Thread: could one of you pipe smokers point me in the right direction?

I had a mild interest in pipe smoking for a while but never had a mentor. A buddy of mine used to and as we spoke about it i found my interest rekindled.

I'm not into flavored tobaccos and my friend assured me that pipe tobacco doesn't taste like most of it smells. I do enjoy the smell but I like the taste of tobacco.

I know nothing and have been looking on a couple of pipe forums for inspiration but haven't gotten very far. I have nothing as far as smoking a pipe goes and would need to be given an idea as where to start. I figure pipe tobacco is like cigars in how many different types and tastes there are. I have a fairly good grasp on cigars, but assume there is little cross over except for maybe storage of tobacco.

Is ebay a good place for used stuff? Or is it better for the better informed? I expect it to be similar to buying used straights.

I'd start off with one of those Missouri Meershaum pipes, the corn cobs. Excellent little pipes and very cheap at only a few quid each (dollars in your case!) If pipes are not for you, you aren't out of pocket much.

As for a tobacco, that is a very personal choice and we spend a lifetime looking for THE ONE!

My favourites are the virginias and the English blends. Hate the flavoured ones. All nice smell and no flavour. Ask your local tobacconist for a plain, unflavoured one to start out. Go for a mixture rather than a flake as that is one less thing to contend with!

Good luck, Gareth

Ebay is indeed better for the well informed. You can find nice estate pipes on eBay, but if you have no clue which ones are worth acquiring then you are going to get lost.

I second Gareth's suggestion. If you are starting off, a corncob is very cheap and are actually excellent smoking pipes. Once you really know you will enjoy pipe smoking, then you can look into buying a new one. I find Radice makes excellent and reasonably priced pipes.

As far as natural pipe tobacco, you will have to experiment and find the one you enjoy most.
I personally recommend trying out an English mixture, Dunhill 965 for example.
If you enjoy cigars, Belgian Semois tobacco may be to your liking.

As a beginner it is advisable to smoke tobacco that is on the dry side, if it is too moist you will get tongue bite and get frustrated with too many relights.

In my opinion, if you are going to start pipe smoking and want to learn all aspects from the start, I would start of with a Peterson, or Savinelli. They are not as expensive as most of the artisan pipes out there and they are excellent quality. You should start off with a pipe you can progress with. You can find a really good pipe of those brands for about 60.00. The only issue is, depending on how often you smoke a pipe, you will want at least 3 pipe in the long run. You have them in rotation. Reason for, you need to let the pipe rest for a day. Especially a brand new pipe while you're breaking it in. It took me some time and trial and error to get the art of pipe smoking down. Once you get it down, it is one hell of a great experience and you will be addicted to the enjoyment, not nicotine. But I would not buy a used pipe. Get a new one so you can learn the break-in process as well.

The tobacco to start off with is a good English blend, or Virginia. They don't burn your tongue and they taste incredible. Start off with a mixture made by either G.L Pease, Frog Morton by McClelland, or Ratrays. Can't go wrong with those. My two favorite out there is Old Dominion by Old Virgina Tobacco Company, or Mississippi River by Pipes and Cigars. You can find a huge variety of pipes and tobaccos at Smokingpipes.com, or PipesandCigars.com.

Do yourself a favor and go find a video on Youtube by Jayson Dagner called "How to Smoke a Pipe by Dagnerperformance". But keep searching for pipe smoking advice on Youtube. There are many techniques and tricks of the trade that you can pick up on which will let you find your happy medium with pipe smoking. I hope this helped.

Thirding a Missouri Meer corncob, model #Legend or larger. See more at: Site Disclaimer - Aristocob I have maybe 30 briars in the stable, all winners, but find myself reaching for my cobs as often as not. Don't confuse cheap with good smoking characteristics. Avoid ebay - so much junk there and a novice can't tell what's OK and what's garbage. Nothing wrong with Savinelli, Petersen, Dunhill, Stanwell and about 40% of no-name pipes in baskets at tobacconists worldwide. Just saying a cob is a pipe that, while you're learning, anyone can diagnose over the net and the going in price is still under ten clams.


- recently restored 40-year old H&B cob (bought out by missouri Meerschaum); wonderful smoker.


Get a cheap pipe tool with tamper and a 100-ct bag of fluffy (not bristle) pipecleaners.

Get a pouch of Carter Hall pipe tobacco, mash it in the pipe evenly but only firmly enough that there is just a slight resistance to drawing air. Light, tamp gently when it goes out, relight. Puff slowly, aiming for sips + clouds of smoke made possible by not overcompressing the fill.

I love cigars but now much prefer a pipe. The don't really cross over unless you want pipe tobacco with a fair amount of cigar leaf in it which, for me, doesn't work. I'd rather have a cigar for that. Get your puff on.

Mighty helpful, sirs. The same buddy just offered me his pipe. He bought it a few years ago and it just sat around. I figure I'll give him a straight in return as he showed some interest in that and he already wet shaves. I'll get a picture up when I receive it.

Is there a preferred online store for pipe tobacco? My local B&M's are sorely lacking and the one that does carry a wide variety of pipe tobacco doesn't deserve my, or anyone else's business.

I'd start off with a mild Virginia like Macbaren's and an affordable pipe or two from Kaywoodie or another solid performer. Use matches to start and take your time. The biggest part of the learning curve is getting the pack just right and the false light and tamp. After that it's off to the races. Good luck and enjoy!

Originally Posted by jfk742

Mighty helpful, sirs. The same buddy just offered me his pipe. He bought it a few years ago and it just sat around. I figure I'll give him a straight in return as he showed some interest in that and he already wet shaves. I'll get a picture up when I receive it.

Is there a preferred online store for pipe tobacco? My local B&M's are sorely lacking and the one that does carry a wide variety of pipe tobacco doesn't deserve my, or anyone else's business.

I cant parrot enough how good of investment Missouri Meerschaum cobs are. I smoke a cob around half the time if I'm home and closer to 3/4 if I'm driving.

I personally like smokingpipes.com but pipesandcigars.com is also good.

You didn't mention what your nicotine tolerance is, and I caution that some of the better known blends will turn even the veteran smoker green without respect. I always suggest any of Cornell and Diehl's blends as a great quality at a good price. You can usually save a few dollars by ordering "bulk", meaning it comes in a bag not a tin.

Pop over the POTD thread, there's plenty of guys from all over the world that I'm sure are happy to give advice and help out.

Go to Smokingpipes.com: Tobacco Pipes, Estate Pipes, Pipe Tobacco, and Pipe Accessories, or PipesAndCigars.com - Pipe Tobacco, New Pipes, Estate Pipes, Cigars - PipesandCigars.com for tobacco.

I also recommend a few corn cobs for a start. You need to buy some Long's pipe cleaners (regular size). For best results rotate your pipes, stick a pipe cleaner in them overnight to absorb moisture. If you don't let them 'rest' between smokes they will get like sneakers worn without socks.

The tobaccos I buy regularly are (bulk) Dunhill 965, Early Morning Pipe, Gawith & Hogarth Rum Flake. Tinned, GL Pease Robusto and Blackpoint. There are many to choose from, as you know, but I can recommend those.

My nicotine tolerance is middle of the road. I can make it through most cigars without issue if I have eaten something.

I usually like something with some body though I really enjoy a smoke with good depth and complexity to it. My palette is fairly well honed, I feel, and I like to just sit and enjoy the flavors of tobacco.

Here's the pipe my friend is gifting me: