Down the rabbit hole...

Growing up my great grandfather and grandfathers were pipe smokers. I remember sitting with them as they smoked and talking about life. I want to explore pipe smoking now that I have the time and space. I have read some of the starter posts and will go out today to pick up a few things to start. Would be grateful for pointers from this group along the way. Also have plenty of cigars and whiskey for those that might be interested in trades.

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Wylaff

Make sure you grab some corncobs. They are damn near immune to burn-out, they don't ghost flavors, you don't need to develop the carbon layer inside. All-in-all they are a very inexpensive way to tray new tobaccos, and generally learn how to smoke a pipe.

Yakster

Agree, cobs are a good way to start. I'll paraphrase an old standard advice for new pipe smokers which goes something like this: you want to want to pack your pipe with less tobacco than you think you need, tamp less than you think you need, and smoke slower than you think is wise. Unlike cigars, pipe tobacco can be very subtle and the flavors can be illusive. Most advise drying your tobacco well to avoid having to puff too frequently to keep the tobacco lit which will result in tongue bite and recommend sipping slowly on the pipe keeping it just on the edge of being lit and going out for best flavor.

Wylaff

Also it doesn't hurt for a pipe to go out. Unlike a cigar, the flavor doesn't really change on a relight. So take your time.

webmost

I have a few pipes I need to get rid of. I just never use them. One is a decent briar I bought off a brother here and never use. Another is a short snorter which that brother threw in with the other because... you know forum math. Another is a super beautiful meerschaum I scored at an antique store, which I have never fired up at all. Thing is, I stick strictly to my The Pipes,cause I think they are way handier to clean and smoke better. Best of all, they never ghost!

If you PM me your address, I'll shoot you these briars for Merry Christmas, and I'll even throw in some beginner baccy and a The Pipe. Only thing I ask is please don't fire back. I have way too many gars as it is.

Can never have too much whiskey tho.

NorCalR1

@webmost said:
I have a few pipes I need to get rid of. I just never use them. One is a decent briar I bought off a brother here and never use. Another is a short snorter which that brother threw in with the other because... you know forum math. Another is a super beautiful meerschaum I scored at an antique store, which I have never fired up at all. Thing is, I stick strictly to my The Pipes,cause I think they are way handier to clean and smoke better. Best of all, they never ghost!

If you PM me your address, I'll shoot you these briars for Merry Christmas, and I'll even throw in some beginner baccy and a The Pipe. Only thing I ask is please don't fire back. I have way too many gars as it is.

Can never have too much whiskey tho.

This place is awesome!

Send me the addy and I’ll send over some baccy as well.

Yakster

I can send samples as well.

silvermouse

lots of folk are helping you dig that rabbit hole, lol.

ShawnOL

Aptly phrased.

Oneisnone

@silvermouse said:
lots of folk are helping you dig that rabbit hole, lol.

Thank you tor all of your advice and very generous offers. My wife is taking me out to dinner for my birthday. I will follow up directly tomorrow. I am grateful.

peter4jc

"my birthday"... unfortunate choice of words, my friend. It's become painfully obvious that in your 4-year hiatus, you've forgotten a few foundational truths to mailbox longevity.

ShawnOL

It's like he's a noob all over again.

Oneisnone

@peter4jc said:
"my birthday"... unfortunate choice of words, my friend. It's become painfully obvious that in your 4-year hiatus, you've forgotten a few foundational truths to mailbox longevity.

I had hoped that this had changed. Alas, that was misguided. 😂

Yakster

It's part of this community's DNA.

jsnake

Definitely agree with the cobs mentioned. I have a ton of really nice pipes but I smoke my $8 cobs the most. Easy to learn on and very forgiving. Plus if you screw up it was only $8. If you start with some aromatics remember to sip slowly. Tongue bite turns a lot of "noobs" off and they give up.

Jrflickster

I never thought there was so much to consider or that you could mess up smoking a pipe

jsnake

@Jrflickster said:
I never thought there was so much to consider or that you could mess up smoking a pipe

I think that is why some people give up on it. Once you get it down it's smooth sailing and very enjoyable.

Rob1110

@jsnake said:

@Jrflickster said:
I never thought there was so much to consider or that you could mess up smoking a pipe

I think that is why some people give up on it. Once you get it down it's smooth sailing and very enjoyable.

This is exactly why I missed out on so many great pipe tobaccos (McClellands and others) and am now purchasing them at sky-high prices. I was intimidated by pipe tobacco. It's more of an art and when I was younger, I just wanted to light up a cigar and enjoy. I was always intrigued by pipe tobacco but knew I didn't have the patience and would get frustrated or screw something up and just give up on it. I still question my technique from time to time but I'm always learning/refining and am able to enjoy my new hobby much more now than I was a year or 2 ago.

Oneisnone

I want to thank you all for the feedback and generous help in getting started.
@Stubble sent me a large selection of great tobacco

@webmost sent me an assortment of both pipes and tobacco as well

I have had the opportunity to enjoy a few smokes and am trying to learn more - like how to keep my the pipe lit.

Amos_Umwhat

Keeping it lit, the Holy Grail of pipers. Many tobaccos have a dose of something that keeps it moist, I want to say propylene glycol, and it can be a pain. I finally gave up on 1-Q after trying various ways to get it dry.

I find that most tinned tobacco will smoke better in a year or so. Pressed tobacco I rub out and put loose into a Mason jar. I think yakster has some tricks for drying in a quick time frame

silvermouse

I avoid PG laced tobaccos as best I can. It is also used as a carrier for aromatic sauces. A false light is useful with aros. Light the pipe and put it down for a half hour then gently tamp, relight it, and smoke.

Yakster

I'll pass on that for moist tobacco like Gawith & Hogarth or Samuel Gawith that's not heavily dosed with pg, spreading it on a paper towel and microwaving for 5 or so seconds can shortcut leaving out your tobacco to dry.

peter4jc

I rarely smoke a pipe, but did so last week while roasting, and had a mini-epiphany; if you're not intent of keeping it lit because you're involved in some activity and don't care how often you take a draw, then all that's needed is a 2-second re-light! Blew my mind! Haha, wasn't quite mind-blowing, but it was much more serene and relaxing. Keeping a pipe lit is over-rated. Sure, it's nice, but shouldn't be a deal-breaker and should not be allowed to bring tension into what's supposed to be an enjoyable time.

Yakster

Unlike cigars, there's no real penalty for relighting a pipe. In fact, the best flavor is said to be found when you're barely keeping the tobacco lit. Use the tamper, cover the hole with your finger, or put your finger down in there to change the airflow and help keep it lit when necessary.

In the old days I hear you'd dry your tobacco on a radiator, under a lamp (before LED and CFL), on a toaster oven, nowadays you can spread your tobacco out on a plate and place it in the exhaust of your laptop to use the heated air to dry out your tobacco. Progress.

Yakster

Some coffee people on a coffee forum were saying that smokers tend to blow out their sensitivity to bitter substances making it harder for them to properly taste the bitter flavors of coffee. Others think that people who like bitter notes drink coffee, smoke, and eat dark chocolate. I tend to fall on the later group.

ShawnOL

If you like bitter, man I know a divorced woman you should meet.

Yakster

Tobacco that is too moist will burn hot and give you tongue bite, which is why you dry it out first. If you dried a bowls worth of tobacco too much, you can put it in your pipe, cover the bowl with your thumb, and blow out 5 or 10 breaths through the stem to rehydrate the tobacco with your breath. If you have a whole tin of tobacco that's too dry, you can put it in a bowl it covered with a damp paper towel it's not damp enough to drip on the tobacco to rehydrate.

Yakster

Mold on pipe tobacco is much more serious than mold on cigars, because with cigars it's easy to brush the mold off of the wrapper, but with pipe tobacco the mold gets all in the cut tobacco and often cannot be saved.

Oneisnone

@silvermouse said:
I avoid PG laced tobaccos as best I can. It is also used as a carrier for aromatic sauces. A false light is useful with aros. Light the pipe and put it down for a half hour then gently tamp, relight it, and smoke.

I have tried this twice and it has made a big difference. Thank you

Rdp77

I’m going to head down the rabbit hole as well. I haven’t fooled with a pipe for a few years after what I had was lost in a fire. I never was real heavily in to it but my interest has been piqued once again. So, if anyone is interested I have any or all of these available for trade for a decent broken in pipe and/or some of the newer blends available out there to try. Or if you’re interested in cigars I keep a few of those around too lol.

Stubble