gonz
01-11-2005, 11:50 AM
Theres four basic things you need...
1. Pipe
2. Tobacco
3. Tamper/pipe tool
4. Pipe cleaners
If you have never smoked a pipe, then don't make a huge investment to try it. Head to Walgreens or Walmart, grab a Dr. Grabow pipe, Captain Black tobacco, 3-in-1 pipe tool, and pipe cleaners. Now you have everything you need to give it a try.
Most pipes smoke fine. Don't get hung up thinking a $500 pipe is the holy grail, because it may be no better than a $50 Peterson. Alot of the reasons for commanding high pricetags is purely cosmetic. You can score many a fine pipe in the $20-$40 range, and i suggest, if you like smoking pipes, then this is where you should begin.
Also, estate pipes and seconds (http://www.pipes.org/Articles/Seconds.html) can be great deals.
One of the most frequently asked questions has to do with pipe souring. So let me get this out of the way now... You cannot smoke the same pipe all the time. You need to have a "rotation"... let's say 5-7 pipes initially, in order to give each pipe a proper rest between smokes.
There are several basic reasons why pipes sour:
1. Tobacco is a moist and oily substance, typically each time you smoke a pipe condensation occurs, and the oils and resins deposit inside the bowl and intake chamber.
2. Nicotine is a caustic substance, and can "break down" the protective
"cake" which develops over time inside the bowl causing further "saturation"
of the bowl material.
3. Insufficient "rest time" between smoking sessions with a given pipe make
this comparatively slow process happen more quickly.
4. Improper pipe "hygiene" (use of pipe cleaners) can lead to build up of
resins and oils through the bowl, body and stem of the pipe.
Things to slow or defeat pipe souring:
1. Run several pipe cleaners through the pipe EACH time you smoke before
putting the pipe away. Always allow your pipe to cool off if stem removal is necessary to clean the stem and bowl/tenon area. Otherwise you run the risk of cracking the stem, so let it cool. The final pipe cleaner should come out "clean".
2. Allow pipes to "rest" for several days between smoking. (the goupier
the tobacco, the greater the needed rest period)
3. Don't smoke tobacco that is very moist (ideal is somewhere between 10 -
18 % humidity)
4. Make sure you are smoking "complete bowls" of tobacco, IE smoking them
down as far as you can, the "heel" or bottom of the bowl is the most
difficult part to get a "cake" in. Some people smoke 1/2 bowls to
facilitate "heel caking". I reserve ash (the fluffy powdery kind in an old
tobacco tin) and put a little in a pipe after its cooled down to help even
caking. I put in roughly a 1/4 bowl of ash put my thumb over the bowl and
shake vigorously to distribute the fine ash evenly over the entire bowl
surface.
(from Alt.Smokers.Pipes newsgroup)
More to come on this subject... what to do if my pipe sours, and basic tips and tricks of pipe maintenance. But for now, let's talk about...
Tobacco
There are quite a few types, and your preferrence may not be the same as mine. I want to lead new guys towards some generally good blends, stuff almost everyone likes. So based on my scientific research i would suggest you start with the following:
Dunhill Early Morning Pipe
Dunhill 965
Dunhill Mild Blend
Now Dunhill certainly isn't the end all be all of tobacco tins... but it is good stuff, and readily available at most/many local tobacconists. Others such as McClelland, G.L. Pease, Mac Baren, Rattrays, Samuel Gawith, Nording, etc... have some good, even great blends... but i consider the Dunhill a safe bet for a new guy.
I prefer blends rich in Latakia. Others prefer Virginias, and still others prefer aromatics. Again borrowing from ASP, some info on blends...
Any type of blend, be it Virginia, Burley, etc.,
can be either aromatic or non-aromatic - (without flavorings).
The addition of flavorings is precisely what makes the blend an aromatic.
Virginia blends tend to have a higher nicotine content than Latakia blends, have a bit more natural tobacco sweetness/citrus flavor due to their higher natural sugar content, can be more prone to smoking hot and delivering "tongue bite", and also tend to do better if smoked slowly. (to avoid the tongue bite and bring out the more subtle flavors)
Many Virginia blends mix in varying amounts of Perique. This is a potent tobacco in terms of both taste and nicotine content, that as some blenders say is a bit like using garlic or tobascco to bring out the flavor of a dish. A little bit can do wonders, a lot can be overpowering. Many blends don't use any, some a tiny bit, some more. Some folks love it, some don't. (It is also used in other blends, not just Virginias.)
Do you want to smoke something that will most likely be pleasant to those around you? Is that important? This is not to say that all non-aromatics have an unpleasant aroma, but this is highly subjective.
Wilke's Nut Brown Burley is not an aromatic but does have a pleasant aroma. There are blends, mostly aromatics, that have a pleasing aroma to those around you, and what remains in the room after you leave. One thing you may notice about tobaccos is that the way they smell to the room is often completely unrelated to how they may taste.
For me aromatics can have a wonderful smell, but either no/minimal taste, or an overpowering "synthetic" taste that makes me feel like I've been smoking a scented candle. A couple of aromatics I do smoke on occasaion are J. Hartwell's "Evening stroll" and Boswell's "Christmas Cookie". These smoke cool (aromatics tend to smoke hot) and have a nice but not overpowering taste/smell through which you can still taste the tobacco. Very pleasant for all concerned.
Also try Mac Baren's vanilla cream. Good vanilla aroma and taste and still has great burly and virginia flavor. Good aromatics should still taste like tobacco!
If budget is a concern, tins may not be best. You can get bulk blends cheap at local shops... depending on local taxes, you may want to order online. I believe tins are better than bulks in many instances, at least in my experiences... Therefore, i prefer to take a chance, and buy a tin or three, here and there.
I'd suggest you call Boswell's Pipe and Tobacco at (717) 264-1711 and they can recommend some of their blends to try. This i believe to be better than your average bulk tobaccos. Their Berry Cobbler and Vanilla Cream are great aromatics, and the Boswell's Best is a fine everyday tobacco. You can get eight 1-oz. samples for under $20 including shipping. Just tell them you'd like an ounce of everything! :) I'd also recommend buying a Boswell pipe at the same time.
As to Pipe Packing:
The Frank Method (http://www.newyorkpipeclub.com/FrankCentral.html)
Some other FAQs you oughta read.
Pipes.org how-to (http://www.pipes.org/how_to.html)
Pipes.org FAQ (http://www.pipes.org/FAQ.html)
What you need (http://www.pipes.org/article.php?story=20040218003923236)
The Professor's Pipe Sweetening technique (http://www.pipes.org/Articles/PipeSweet.html) AKA: "what if my pipe sours?"
More informative articles -
Briar Blues (http://www.briarblues.com/)
Pipe Restoration (http://www.seattlepipeclub.org/sherlock/restore/PipeRestoration.html)
The Tobacco Aging FAQ (http://agingfaq.nocturne.org/)
Last but not least, Tobacco Reviews (http://www.tobaccoreviews.com/) which can be an invaluable resource aiding you in tin selections.
more to come...
1. Pipe
2. Tobacco
3. Tamper/pipe tool
4. Pipe cleaners
If you have never smoked a pipe, then don't make a huge investment to try it. Head to Walgreens or Walmart, grab a Dr. Grabow pipe, Captain Black tobacco, 3-in-1 pipe tool, and pipe cleaners. Now you have everything you need to give it a try.
Most pipes smoke fine. Don't get hung up thinking a $500 pipe is the holy grail, because it may be no better than a $50 Peterson. Alot of the reasons for commanding high pricetags is purely cosmetic. You can score many a fine pipe in the $20-$40 range, and i suggest, if you like smoking pipes, then this is where you should begin.
Also, estate pipes and seconds (http://www.pipes.org/Articles/Seconds.html) can be great deals.
One of the most frequently asked questions has to do with pipe souring. So let me get this out of the way now... You cannot smoke the same pipe all the time. You need to have a "rotation"... let's say 5-7 pipes initially, in order to give each pipe a proper rest between smokes.
There are several basic reasons why pipes sour:
1. Tobacco is a moist and oily substance, typically each time you smoke a pipe condensation occurs, and the oils and resins deposit inside the bowl and intake chamber.
2. Nicotine is a caustic substance, and can "break down" the protective
"cake" which develops over time inside the bowl causing further "saturation"
of the bowl material.
3. Insufficient "rest time" between smoking sessions with a given pipe make
this comparatively slow process happen more quickly.
4. Improper pipe "hygiene" (use of pipe cleaners) can lead to build up of
resins and oils through the bowl, body and stem of the pipe.
Things to slow or defeat pipe souring:
1. Run several pipe cleaners through the pipe EACH time you smoke before
putting the pipe away. Always allow your pipe to cool off if stem removal is necessary to clean the stem and bowl/tenon area. Otherwise you run the risk of cracking the stem, so let it cool. The final pipe cleaner should come out "clean".
2. Allow pipes to "rest" for several days between smoking. (the goupier
the tobacco, the greater the needed rest period)
3. Don't smoke tobacco that is very moist (ideal is somewhere between 10 -
18 % humidity)
4. Make sure you are smoking "complete bowls" of tobacco, IE smoking them
down as far as you can, the "heel" or bottom of the bowl is the most
difficult part to get a "cake" in. Some people smoke 1/2 bowls to
facilitate "heel caking". I reserve ash (the fluffy powdery kind in an old
tobacco tin) and put a little in a pipe after its cooled down to help even
caking. I put in roughly a 1/4 bowl of ash put my thumb over the bowl and
shake vigorously to distribute the fine ash evenly over the entire bowl
surface.
(from Alt.Smokers.Pipes newsgroup)
More to come on this subject... what to do if my pipe sours, and basic tips and tricks of pipe maintenance. But for now, let's talk about...
Tobacco
There are quite a few types, and your preferrence may not be the same as mine. I want to lead new guys towards some generally good blends, stuff almost everyone likes. So based on my scientific research i would suggest you start with the following:
Dunhill Early Morning Pipe
Dunhill 965
Dunhill Mild Blend
Now Dunhill certainly isn't the end all be all of tobacco tins... but it is good stuff, and readily available at most/many local tobacconists. Others such as McClelland, G.L. Pease, Mac Baren, Rattrays, Samuel Gawith, Nording, etc... have some good, even great blends... but i consider the Dunhill a safe bet for a new guy.
I prefer blends rich in Latakia. Others prefer Virginias, and still others prefer aromatics. Again borrowing from ASP, some info on blends...
Any type of blend, be it Virginia, Burley, etc.,
can be either aromatic or non-aromatic - (without flavorings).
The addition of flavorings is precisely what makes the blend an aromatic.
Virginia blends tend to have a higher nicotine content than Latakia blends, have a bit more natural tobacco sweetness/citrus flavor due to their higher natural sugar content, can be more prone to smoking hot and delivering "tongue bite", and also tend to do better if smoked slowly. (to avoid the tongue bite and bring out the more subtle flavors)
Many Virginia blends mix in varying amounts of Perique. This is a potent tobacco in terms of both taste and nicotine content, that as some blenders say is a bit like using garlic or tobascco to bring out the flavor of a dish. A little bit can do wonders, a lot can be overpowering. Many blends don't use any, some a tiny bit, some more. Some folks love it, some don't. (It is also used in other blends, not just Virginias.)
Do you want to smoke something that will most likely be pleasant to those around you? Is that important? This is not to say that all non-aromatics have an unpleasant aroma, but this is highly subjective.
Wilke's Nut Brown Burley is not an aromatic but does have a pleasant aroma. There are blends, mostly aromatics, that have a pleasing aroma to those around you, and what remains in the room after you leave. One thing you may notice about tobaccos is that the way they smell to the room is often completely unrelated to how they may taste.
For me aromatics can have a wonderful smell, but either no/minimal taste, or an overpowering "synthetic" taste that makes me feel like I've been smoking a scented candle. A couple of aromatics I do smoke on occasaion are J. Hartwell's "Evening stroll" and Boswell's "Christmas Cookie". These smoke cool (aromatics tend to smoke hot) and have a nice but not overpowering taste/smell through which you can still taste the tobacco. Very pleasant for all concerned.
Also try Mac Baren's vanilla cream. Good vanilla aroma and taste and still has great burly and virginia flavor. Good aromatics should still taste like tobacco!
If budget is a concern, tins may not be best. You can get bulk blends cheap at local shops... depending on local taxes, you may want to order online. I believe tins are better than bulks in many instances, at least in my experiences... Therefore, i prefer to take a chance, and buy a tin or three, here and there.
I'd suggest you call Boswell's Pipe and Tobacco at (717) 264-1711 and they can recommend some of their blends to try. This i believe to be better than your average bulk tobaccos. Their Berry Cobbler and Vanilla Cream are great aromatics, and the Boswell's Best is a fine everyday tobacco. You can get eight 1-oz. samples for under $20 including shipping. Just tell them you'd like an ounce of everything! :) I'd also recommend buying a Boswell pipe at the same time.
As to Pipe Packing:
The Frank Method (http://www.newyorkpipeclub.com/FrankCentral.html)
Some other FAQs you oughta read.
Pipes.org how-to (http://www.pipes.org/how_to.html)
Pipes.org FAQ (http://www.pipes.org/FAQ.html)
What you need (http://www.pipes.org/article.php?story=20040218003923236)
The Professor's Pipe Sweetening technique (http://www.pipes.org/Articles/PipeSweet.html) AKA: "what if my pipe sours?"
More informative articles -
Briar Blues (http://www.briarblues.com/)
Pipe Restoration (http://www.seattlepipeclub.org/sherlock/restore/PipeRestoration.html)
The Tobacco Aging FAQ (http://agingfaq.nocturne.org/)
Last but not least, Tobacco Reviews (http://www.tobaccoreviews.com/) which can be an invaluable resource aiding you in tin selections.
more to come...