Pipe Smokers?

[Clockwork John]

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

I've also been told you can't go wrong with a Peterson, but they are out of my price range as well. You could get a corn cob for under $10, just to try it out, but they tend to be kind of fragile and my experience is that they tend to get kind of soggy and mucky if smoked regularly. You can get a Dr. Grabow for around $20. I believe CVS pharmacies carries them.

Estate pipes can be a great deal. I picked up two at a junk shop in Santa Barbara, Ca for $10 each. They were well used but well cared for, and one of them is now my favorite pipe. I did some research and both of them would retail for over $30 new.

I would advise against an inexpensive "starter" or "budget" pipe from your local shop. I've owned two. I picked the highest quality I could find... straightest bore, best alignment of bowl and stem hole, etc. One of them smoked pretty well until my friend broke it, and the other one needed some extensive modification to correct the fact that the bowl was drilled too deep. I like that pipe, it looks and feels good, but I haven't smoked it since I picked up my two estate pipes.

My advice would be to learn everything you can about how pipes are made (The different parts, how they should fit together, what a properly drilled bowl looks like, etc.)so that you'll know a well-made pipe when you see one. That way, you'll know what to look for when you go huntin, and maybe you'll get lucky like I did and score a deal or two.

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

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

Let me do some more rummaging around in the attic. I was never really into smoking a pipe in the same way I savor a cigar so I'll happily pass on my smudge pots if I can find them.

[berserkbishop]

Let me do some more rummaging around in the attic. I was never really into smoking a pipe in the same way I savor a cigar so I'll happily pass on my smudge pots if I can find them.

Your generosity humbles me yet again sir. I really appreciate the notion! I happened to pick up some cheap ol' Swisher's this weekend (much to my gal's disdain) to satisfy my need for a smoke. Havent broken them in though, its been much to cold to stand outside and smoke a cigar! (I never smoke in my apartment).

Bishop

[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.

[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

[cacunn]

When I was in college I started smoking a pipe. Now this was some 40 years ago so thing have changed.
After being drafted into the Army I was sent to artillery school and then to Vietnam. Since we could not get to the rear area and the Post Exchange (store) often we were issued sundry packs. These boxes contained, cigarettes, shaving supplies, soap etc. One of the items was Cherry Blend pipe tobacco. I didn't smoke cigarettes and no one else smoked a pipe I got all of the pipe tobacco in the battery.
Looking at most of the items in the sundry pack we believed that they were originally packed for the Korean war. The pipe tobacco was so old and dry that it would burn almost as fast as the artillery powder. It would take a large slice of apple (when available) and about 3 days before it would become moist enough to smoke.
When I got back for the service I went back to school and was living a my parents and working for them in a ceramic shop they had. At the time I was smoking a chocolate flavored tobacco. It was very smooth with a mild taste. I could never taste the chocolate. The funny part of it was that I would take a break and light up a bowl when there was a class being given. I would smoke watch the class and talk to the students. It was not long into the bowl that the students would all start looking for and talking about chocolate candy. It finally dawned on me that there was just enough chocolate aroma in my tobacco smoke to register in the subconscious but not enough to truly smell.
I could have made a fortune if I had purchased some Hershey bars and sold them during class as I enjoyed a bowl of fine tobacco.

[Clockwork John]

I found a tobacco kind of like that... it was sold as "black raspberry." I was a very heavy tobacco with an alost cigar-like flavour to is. The raspberry taste and aroma was quite clear, but there was... something else that I couldn't quite put my finger on. After sharing it with a few other pipe smokers I know, and asking around as I was smoking it, I figured out that the "something else" was chocolate. Barely enough chocolate to register, but man it went well with the raspberry flavour.

[Verlyn]

I've been smoking my pipes for 31 years now. I have about 50. I've found it you go to the pipe shops and look in the bargain basket, you can get a great second for about $25 or $30 and they smoke really well. While I was in college, I worked part time in a tobacco shop and the owner decided that since I wouldn't quite smoking my smelly English/Scottish blends, he was going to teach me how to blend tobaccos. Now, the local shop knows that I request my own blends and they have one that's close and I just add latakia to it. Nothing beats a fire in the fireplace, a good book, good drink and a pleasant partner. Fortunately, my good wife enjoys the smell of my pipes.

[Uncle Al]

To the begining pipe smoker,

Someone suggested the 'Corn-Cob pipe'. I've had a few, but will not
have any more - EVER!. If you smoke the tobacco to quickly or to 'hot',
the 'Cob' pipe will burn through the bottom VERY FAST! I've had a few
lighted pipe-fulls, fall into my lap--Not a pleasant thing to have happen!
A Dr. Grabo for $10-$15.00 is a good starter pipe. Be sure to take out
the metal 'filter' in the stem.

And remember-----Enjoy it, savor it, but don't over do it.
Smoke it Slow and Steady. You will be well pleased!

Uncle Al
Duncanville, TX