A Bakker's Dozen

[steveclarkus]

There was Kool, and there was True (with the funky filter vanes). And a bunch of others I no longer remember. And the big standards, Lucky Strike, Chesterfield, Winston, Camel, PM, and a few others I forget. Some may have had different export names. Some brands included trading coupons in every pack (Raleigh). If you smoked enough, you could eventually cash them in for stuff out of the catalog. I was never a cigarette smoker, but you couldn't miss them under the fluorescent lights in the vending machines. Or their jingle songs on TV and radio.

Insert your coins, pull the knob, and if all went well, the pack dropped. If not, the nearby cashier would refund you on the honor system. Need matches? A mountain of packs at the register or at the bar. All for free. They would advertise the place on them.

There were indoor ashtrays, and outdoor ones, too. In an office building, they'd be freestanding or bolted to the walls. Custodians used to go around at the end of the day and empty the ashtrays in many buildings along with the trash cans.

And, of course, there were the table lighters. Thousands and thousands of them. Almost every house had at least one. Once the perfect housewarming gift. The fodder for a thousand TV and movie gags during that era when they didn't work. The only gift cooler was a table-top cigarette case. How they filled them from the boxes and cartons of cigarettes sold then, I'll never know.

And the common stand ashtray at every relative's house ... the ones with the glass insert, and animal handles of one species or another on top. Or ... a pipe station on a table somewhere.

Not to mention all the cigars and pipes, everywhere. It wasn't all White Owl and Dutch Masters at the drug store, either. You could often walk out out of a news store with a decent hand-made (... sometimes locally made!). As some know, my first and dearest pipe came from a news store case. And it's a great smoker.

So that was the playing field on which these OTCs pipe blends ruled the roost. There were plenty of other brands, too (don't misunderstand). But these standards were preferred by most smoking men. Tobacco was a major league industry then. If they are as bad as some now claim, they just never would have made it.

Yes, all of those things. Today we seek things. Then, they sought comfort.

My father’s cigarette box he brought back from the Philippines after the war:

 

[RookieGuy]

I remember shopping malls and grocery stores with ashtrays. Smoking at restaurants was commonplace. McDonald's had tin ashtrays on their tables. And everyone's house you went to had ashtrays for use, even nonsmokers.

But in my day, it was usually cigarettes. The WWII generation were my grandparents. They were the codgers smoking CH or PA (the two brands Rite Aid we could walk to carried). Or little cigars. In my day, pipes meant story time. If I went and at at the feet of one of the old men coming out for a pipe, they'd tell me stories of WWII (WWI from Mr. Kaminski). But my parents and aunts/ uncles tobacco of choice in the 80s was the Cigarette.

 

[AimlessWanderer]

One of my grandparents smoked a pipe, but he died when I was very young. The rest all smoked cigarettes. In my adult life, I've only ever known three pipe smokers. Two were people I worked with, and the other is a friend's father. A couple of other people said they used to, or tried it and it was too much "messing about" for them. Cigarettes are the frozen ready meal of the tobacco world, just like cartridge razors are of the shaving world. Some folks just don't want to take the time to do stuff properly

 

[steveclarkus]

I remember shopping malls and grocery stores with ashtrays. Smoking at restaurants was commonplace. McDonald's had tin ashtrays on their tables. And everyone's house you went to had ashtrays for use, even nonsmokers.

But in my day, it was usually cigarettes. The WWII generation were my grandparents. They were the codgers smoking CH or PA (the two brands Rite Aid we could walk to carried). Or little cigars. In my day, pipes meant story time. If I went and at at the feet of one of the old men coming out for a pipe, they'd tell me stories of WWII (WWI from Mr. Kaminski). But my parents and aunts/ uncles tobacco of choice in the 80s was the Cigarette.

When I was in college, we could smoke In class and the little tin ashtrays were provided. Now all tobacco use is forbidden on campus. Can’t imagine going through school without a smoke. My high school even had an outside area where students could smoke.

 

[Bakker1964]

Should receive my two cobs on Tuesday. After that, new blends to try out. Likely Virginias to start.

Improved tamping and loading is leading to more enjoyable bowls.

 

[fathandle]

I kind of feel bad about all the smoke I made others breath back in 70's/80's. I recall the non smokers at work getting a little snippy about the smoke indoors at the end of the 80's. At the time I did not see the problem. hehe I don't think I gave them cancer but annoyed them some. Cigarettes.

I think at some point the anti smoking furor will subside and we can have the smokers and non smokers getting along. The indoor smoking was out of hand, I see that now. I still think if a bar or whatever wants to have smoking in it, it should be allowed. Stores and offices maybe not.

Those cigarette machines supplied me during my pre legal teen years. I should have gone with Bugler or similar and not started inhaling. I felt like I was getting away with something forbidden and nice when I would get my pack out of the machine. At first it was like that.

 

[eaglesgift]

I kind of feel bad about all the smoke I made others breath back in 70's/80's. I recall the non smokers at work getting a little snippy about the smoke indoors at the end of the 80's. At the time I did not see the problem. hehe I don't think I gave them cancer but annoyed them some. Cigarettes.

I think at some point the anti smoking furor will subside and we can have the smokers and non smokers getting along. The indoor smoking was out of hand, I see that now. I still think if a bar or whatever wants to have smoking in it, it should be allowed. Stores and offices maybe not.

Those cigarette machines supplied me during my pre legal teen years. I should have gone with Bugler or similar and not started inhaling. I felt like I was getting away with something forbidden and nice when I would get my pack out of the machine. At first it was like that.

I remember the Philip Morris rep hanging around outside junior discos in our town, handing out Marlboro. Now that was wrong.

 

[Bakker1964]

Bac. k on track now . . .

Ran a bowl of Amphora Kentucky through the Morgan Pipes Zulu Dog this morning, a cool breezy one. Had to reload it as the tobacco was such that I overloaded the bowl. Some of the pieces felt almost `twig-like`. Reloaded and lit up with a nice cup of tea to go with it.

I liked it a LOT. Smooth smoking, bowl stayed VERY cool in the hand throughout. Blend has a mild spiciness to it, which I quite like. There was also a tanginess that was not really saline like in the English Blends I`ve tried, but more like a garlic tang (not aroma, though). Also some slight leatheriness - tannin notes that was enjoyable.

This is DEFINTELY getting a rebuy. I may purchase some of the Mac Baren HH Kentucky, too.

So, a quick question . . . how similar is a Kentucky to a Burley.

 

[steveclarkus]

Bac. k on track now . . .

Ran a bowl of Amphora Kentucky through the Morgan Pipes Zulu Dog this morning, a cool breezy one. Had to reload it as the tobacco was such that I overloaded the bowl. Some of the pieces felt almost `twig-like`. Reloaded and lit up with a nice cup of tea to go with it.

I liked it a LOT. Smooth smoking, bowl stayed VERY cool in the hand throughout. Blend has a mild spiciness to it, which I quite like. There was also a tanginess that was not really saline like in the English Blends I`ve tried, but more like a garlic tang (not aroma, though). Also some slight leatheriness - tannin notes that was enjoyable.

This is DEFINTELY getting a rebuy. I may purchase some of the Mac Baren HH Kentucky, too.

So, a quick question . . . how similar is a Kentucky to a Burley.View attachment 1151465

Kentucky is a Burley or at least very similar. Dark Fired Ky is a curing process Where tobacco is cured over an open fire giving it a Smokey flavor It is most often used as a condiment tobacco in blending.

 

[Bakker1964]

Kentucky is a Burley

Awesome . . . then I just dedicated my first pipe/blend combination. Thanks for the confirmation.

 

[steveclarkus]

Awesome . . . then I just dedicated my first pipe/blend combination. Thanks for the confirmation.

Handsome pipe by the way.

 

[Bakker1964]

Thanks . . . I am really glad I took the suggestion (I forget from whom, but they have my thanks nonetheless).

I have only put five or six loads through it, but I can see the colour changing from when I first took it out of the bag. I doubt the colour change will be as dramatic as a Meerschaum can be, but I am quite pleased nonetheless,, and look forward to watching it progress. I can also see another Morgan in my future, at some point. Though a Savinelli or Rossi is likely next.

 

[brandaves]

Thanks . . . I am really glad I took the suggestion (I forget from whom, but they have my thanks nonetheless).

I have only put five or six loads through it, but I can see the colour changing from when I first took it out of the bag. I doubt the colour change will be as dramatic as a Meerschaum can be, but I am quite pleased nonetheless,, and look forward to watching it progress. I can also see another Morgan in my future, at some point. Though a Savinelli or Rossi is likely next.

Go for the Savinelli. I can tell the difference in how they smoke. You won't be sorry.

 

[Bakker1964]

I doubt I would be sorry in either case, but how is the Savinelli "better"? My understanding is that the Rossis are also a Savinelli product. Sort of a Chevy / Cadillac kind of thing?

 

[steveclarkus]

Bac. k on track now . . .

Ran a bowl of Amphora Kentucky through the Morgan Pipes Zulu Dog this morning, a cool breezy one. Had to reload it as the tobacco was such that I overloaded the bowl. Some of the pieces felt almost `twig-like`. Reloaded and lit up with a nice cup of tea to go with it.

I liked it a LOT. Smooth smoking, bowl stayed VERY cool in the hand throughout. Blend has a mild spiciness to it, which I quite like. There was also a tanginess that was not really saline like in the English Blends I`ve tried, but more like a garlic tang (not aroma, though). Also some slight leatheriness - tannin notes that was enjoyable.

This is DEFINTELY getting a rebuy. I may purchase some of the Mac Baren HH Kentucky, too.

So, a quick question . . . how similar is a Kentucky to a Burley.View attachment 1151465

As an experiment, pack your pipe much more loosely than you normally do and taste the difference. I believe you may be surprised at the difference in taste. Just take it from there until you get a “perfect”
draw and flavor. I find that a loosely packed pipe has much more flavor than a tightly packed one. A rough cut ribbon or cube cut can just be gravity loaded. Don’t use a tamper when packing; just use your finger lightly.

 

[brandaves]

I doubt I would be sorry in either case, but how is the Savinelli "better"? My understanding is that the Rossis are also a Savinelli product. Sort of a Chevy / Cadillac kind of thing?

Rossis are a Savinelli brand, they are seconds. I was kind of echoing @Kentos advice on buying quality over quantity. I would rather have one superb Savinelli over two okay smoking Rossis. They are fine pipes, just something that you ought to consider.

 

[Bakker1964]

Second bowl of the Kentucky Blend, and I think I may be onto something in terms of how to convey my thoughts regarding the tobacco I am smoking.

I made comment previous about how SWMBO commented about the aromatics I was sampling. Now, with the Kentucky (and I will test this when I try and English later, too), the comparison is this . . .
The aromatics are all (to use a wine term) about bouquet, whereas the Kentucky is about the body of the blend. What I mean is that, while the Kentucky is not as strongly fragrant as the aromatic, the smell that does emanate is more durable and lasting. Particularly relevant as today is quite breezy here (30 km/h winds, gusting to 45 all day). I think that being able to savour that longer lasting body has allowed me to puff/sip less and thereby keep the embers cooler and more flavourful.

 

[AimlessWanderer]

Yup, I tamp then relight, or tamp while puffing, and either way will look in the bowl afterwards to see if the burn is even. Remember, tamp ash, not tobacco. As soon as I can feel tobacco with the tamp, I stop.

I was just tamping a bowl for a relight, and realised I had something to add to this.

I only tamp lightly around the edge of a bowl, not in the centre. My tamp is typically a PH2 woodscrew, and the head will stay in contact with the wall as I tamp. Sometimes the coal will tunnel down the middle, leaving unsmoked tobacco around the wall, or it might burn down one side more than the other. As I'm only tamping ash, not leaf, I will not be levelling this out. Instead, the relight will only light whatever is uppermost allowing that to burn down to the rest. The thickness of the ash above the lower lying areas will insulate it, so only the higher parts catch the flame, and the draw will remain the same, as the tobacco hasn't been compacted.

If a relight further down the bowl (below halfway) doesn't take, I find its usually due to the thckness of the ash. I'll invert the pipe, but no poking, no tapping. That way the looser surplus ash falls out, but there's still a light covering over the tobacco, which helps the rilight take again, as desc

 

[Bakker1964]

If a relight further down the bowl (below halfway) doesn't take, I find its usually due to the thckness of the ash. I'll invert the pipe, but no poking, no tapping. That way the looser surplus ash falls out, but there's still a light covering over the tobacco, which helps the rilight take again, as desc

I have found myself doing this . . . just seemed intuitive. Why reheat ashes?

 

[AimlessWanderer]

A little ash helps keep the heat in, and helps keep the coal alive. Too much prevents relights. Insulation works both ways