Thread: Pipe of the Day

Originally Posted by Sailor

That is a very nice pipe you've made.
There are almost unlimited number of good tobaccos with Black Cavendish. Are you looking for aromatics or just something with BC dominant?

I really dont know. I have been a cigar guy for 10 years. For some reason a pipe has grabbed my interest lately. Since I have a wood shop and a pipe is little more than a block of wood with a hole drilled in it for the tobacco and a tenon drilled to the base of the bowl I figured there is no reason I could not make one. I rough cut the shape on the bandsaw then put it in a vice and used some wood rasps to rough shape it. Then to the 1 inch strip sander to final shape then hand sand to 800 grit. Took about 5 hours but I had to figure out how to cut and carve the 3-d object.

If you guys dont mind, let me ask another couple questions. Filters, some pipes have them some do not. My pipe does not althoug I could drill the stem to hold one. What kind of difference does it make to have one? I see that pipe tobacco needs around 40% humidity so I cannot store it in one of my extra humidors since they run at 68% (I have around 1200 cigars). Any storage recommendation for pipe tobacco, mason jar to keep it air tight?

Tobacco, right now I am working on some straight Black Cavendish that I got from my local B&M cigar shop. It is just straight Cavendish. I got it simply because I like the smell of Cavendish. A Cavendish centric blend would be good and I have no biases so I am up for about anything.

My pipe is well on its way to be seasoned and has developed a nice even cake from top to bottom but I would call the smoke harsh. If it were a cigar I would say it needs another 6 months of ageing. That could just be the blend or the cheap tobacco. It is the shops bulk tobacco. I also read that a pipe needs to rest but I have been smoking this one daily. Could that be attributing to the harsh tong bite or does it point back to the tobacco I used, or am I simply over smoking the pipe? I have my eye on another 'professional' pipe, I want to see if there is a difference in the smoke between my pipe and a high quality pro pipe.

Originally Posted by cannonfodder

If you guys dont mind, let me ask another couple questions. Filters, some pipes have them some do not. My pipe does not althoug I could drill the stem to hold one. What kind of difference does it make to have one? I see that pipe tobacco needs around 40% humidity so I cannot store it in one of my extra humidors since they run at 68% (I have around 1200 cigars). Any storage recommendation for pipe tobacco, mason jar to keep it air tight?

Using filters, IMHO, is a personal choice. Some like mothers some like daughters. Most of my pipes have an option to use filter but i rarely use them; maybe with the strongest blends if at all. Filters maybe cut away the sharpest edge of the strong tobacco. Maybe they prevent some of the tongue bite too although i think it is more about how you smoke the pipe.
Upon opening the tin i usually put tobacco in the mason jar unless i'm about to smoke whole tin in few weeks. Usually all jars have some kind of sealing so any jar thats leftover from cooking will do, just wash it first.

Originally Posted by cannonfodder

My pipe is well on its way to be seasoned and has developed a nice even cake from top to bottom but I would call the smoke harsh. If it were a cigar I would say it needs another 6 months of ageing. That could just be the blend or the cheap tobacco. It is the shops bulk tobacco. I also read that a pipe needs to rest but I have been smoking this one daily. Could that be attributing to the harsh tong bite or does it point back to the tobacco I used, or am I simply over smoking the pipe? I have my eye on another 'professional' pipe, I want to see if there is a difference in the smoke between my pipe and a high quality pro pipe.

It might be great idea to break in your new pipe with non aromatic blends. Resting a pipe is recommended, at least until it cools down and all the moisture has fade away. At work i have 2 pipes only and i smoke them several times a day. They do not smell so good but rather harsh.

It is difficult to recommend any tobacco blends as they are usually very personal opinions. You can find BC in most aromatic blends; BC has very sweet taste on its own. Some my favorite aromatic tobaccos with BC are Da Vinci, Blue Note and Ashton Winding Road, but i have no idea if any of these are available in USA. Less aromatic good tobacco is Orlik Bull's Eye but i haven't been able to find it for few years now.
Remember that so called cheap tobaccos might be as good as some HiFi blends. It is always very personal choice on what you like. At work i am very happy with cheap Amphora, Caravelle or Kilta (local poison).

Sorry - No Picture Today

Pipe - Boswell Canadian
Tobacco - Sillem's Black

Just got the Black and usually I do not smoke aromatics but DANG!!! This is some great stuff! IMO

well said, sailor!
@cannonfodder:
Often we post pictures with well closed preserving glasses. So you have no prob with the humidy of your tobacco.
I often buy tobacco packages (half pound/ 250g) and fill it into the glasses.
Please take a look at this picture

Originally Posted by cannonfodder

I really dont know. I have been a cigar guy for 10 years. For some reason a pipe has grabbed my interest lately. Since I have a wood shop and a pipe is little more than a block of wood with a hole drilled in it for the tobacco and a tenon drilled to the base of the bowl I figured there is no reason I could not make one. I rough cut the shape on the bandsaw then put it in a vice and used some wood rasps to rough shape it. Then to the 1 inch strip sander to final shape then hand sand to 800 grit. Took about 5 hours but I had to figure out how to cut and carve the 3-d object.

If you guys dont mind, let me ask another couple questions. Filters, some pipes have them some do not. My pipe does not althoug I could drill the stem to hold one. What kind of difference does it make to have one? I see that pipe tobacco needs around 40% humidity so I cannot store it in one of my extra humidors since they run at 68% (I have around 1200 cigars). Any storage recommendation for pipe tobacco, mason jar to keep it air tight?

Tobacco, right now I am working on some straight Black Cavendish that I got from my local B&M cigar shop. It is just straight Cavendish. I got it simply because I like the smell of Cavendish. A Cavendish centric blend would be good and I have no biases so I am up for about anything.

My pipe is well on its way to be seasoned and has developed a nice even cake from top to bottom but I would call the smoke harsh. If it were a cigar I would say it needs another 6 months of ageing. That could just be the blend or the cheap tobacco. It is the shops bulk tobacco. I also read that a pipe needs to rest but I have been smoking this one daily. Could that be attributing to the harsh tong bite or does it point back to the tobacco I used, or am I simply over smoking the pipe? I have my eye on another 'professional' pipe, I want to see if there is a difference in the smoke between my pipe and a high quality pro pipe.

Pipe smoking went along with cigar smoking for me... I found that there were so many flavors and aromas to go with pipe tobacco. Also the wife doesn't mind the pipe as much as cigars.

I don't possess the talent and tools to make a one piece...

I only use filters when I am smoking something that is overly moist or outside in the winter time... They tend to keep the moisture down in the stem/shank so you're not "slurping" goo... I don't find them to hinder flavor.

As far as tobacco goes, that's like cigars, search until you find a blend.

BC can be smooth or it can be harsh as you state, put it in a mason jar, (yes this is one of the easiest way to keep your tobacco) and let it sit. Like wine, it will either come around or not.

BC can also be used in blending. I have mixed it with PA, Red Cap... Just tends to smooth some of the harshness out of the other tobacco...

If you plan to "cellar" pipe tobacco, store it at the humidity that you like... If it's a little dry... spray distilled water on it (small amount), mix and store.... Pipe tobacco is a little more forgiving than cigars.

I lean towards aromatics, Lane 1Q and Captain Black White are my favorites. They both have BC in them.

It is easy to over smoke a pipe, I have read and tested this theory of one puff ever 10-15 seconds, it works for me... Also I find that inital light will bite me. Your tobacco will weigh some on this too... Burley blends tend to bite me hard, no matter how I smoke them, second would be VA's...

For resting pipes between smokes, the only ones that I do this with are my Briars, only because I don't smoke them as often as my cobs...

This information is only my opinion... You can ask a 100 people and get 110 different answers... Just ENJOY!
Happy Smoking...

One last thing... Just because tobacco is expensive, doesn't mean that it's any better than less expensive...

going to load up my homemade with 1Q and head down to the gun store and check out some guns.

What kind of guns you looking for?

Originally Posted by Gunner777

What kind of guns you looking for?

One that say's "BANG"!

Thinking about a new pipe purchase. It's between an ardor and a castello. Any suggestions? **sigh** .... These hard decisions.