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Author Topic: Pipe Smoking - An Introduction  (Read 1235 times)

deadDMwalking

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Pipe Smoking - An Introduction
« on: December 10, 2012, 11:51:11 AM »
I can see the appeal of pipe smoking.  I've long enjoyed cigars, but I have a friend that would like me to try pipe smoking.  I'm interested, but I lack a solid background in pipe smoking.  I have several questions, that, rather than diving in to a website devoted to that, I'd query the experts here.

1) What type of pipe or pipes should I buy?  I've heard people mention the excellent value proposition of some 'used' pipes of various names where the quality if far superior to new pipes.  What is a cost effective 'entry-level' pipe.  Since I don't know much about the advantages/disadvantages of different pipe shapes, what is a good option to start with.

2) My friend has mentioned 'impregnating' a virgin pipe with any number of possible solutions, from honey to different spirits (brandy, maybe?).  Is there an advantage to this?  If so, what preferred substance do you have.  Does it only work on a 'virgin pipe', or if I do buy a used pipe, would this be recommended?  

3) I'm familiar with cigar smoking and have the appropriate accouterments.  However, what is the preferred method of lighting a pipe?  Is match lighting greatly preferred?  What are the advantages/disadvantages of a torch lighter?  

Fortunately, there is a pretty good place for all one's smoking needs in Knoxville
http://smokystobacco.com/

I know they'll be able to help me with anything, but I want to be able to ask intelligent questions.  

Thanks for any suggestions.
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Pipe Smoking - An Introduction
« Reply #1 on: December 10, 2012, 04:09:31 PM »
Quote from: deadDMwalking;607454
I can see the appeal of pipe smoking.  I've long enjoyed cigars, but I have a friend that would like me to try pipe smoking.  I'm interested, but I lack a solid background in pipe smoking.  I have several questions, that, rather than diving in to a website devoted to that, I'd query the experts here.

1) What type of pipe or pipes should I buy?  I've heard people mention the excellent value proposition of some 'used' pipes of various names where the quality if far superior to new pipes.  What is a cost effective 'entry-level' pipe.  Since I don't know much about the advantages/disadvantages of different pipe shapes, what is a good option to start with.


I would disagree. The problem with a Used pipe is that you never know what its previous owner did to it. Unless you're getting one from me, or someone like me that you know really understands pipes and would obviously have taken tremendous care of his pipes, you're likely to inherit a pipe with problems, and as a newbie you don't have the skill to be able to judge if its going to be good or bad.  Usually you won't get a decent saving compared to the other options I'm going to highlite for you.

What I recommend for a beginner are any of the following:

a) If you really want to make a go of it, and know that you are serious about taking up pipe smoking, I would suggest that you get yourself one of certain select brands of relatively cheaper pipes; most cheap pipes (including pretty well all wooden pipes under $50) are going to be junk; but there are many good brands of pipes that make decently nice pipes for between $60-90.  This seems expensive, but for something that's going to potentially last you the rest of your life is you take care of it, its not that big an investment.  There are also very expensive pipes that sell for the $100-300 range, and stupid-expensive pipes that sell in the $300-2000+ ranges. The former are usually worth it, and most of my pipes are in that middle range; the latter are almost never worth it, you're paying for a diminishing return of flavor and mostly playing for the prettiness of the pipe or more often just for the brand name.
But let's say you want to start out with a cheaper end briar wood pipe.  I would strongly recommend any of these three brands:
-First and foremost, Ben Wade; particularly the Ben Wade "Ruby" series; these cost between $60-85 and are amazing; both of mine smoke as good or better than other pipes I bought for four times as much.
-Second, Stanwell.  Stanwell makes a ton of pipes in the $75-100 range, in a variety of often-lovely shapes, and I have NEVER bought a stanwell that smokes badly. I've given lots of mine away over the years to new smokers who are friends of mine, but still have 5 in my active collection.  They're great and usually pretty easy to find at good tobacconists. Pretty much any series of Stanwell is recommended .
-Third, Lorenzetti.  These are difficult to find in the U.S., much easier to find in Canada; but there are places in the US that sell them, albeit I've noticed at a slightly higher cost.  I would recommend the "borgo", "tempesta" or "solitario" series, but there are also some cheaper series (named after roman emperors) that are ok too.  The three I named above usually range in the $80-150 range; while the cheapies range in the $60-85 price category.  Lorenzettis are spectacular pipes; and of the series I've named above, I own and smoke 10 of these, making them the largest single brand of my collection.

b) You could also get a meerschaum pipe; these are not briar wood but made out of a kind of mineral.  They're normally white when bought (though as you smoke them they become a kind of golden yellowish colour; some are also pre-yellowed, which is also fine) and they can either be smooth or carved in various shapes, often in the form of heads of animals or historical figures.  Stay away from the really little ones, as they're harder to smoke effectively.
Meerschaum is an excellent substance to smoke tobacco in, as it acts as a kind of natural filter of some of the harshness or dampness of tobaccos and you get a really nice smooth smoke out of them.  Don't get a meerschaum for less than about $60; they can go into the price range of hundreds of dollars for very big ones; and ones that are smooth are often ironically more expensive because they're usually higher-quality mineral than the ones that get carved.
The one huge drawback of Meerschaums is that they are very fragile; they can easily break, which is why they come in little carrying cases that look like violin cases shaped to fit the pipe.  You have to be very cautious when you smoke the pipe never to drop it, tap it against anything at all, or be too rough with it in general; and always to put it somewhere save that its not going get dropped, hit, crushed, or sat upon.  I've owned a lot of meerschaums over the years and broken all but two of them.  

c) For a very very cheap beginners option, as I said above, you do not want to buy a briar (or any other kind of wood) pipe for less than $50. They're junk.
However, what you could buy is a corncob pipe!  These, contrary to what you might imagine, actually smoke really great; way better than what the aforementioned cheapass pipes would smoke.  They're delicious, and come in a few shapes.  Try to get a good sized one (again, not the teeny-tiny ones you see sometimes, which are more for smoking something other than tobacco); but do not get the "macarthur" type corncob, which is thin and ridiculously tall (because its very very hard to keep lit). And if I would recommend a brand it'd be from the "Missouri Meerschaum" company, which are known for making the very best corncobs in the world and come in a variety of shapes.  They only cost around $10-20 dollars!
The downside of corncobs? They will undoubtedly burn out; unlike a good quality briar pipe which can last for decades and decades if you take care of it, a corncob will typically end up burning out (either getting totally soured or literally ending up with a hole in it) within a few months of purchase.  So these are pipes you enjoy for only a time, before moving on.

My recommendation to you would be to get yourself a Ben Wade, Stanwell or Lorenzetti for your first pipe, AND get yourself a Missouri Meerschaum corncob (there are several shapes you could get, the "great dane egg" or "general", "country gentleman" or "diplomat" are all good shapes for a corncob).  That way you have two pipes to start with; one (the briar pipe) that you'd smoke no more than once a day; and the other, the corncob, which would be your back up pipe to abuse a bit and smoke as much as you wanted, or try out new flavours with.

Quote

2) My friend has mentioned 'impregnating' a virgin pipe with any number of possible solutions, from honey to different spirits (brandy, maybe?).  Is there an advantage to this?  If so, what preferred substance do you have.  Does it only work on a 'virgin pipe', or if I do buy a used pipe, would this be recommended?  


No! Don't do any of this. At best, its useless. At worst, its harmful to the pipe.  Using alcohol on a brand new pipe could cause it to overdry and crack the wood if the pipe is already very dry, and using honey will clog the grain so that it won't breathe properly.

The best way to "cure" a new pipe is by smoking it, full bowls, from top to bottom (though it doesn't have to be all in one sitting), but smoking it nice and SLOW and gentle. Letting it rest for a while if it starts to feel too hot ("too hot" being when it hurts to hold it in your hand), but making sure to smoke it all the way to the bottom (so that you get a full and even layer of ash).  When its done, use your pipe tool to spread the ash around the bowl as evenly as you can (like you're coating the inside of the bowl with your ash) then tap out the excess (when you do, you'll see that a layer of ash stays in, clinging evenly to the bowl). Then let it sit for an hour or two before cleaning it with a pipe cleaner.
Do this the first three or four times that you smoke the pipe, and it'll be fully cured, and then you can just smoke it regularly and worry a little less about being slow or smoking it all the way down.
That's it. That's all you need to do.

Quote

3) I'm familiar with cigar smoking and have the appropriate accouterments.  However, what is the preferred method of lighting a pipe?  Is match lighting greatly preferred?  What are the advantages/disadvantages of a torch lighter?  


If by a "torch lighter" you mean one that looks like a little acetylene torch, you should UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES USE THAT on your pipe; it can literally burn a hole in your pipe.
The best way to light the pipe is with matches; ideally slightly long matches that you let burn till the chemicals on the tip are burnt through. Once you have lit the top once and the whole top layer of the pipe bowl is burnt, you can use an ordinary butane or zippo lighter if you need relighting, or keep using matches.

The other things you need with a pipe are a pipe tool (a simple one with three implements: a tamper, a poker and a little spoon), and pipe cleaners.  One thing that's essential to the health of your pipes is that at the end of each day you clean out your smoked pipes, emptying the tobacco residue, taking them apart, and cleaning the stem and bowl with your pipe cleaner.  It takes seconds to do and avoids huge disasters of pipes being ruined (soured) by old tobacco residue left in them.

Quote

Fortunately, there is a pretty good place for all one's smoking needs in Knoxville
http://smokystobacco.com/

I know they'll be able to help me with anything, but I want to be able to ask intelligent questions.  

Thanks for any suggestions.


The store looks good, but their website unfortunately doesn't seem to show what actual pipes they carry, not even the brands.  Hopefully, they'll have some of those I mentioned here.

I don't know any of their bulk tobaccos (probably house blends) but from the tins I might recommend to you the Early Morning Pipe as a truly excellent light tobacco that's a good choice for beginners who are serious enough not to want some kind of cherry-flavoured bullshit, but are actually looking for a tobacco that tastes like tobacco.
Dunhill 965 is also spectacular, slightly stronger but so delicious.
Or if you want something that's a different kind of strong, try Escudo Navy deluxe. It comes in little coin-shaped flakes that you have to rub apart with your fingers a bit before putting into the bowl; make sure if you get this one you smoke it after eating and not on an empty stomach.

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Blackhand

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« Reply #2 on: December 10, 2012, 04:23:34 PM »
Very nice.
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Dave

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« Reply #3 on: December 12, 2012, 03:27:26 PM »
A few points before I dive in to your post.

*Spend more on tobacco than you do on pipe(s); preferably a lot more.  It's a pretty common beginner trap to drop $100+ on a shiny new pipe and then only get a tin or two of tobacco.  Maybe you'll love one of the two blends, or maybe you won't and then quit 'cause you've burned all your cash on the pipe.  

*It's the journey, not the destination.  There's the potential for many, many dead ends in pipe smoking.  Be prepared to cut your losses in one avenue and branch out in others.

*Everyone has an opinion; what works for you, won't work for someone else and vice versa.  There are about as many objective facts in role playing as there are in pipe smoking.  In the right circumstance, something completely innocuous can blow up into a "denners vs. therpgsite" shit storm.

Quote from: deadDMwalking;607454
1) What type of pipe or pipes should I buy?


I'd go corn cob at first.  Missouri Meerschaum makes 2 shapes I can recommend, Country Gentleman and Diplomat.  Throw the filters out after you get them, they're superfluous and a waste of time.  Get at least one bent and one straight stemmed.  The corn cob pipes don't ghost (hold a residue of the previous smoke) as bad as a briar pipe does - which is advantageous because you're going to buy many different blends, right?

Avoid the Legend pipe by them - I always felt like Frosty the Snowman smoking out of it.  The Country Gentleman and Diplomat have a certain backwoods elegance to them, at least.  Also, while slightly prone to burn-out, they aren't doomed to failure rapidly.  I've got 3 that are several years old and still going strong.  You may wish to purchase new bits (mouth pieces) for them, as I have bitten through one once while reading.

Quote from: deadDMwalking;607454
2) My friend has mentioned 'impregnating' a virgin pipe with any number of possible solutions, from honey to different spirits (brandy, maybe?).  Is there an advantage to this?  If so, what preferred substance do you have.  Does it only work on a 'virgin pipe', or if I do buy a used pipe, would this be recommended?


There's two things you're conflating here, I think.  One, is the practice of coating the bowl of the pipe with honey prior to smoking.  This is done with the idea that it builds cake (carbon residue in the bowl) faster.  It's unnecessary and gets in the way of enjoying the tobacco you're trying to smoke.  That being said, its pretty much harmless and fairly common to do.  Why waste the time though?

Two, is the use of spirits to clean the pipe.  You can use a high proof spirit to clean out the bowl and airway, acting as a solvent to pull nasty things off of the pipe to keep it from going sour.  I recommend Bacardi 151 personally, others use anything from bottom-shelf scotch to Everclear.  Other than running a dry pipe cleaner through the pipe and the bowl after smoking, I only clean my pipes when they need it - I don't see the need to thoroughly clean after each time.

Quote from: deadDMwalking;607454
3) I'm familiar with cigar smoking and have the appropriate accouterments.  However, what is the preferred method of lighting a pipe?  Is match lighting greatly preferred?  What are the advantages/disadvantages of a torch lighter?


You'll want a Czech tool (combo thing-a-ma-jig with a spoon, pin and tamper), some pipe cleaners and a box of wooden matches.

It's not a good idea to use a torch lighter - the temperatures are way too high.  You'll burn the crap out of the briar or corncob for very little gain.  I've used one in windy and slightly damp conditions, but it was with a pipe I could handle marring the finish on.  I do like my pipe lighter as a cheat, since I only smoke outside, but that's specifically made for pipes and burns at a lower temperature and won't destroy a pipe.

Quote from: deadDMwalking;607454
I know they'll be able to help me with anything, but I want to be able to ask intelligent questions.  


No such thing as a dumb question.  Here's a few links I recommend:

http://www.pipesandcigars.com - great online shop and blenders of the Hearth and Home series of tobacco.  They've got a sampler pack of their blends that would work out well for someone starting out as well as good prices on "name brands" and the stuff you'll need.

http://www.tampandpuff.com - forum with a lot of knowledgeable and friendly people.  It's going through a winter phase at the moment, but really responsive to people with questions.

And what the hell, its Christmas.  PM me your address and I will throw together a beater pipe or two and a sampling of different blends.

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« Reply #4 on: December 12, 2012, 04:05:02 PM »
Cool info!
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« Reply #5 on: December 12, 2012, 07:19:54 PM »
Pipes and Cigars is a great store, I get a lot of my tobacco and pipes from them.  In their "Hearth & Home" series I strongly recommend Beverwyck.

I have a slightly different stance than Dave: I agree that you should be careful not to get cheap tobaccos, and to try a variety of flavors, sure; but you should also avoid getting a bad pipe to start with; because pipes affect flavor.  People who buy cheap $30 wooden pipes will tend to give up on pipe smoking because they're tasting the shitty pipe.
I refer you back to the pipe recommendations I made earlier on.

Also, when I referred to "cleaning the pipe every day" I didn't mean to use alcohol or the like; just a pipe cleaner, as Dave said. But don't skip it!

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« Reply #6 on: December 12, 2012, 08:44:24 PM »
Ok, seriously you're asking about "pipe smoking" really?  Am I supposed to take this seriously? Help me guys!
One of my best friends did corncob pipes before he stopped smoking.  It did smell nice...personally I prefer Houka's if I am going to smoke. :)
« Last Edit: December 12, 2012, 09:07:31 PM by Marleycat »
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Dave

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« Reply #7 on: December 12, 2012, 09:13:31 PM »
Distinguished Penguin and Classic Burley Kake get my top marks.  I've also got tin of Black House that I'm pretty sure I will like, but haven't opened yet.  I didn't care for Larry's Blend or Lakeland Brickle - Russ' attempt at a Lakeland.

I think you're better off getting three Dr. Grabows and $100 of tobacco than you are getting a Peterson and $100 worth.  To me, pipe shape and weight means more than what it says on the outside, and learning what you like is pretty darn important when starting.  If money is no object, by all means get a set of Dunhills.

For example, I collect vintage Kaywoodies, and my favorite pipe was custom made by a guy in Ohio.  But I wouldn't have known what I wanted to collect or what to order if I hadn't tried a bunch of experiments on the way there.

Three more thoughts for beginners:

*Stay away from aromatics right now.  You're going to expect it to taste like Cherry and its not going to.  It's great for anyone near you, less so for you.

*Your first bowl is going to taste like char-grilled ass.  Stick it out and smoke it down to the bottom.  The second one will taste about the same.  The third is when the magic happens.  This is partly breaking in the pipe and partly breaking in your taste buds.  Stick with it, it's worth it - honest.

*Like what you like.  Don't buy in too much with internet pipe culture and what yahoos on the internet say.  If Captain Black winds up being your favorite blend, so be it.

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« Reply #8 on: December 12, 2012, 10:29:15 PM »
There are steps between $30 Doctor Grabows, and $700 Dunhills.

You MIGHT get a $30 Grabow that smokes really great, and you might get one that smokes like shit.
And you're more likely to get the latter than the former.

Whereas, if you get a $75 Ben Wade, Stanwell, or Lorenzetti, there will be some variety (that is, there will be some that will be really great, and the rest will only be good) but you'll be almost guaranteed to get a pipe that won't smoke like shit. That's the difference that $45 extra makes; these pipes are CONSISTENTLY GOOD.

Also, your bit of advice that the "first bowl is going to taste like ass"? That's only true if its the first bowl from a Doctor Grabow or equivalent.

A stanwell or a lorenzetti or a Ben Wade will smoke quite nice from the very first bowl (while its true the second bowl will be better, and the third better still; the first bowl won't be a gauntlet you have to struggle through, but rather a pleasant experience). The problem of curing becomes way, way easier if you get one of those economical high-quality pipes.

I agree with the other points though, particularly about avoiding aromatics unless your entire reason for wanting to smoke a pipe was to smoke chocolate-flavored tobacco rather than good quality TOBACCO-Flavored Tobacco.

And yes, finding out what you like through experimentation is way better than relying on what others tell you is good; but its also worth mentioning for beginners that "drug store" tobaccos like Captain Black or Amphora are chalk-full of chemical additives (which come out in the flavor), whereas higher quality tobacco blends (like the Hearth and Home series, or Dunhill, GL Pease, and others) will not have chemical flavoring (even the aromatics will have real flavor, rather than chemical additives), and will usually have as their only additive a bit of propylene glycol to maintain humidity (which in many cases won't even be noticeable in the taste).
If you really want to, you can even get very tasty tobaccos that are 100% natural with no chemical additives at all, like one of my very favorite "all-day" tobaccos, Image Latakia (and Image Perique).

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« Reply #9 on: December 13, 2012, 12:41:28 AM »
Quote from: RPGPundit;608341

Also, your bit of advice that the "first bowl is going to taste like ass"? That's only true if its the first bowl from a Doctor Grabow or equivalent.


My first bowl was from a Barling, actually.  Equivalent to a Stanwell at least.  It has more to do with my palate not being ready - I'm hardly unique in this regard.    If choirs of angels sang during your first bowl ever, awesome.   My first taste of single malt Scotch wasn't great either.

The point is to stick with pipe smoking if the first bowl you have doesn't taste great, or when it takes a while to figure out the right amount to tamp, or you get frustrated when you have to relight too often.  Because, in my mind and probably yours, it beats cigars, cigarettes and hookahs hands down.

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« Reply #10 on: December 13, 2012, 12:43:37 AM »
I'll add my voice to the "be wary of aromatics" chorus.  I gravitate to English or Oriental blends, but I also enjoy a good Virginia flake.  McClelland has some good offerings.
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« Reply #11 on: December 13, 2012, 12:03:58 PM »
Quote from: Dave;608353
My first bowl was from a Barling, actually.  Equivalent to a Stanwell at least.  It has more to do with my palate not being ready - I'm hardly unique in this regard.    If choirs of angels sang during your first bowl ever, awesome.   My first taste of single malt Scotch wasn't great either.

The point is to stick with pipe smoking if the first bowl you have doesn't taste great, or when it takes a while to figure out the right amount to tamp, or you get frustrated when you have to relight too often.  Because, in my mind and probably yours, it beats cigars, cigarettes and hookahs hands down.


My first bowl tasted amazing; it gave me a big headache after, though (I was 18 and had never smoked a cigarette in my life).

I think its a fair warning to give, though, to say that your first many bowls will be complicated; I think that if you have a good pipe and good tobacco there's no reason why they shouldn't be delicious, but with pipe smoking it does take a lot of time to learn to how to correctly pack, light, and keep lit.

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Pipe Smoking - An Introduction
« Reply #12 on: December 13, 2012, 12:04:54 PM »
Quote from: Philotomy Jurament;608354
I'll add my voice to the "be wary of aromatics" chorus.  I gravitate to English or Oriental blends, but I also enjoy a good Virginia flake.  McClelland has some good offerings.


If you like pure virginia flake, I strongly recommend Gawith's Full Virginia Flake. Its majestic.
If you like virginia flake with a bit of flavour mixed in, Rattray's Marlin Flake.

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deadDMwalking

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Pipe Smoking - An Introduction
« Reply #13 on: December 18, 2012, 01:24:32 PM »
I really do appreciate the tips.  It'll probably be into the early part of next year when I start putting everything into action.  $100 for a pipe should be doable, with at least that much reserved for tobacco.  I won't be buying anything from drug stores - it will all be from tobacconists.  

I have a 5-year-old and an 18-month-old, and I won't smoke near them, so I will only smoke rarely, at least, for a time.  

If you've cleaned the pipe correctly (using the pipe cleaner, not using alcohol) and you're going to have the pipe laid up for, say, 1 month, is there anything special that you'd need to do at that point?
When I say objectively, I mean 'subjectively'.  When I say literally, I mean 'figuratively'.  
And when I say that you are a horse's ass, I mean that the objective truth is that you are a literal horse's ass.

There is nothing so useless as doing efficiently that which should not be done at all. - Peter Drucker

Dave

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Pipe Smoking - An Introduction
« Reply #14 on: December 18, 2012, 01:58:23 PM »
If you make sure it's dry before you pack it away somewhere, you should be good.  I'd keep it in an area not prone to extreme temperature changes.  The briar would be fine regardless, but the vulcanite or lucite stem might not be.

Also, if you're only getting one pipe, google "salt and alcohol treatment" in case you ghost the bejesus out of it.  Latakia blends can stick around as a ghost for a while, which might be completely off-putting for you and at the very least impairs your ability to taste the next bowlful.

Having a 1 year old myself, I look forward sometimes to the "banishment" that comes from only being able to smoke outside.