Getting started with pipes.
- Thread starter gonz
- Start date
3/5King
Shwing!
I'm about to lose around 17 hours of my life over the next two three days researching pipes and everything that goes with it....now that I want to try out a pipe....needing 5-7 pipes is crazy lol.. I mean I plan on smoking a bowl everyday to fill in the spots I would have a cigar (as to try and save money on cigars....yeah right) so right off the bat I need 5-7 pipes?? Hahahahaha that fits my obsessive personality just perfectly...
Start with a bunch of cobs and one sexy briar. That's what I did. And now I have the preorder in for the botl pipe. So that should stop my pipe buying for a bit. Nording just makes such beautiful affordable pieces it's hard to resist
I have 3 pipes and they seem to do fine. I'm almost to the point I'm ready to dump cigars all together.
I'm still on two Dr g's and 2 cobs. No complaints from me. It just seems like like a much cheaper hobby
whodeeni
the Cigar "Gangsta" ;0(
That is an awesome tutorial!
This thread covers most of the stuff. Now get your ass into the pipe newbie trade!
javajunkie
BoM July '12
so, it was asked of me a little bit ago: how many times can you burn a pipe in a day. or how big a rotation do you need? there will be MANY opinions on this, but here is what i have learned, and what i believe:
- a pipe should rest for a number of days equal to the number of bowls put through it in a day, plus one. thus, you burn four bowls through a bowl in a given day, let it rest five. cobs and meer are exceptions; meer doesn't absorb any moisture worth noting, and cobs are damn near disposable. not sure about morta or strawberry, neither from research nor experience.
- dedicating pipes to certain tobacco styles matter MORE across multiple bows: if you are three bowls in on big LAT bombs, you are really going to screw with the profile of a a straight VA on the 4th if you do not switch. not that that is bad, but if you want to have a truer experience, it is going to hurt.
- in general, even across multiple pipes, the more bowls in a day, the more you want to stay with similar blends, or progress from lighter to fuller. just with cigars, the longer you go, the less stamina your palate has. you wouldn't follow a tat TAA '11 with a QdO, right? why follow a LAT bomb with a delicate oriental-supported VA?
- of note is how your pipes behave, how you smoke, and your own personal preferences. if you smoke cool and slow, you are more likely to be able to go back to back easier. some pipes can be burned almost all day, and some get fatigued after one smoke. and some people have issue with sterilizing everything after use, while some put little thought into the matter at all. learn your pipes, and learn your own habits and preferences.
- just as ara pointed out in my query about boots, more adds to longevity. a larger rotation, with more rest between smokes for all your pipes, lessens scortching and dulling, and staves off the need to sanitize and revitalize your own stash. it's a bitch to break in one, but all last longer.
- LISTEN to your pipe! if it seems wet or bogged down after a smoke, if it didn't make it all the way to the bottom like it normally would, if it just seems tired, you can't push that pipe farther. this is between you and your rotation.
- money is always a factor. before you go chasing every perfect grain and maker's stamp, look at your books. see fiscal responsibility.
if you need a broader roster, are really into pipe smoking, you can always pick up a fistful of cobs, or a couple machine-made "drug store classics" like Dr Grabow or Kaywoodie. you can afford a 7 day set of paulo becker or tim west? cool, good on you! i also want to see it. o)
this is about as much on the subject as i can think of right now. anyone else think of anything i miised or boned, please feel free to add to the conversation.
- a pipe should rest for a number of days equal to the number of bowls put through it in a day, plus one. thus, you burn four bowls through a bowl in a given day, let it rest five. cobs and meer are exceptions; meer doesn't absorb any moisture worth noting, and cobs are damn near disposable. not sure about morta or strawberry, neither from research nor experience.
- dedicating pipes to certain tobacco styles matter MORE across multiple bows: if you are three bowls in on big LAT bombs, you are really going to screw with the profile of a a straight VA on the 4th if you do not switch. not that that is bad, but if you want to have a truer experience, it is going to hurt.
- in general, even across multiple pipes, the more bowls in a day, the more you want to stay with similar blends, or progress from lighter to fuller. just with cigars, the longer you go, the less stamina your palate has. you wouldn't follow a tat TAA '11 with a QdO, right? why follow a LAT bomb with a delicate oriental-supported VA?
- of note is how your pipes behave, how you smoke, and your own personal preferences. if you smoke cool and slow, you are more likely to be able to go back to back easier. some pipes can be burned almost all day, and some get fatigued after one smoke. and some people have issue with sterilizing everything after use, while some put little thought into the matter at all. learn your pipes, and learn your own habits and preferences.
- just as ara pointed out in my query about boots, more adds to longevity. a larger rotation, with more rest between smokes for all your pipes, lessens scortching and dulling, and staves off the need to sanitize and revitalize your own stash. it's a bitch to break in one, but all last longer.
- LISTEN to your pipe! if it seems wet or bogged down after a smoke, if it didn't make it all the way to the bottom like it normally would, if it just seems tired, you can't push that pipe farther. this is between you and your rotation.
- money is always a factor. before you go chasing every perfect grain and maker's stamp, look at your books. see fiscal responsibility.
if you need a broader roster, are really into pipe smoking, you can always pick up a fistful of cobs, or a couple machine-made "drug store classics" like Dr Grabow or Kaywoodie. you can afford a 7 day set of paulo becker or tim west? cool, good on you! i also want to see it. o)
this is about as much on the subject as i can think of right now. anyone else think of anything i miised or boned, please feel free to add to the conversation.
Ducttapegonewild
Actual Size
This is good info Sean, thank you. If you think of anything else, be sure to post it. I'm sure it'll be as useful as it is me.
After reading this, I went out this morning and got myself a discounted Dr. G pipe. I just need to get the pipe cleaners, tool and the tobacco of course. I'm going to give this a try although I'm from the cigar world. I've been wanting to try pipe smoking for some time now. And if I don't really care for it, I can just call it a day and not really lose that much sleep because I spent maybe $50 total??? We shall see how it goes. I really need to sit down and learn how to properly place the tobacco into the pipe.
A bunch of great pipe threads here and a lot of good information, I would greatly encourage the pipe newbie trade to get a cob and some starter friendly baccy samples
cgraunke
BoM March '14
And be patient. It probably WON'T be groundbreaking, and might be a bit frustrating at first. But if you stick with it the payoffs are huge!
Just to pack the tobacco and season it seems so frustrating. I won't lie. But I have a friend who's trying to coach me from South Carolina and said to stick with it.
And another question....anyone keep the pipe filters in their pipes??
I don't, no. The only advantage that, for me, using a filter would have is to stop the gurgling when I don't dry my baccy enough. That being said, there's still no guarantee that that would work.
ANd, I agree, packing can be frustrating. But what I have found is not to get frustrated and allow poorly packed bowls to happen,. Unlike cigars, pipes don't really suffer from re-lights so, if I totally screw up and have to relight eight or nine times (not out of the realm of possibillity), it's not a big deal. I like the ritual of pipes, so lighting and tamping is part of the experience of enjoying a pipe.
Keep at it, it will come, and you'll be rewarded. I still very much enjoy cigars but there are days when I feel like a pipe and days when I want a cigar.
I don't even bother to properly pack sometimes honestly. I'll take a few pinches and pack em in, then I just test to see if the draw isn't too tight. After I light I just correct it with my tool if needed
My friend told me about a guy who has a youtube channel and I just watched some of his videos. After all of it, I feel a little sigh of relief seeing how simple it really is. I guess me being a visual learner helps as well.
I'm worried about not properly seasoning the pipe now....I know it's cheap and all but I don't want to ruin it as it was hard to find in the local store.
I'm worried about not properly seasoning the pipe now....I know it's cheap and all but I don't want to ruin it as it was hard to find in the local store.
Don't stress about this stuff. Remember, smoking a pipe is relaxing. My break in process consists of smoking a few bowls of neutral burly, like Prince Albert or Carter Hall, then it's fair game.
Edit: Many of my pipes were estates that were abused like you wouldn't believe. Still good smokers.