Pipes and Tobacco

[pgvoutdoors]

I've never been a cigarette smoker but, I enjoy a cigar now and then. I'm thinking of trying a pipe, something for use around the camp only. I'm still in the process of buying a pipe, there are so many choices I can see why pipe smokers end up being pipe collectors.

My question is, what should I know about choosing tobacco? I've smoked a variety of cigars and I can say I've never really disliked any of them. Sense I'm not a smoker and my pipe smoking will be very limited, which tobacco mixes lean more on the mellow side? I'm sure this question may be as silly as asking the forum "what is the best survival knife to buy", but I have to start somewhere. I'm also interested in what brands of pipes you prefer, I'm likely to make my first purchase from a online supplier. If you have a recommendation for a good online dealer, please pass that along to. THANKS!

[Rick]

I smoked a pipe years ago. I smoked a Dr. Grabow. That's an average pipe or was at the time but it had a filter, which was important to me, and I enjoyed it. You'll want to invest in a pipe tool. There are some "rules" that will help you enjoy your pipe more.

Always clean your bowl between smoking. That may sound intuitive but tobacco ash can and will block the draw hole at the bottom of the pipe.
You don't need to use as much tobacco as you think and you don't want to jam it in. A small amount of tobacco loosely filled or lightly tapped will burn better and give you a better draw. And don't fill the bowl all the way up. Leave an 1/8th inch or so of bowl above the tobacco.
If the draw of the smoke feels like drinking through a straw then you have it right. Check the draw before you light the tobacco. If it doesn't feel like a straw then repack it.

Tobacco has changed a lot through the years so I'll let some current smokers help you with that.

The obvious risks of using any type of tobacco product apply.

[pgvoutdoors]

Thanks Rick.

[lfos847]

I am a current pipe smoker. Have been off and on for 50 years. Still have the pipes I smoked in Nam. I preferred s cavendish blend. I mix a black cavendish with a gold burly. The cavendish packs well and has a nice flavor. Must have tools include a pipe nail/tamper, a cheap reamer (not your bush knife) and pipe cleaners. you will pick up other things as you need them. Try not to smoke the same pipe twice in a row, it makes them bitter and hard to dry out. One brand I like is Smokers Pride. Not expensive and available in many flavors. The all time favorite is still cherry.

[1stimestar]

My dad used to smoke cherry and whisky blends. I appreciate the smell of a pipe or cigar.

[hunter63]

I don't smoke anything anymore.....and yeah I miss it some time.
Never was big on pipes.....but did smoke clay pipes at Rondy.

Years ago when I was just getting into the supervision end of the factory work....had a boss that was breaking me in made a comment about pipe smokers.
Said, "Never hire a pipe smoker for a job the requires getting a lot done........they just keep messing with that pipe,... cleaning, and scrapping, and sucking, and filling and tamping and stirring some more.....Drives me nuts".

Of course can't smoke in factories these day....if you even HAVE a factory any more.......

Still like the way the smell, though.......

[NightSG]

Any good tobacco store will be glad to make up a sampler for a few bucks for you to test a couple bowls each of a handful of different blends, if they don't already have some made up, and they will know exactly what each blend they have tastes like too.

[Williepete]

This has brought back some memories. My grand father used to smoke pipes and cigars. I smoked cigs for a little over 60 years but could never stand the smell of his cigars. My late wife's father smoked a pipe and she tried to get me into pipes, but just couldn't get the hang of it.

Bill

[tundrabadger]

When I was smoking regularly I used to enjoy Peterson's of Dublin tobacco...they produce a Sherlock Holmes blend which is a really nice, smooth smoke. Admittedly, the first time I bought it was because i was out of tobacco and wanted a tin that said "Sherlock Holmes", but I kept going back to it. They also have a few nice aromatic blends.

For the pipe itself, you might try a corncop for your first one. A good quality corncob is still pretty cheap...the best corncob I ever bought was something like half the price of my next cheapest pipe that I bought new, and it was a really nice pipe for that money. If you like it and you want to get something fancier, go for it, but I wouldn't splash out a lot of money on your first pipe if I were you. BUT, and this is key, make sure it's a decent quality corncob. Something with a plug in the bottom. otherwise you run the risk of burning through it, which is really sad when all you wanted was a nice pipe out of doors.

[kyratshooter]

I tried pipes back when I smoked and never could make the switch from cigarettes.

First, there is all that gear to tote around.

Second, it does not taste as good as it smells. Pipe tobacco has a bite to it and the smoke numbs your taste buds so what you are tasting is awful and you do not get the "good smell" everyone around you smells.

Third, I was a nicotine addict and a pipe did not give me the "hit" I was after from the smoking experience. I would be smoking the pipe and wishing I had a cigarette.

Also, for a first time user I would not recommend buying pipe or tobacco on-line. Go to a good tobacco store and buy a pipe from their low end line at $20 or so. Then sample the canister tobaccos they have on the counter.

Prepackaged pipe tobacco from the grocery shelf is trash scraped from the cigarette factory floor with syrups and flavors added. Start with some good stuff so you will have a good starting level to compare other tobaccos against.

[tundrabadger]

I tried pipes back when I smoked and never could make the switch from cigarettes.

First, there is all that gear to tote around.

Second, it does not taste as good as it smells. Pipe tobacco has a bite to it and the smoke numbs your taste buds so what you are tasting is awful and you do not get the "good smell" everyone around you smells.

Third, I was a nicotine addict and a pipe did not give me the "hit" I was after from the smoking experience. I would be smoking the pipe and wishing I had a cigarette.

Also, for a first time user I would not recommend buying pipe or tobacco on-line. Go to a good tobacco store and buy a pipe from their low end line at $20 or so. Then sample the canister tobaccos they have on the counter.

Prepackaged pipe tobacco from the grocery shelf is trash scraped from the cigarette factory floor with syrups and flavors added. Start with some good stuff so you will have a good starting level to compare other tobaccos against.

End of the day, pipe smoking is more of a hobby than a habit.

And you're more or less on the money with regard to grocery store pipe tobacco.

[shiftyer1]

I've smoked a pipe on and off for 25 years or so....mostly off. When I smoked cigs it just didn't do it for me. I've been back at it for 6 or 8 months now and can finally taste the flavors and the sweetness of the tobacco.

I mostly order from pipes and cigars.com

My tastes change and there are so many blends to choose from, I've been smoking mostly Virginias lately and some of what they call VaPers which is a Virginia perique blend.

Heres a list of some pretty smooth and for lack of a better word "learning tobacco"

Orlik golden sliced
Dunhill navy flake
Peter stolkabyes Luxury Bulls eye flake
erinmore flake

If you like aeromatics
Captain black is a good one
Lane 1q is a bulk substitute of captain black

The frog Morton blends are pretty good also but they're not really starter tobacco.....they smoke fine and don't really bite but they have a lot going on flavorwise.

As far as pipes....I like savanelli's but that too is a learning process......you'll find you like certain shapes, styles, materials......and that could change on a daily basis. I like certain shapes and materials with certain tobaccos.
A corn cob pipe from Missouri Meershaum will cost????15 bux tops and will smoke just fine if you wanna start fairly cheaply.

Im no expert by any means but if I can be any help in your new hobby feel free to ask any questions

[trapperjack]

its a common practice to mix dried horse mint or wild mint into tobacco. deer tongue is another flavoring that goes well with tobacco. you should try some wild flavor blends of your own. a nice lemon wood pipe with horsemint and halfszware shag tobacco is hard to pass up, the taste experience is pleasing

[randyt]

I've never been much of a tobacco user, cutting it and hanging it in the barn was enough for me. After cutting and hanging all day, that night I would sit around and be shaking like I was freezing yet at the same time I would be sweating. Then start over the next day. I'll stick with bear berry.