Pipe Smokers?

[Joel]

I got my first pipe in 2006 whilst on vacation in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. It's made in Italy...reddish coloured wood with vulconised mouthpiece. I puff on it every now and then. Last time I used it, it was at the meeting of my Civil War re-enacting unit in the Spring of '07. All us officers sitting about the campfire puffing on pipes.

Anymore, I'll have a cigar maybe twice in a year...most the time I hand-roll myself cigarettes.

And I use Captain Black Gold pipe tobacco for pipes and my hand-rolled cigarettes.

Noting I do enough to make a habit of it...just a rare guilty pleasure.

[Streetcar]

Like Thunderbolt, I only smoke about once a month or so. Even if I wanted to smoke more often, Seattle’s draconian smoking laws make that pretty impractical. Nevertheless, I’ve got a Peterson Aran I picked up a few years back for relaxing on my porch. I’ve also got a cheap “second” for when I mow the lawn. I usually smoke a mild-medium blend (unflavored!) from the local Tinderbox chain. There is also a small tobacconist at the Fisherman’s Terminal here who sells a great aromatic!

Personally, I really enjoy when I can smoke. Pipes have everything a good vice should. There are plenty of styles to choose from – thus giving you fodder to argue the relative merits of each. It gives you your hands something to fuss with, there are plenty of accessories to acquire, it feels good, and most importantly, it’s bad for you.

I also used to pack it the way Thunderbolt outlined. “Pack first with a baby’s hand, then with a woman’s hand, then with a man’s hand,” was how I learned it. But about a year ago I came across a different method. Essentially, you take a small amount, and roll it in your fingers before packing it in. I liken it to shaping a little column of tobacco first. When I do it right, I find I need fewer relights.

[Arlen]

I smoke Pipes and cigars every two months or so.
I have a traditional white clay pipe with small bowl, an oiled pine pipe that I made myself and I have my eye on a new burred walnut estate pipe.
I used to have one similar but I lost it when I was moving out a while ago.


There's nothing quite like relaxing with a good Whisky and a nice pipe with some deep cherry tobacco.

[SFCRick]

I only smoke my pipe- a Petersons "Sherlock" about once every two or three months with a nice cavindish. I smoke cigars much more with a nice dram of single malt-either MacCallums or Bowmore to just enhance the smoke.

[Balaamsass51]

Started pipe smoking when I found a small store called Doc James Custom Blended Tobacco in Shrub Oak, NY many many moons ago.

Let's see, I've got a nice Ben Wade (from when a Ben Wade was a Ben Wade), and my wife got me a nice $50.00 Beton Dakota a year or so ago. I've got four Meershaums, three carved and one plain. Got some others for working outside, a long clay one, several others.

Tobacco? Lately I've been going to J&R, who are big on cigars. At their store in Burlington NC they have quite a few nice blends that they don't sell on their website. Don't like latikia. Been sticking with what they call Vanilla and MacScottish, while picking up an ounce or three of some aromatics.

Probably tobacco is as personal a choce as Single Malt Scotch. Has to taste well in the mouth, no burning. The smoke must smell nice, the wife's opinion comes in handy here. Some are just to bland or go too far in one direction or another.

Nothing like attending a Highland Games while smoking your pipe and wearing your kilt!

Matt

[berserkbishop]

I have always loved the smell of a good tobacco burning in a pipe and have yearned to try it but as a broke college student, its just another habit that i cant afford. I do smoke cigars on special occasions. Last time I had a cigar was when we started up my bosses dragster for the first time. Hmmm, I'm hankering for a swisher right now. (I know, I'm cheap). Any good entry-level pipes you all recommend? I have been told to pick up a Peterson second but that is still more than I can justify spending.

Bishop

[Arlen]

I have always loved the smell of a good tobacco burning in a pipe and have yearned to try it but as a broke college student, its just another habit that i cant afford. I do smoke cigars on special occasions. Last time I had a cigar was when we started up my bosses dragster for the first time. Hmmm, I'm hankering for a swisher right now. (I know, I'm cheap). Any good entry-level pipes you all recommend? I have been told to pick up a Peterson second but that is still more than I can justify spending.

Bishop

Get yourself a simple clay pipe or corn cob pipe.
That way you can start out with finding tobacco flavours and see if it's for you.
From there you can start stepping up to different types of pipe and bowl.
(You can find places on craigslist or ebay that sell good quality pipes very cheap.)

[Coemgen]

When I was much younger, I developed a strong taste for all things Sherlock Holmes (some would call it an obsession), which continues to this day.

My grandmother, God rest her soul, spoiled me with Holmesian things. The only two things that she got me that I still know where they are are a Sherlock Holmes costume that I'm saving for when I have kids, and a pipe.

I don't smoke (I'm Athsmatic), but I like to get it out from time to time and just hold it in my mouth and remember grandma.

[Amoskeag]

It's kind of the story of my life. I quit drinking and then micro-brews became popular and available. Apparently they are quite good. Oh well. I gave up a long standing tobacco habit just as fine cigars began to come in vogue. I even regularly visit friends in Canada where Cubans rule. One of those friends is a customs officer so I won't be bringing any home.
I miss smoking a pipe. I enjoyed all the fiddling around with it . I punched a couple of holes in my belt to hold the golf tee tamper. I avoid all that stuff nowadays because it would be to hard to quit again. I guess I can be content with really good coffee
It is amazing what memories a whiff of pipe smoke will bring back.
Bob

[Nick]

I have always loved the smell of a good tobacco burning in a pipe and have yearned to try it but as a broke college student, its just another habit that i cant afford. I do smoke cigars on special occasions. Last time I had a cigar was when we started up my bosses dragster for the first time. Hmmm, I'm hankering for a swisher right now. (I know, I'm cheap). Any good entry-level pipes you all recommend? I have been told to pick up a Peterson second but that is still more than I can justify spending.

Bishop

Other than corncobs, which are great but the stems can have a short lifespan, I'd reccommend a Grabow "Duke". It'll probably run you less than $30, and it's a one time purchase. I ended up with a small pipe collection even when I was a broke undergrad, one here and there as I could afford it, but all you need for an occassional smoke is one or two.

After the initial expense of the pipe and perhaps a pipe tamper you'll find you probably spend less on tobacco. I was running around $16 a year.

Another good place to look for pipes is eBay. Both my calabashes were $40, and they are usually over $100. You can get a lot of good deals on estate pipes, or inexpensive unused pipes, too. Plus it's just fun to browse

Cheers,
Nick