I want to try pipe smoking

[radrick96]

What’s a good pipe or good tobacco? What do i need to know?
I had been smoking cowboy killers and parliaments. For cigars I like Davidoff and Dominican types. My grandfather passed away and i found his can of Prince Albert. It was empty so he must’ve been let out. Now i want to try and pipe smoke after remembering him sittin on the rocker on the farm while i ate ice cream and watched the sun set.

 

[Kentos]

There are so many different answers to your question it’s almost hard to give you advice .

Knowing what I know now after doing this for a few years, I would suggest either a corn cob pipe or a Morgan Bones pipe, and buy an ounce of bulk each of an English blend, a Virginia based blend, and an aromatic blend. There are hundreds of different blend for each of the above, so just read the descriptions and choose what sounds good. Then watch a bunch of youtube vids on packing and lighting and tamping a pipe, read a bunch of forum posts, then light up.

After that come back here and we will try to help you on your quest for pipe nirvana.

Pipe Smoking is definitely a learned skill and will take some trial and error to get right.

We also have a lot of good info stickied here that can help you in your way.

Good luck!!

 

[Knightsrest]

There are so many different answers to your question it’s almost hard to give you advice .

Knowing what I know now after doing this for a few years, I would suggest either a corn cob pipe or a Morgan Bones pipe, and buy an ounce of bulk each of an English blend, a Virginia based blend, and an aromatic blend. There are hundreds of different blend for each of the above, so just read the descriptions and choose what sounds good. Then watch a bunch of youtube vids on packing and lighting and tamping a pipe, read a bunch of forum posts, then light up.

After that come back here and we will try to help you on your quest for pipe nirvana.

Pipe Smoking is definitely a learned skill and will take some trial and error to get right.

We also have a lot of good info stickied here that can help you in your way.

Good luck!!

+1, I couldn’t have given any better advice.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[KellyG]

Note that Missouri Meerschaum, the go-to source for corn cob pipes, is currently closed due to Corona Virus restrictions. You can, however, find their pipes at smokingpipes.com, tobaccopipes.com, pipesandcigars.com, and I'm sure several other retailers, including amazon.com. I agree a cob is a good place to start as they are inexpensive and smoke quite well. I would suggest staying with a "conventional" style as opposed to the MacArthur or some other outsized bowl design, at least while you're in the learning phase.
The online shops, like those above, also sell tobacco in bulk, such as Kentos suggests. Don't be overwhelmed by all the choices, ignore most of them for awhile as you learn your way. Trust me, you can end up with your own little tobacco shop if you aren't careful!
One of most valuable bits of advice for new pipe smokers (myself included): Pack the bowl lightly, the object is not to stuff as much tobacco as you can in the bowl; that makes for harsh, unpleasant smokes requiring many relights that will burn your tongue. Ask me how I know.
A second bit of advice: give it some time. Pipe smoking has a long learning curve, and like many curves, is bell shaped. Your first couple of dozen smokes will likely not be your best. The bulk of your best learning will come with experience. And you will always be learning something along the way. I started smoking pipes 45+ years ago; smoked them for 10 to 15 years and then switched to cigars for the next 30 or so years. Coming up on 2 years ago I went back to my pipes. I've learned more in those 2 years than I did in the first 15. The internet has proven to be a wealth of information on pipe smoking; most of it good.
Good luck and keep us posted!

 

[nortac]

Read this to get a better understanding of "Tongue Bite".

Tongue bite, discussion for beginners and experts

This is a thread dedicated to the discussion, symptoms, types and possible remedies for Tongue Bite. First off let me say that I'm certainly no expert. I'm not even sure I could be called a newbie yet, in pipe smoking. I also want to say that any information I contribute has not been verified...

www.badgerandblade.com

 

[simon1]

A cob is always a good start...I think I have 4 or 5 of them. As for briar, Savinellis are affordable and good quality. Which style you get is the "whichever one speaks to you" thing.

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www.smokingpipes.com

 

[njpaddy]

40 years after giving up Lucky's, I took up smoking a pipe. I preferred corn cob pipes to the $125 Peterson of Dublin pipe I bought. I eventually give the Peterson to a brother-in-law who smoked pipes. He had a bunch of nice pipes and wouldn't think of smoking a corn com. I still have a corn cob or two. If the tobacco shop I used to go to wasn't closed for the plague, I'd probably go out and buy some dark cavendish tobacco and take it up again.

 

[brandaves]

I asked the same question a few months back. There are a lot of useful in response to My post. Click the link, there's loads of info on that thread. YouTube is a good resource but vary the people you'd take advice from on there and take it with a grain of salt. Take your time and don't expect to be a proficient pipe smokers in a day. It really is a skill and takes time to develop. Enjoy the ride!

 

[Alacrity59]

I've enjoyed my ride so far. And yes, KellyG is right, you can end up with your own little tobacco shop. Not really too bad a thing. I started off with a corn cob. Eventually upgraded to some Forever Pipe Stems. I still like them and use them from time to time.

 

[eaglesgift]

I just started smoking a pipe today - a Missouri Corn Cob Legend (Straight). I started with Presbyterian mix and I can see it's going to take a while to master the art. The first bowl tasted a bit like I was smoking a musty old book and the second bowl was much the same, only I managed to keep it alight for longer periods and towards the end I started to taste a couple of the tobacco flavours coming through (I'm assuming musty old book is not a tobacco flavour!). I'm not sure whether I'm packing it too tight, too loose, or the tobacco needs to dry out a bit but I guess I'll get there eventually.

Good luck with your pipe smoking adventures.

 

[karacha]

+1 for a cob pipe. Chap, good and you will see if this is something you'd enjoy or not. Tobacco: many people recommend aromatics - I don't. Try a natural Virginia blend and a light English, such as Early Morning Pipe. Buy a cheap tamper/scraper as well. "Czech pipe tool" will do.

 

[Kentos]

I just started smoking a pipe today - a Missouri Corn Cob Legend (Straight). I started with Presbyterian mix and I can see it's going to take a while to master the art. The first bowl tasted a bit like I was smoking a musty old book and the second bowl was much the same, only I managed to keep it alight for longer periods and towards the end I started to taste a couple of the tobacco flavours coming through (I'm assuming musty old book is not a tobacco flavour!). I'm not sure whether I'm packing it too tight, too loose, or the tobacco needs to dry out a bit but I guess I'll get there eventually.

Good luck with your pipe smoking adventures.

Might be the tobacco. Instead of musty old books think forest underbrush, mushrooms, etc.

 

[eaglesgift]

Might be the tobacco. Instead of musty old books think forest underbrush, mushrooms, etc.

Thanks, I think you’re right. I had a bowl of Royal Yacht today and it tasted completely different; much nicer I thought. It also stayed alight more easily but that may just have been me making a bit of progress.

To test, I had a bowl of Presbyterian later on. It stayed alight better too so it’s probably my packing that’s got a little better, not any difference in the tobaccos. Still tasted pretty much the same though - maybe Presbyterian’s not going to be my blend. Too early to say yet I know. Only had 4 or 5 bowls in total.

 

[ChefJohnBoy-ardee]

You might not like Oriental and Latakia leaf

 

[brandaves]

Just wanted to bump this thread. I saw @radrick96 posted in the newbie intro thread and I don't want to see him get left behind if he has questions.

In his intro he mentioned the possibility of upgrading from a cob to a briar and mentioned Peterson.

I haven't been at this hobby too terribly long myself but the standard response is that you can get your hands on a good briar pipe for $30-$55 and that may be the best option when starting out. The Morgan Bones pipes start at $30 and are no frills good smokers. Savinelli Series III pipes are $50-$60 and are unfinished seconds that smoke fantastic. They can be found at the Pipe Nook online.

As for Peterson pipes, they are great. System pipes are different from the standard briar in that they have a moisture resevior, an "army mount" which allows disassembly mid smoke and often a P-lip bit. I own three system pipes my experience is that they smoke very differently then other pipes and require a bit of a learning curve of their own. Others may disagree but I wouldn't recommend learning on a system pipe. They just smoke so much differently that they might make it more difficult to learn on a standard pipe. That being said, any non system pipe with a fishtail button would be a great choice in my opinion.

As I said, I'm still learning myself. I'm sure some of the other more experienced guys will jump in and offer their insight. Ask a lot of questions and have fun!

 

[steveclarkus]

What’s a good pipe or good tobacco? What do i need to know?
I had been smoking cowboy killers and parliaments. For cigars I like Davidoff and Dominican types. My grandfather passed away and i found his can of Prince Albert. It was empty so he must’ve been let out. Now i want to try and pipe smoke after remembering him sittin on the rocker on the farm while i ate ice cream and watched the sun set.

Just start out with Prince Albert until you get used to pipe smoking. It is an easy pleasant tobacco to fill and smoke as well as being inexpensive. After you get the basics down, venture out to the world of pipe tobacco. Quite an adventure and well worth the trip.

 

[steveclarkus]

Just wanted to bump this thread. I saw @radrick96 posted in the newbie intro thread and I don't want to see him get left behind if he has questions.

In his intro he mentioned the possibility of upgrading from a cob to a briar and mentioned Peterson.

I haven't been at this hobby too terribly long myself but the standard response is that you can get your hands on a good briar pipe for $30-$55 and that may be the best option when starting out. The Morgan Bones pipes start at $30 and are no frills good smokers. Savinelli Series III pipes are $50-$60 and are unfinished seconds that smoke fantastic. They can be found at the Pipe Nook online.

As for Peterson pipes, they are great. System pipes are different from the standard briar in that they have a moisture resevior, an "army mount" which allows disassembly mid smoke and often a P-lip bit. I own three system pipes my experience is that they smoke very differently then other pipes and require a bit of a learning curve of their own. Others may disagree but I wouldn't recommend learning on a system pipe. They just smoke so much differently that they might make it more difficult to learn on a standard pipe. That being said, any non system pipe with a fishtail button would be a great choice in my opinion.

As I said, I'm still learning myself. I'm sure some of the other more experienced guys will jump in and offer their insight. Ask a lot of questions and have fun!

An advantage of a cob is that they don’t need much break in. And a newbie can avoid the initial torture of a new briar. As to the Peterson, they are a bit pricey. I still have two, a system and a Straight stem apple shape. Great pipes.

 

[radrick96]

Just start out with Prince Albert until you get used to pipe smoking. It is an easy pleasant tobacco to fill and smoke as well as being inexpensive. After you get the basics down, venture out to the world of pipe tobacco. Quite an adventure and well worth the trip.

I agree, starting with one blend and one pipe is the way to go until you’ve got the basics. It is a rabbit hole when you start venturing into more stuff!

 

[radrick96]

An advantage of a cob is that they don’t need much break in. And a newbie can avoid the initial torture of a new briar. As to the Peterson, they are a bit pricey. I still have two, a system and a Straight stem apple shape. Great pipes.

I love both my cobs. Can’t beat the price, smoke great, clench great, and I don’t have to sweat about replacing it when it breaks.

My first briar, I got a Morgan Bones stubby anse. Going to use it when I finish my 5 currently open blends. looking forward to it!

As for other pipes, Ive thrown in for this years B&B LE pipe.It was too cool to pass on. Never liked Rhodesian shapes, but that’s changed. So now I will have a morta.

Next up is a meerschaum. I’m working on getting an eagle claw/egg made with churchwarden stem from a guy in Turkey.

After that, I will probably want to start a 7 day set beginning with each pipe. That would mean 4 sets total. Wow what a rabbit hole... I must really be working towards 52 sets...

 

[Kentos]

I love both my cobs. Can’t beat the price, smoke great, clench great, and I don’t have to sweat about replacing it when it breaks.

My first briar, I got a Morgan Bones stubby anse. Going to use it when I finish my 5 currently open blends. looking forward to it!

As for other pipes, Ive thrown in for this years B&B LE pipe.It was too cool to pass on. Never liked Rhodesian shapes, but that’s changed. So now I will have a morta.

Next up is a meerschaum. I’m working on getting an eagle claw/egg made with churchwarden stem from a guy in Turkey.

After that, I will probably want to start a 7 day set beginning with each pipe. That would mean 4 sets total. Wow what a rabbit hole... I must really be working towards 52 sets...

That was pretty fast escalation! Grats on the new found hobby.