipes) that are also very good. Matches are old school, and if you really want to go back in time, take a tiny ember from your next campfire or fireplace and set it on top of your tobacco.
I took a chance on ebay and bought a couple estate pipes for $14. They look to be in good condition and they have been cleaned and sanitized according to the seller. I also stopped by the pipe shop in Portland today and picked up a couple ounces of Red Cake. I did forget however to get some pipe cleaners and some matches. @furious I like the looks of the butane pipe lighters. They are very intriguing. I have had nothing but problems getting them filled though. I have had two cigar ligters that would only light once or twice before refilling and sometimes not even light at all. I don’t know if it’s bad luck or what but I follow the directions on the butane can and have tried xikar butane and vector. One lighter was a xixar and the other a Blue Rhino i beleive. Any way I am hesitant to post the link because I know you get what you pay for but here it is. Feel free to post any comments or thoughts about my recent purchase. http://www.ebay.com/itm/200672053626?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&\\_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649 If anything I’ll hold onto them as collectibles. The pipe store I was in had some nice looking briars between 30 and 70 dollars in the display case, lighters, pouches all of it. It’s a nice shop. 82nd pipe and tobacco in Portland, OR. They have an online inventory list and I know they mail orders accross the states.
Both of those for fourteen dollars? I couldn’t get a good look but I’m under the impression that you’ve made a most excellent deal. Be carful with the red cake. Puff slowly! Straight Virginia tobacco can burn hot and may scorch your tongue.
If you decide you like pipe smoking, pipesandcigars.com has some decent Savinellis for he $50-$70 range. I’ve got a churchwarden and a straight billiard from them, and both smoke wonderfully. I believe the billiard was about $70, but it’s ben the easiet pipe I’ve had to smoke so far. Even when I was breaking it in, it was hard to screw it up with that one. Also, if you can get it before everyone else, Squadron Leader is (at least in my experience) a pretty easy blend to smoke. A 4oz bag won’t set you back too much, and if you’re just smoking the odd bowl here and there it’ll last you ages.
@shikitohno Thanks. That is an awesome website. Lot’s of good looking pipes and plenty of stuff to fill it up with. I will probably visit again soon. Maybe by Christmas…
@Sly Great deal. The Grabow looks to be in very nice shape and should be a good smoker. The old ones have a HUGE following with collectors. For many years it was Dr. G and Kaywoodie for pipes in this country for the average Joe. Don’t have much experience with Meerschaum lined pipes but the fact it’s Algerian briar is a very good sign. Some of the best pipemakers in the world have sourced briar from there. Let me know how things turn out. As for butane lighters, I have mixed opinions about them. The Bentley is ok but the fuel outlet gets clogged with soot, etc. from relights and has to be cleaned periodically. Also, the fuel fill valve can be tricky and you sometimes end up with butane everywhere except in the lighter. Thing is you want an angled flame so you don’t char the rim. I use my Zippo with pipe insert most often and get the best service from it–plus it’s a US made product with excellent customer service.
All right so I got my pipes today and my pipe tool but still don’t have pipe cleaners. If I have a smoke tonight is it all right cleaning the pipe tomorrow?
Sure, it won’t hurt any to wait till tomorrow.
Thats good to know, I smoked a tiny bit of Red Cake a few minutes ago. It actually went pretty well considering its rainy and windy and stormy here tonight. Only had to relight 3 times for a 30 minute smoke. Pipe smoked nice and cool, only complaint I have is the width of the bowl when trying to fill it. I am pleased!
I have to ask this even though it is covered on many internet web sites. What method do you prefer for filling the pipe? I tried sprinkling to the top, lightly tamping, sprinkling to the top tamping a little more forcefully, then sprinkilng and tamping harder. I ended up with a very small bowl I assume I didn’t do a good enough job getting the very leafy tobacco into the chamber but it was a pleasant smoke nonetheless.
@Sly3904: The pipe packing method you described should work just fine. I recommend new smokers err on the side of underpacking. You can always pack it tighter with your tamper after you’ve lit the pipe; be gentle about it however. It is nearly impossible to unpack an overpacked bowl once lit. From there it is all about personal preference, smoking style and the particular tobacco or pipe you are smoking. Start with a light pack and tighten it up according to what works for you. Moister coarser cut tobaccos usually need a lighter pack than finer and drier ones. There are no sure and hard answers to anything about pipe smoking, that’s what makes it an art unto itself. The key is to smoke and find what works best for you. Happy Smoking!
Seems to be gurgling about halfway through, I tried a bowl in the second pipe and put it out after a while. The taste of the tobacco is a touch bitter but I don’t think it’s bite. I like it. The bowl seems to burn really quickly through the top half then is really right toasted the end and won’t stay lit. Overpacking? I am a novice what can I say
I have a question, My first Briar I purchased at a local shop for fifty bucks would get really hot even after only lighting it. I can smoke this estate pipe like 4 or 5 puffs a minute and it is still cool to the touch. I don’t think there was much cake buildup I ran my finger inside the bowl when I got it and there was no carbon. I must have had a bad pipe or something.
Also about two thirds into the bowl it becomes really hard to keep lit and is pooling moisture. I think the tobacco may need to dry a little, should I just leave it out for a few minutes before I pack a bowl? Anyway each smoke seems to be better I have had 3 small ones just tonight and I am learning as I go I believe.
Sweet Virginia’s will normally smoke wet. Use the pipe cleaner to dry the heel while smoking. Resting the pipe will help by giving it time to dry out so that it can better absorb the moisture.
But my pipe is adjustable? It has a piece of metal connecting the stem and the shank which makes it impossible to run a pipe cleaner up through the shank while smoking.Ok, I am picking up some pipe cleaners tomorrow, I bought some bristle pipe cleaners on ebay but they are still in transit. Anyway I feel bad wasting a third of a bowl but when I can’t smoke it I can’t smoke it. I hope that by the end of my two ounce back of 5100 red cake I am able to smoke well and through an enitre bowl easily.
So anyone have some good pipe tobacco suggestions for when it comes time to visit the pipe shop again. They have quite a selection so I just need some helpful tips. I am interested in trying an aromatic as well as another Virginia and English blend.
@Sly, sounds like you are maybe tamping to hard/often. if the top of the bowl is smoking fine and the bottom isn’t that’s definitely either a packing issue or the tobacco is to damp, or both.
The best lesson I have learned is pack looser than you think you need to.
Your pipe that has the metal piece is it a Dr. Grabow or Kaywoodie? If so it might have a “stinger” which is supposed to help eliminate tongue bite. They will stop a pipe cleaner from going through. On the up side you can removee the stem while smoking and swab out the separate pieces.
Yes kaywoodie. Tomorrow I am going to air the bowl out for 10 minutes or so then pack it. I may be tamping to often but I made sure to do it gently. I just ordered the Peterson and zippo set from amazon and hope to have the technique down by then:) You guys are always a great help, thanks alot.
@sly I used to be a firm believer in the three stage method of packing a pipe–that is, first pinch, light tamp, second pinch, medium tamp, third pinch, firm tamp. After having mixed results over the years with this, I employed another more simple technique that I call the shadow method. You sprinkle or “gravity fill” to the top of the bowl and then grab a good sized pinch and stuff it in until the tobacco is just under the rim of the bowl. There should be some give to the tobacco when you are done. You end up with tighter pack on top that gradually loosens to the bottom of the bowl. This way you will rarely overpack and burning qualities should be good. I find this method works for almost every tobacco type too: ribbon, cube, shag, and fully rubbed out flake.
A good pipe tool, spike is essential for me. Most filling problems can be solved by just removing the mouthpiece and spiking into the tobacco. (I find).
Don’t get a corncob - get a clay!
The only pipe I own is a 13" clay warden’s pipe that my dad gave me. What an awesome piece it is.
Clays are my favourite pipes
A wet, gurgling pipe can also be a sign that your puffing cadence is too fast. However, if you’re not getting any tongue bite while smoking a straight Virginia blend like Red Cake, it doesn’t sound like cadence is the problem.
You are right about “learning as you go.” That’s the only way to learn how to smoke a pipe, really. More seasoned pipers can give you lots of good advice, but it’s up to you to find out what works for you.
If you’re enjoying the red Virginias in Red Cake, then for an aromatic I would suggest Cornell & Diehl’s Autumn Evening. 100% red Virginia with a maple-flavored casing. If you smoke it around other people, everyone will wonder who is making pancakes.
I pull out all my stingers. I think I have one pipe that has a stinger that is part of the tenon therefore must be cut to be removed. This pipe I just don’t use too much. (I can’t yet get myself to permanently alter it)
@Ansel you smoke clay pipes on a regular base ? short or long ones ? i have a short one and i have the feeling that i cant utilize it to the fullest…
Well I made it through a smoke tonight with only a couple relights. I had a nice time but froze and it’s not even winter yet. I like the red cake but am noticing an aftertaste. I popped a eucalyptus snus portion in to try and helP but it is strong. Do all Pipe tobaccos have that affect? By the way i ordered a Peterson billiard and zippo last night. It was a gift set.
Yes, all tobaccos will leave an aftertaste. Some good some bad. Finding what you can live with is part of finding the tobaccos for you.
Only a couple relights is good. You’re improving. In two years I’ve had ONE bowl that required no relights. Most take several.
Thanks everyone for the guidance along the way. The pipe I ordered is the Donegal by Peterson. Looking forward to it I must say.
@Sly3904: Peterson’s are great pipes for the money. I have 11 of them and love every one of them. I’m sure you’ll enjoy the Donegal, they have such a good feeling in the hand.
@Sly3904 What shape did you order?
@Mr. Nose I believe the proper name is a bent billard?? It has a slight bend and a straight bowl in large diameter. Here is the item I ordered at this link.
@Sly3904: that would be a straight billiard, and a mighty fine pipe. A bent billiard would be Peterson’s 69 shape. I almost got one of those sets about a year back but talked myself out of it for some reason. I’m sure you will be quite happy with it.
@Ansel right now i enjoy a smoke in a clay and it works damn well
@Mrnose thanks for clearing that up. Should be here Monday, looks like I’ll be breaking it in with 5100.
Petersons are indeed very good pipes. Always a good value for the price, and something for every budget.
However, there is one problem with some brand new Petersons, and I believe the Donegal line was one of those affected. For a while, the Peterson factory was dipping the entire bowl into a pot of wood stain, rather than painting the stain on the outside, as it should be. Needless to say, when exposed to flame, the stain on the inside gives off nasty fumes. So check the inside of the bowl before you use the pipe. If it’s the same color as the outside, sandpaper the inner surface down to the bare wood before smoking.
You may be lucky and get one of the pipes in which the stain was applied correctly, but I thought I should mention it, just in case.
That sounds like quite a problem. Maybe I’ll send it back thank you for the information. I did some further reading and found an interview with a head honcho at Peterson. He says that any pipe made in the last two years does not undergo the same staining treatment that used to take place. Corks are now placed in the bowl to prevent stain from seeping inside. I guess it’s just a matter of when the pipe was made. I sent an email to the seller on amazon but my bet is they won’t be able to tell me. I also read that a wipe down with a high proof liquor 4 times before smoking helps.
Well, if you don’t want to bother with cleaning out the pipe bowl yourself, it’s perfectly understandable that you’d want to send it back for a refund. Since the sale was through Amazon, you are most likely dealing with a vendor who will oblige you. But if you are willing to put a little work into it, you can still have a perfectly good, brand new pipe. Eventually, you’ll have to ream out the bowl once in a while anyway, to reduce the amount of carbonized “cake” that builds up on the walls. (You want to leave a little bit of cake – it protects the walls of the bowl.)
A thin coat of booze and/or honey on the inside of the bowl can help to start the proper cake. It also kills any bacteria that may be hiding inside. The liquor needn’t be high proof, however, and one coat is sufficient. Adds a touch of pleasant flavor, too.
I wouldn’t worry too much about stain being in the bowl. Yes, they are rather unpleasant to break in if they weren’t careful while staining but this will only affect the first ten bowlfuls maybe. I understand people being unhappy about it, but if it is the pipe the you want and you like it otherwise, it will be just fine once broken in. Ultimately a matter of personal taste. I try not to buy Peterson’s that have been stained in this fashion but if it is the right pipe at the right price, the little bit of effort to get though it is worth it. Also if you decide to clean it with alcohol, be careful to keep any off the outside of the pipe as this will ruin the pipe’s finish. Happy Smoking!
the best tamper for a pipe is your thumb or other fingers depending on bowl size. Sure it burns at first but soon you’ll get the hang of it.
Agree with Bob. Fingers are the best tamper due to the light pressure they impart to the tobacco.
All right I am in the process of breaking in the Peterson now. Looks like I got lucky, no stain in the bowl. My half bowl of 5100 was very pleasant, and I have to say even nicer than the couple cheap estate pipes I had picked up last week. Couldn’t quite smoke all the way to the bottom I guess I the bowl had got a little wet as I smoked a little fast outside in the rain. I did make sure the briar was not overheated though and it was a great experience. Nice lighting the pipe with the zippo as well, much easier to do in the wind than with a bic!
Thank you all again for the tips and suggestions along the way, I think I am actually going to be able to stick with it this time.
Glad to hear it has been a good experience. Welcome to a wonderful new hobby, there is a world of different and delicious pipe tobaccos out there for your perusal. Enjoy the journey!
Congrats on your new purchase, may it give you many years of happy piping!
Thanks guys enjoying it as we speak
Glad to hear the pipe is working out for you! I’m a light piper myself, weekends only, but do enjoy it. I’ve got a bit of Condor to try for the first time. Of course, with the holiday coming up, I’ll probably have time this week to get in a couple of extra bowls!!
Hey again Re visited the smoke shop today and picked up a tin of dunhill early morning and some mcbarren navy flake. Tried the flake and enjoyed it, I think the 5100 seems a little richer in flavor. Anyway I have a question about storage. I have an airtight 8 oz jar that I used for some snuff that I emptied and cleaned and am drying overnight on a papertowel. I opened up the tin of EMP TONIGHT just to get a look at what a tinned oriental is like. I am Planning on emptying the tin into the jar tomorrow and just storing the navy flake in the bag it came in, in the Tupperware that holds tins of snuff. Is this sounding all right? And when I am ready to try the EMP I plan on pinching some from the jar and airing it out for 30 minutes or so and packing it. I don’t imagine I will let it age before trying it. I also have an idea for a blend I would like to cellar. Just 8 ounces of red cake and 8 ounces of a black cavendish. Anyone know any they would reccomend and what wOuld be suitable to store it in. Thank you everyone as always I appreciate all the answers to my novice questions.
All you really need for storage is an airtight container. For long-term storage, like cellaring, a cool, dark place is recommended, but not absolutely necessary.
As long as the rubber gasket is pliable and not dried out, then Mason jars are great for storing tobacco in all its forms.
I 'm thinking of treating myself to a new pipe and baccy for xmas this year.
I’m a big Peterson fan and one of my favourites is my Irish Army.
Pack it with Two Friends English Chocolate and I’m good for hours!
But, I’m up in the air about 2 pipes. and some tobacco’s.
Perhaps some of you can help me make up my mind.
The Pipes
- Brigham Voyager 3 dot.
- Peterson Aran 150 P-Lip
Big G.L Pease Fan!
just haven’t tried these. I’ve been getting into Balkans for about a year now. Just not sure what direction to turn next.
Tobacco
G.L Pease Ciro
G.L Pease Haddo’s Delight
G.L Pease Robusto… this one interests me.
Any input will be helpful!
I would take the Peterson over the Brigham. All the Brighams I have seen are 9mm filter pipes. Filters are just one more thing to keep up with, and IMHO filter pipes draw funny. On the tobacco, I havn’t tried the Cairo. I love the Robusto. It is full bodied and rich, doesn’t really taste like a cigar, but it does taste good. I didn’t like the Haddo’s, but a lot of people do. It tastes like a vaper soaked in cheap brandy to me.
thanks for the reply @Nachman.
I was really interested in the Robusto review on smokingpipes.com.
Is there much presence of latakia and oriental?
would it work well with the short peterson I’m looking at or would it need a longer pipe?
It smokes cool, so it should be Ok in a short pipe. The flavour is sort of homogeneous. I can’t pick out the constituent tobaccos, so no real Latakia or Oriental presence to me.
Brighams pipes do not use 9mm filters they use a hollow rock maple filter that doesn’t restrict the draw what so ever and you can even run a pipe cleaner through it, they don’t actually filter the smoke but removes excess moisture which can drastically reduce tongue bite. And as for the Peterson I would get a System pipe, they are the most genius pipe design imo, I love my system pipes.
@n9inchnails
figures you would stick up for the canuck pipe eh?
the peterson is the p-lip not the fishtail… is that what your referring to?
@nightcap I’m referring to a Peterson System pipe, its a type of pipe like an Aran or Donegal are different types of Peterson pipes. System pipes are what put Peterson on the map so to speak.
right.
the P lip. as apposed to the fish tail.
Royal Yacht (chamber under the bowl, the gloop is meant to drip back down into the sump.)
@nightcap, I dont’ think P-lip and fish tail have anything to do with the system design. They are bit designs that focus the smoke in different places. A system pipe utilizes a moisture reservoir, I believe, to reduce wetness.
That’s my understanding as well.
@nightcap this is a system pipe
All system designs include P-Lips but not all P-Lips are system pipes.
@Juxtaposer I never really noticed that, but you appear to be correct. I own four Petersons myself, but none of them are system pipes or p-lips.
Well, the Peterson site shows all systems with p-lips, but, upon further review, I see they are available with fishtails.
i was under the impression that all p-lips were “systems”.
but now i see that is not the case.
I prefer fishtails as do so many others that Peterson now offers them with the system pipes, however the P-Lip is part of the system so these would be partial system pipes. haha
just want to add church wardens are the bomb
I would urge new pipe smokers who are having difficulties not to give up.
I bought my first briar a little over a year ago and had some terrible smokes at the beginning. I still have the occasional nightmare smoke (way too hot / tongue bite / constant relights), but now I’d hate to be without my pipes. It’s part of my post-work evening ritual.
the secret to pipes I say is enjoy. And try things. Sometimes it may suprise you what works well. Also I recomend using wooden matches or a zippo. It’s amazing how much easier that makes it to get a cool even smoke. If it gets too hot let it cool down.
brigstowe is right. You gradually get used to having the right bits and pieces; not making a mess, smoking clean and well etc. This takes time. Once learned you will not go back to fags if ever you smoked them.
I swear, this forum has cost me more money than anything I have ever participated in. But, I will say that I have gotten more quality advice about tobacco products that I will enjoy than I have anywhere else.
All that being said, and as a part of my campaign to quit the cigs, I have bought my first briar pipe. The store only had Dr. Grabow pipes, so I got one of the bendy ones because I liked the way it looked. I have only smoked off of a 13" clay warden’s pipe, and as I enjoy my pipe more, I find myself wanting to take it with me. The 13" beast could be a bit tricky to smoke in the car or to reasonably carry with me anywhere.
I also picked up a pouch of Captain Black because I love the smell of cavendish, and it was the only one that wasn’t in 1+ pound bulk. It should be fun breaking in the new pipe!
Didn’t I read something about not getting briar too hot?
Yes you don’t want to puff the pipe so often that it becomes difficult to hold. The dr grabow pipes I have smoke nicely. I take a sip or two every 10 seconds or so and have no problems with them. They are estate pipes and are of the straight variety though, your bent pipe may hold heat differently.
I’ve had two bowls out of it tonight and I must say it smokes just fine. I haven’t had any problems with it getting hot at all, and I haven’t had a single relight on it yet. It may just be the tobacco I’m using, but so far I can’t think of a single thing to complain about. I’m quite pleased with my purchase at the end of the first day.
Glad your pipe is working out for you well. I bought mine on eBay and had similar experiences. I’m using different tobaccos than you but only have had a few relights in the first couple weeks. I quickly bought a Peterson after the estate pipes and it smokes nicer than the dr. Grabows. So if you think you’re enjoying pipe smoking now, wait till you branch out into different pipes.
Zen pipe lesson # 11
Re-lighting a pipe is not something to be avoided.
Who would have thought that there would be a learning curve to stuffing some shredded leaves in a piece of wood and burning them?
(But then again who would have thought that there would be a learning curve to shoving powdered leaves up your nose!)
I have smoked a pipe on and off for the last 7 years, but really only became serious about it a year ago. It is good to hear that you find it an enjoyable experience. I love my pipes and I am hard pressed to find a pipe baccy that I don’t like yet. Hope it brings you many more years of pleasure!
Pipe smoking is a great form of meditation and relaxation. I try to have at least one pipe at the end of the day to pause and reflect on life. My estates generally smoke way better than anything new that I have purchased. My favorites are two old pre-republic Petes and a couple of old Barling’s billiards. Wouldn’t trade them for the world. Happy smoking, gents.
Being a skinflint, I’m proudest of my Barber B-lines (basically Dunhill seconds). Expensive pipes for £30 each. Agree that estates smoke nicely, though. ;)
Here are my pipes, most were bought on ebay, The clays and Missouri Mershcaums were bought new. A couple of the briars were bought new at 3 dog Smoke shop in Sedalia Mo. which is now closed.
I smoke mostly in the spring, summer and fall. In the winter I get by with snuff and snus, my wife is allegic to tobacco smoke so I can’t smoke in the house. I also have 3 hookahs but no pictures of them yet. Smoke just about all types from english blends to some aromatics. Lately have been enjoying Shortcut to mushrooms. One of the lord of the rings blends. Enjoy your new hobby, it can get addictive, but all collecting can get to be that way.
edm
Nice!
looks like good stuff
Been browsing eBay for hours and found dozens of really nice looking estate pipes. I was almost ready to pull the trigger on a another Peterson but ended up with a pipe and tobacco pouch. I have 3 pipes now so that is one pipe for English, Virginia, and aromatic blends. I see a new pipe in my future but will probably seek your gentlemanly advice beforehand. The pouch is a button close tobacco holder with a compartment for tools and a pipe. It holds 4 ounces of tobacco but is it safe to fill it? Took me 3 weeks to get through 2 ounces of baccy so far. Hey I also decided on a triple tech snuff box in teak tonight. That’s all I will be buying myself for a while, Christmas is coming and my funds for it are already laughable.
@sly Since getting back into snuff, hands down the best purchases I’ve made are 2 PC triple tech boxes. Really great concept and excellent construction.
PC box arrived yesterday, its a very nice box. It is much smaller than the mcchrystals snuff box from mr snuff however. I thought I had only been using a gram or two a day but I guess my usage is more like 4 grams given the size of the triple tech.
Added a couple hookah pictuers.
edm
It’s hard to go wrong with a Peterson bulldog.
I have the same pipe in the Captain Pete line (the exact same pipe but with a slightly shorter stem) and I absolutely love it. It has a good larger-sized bowl and a great fit in my hand. Get it, you will not regret it!
they’ve got this deal on at smokingpipes.com, if you buy a peterson pipe, you get a free tin peterson tobacco of your choice.
i was thinking a tin of sherlock, or irish flake. yes very different but…
Great pipe but I am certainly not a fan of the P-lip. I hope you are.
i know that my girl bought a new pipe as a XMAS gift for me. i am so curious to see which ones ?
went a bit mad at mysmokingshop and got my 1st new pipe a own branded vest/pocket folding pipe in rosewood .
just running it in now with some pensioners mix [i’m not a pensioner yet years and years to go] my 1st time smoking this mix and boy it’s a nice smoke the pipe too…
I had a dream last night that I tapped my briar and about a third of the bowl sheared off. I was heart-broken.
It’s amazing how attached to something like a pipe we can get. Enjoy your new one =D
That’s quite a nightmare! A folding pipe hey? That’s a good idea mysmoking shop looks like a good one stop tobacco store. Pipesandcigars.com carries all those tins for less but they don’t carry snuff.
@Sly3904 thats because the UK like Canada has a ridiculously high tobacco tax, which is why I order my pipe baccy from the US.
Smokingpipes.com is great had got a lemon and returned it for another.They have a burn out policy and honored it.Had got the Peterson 2011 Christmas B10 Racing Green upon breaking it in the first time the finish bubbled off and the green stain was on my fingers on top of that the bowl was chard deeply.
What a disappointing experience.I am up grading with the B10 Irish harp I am sure it better quality briar. Did some research and the acrylic finish traps the heat and the briar doesn’t breath.even though the wood is dry; it still wood and expanse and contracts. So some 220 sand paper and light action finished off with some 440 should break threw the finish then a good wax job.
Also if worry about the stain in bowl. Stuff the bowl with cotton then 200 proof moon shine, let sit over night will draw out any stain.Warning never put in the bowl any alcohol not made for consumption like rubbing alcohol or wood alcohol.I find most mouthwash works fine for devolving build up in stems and shanks an more economical then pipe sweeteners.I just contradicted my last statement never drink mouthwash.
Next on the shopping list is a large ashtray the bigger the better and a cork knocker to reduce shock emptying your pipe. Also a shank brush and a couple hundred pipe cleaners, paragon wax for smooth finish pipe and halcyon wax for rusticated and sandblasted.
You should have many pipes to smoke.Your pipe needs to rest between smokes with the mouth piece in the up position some sort of pipe rest is in order could be a old baby shoe.If serious about this hobby I recommend you buy the largest pipe rack you can find able to hold a number of different shape and length pipes.Instead of having 10 pipe holder with six spots cluttering up your cave.
When you find what you like in the leaf.Buy more then you can smoke in a life time if in your budget.You can always sell it or trade it. Sealed tins are vacuumed sealed and will only go up in price.Bulk tobacco is less expensive and easy stored in air tight jars.Some leaf ages well and improves with age like english blends. aromatics are best smoked fresh the only reason to cellar aromatics is savings from increase in price and the fear of being discontinued .
hey friends, look what i got for XMAS (from my girlfriend) - another nice pipe from Passatore (a pipe maker i really like - as some of you already know).
Great looking pipe. I love the grain on those. I need to acquire and olive wood pipe to add to my collection!
that is a gorgeous pipe prismaster I’ll say it again damn.
yeah, i was a bit surprised that my girl did choose this olive wood one. she said that she liked the whole outlook and the color of the wood. in addition to the pipe i got Caledonian Highland Cream and new 100g tin of Poul Winslow No.1 which is one of my favorite tobaccos… good XMAS for me
@prismaster that is a lovely pipe…what a work of art. I need to invest in a top drawer pipe soon. I’m currently rocking four pipes of various vintages, none of which are particularly expensive or high quality, but a couple of which smoke brilliantly. I’d love a great pipe like that though, you’re a lucky man!
At risk of getting boring about my pipes, I will at least post a pics of a few the better ones, newest to oldest:
Peterson Walnut Silver Spigot 408.
Peterson Royal Irish 68. Hallmarked for 2001.
Peterson Patent 181B Short. Hallmarked for 1908.
Peterson Patent 21½s. The hallmark is K for 1905.
Yes, I’ve been smoking pipes nearly as long as I’ve been snuffing…
my favorite pipe is my meer churchwarden I got it for 60 bucks cause it’s got the tiniest smallest you have to go looking for them scratches on the surface. smokes like a dream. Seriously I do reccomend having at least on high end pipe. My other high end pipe which is a decently old brebbia (for some reason you don’t hear much about them on here) so out smokes my mid range pipes. If you don’t think it’s worth getting a great pipe over a decent pipe then that is cool but would you rather kiss a really pretty girl or one that’s fine?
I just picked up this bent ball pipe on fleabay the other day.
It’s a ukraine pear wood pipe.
I\\ve had one from these guys before.
Geat pipe for the price.
I can’t wait to pack it.
Those pipes are indescribably cool. I just placed an order for a pound of various tobaccos that includes some aros. I have been smoking english and Virginia tobaccos through 3 different pipes. Should I just pick one to smoke the aromatics through? I picked up Chocalate flake, C&D black cherry, and stokkebye highland whiskey.
yeah
Perhaps someone can educate me on this.
I had a little $ left over from Xmas and wanted to treat myself to a really nice pipe.
In my mind, $100 should be able to buy an excellent pipe.
I thought, “well, Dunhill make great pipes, I look at some of those”.
I couldn’t find a pipe(un smoked) for UNDER $300
What confuses me is, in a day and age where anti-tobacco rules the waves, how can a company that makes “tobacco enjoyment devices”, charge so much?
I am aware of the quality and “importance” the name Dunhill carries, but Christ! they’ve got pipes for $1000.
Who purchases these things?
:-/
I mainly own Peterson pipes and I am used to getting a great quality pipe without having to take out a bank loan.
Anyone able to shed some light on this for me?
If I wanted a Dunhill but did not want to pay the price I would buy a Parker of London. My understanding is they are made by the same craftsmen that make the Dunhill branded pipes. You could get 4 or 5 for the price on one Dunhill. There may be others that can comment on their quality. Black Swan and mysmokingshop.co.uk carry them.
As for the price of pipes…some people pay way more than a $1000.00 for pipes. (I am not one of them!)
I got a Parker from Black Swan for about 30 quid. Looks great and smokes like a dream.
@nightcap: Dunhill pipes are great pipes. However, most of what you are paying for when you purchase one is the prestige of the Dunhill brand. Some people are willing to pay for this, some are not. Fortunately you can find a lot of great pipes that just smoke just as well (or possibly even better) for a fraction of the price. A general rule when shopping for a new pipe is that as you approach the $150-$200 the pipe should be expected to smoke better than a less expensive option. Once you cross the $200 threshold what you are paying for is a fine attention to detail. In particular what will shoot up the cost of a pipe is well aged briar of exceptional quality. Briar with a perfect grain, which is rare and impossible to test for before carving the pipe, will always fetch a premium price.
You may find yourself willing to spend this much for a pipe down the road, the bug gets to most of us eventually, but don’t think your getting an inferior pipe if you choose to buy a nice Peterson, Stanwell, Savinelli, etc. for around $120
Long ago Parkers were Dunhill seconds. This is no longer so. Parkers are nice pipes, but if I were going to buy a pipe in that price range I would look at the Danish pipes like Nording, Stanwell and Johs. They seem to be more pipe for the money and have a nice open draw.
IMHO, Peterson is the way to go in the sub $100 category.
I think, if you learn the ropes about what to look for, an estate pipe is a great option. You’ll end up forking over less dinero for a pipe that’s already been broken in, and the renovation of an old pipe is something that I personally enjoy. The first smoke of an estate that you’ve reamed, cleaned, sanitised, waxed and readied is hugely rewarding. I’ve just finished the above process on a beautiful square-stem '60s Civic 426 and an earlier ('40s?) Art-Deco style Compass Cardinal which both look spectacular. I fired up a bowl of Connoisseur’s Choice in the Civic last night and it smokes like an absolute dream…such an enjoyable experience to smoke a great pipe you’ve brought back to life yourself.
I’ve definatily seen the $200 rule before, up to that point it will smoke better after that you’re paying for name or cause it’s a crazy piece of art as well. I highly feel that following ones guts is a good way to go with a pipe then double check to make sure it’s not total garbage. The right pipe is very personal. Of course that doesn’t mean that quaility isn’t obvious and super important (it is) but diffrent pipes of high quality all smoke diffrent and untill you start smoking it there is no way to tell what little diffrences will make you happy. (one of the reasons a cheap starter pipe is often reccomeneded, so you at least have an idea of what you like in pipe and what you like to put in a pipe. Or alternatily as has been suggested before if you buy a high end pipe (100-200) get a corncob or other good but inexpensive pipe (one you wouldn’t be too sad if it feel into a big hole) to make sure you don’t put too many tobaccos you don’t like through your good pipe. That parts really important briar retains flavours for a long time it can be really subtle but if you smoke too many baccos you don’t like it won’t be as nice of a pipe as it could ultimatily been. And learn how to break the sucker in right. Just my general advice to anyone thinking of breaking into pipe smoking.
just ordered this beauty tonight…
I’m not familiar with the “Wizard” pipes some of you have, I’m wondering if it’s a manufacturer or a line of pipes or what? Maybe they’re just not really distributed in the US- just a theory, as I think I know of most makers these days.
At first I thought they were a little gimmicky. J.R.R.Tolkien does have quite a following. It does seem however that these guys are very serious about their pipes. I do like churchwardens so I very well may get one of these someday.
OK, yeah, I’ve seen stuff akin to that. Some company was (or is?) making replicas of the ones from The Lord of The Rings pics.
Enjoying the pipe quite a bit. Though I feel I may have been short changed in a trade, I received 1 and a half pounds of tobacco in exchange for 6 cans of snus 6 toques and my dr grabow and kaywoodie. But I received like 8 ounces of the cheap atlatidis stuff some sir Walter raleigh, some sutliff. The other blends I am happy with but these OTC tobaccos leave me feeling a bit jipped:(
I gotta admit, I really like the looks of that Macqueens “Dwarf” pipe. Gotta remind my wife that christmas is only 10 months away, hehe. Oh, I have an old Medico briar pipe, but it won’t smoke all the way down because the hole sits a little ways above the bottom. Is there a way to fix that, or is that bottom tobacco just a lost cause?
I have a Medico that’s the same way, I just figure I’m going to lose that last eighth inch or so.
@Mr. O: The Lord of the Rings replica pipes are made by Vauen. You can find them at a variety of vendors, like the following (scroll down to bottom of page): http://www.pipesandcigars.com/vauenpipes.html
26$ free shipping. I was thinking about getting one.
P.S.&S. interesting, some of them look pretty neat. I thought I saw some from another pipe company, well I just thought there were some cheaper, more like a hundred something$- not two hundred something$, I think in an ad in “Pipes and Tobaccos” magazine. This though was probably 3 to 8 years ago, maybe the difference was just inflation. I remember they sold custom holders for many different models, if that rings a bell.
i’ve got a stanwell hans chriatian anderson No 2 rustic on order from thebackyshop i can hardly wate, my good wife saw me looking at them on the site and sead thats nice go on have one on me for your birthday WIN …
she’s so good to me i’m not even sent out side for a smoke
You should be only packing half bowls the first few anyway this will help burn off any stain inside the stain is dried usually by being set on fire so that gets rid of the bad stuff anyway
I use the “marshmallow technique”. I fill the bowl to the top then tamp it down with enough pressure like you were squeezing a marshmallow. And then poke a hole down the center. Seems to work fine for me.