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So you talked me into it

Nice briar my friend! Pandora is winking at you...although if you are able to kick your cig habit with the pipe you could just about go on a pipe spending spree and still save money (food for thought) ;)

Your tobacconist is right, Haunted Bookshop is a great smoke. Enjoy!
Oh, it is good stuff. Tastes very nice and mellow. However, my problem is it's dry enough to burn hot and fast. But even still, I enjoy it and look forward to trying as it's meant to be.

It's funny you mention using the money from when I quit smoking. When I stopped drinking, I dumped that money into a savings account. I kept abreast of the prices and how fast I went through it. In 8 short years, sobriety has gotten me two motorcycles, a nice jonboat for fishing and crabbing, I used it for the difference between my latest car being a Charger instead of a used Camery, and still a nice little account for, well, stupid purchases. I think 2 packs a day at $8/ pack, or $53 a carton when I go out of state, might buy me 5 years of early retirement. 🤔
 
I tried Burley Light W/O Bite last night. It was actually pretty close to CH in the way it tastes and burned in my MM Legend. Not in a bad way at all. I only had one real gripe, which I'll get to in a second. It packed up beautifully. In fact, I think that was my best packing of a pipe yet. Fill, tamp with my thumbs, fill, tamp with my thumbs, char, light, enjoy. It intuitively packed and smoked, almost voice activated. Went to a very light grey ash.

My only complaint was that it really didn't hold my attention for a >1 hour smoke. A superb 45 minute smoke, but after an hour and 15 minutes I was, while I don't want to say bored with it, ah! I found myself looking for more. More complexity, more nuances, something. And I still had about a third of the bowl left. I ended up dumping it out. A real shame too. Decently thick smoke, pleasant taste (except for it got ashy tasting when I went a little hard on it, but I'm not going to hold the blend accountable for my mistakes). A great 45 minute smoke that, for me, went a half hour longer than it needed to. However, I think I found what I'll be "watering down" other blends with. Or a good breaking in a pipe with half bowls.

So I think I'm at a place where I have a few very good examples of the major families of tobacco. A have a few good burleys, couple vapers, English, and even the sweeter aros. I think I'm at a place where I should start saving money on new blends and start enjoying what I have. I think if I get the desire to spend more money right now, it should probably go to pipes. While maybe not trying to get to the same level as our illustrious Aimless Wanderer, still leave good enough as is for the time being. That's going to be tough!
 

AimlessWanderer

Remember to forget me!
It's as cheap or expensive as you want it to be. Me being fully stocked on pipe tobacco, might equate to a few months supply for someone else, and some people may have individual pipes which cost multiple times what all mine cost together.

There's essentially several hobbies to pick from, all under the same umbrella, smoking, tobacco collecting, pipe collecting, tobacco producing/blending, pipe making, restorations, etc. I only enjoy the first one, and not in huge quantities, but others may run the full gamut. So long as you try not to measure yourself, or what you own, against other people, all is good.
 
There's also the physical space the hobby takes up. I'm one of 6 who lives in my house, so the amount of space I can devote to pint and quart mason jars is finite.

I'm not there yet, but I've been playing around with the idea of getting a pound of a good Virginia. I can really taste the potential in the very young va blends I've tried. It's like tasting a fresh wine and knowing it'll shine with a few years in oak. I just haven't had the years to age yet nor the [whatever it takes] to open my wallet for already aged. My first internet order i think. Right now, being a rookie and all, I'm having too much fun visiting local places.
 

steveclarkus

Goose Poop Connoisseur
There's also the physical space the hobby takes up. I'm one of 6 who lives in my house, so the amount of space I can devote to pint and quart mason jars is finite.

I'm not there yet, but I've been playing around with the idea of getting a pound of a good Virginia. I can really taste the potential in the very young va blends I've tried. It's like tasting a fresh wine and knowing it'll shine with a few years in oak. I just haven't had the years to age yet nor the [whatever it takes] to open my wallet for already aged. My first internet order i think. Right now, being a rookie and all, I'm having too much fun visiting local places.
I expect a Va will have aged quite nicely in a year Keep in mind that your tastes are going to go through some changes as you progress.
 

steveclarkus

Goose Poop Connoisseur
It's as cheap or expensive as you want it to be. Me being fully stocked on pipe tobacco, might equate to a few months supply for someone else, and some people may have individual pipes which cost multiple times what all mine cost together.

There's essentially several hobbies to pick from, all under the same umbrella, smoking, tobacco collecting, pipe collecting, tobacco producing/blending, pipe making, restorations, etc. I only enjoy the first one, and not in huge quantities, but others may run the full gamut. So long as you try not to measure yourself, or what you own, against other people, all is good.
I’m confident I have at least a years worth - three tubs of my favorite OTC’s and several other blends in one and two ounce sample sizes plus a pound of Victoria. My days of chasing tobacco fairies are long over. I know what satisfies me now. As far as pipes go, I’ve got plenty and more than I actually need and have no expectations of becoming a collector - made that mistake with straight razors already. I simply enjoy pipe smoking a lot and now that I’m retired, I smoke them a lot. Brings me bliss and keeps my mind off things I might have done differently so I can just enjoy where I’ve ended up. Breaking in a brand new $5 MM Missouri Pride - my favorite model cob - at the moment. I’ll likely end up with a seven day set - cobs don’t count Al 😂.
 
Yeah, pipe smoking is saving money over cigarettes like wet shaving is saving money over cartridges I've noticed. Yesterday afternoon, I consolidated all my fine tobacco and accessories. I'm sitting at just over a pound of tobaccos. Mostly English and burley blends.

The aros are these for Mrs. Rookie who every now and then comes out with me and has half a bowl. In fact, she commandeered my new pipe! I was going to dedicate that to English, I can really see what little flavor the wood adds complimenting the smokey tastes. Much like using that old cast iron skillet, making chicken adding from chicken past. But if a $50 H.I.S. 1/8th bent apple from the basket and keeping a couple ounces of goopy aros around is the price I pay for more quality time with her, it's cheap at twice the price. And now I have a dedicated aro pipe. Although now I still would like a chunk of briar for English blends.

I really like my cobs for burley. There's something about the sweetness of the cob that adds to the nuttiness of that leaf. And a somewhat cooler smoke is nice. But I wasn't thinking one day recently. I ran some English Luxury through my briar that's been used for vapers. Usually that's in a cob. I swore mildly to myself, packed it full of CH the next day, and a LBF coin the day after with no traces of latikia. But the taste of an English blend through a briar! Ok, a nice cold beer after working in the garden is great, even what we Americans call beer. Absolutely beautiful. That's English in a cob. But pour that same cold beer into a heavy frosted mug, it goes to 11. That's what I felt through the wood pipe.

I read many things talking about a pipe rotation. With my now 4 pipes (considering I'll be "borrowing Mrs. Rookie's" for aromatic blends), I ended up with that, another H.I.S from the same basket that's being used for vapers, my MM Legend for burley, and my Eaton for English (and before Friday, aros). And that seems to be my rotation. Tonight I feel like a [blend], yesterday I wanted a [different blend]. I can really see that being how I do my rotation, at least for the next few years. A dedicated pipe for each of the families with a couple cobs for outdoors activities.

Except there's styles that I just really like the looks of. I think that well done Canadian shapes are just the essence of beautifully simple. 1/8th bent Zulus and Dublins are sexy like Italian motorcycles. It looks for all the world like a Rhodesian or bulldog would fit the hand in such a way as to make my retired civil engineer father not want to mess with the design. (If anyone knows any retired engineers, ready assured that's hyperbole. Of course there's nothing they can't design better!) I'd be lying if I said I'm not gourd curious, or I don't want to watch a meerschaum slowly change color. Or want something special for around Christmas.

I get that much of this is still me being new. And that even more is browsing the interwebs looking at various pipes that cost between a car payment and mortgage check. I'm very satisfied with what I have, I've no desire to be a collector of pipes or tobacco (yet I can square having pounds and pounds in a cellar doesn't make a collector, don't ask). Beyond money or space, I just don't really want to have pipes or tobaccos just for the joys of owning them. Especially looking back to my grandparents generation where he'd get a Dr. Grabow/Kaywoodie/ Yellow Bole*, run CH/SWR/PA** through it for 5 years, burn it out, repeat. There's a happy medium between the two where I belong.

*And a very nice Peterson/Sav for holidays.
**With a cherry chocolate vanilla aro around Christmas for the grandkids.
 

brandaves

With a great avatar comes great misidentification
Yeah, pipe smoking is saving money over cigarettes like wet shaving is saving money over cartridges I've noticed. Yesterday afternoon, I consolidated all my fine tobacco and accessories. I'm sitting at just over a pound of tobaccos. Mostly English and burley blends.

The aros are these for Mrs. Rookie who every now and then comes out with me and has half a bowl. In fact, she commandeered my new pipe! I was going to dedicate that to English, I can really see what little flavor the wood adds complimenting the smokey tastes. Much like using that old cast iron skillet, making chicken adding from chicken past. But if a $50 H.I.S. 1/8th bent apple from the basket and keeping a couple ounces of goopy aros around is the price I pay for more quality time with her, it's cheap at twice the price. And now I have a dedicated aro pipe. Although now I still would like a chunk of briar for English blends.

I really like my cobs for burley. There's something about the sweetness of the cob that adds to the nuttiness of that leaf. And a somewhat cooler smoke is nice. But I wasn't thinking one day recently. I ran some English Luxury through my briar that's been used for vapers. Usually that's in a cob. I swore mildly to myself, packed it full of CH the next day, and a LBF coin the day after with no traces of latikia. But the taste of an English blend through a briar! Ok, a nice cold beer after working in the garden is great, even what we Americans call beer. Absolutely beautiful. That's English in a cob. But pour that same cold beer into a heavy frosted mug, it goes to 11. That's what I felt through the wood pipe.

I read many things talking about a pipe rotation. With my now 4 pipes (considering I'll be "borrowing Mrs. Rookie's" for aromatic blends), I ended up with that, another H.I.S from the same basket that's being used for vapers, my MM Legend for burley, and my Eaton for English (and before Friday, aros). And that seems to be my rotation. Tonight I feel like a [blend], yesterday I wanted a [different blend]. I can really see that being how I do my rotation, at least for the next few years. A dedicated pipe for each of the families with a couple cobs for outdoors activities.

Except there's styles that I just really like the looks of. I think that well done Canadian shapes are just the essence of beautifully simple. 1/8th bent Zulus and Dublins are sexy like Italian motorcycles. It looks for all the world like a Rhodesian or bulldog would fit the hand in such a way as to make my retired civil engineer father not want to mess with the design. (If anyone knows any retired engineers, ready assured that's hyperbole. Of course there's nothing they can't design better!) I'd be lying if I said I'm not gourd curious, or I don't want to watch a meerschaum slowly change color. Or want something special for around Christmas.

I get that much of this is still me being new. And that even more is browsing the interwebs looking at various pipes that cost between a car payment and mortgage check. I'm very satisfied with what I have, I've no desire to be a collector of pipes or tobacco (yet I can square having pounds and pounds in a cellar doesn't make a collector, don't ask). Beyond money or space, I just don't really want to have pipes or tobaccos just for the joys of owning them. Especially looking back to my grandparents generation where he'd get a Dr. Grabow/Kaywoodie/ Yellow Bole*, run CH/SWR/PA** through it for 5 years, burn it out, repeat. There's a happy medium between the two where I belong.

*And a very nice Peterson/Sav for holidays.
**With a cherry chocolate vanilla aro around Christmas for the grandkids.
...it begins...embrace your desires...justify them...one of us! one of us! one of us!
 

steveclarkus

Goose Poop Connoisseur
Yeah, pipe smoking is saving money over cigarettes like wet shaving is saving money over cartridges I've noticed. Yesterday afternoon, I consolidated all my fine tobacco and accessories. I'm sitting at just over a pound of tobaccos. Mostly English and burley blends.

The aros are these for Mrs. Rookie who every now and then comes out with me and has half a bowl. In fact, she commandeered my new pipe! I was going to dedicate that to English, I can really see what little flavor the wood adds complimenting the smokey tastes. Much like using that old cast iron skillet, making chicken adding from chicken past. But if a $50 H.I.S. 1/8th bent apple from the basket and keeping a couple ounces of goopy aros around is the price I pay for more quality time with her, it's cheap at twice the price. And now I have a dedicated aro pipe. Although now I still would like a chunk of briar for English blends.

I really like my cobs for burley. There's something about the sweetness of the cob that adds to the nuttiness of that leaf. And a somewhat cooler smoke is nice. But I wasn't thinking one day recently. I ran some English Luxury through my briar that's been used for vapers. Usually that's in a cob. I swore mildly to myself, packed it full of CH the next day, and a LBF coin the day after with no traces of latikia. But the taste of an English blend through a briar! Ok, a nice cold beer after working in the garden is great, even what we Americans call beer. Absolutely beautiful. That's English in a cob. But pour that same cold beer into a heavy frosted mug, it goes to 11. That's what I felt through the wood pipe.

I read many things talking about a pipe rotation. With my now 4 pipes (considering I'll be "borrowing Mrs. Rookie's" for aromatic blends), I ended up with that, another H.I.S from the same basket that's being used for vapers, my MM Legend for burley, and my Eaton for English (and before Friday, aros). And that seems to be my rotation. Tonight I feel like a [blend], yesterday I wanted a [different blend]. I can really see that being how I do my rotation, at least for the next few years. A dedicated pipe for each of the families with a couple cobs for outdoors activities.

Except there's styles that I just really like the looks of. I think that well done Canadian shapes are just the essence of beautifully simple. 1/8th bent Zulus and Dublins are sexy like Italian motorcycles. It looks for all the world like a Rhodesian or bulldog would fit the hand in such a way as to make my retired civil engineer father not want to mess with the design. (If anyone knows any retired engineers, ready assured that's hyperbole. Of course there's nothing they can't design better!) I'd be lying if I said I'm not gourd curious, or I don't want to watch a meerschaum slowly change color. Or want something special for around Christmas.

I get that much of this is still me being new. And that even more is browsing the interwebs looking at various pipes that cost between a car payment and mortgage check. I'm very satisfied with what I have, I've no desire to be a collector of pipes or tobacco (yet I can square having pounds and pounds in a cellar doesn't make a collector, don't ask). Beyond money or space, I just don't really want to have pipes or tobaccos just for the joys of owning them. Especially looking back to my grandparents generation where he'd get a Dr. Grabow/Kaywoodie/ Yellow Bole*, run CH/SWR/PA** through it for 5 years, burn it out, repeat. There's a happy medium between the two where I belong.

*And a very nice Peterson/Sav for holidays.
**With a cherry chocolate vanilla aro around Christmas for the grandkids.
A woman smoking a pipe is down right sexy! When it comes to pipes, estate pipes can’t be beat for economy and basic restoration is as simple as polishing your shoes. I gotten Savinelli, Peterson, GBD and such for well below the cost of new from eBay and old Kaywoodies and Dr. Grabows are good pipes. Finding THE tobacco can take a lot of time and trials and I don’t see a way around that problem. It has taken me many years and dollars to settle into one style and there are even exceptions to that still. I was a tobacco snob for much too long. With so many temptations out there, It is a trip but an enjoyable one so have fun with it.
 
...it begins...embrace your desires...justify them...one of us! one of us! one of us!
Oh, I saw this rabbit hole coming 1.75 miles away. Well, that's not really true. I thought it'd be more chasing tobaccos than pipes. But I knew I was heading for a rabbit hole! Well, I'll keep at the antique stores, flea markets, and yard and estate sales along with my B&M baskets. It's nice not being a collector. That means anything that catches my attention can come home with me. And, just as importantly, if it didn't catch my eye, I can feel good about leaving it there.

As far as the bay goes, I'll be there soon enough. But I still want to get my hands on a few more before I'll feel comfortable shopping ebay. Help me gain the first hand experience to better know what I'm looking at. A pipe at 1/3 the price isn't a deal if it just sits on the rack never being used.

Mrs. Rookie, yeah, she's a trip in the best way. The pipe was just the latest surprise. It started off I was in the porch trying out the Haunted Bookshop. She came out for something and ended up staying outside with me. She asked what I was smoking (oh, like the novel!) and asked to try some. Sure, I said, be careful drawing the smoke. After about 5 minutes out dawned on me that maybe I should pack up some Carter Hall for myself because that 2/3 a pipe of HB isn't getting back to me. Since then, she's had 2 more Haunted Bookshop, a bowl of black cav and CH, a bowl of black and cherry cav, and 2 bowls of cherry. High time she got her own!
 

steveclarkus

Goose Poop Connoisseur
Oh, I saw this rabbit hole coming 1.75 miles away. Well, that's not really true. I thought it'd be more chasing tobaccos than pipes. But I knew I was heading for a rabbit hole! Well, I'll keep at the antique stores, flea markets, and yard and estate sales along with my B&M baskets. It's nice not being a collector. That means anything that catches my attention can come home with me. And, just as importantly, if it didn't catch my eye, I can feel good about leaving it there.

As far as the bay goes, I'll be there soon enough. But I still want to get my hands on a few more before I'll feel comfortable shopping ebay. Help me gain the first hand experience to better know what I'm looking at. A pipe at 1/3 the price isn't a deal if it just sits on the rack never being used.

Mrs. Rookie, yeah, she's a trip in the best way. The pipe was just the latest surprise. It started off I was in the porch trying out the Haunted Bookshop. She came out for something and ended up staying outside with me. She asked what I was smoking (oh, like the novel!) and asked to try some. Sure, I said, be careful drawing the smoke. After about 5 minutes out dawned on me that maybe I should pack up some Carter Hall for myself because that 2/3 a pipe of HB isn't getting back to me. Since then, she's had 2 more Haunted Bookshop, a bowl of black cav and CH, a bowl of black and cherry cav, and 2 bowls of cherry. High time she got her own!
You’ve created a monster I believe. Hope you don’t have to drive a churchwarden pipe stem through her heart to salvage your tobacco 😂.
 
I have to go back to the pipe and cigar store? Because my darling wife has come that much closer to letting me smoke (anything) in the house? And stained her lips with chocolate cherry tobacco? I can get the Peterson as long as I throw one in for her? I'll work hard at it, but I think I'll find a way to work through these burdens in life we all must bare.

Probably karma for all those times I drank up her bottles of cute quaint little Virginia winery wines. And then, dammit, she'd have to go back to those cute quaint little Virginia wineries and get more! Such a trooper, though. I never heard a word of complaint.
 
A woman smoking a pipe is down right sexy! When it comes to pipes, estate pipes can’t be beat for economy and basic restoration is as simple as polishing your shoes. I gotten Savinelli, Peterson, GBD and such for well below the cost of new from eBay and old Kaywoodies and Dr. Grabows are good pipes. Finding THE tobacco can take a lot of time and trials and I don’t see a way around that problem. It has taken me many years and dollars to settle into one style and there are even exceptions to that still. I was a tobacco snob for much too long. With so many temptations out there, It is a trip but an enjoyable one so have fun with it.

I knew a woman once who would pull a cigar out of her bra and fire it right up, sitting there blowing smoke rings, looking like a movie star. She was sexy as hell.
 
I for one, don’t find women smoking sexy haha I prefer my women to be occupied with more feminine activities than smoking
Truth be told, I'd rather she not smoke either. But if she's going to, I'd prefer a pipe over the cigarette pit I fell into. And with all that life has handed us, all we've been through these past 20 years. Lived in Germany, Kansas, and back to Baltimore, survived her husband going off to war twice, held and lost her dream job, worked for Congress and helped quite a couple bills, had a quarter ton of children, buried some, been wealthy enough to not look at prices, poor enough not to bother. If she wants to smoke a pipe, as long as it's just tobacco in there I one say she's earned it. And she for one doesn't really care what I (or anyone else) say.

On that note, last night I had some Bayou Morning and she packed half a bowl of Haunted Bookshop. I really like that BM! It sits higher on my list than any other vaper I've had yet. I thought Escudo was going to be it for me. I like it, but not as much as the bulk Bayou Morning. It's like petting a strange rottweiler. If I'm calm and cool and confident, I'm going to be rewarded with a good boy (great flavorful smoking session). But if I mistreat it, it's going to bite my face (tongue) off.

And I tried some of her (used to be my) Haunted Bookshop from her (used to be mine) new basket apple. The bowl is a little wider which got more strands lit than my billiard or cobs. That changed the flavor profile some. To liken it to food, I was able to have some beef stew. Before it was some beef, a potato and carrot, pepper, etc. The wider bowl had at the same time beef and tater and pepper. And that tiny little almost bend in the stem, I think is an 1/8th bend, it held in my hand just as good as a straight and clenched almost as well as the half bent I have.

It's funny, I never thought that shapes would play a part in how different tobaccos burned and tasted. I never knew how 1/8" wider by 1/4" shallower could be that big. All this time I thought it was all aesthetic reasons for different shapes. I should have known better, given my years cooking.
 
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