Thread: Pipes: Cleaning, Identification, and Use

Hey Evan, no, you dont inhale pipe smoke. The goal is to get the nice aroma, not to irritate your lungs! What's highly recommended is blowing the smoke out through the nose to get the full aroma. No filter! That would be like using a Gillette Fusion when you can have a straight!

Corn cobs are ridiculously cheap but the stems are uncomfortable. But then again, for under $10... check out Frenchy's Pipes - New and Estate Smoking Pipes One

It seems like a lot of people do not inhale. That doesn't mean you can't though. You just have to be careful of the risk of cancer.

I've tried a couple of bowls now, and I don't normally inhale. I did once or twice to see the difference between pipes and cigarettes and cigars.

I think I'll get a sampler pack like this one because my area doesn't have a lot of choices. The best stuff they have is Prince Albert blends.

I neglected to mention that as a youth (15-16) I bought a Dr. Grabow with filter and some Borkum Riff or Capt. Black and went at it. All I remember is a very hot smoke with bite and pulling the filter out and residue nearly dripping off of it. I probably was "hotboxing" it and using way wrong technique. Like I said I smoked for about 14 years and I smoked everything from Marlboro, Newport, Kool, Camel, Pall Mall (unfiltered), Rolled my own Drum as well for a while. I would just like to get a pipe to try out for a relaxing puff in the evening while contemplating the day's events.

I have been thinking quite a bit lately about switching to a pipe, as I really would like to quit the cigarettes, but still serve the satisfaction of having a good smoke. I have been doing a little research lately, but I am looking for a good clearinghouse for all the stuff I need to buy along with the pipe such as the pipe cleaners, filters, tobacco, screens, tools, ec. I don't want to pay too much to start with, and the supplies are extremely limited here in Afghanistan. Actually non-existent except for some hand-rolling tobacco which I don't think will work, although I may serve the same purpose. On the plus side, if I ever switch to snuff (not dip), that won't be a problem, there is loads of it here for some reason . I need some sort of bag too, to carry the pipe in and something for the tobacco that will keep it from drying out, so if someone knows where I can get something like that, it would be appreciated. Thanks.

All right I'll chime in too since I smoke pies for quite a while (considering length of my life thus far) and although I haven't smoked any of them lately (can't smoke in the house, little girl has asthma, and shop is too damn cold right now) I haven't forgotten much.

So many questions came up! they were all answered but in an abundance of information you make the best choices right. you've got enough info. on sterilizing. I'll only say on that I only ever use everclear or bacardi 151, things meant for consumption. and I have somebody else (pipe shops usually will do this) ream it, I want no cake from somebody else in my bowl.

First and foremost, find a tobacco shop in your area. a good tobacconist will first of all have house blends, there are standards they buy in bulk that you can find most anywhere, then others they custom blend in house. MUCH MUCH cheaper than buying a tin/pack that you may or may not like. this way you discover if you like virginias, english blends, parique, latikia, cavendish etc. usually they have labels that say what is in them. Try 965 (I think that is it, 3 number name starting with 9) it is a classic english blend and you'll find out right away if you like them. they don't smell the best to others around you though. (I gave up english blends when my then girlfriend and now wife started coming over more often). My local shop, and many others, will let you if you take your pipe in, try a bowl full of their house blends if you smoke it while hanging out in the shop.

Second, you'll need basic understanding of your pipes and what they're made of. lets just talk Briar and meerschaum since almost nobody smoke clay anymore and corncobs are cheap enough maintenance doesn't matter.

Briar- you don't scrape briar. for it to smoke right you want it to develop a "cake" inside the bowl. depending on many factors this can happen fast or slow. if you look at new pipes you'll see many have a coating inside the bowl, this is to help speed up the cake forming process. when you finish a bowl you knock it out (note here when knocking a pipe out grip it around the bowl, not the shank or stem, and gently rap it aginst your palm or a cork thingy they make you put in the bottom of your ashtray). in a new pipe, or starting a new cake stay away from harsh or strong blends, a cake from tobaccos like that will affect the flavor of other bowls you smoke over time.

Meerschaum- you DON'T want a cake, always scrape the bowl clean after smoking. I'm not talking get it back to white by really going after it, just get the tobacco left off of it. cake will make a meerschaum get too hot, which can crack it. also be careful with taking a hot meerschaum into the cold, I've heard of guys that smoked them outside on a cold day and cracked them. Always remove the stem on a meerschaum by turning clockwise as you pull it off, and turn clockwise putting it back in. the tenons are often seperate threaded pieces this will keep you from undoing it. meerschaums will also give you a different smoking experience than a briar. some people only smoke them after trying it.

Tamp- the nail thing is fine, I have a nicer tool and almost always grab the nail type things. a real nail isn't bad actually as with a briar pipe you shouldn't be scraping the sides, but the spike can be used to loosen a too tightly packed bowl.

I have tried all kinds of pipe lighters. NEVER use jet flame/torch lighters, you'll scorch the rim of your pipe. you want to contain burning stuff in the pipe, not burn the pipe itself the lipstick looking plastic disposable ones at pipe shops for about 10 bucks that take butane and have a 45 degree flame are best for the buck. butane gas does not impart flavor. fuel lighters, like zippos, can. they do make ultra refined fuel for them now that is better. but you'd need a zippo pipe lighter to make it work well. matches in my opinion get in the way since even experience pipe smokers often need to relight and then you have more matches to deal with, need a place to set them. (a nice thing about a pipe is you don't need to stay close to an ashtray).

quit waiting to smoke it! even if the shop doesn't let you try a bowl for free you can buy tobacco from the blend jars in whatever amount you want. get 1oz (sometimes they'll have 2oz pre-bagged). you'll be amazed how long it lasts.

Red

Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

If they have any GL Pease blends take a look at those. I smoke Robusto and Haddo's Delight regularly. Good stuff.

+1 on GL Pease and Haddo's Delight.

Dave

Originally Posted by EMC45

I have given a lot of thought here lately to pipe smoking. I saw this thread and it re-sparked some thought. I have a few questions though. I smoked cigarettes for about 14 years and finally quit (Thank God). Do you inhale pipe smoke? That may be a dumb question. I inhaled some cigars depending on what it was. Filtered or un-filtered? I like the look of the corn cob. Timeless. And cheap. I would like a smoke with a mild taste, little or no bite and a good aroma. Something I could partake in an hour or so a day. A relaxing time. I had an uncle who smoked pipes and he had a couple round pipe racks full of all different kinds of pipes. He smoked a pipe a bunch. Just let me know what you guys think. Thanks, Evan

I've known folks who inhale pipes, but that's too much for me. You don't have to inhale a pipe to enjoy it.

I like to be able to run a pipecleaner though my pipe while smoking, so I don't care for filters. I also like a good draw and I feel that most filters plug up the works. That said, I have a full bent Savinelli Mocha with the Savinelli balsa filter system (6mm I believe). The full bent would prevent me from from using a cleaner as I smoke, so the filter doesn't matter there. The smoke passes along side of he balsa filter, instead of passing through it, so it does not impede my draw. My other filter pipe is a Vauen 1/4 bent Rhodesian that takes a Dr. Perl 9mm (?) filter, same size as the Dr. Grabow. I detest the Dr. Perl filters - no draw at all. Both the Vauen and the Savinelli came with adapters to be used in place of the filters or you could smoke them without filter or adapter. I saw that Savinelli made a 9mm balsa filter to replace the Dr. Perl filter and I like that in my Vauen. So even though I do not like filters, the Savinelli balsa filters work well and I smoke them in both my Vauen and my Mocha.

You'll probably want a mild cavandish at first. Even with that you'll get some bite until you get used to the pipe. It's like the str8 learning curve. I like straight Virginias and Virginia with Perique. They are very slow smokers (I average 2 hrs on a bowl of Samuel Gawith Full Va. Flake) but can be extremely hot until you learn to smoke them.

I hope this helps.

Dave

+1 what Red said, although I believe he meant to say to turn the Meerschaum stem counterclockwise to remove it. A good pipe tobacconist can be a great help for beginners. It was for me when I started in the 70s. Beware, though, that many of the tobacconists nowadays are cigar smokers and don't know pipes. In fact, many I have been to lately don't know pipes or cigars!

For lighting up, you can't beat the old kitchen match. Be sure to let the sulfur burn off first. Same with a Zippo. I know I'll catch it for this, but a Zippo works fine IF you let it burn off the lighter fluid smell. A good, inexpensive butane lighter is the Austrian Prometheus. It is a refillable butane disposable that even uses replaceable flints.

The nearest tobacco shop for me is 210 miles away. Good mail order shops are Iwan Ries (Chicago) and Cup o'Joes (www.cupojoes.om). Iwan Ries has been in business since 1870 or so. They have a B&M and website and can be very helpful over the phone. Smokingpipes.com is a good internet tobacconist, but I'm sure they would be willing to help a new pipe smoker.

Hope this helps.

Dave

Originally Posted by Big Red

Try 965 (I think that is it, 3 number name starting with 9) it is a classic english blend and you'll find out right away if you like them.

Dunhill's "My Mixture 965" and all the other "Dunhill" branded pipe tobaccos are no longer imported into the USA. If you want them, you'll have to buy "vintage" tins on ebay or order from Germany or Japan.

Originally Posted by Tonsor

You'll probably want a mild cavandish at first. Even with that you'll get some bite until you get used to the pipe. It's like the str8 learning curve. I like straight Virginias and Virginia with Perique. They are very slow smokers (I average 2 hrs on a bowl of Samuel Gawith Full Va. Flake) but can be extremely hot until you learn to smoke them.

I disagree entirely about recommending a "mild" tobacco to a newbie. He wont get a "nic kick", true, but he wont taste much, smoke faster and generate condensation, wet smoke, huge dottle and juice.

A newbie should smoke a good Englsih or English Oriental blend.

hey dave maybe I'm wrong on the meerschaum, i haven't even opened mine in a year. but I'm 99% positive that you're never to counterclockwise the stem or endanger loosening the tenon.

I have a huge bekler sultan, smokes like a frickin' dream. In fact it was about October 07' I smoked it. in the mountains during a party with coworkers, best bowl I have ever smoked hands down. I don't know what the combination of elevation, temperature, alcohol etc. was but it was perfectly packed, never went out, smoked cool. I was likely smoking straigth cavendish as I often do. man that was fantastic.

Red