Buying first setup: Walgreens?

[Liberty_2112]

I was thinking about picking up a corn cob, wooden matches and some tobacco from the local Walgreens drugstore as an inexpensive way to get started.

Is this a terrible idea?

I've gone a little razor and pen crazy these last few months. I'd love to be able to buy a cheap starter set that does NOT involve a package arriving at the front door while I'm at work, if you know what I mean.

Any suggestions regarding Walgreens pipes/tobacco?

Thanks!

 

[Liberty_2112]

Do I need anything else to start? Filter of any kind? Screens?

 

[TheVez2]

Nothing wrong with a cob to start. Even seasoned pipe smokers still use a cob every now and then. I can't speak to their supply of tobacco though, sorry. If they carry Captain Black, I've heard good things about that and have been wanting to try ityself.

 

[Rockminer]

Do you have a smoke shop around you? Might be able to find some nice tobacco on the cheap. Maybe they have a "starter kit". Be carefull don't get sucked into the cig. side.

 

[Devilpup]

Sounds good to me. +1 on the B&M. Pick up several differant tobaccos, try carter hall, lane 1Q, Prince Albert ext. You should also pick up a tamper, and cleaners.

 

[Liberty_2112]

Do you have a smoke shop around you? Might be able to find some nice tobacco on the cheap. Maybe they have a "starter kit". Be carefull don't get sucked into the cig. side.

Thanks for the suggestion. I'll take a look. None that I know of, but I haven't been looking so who knows.

The Cig side is definitely not for me. I was a cigarette smoker and for me, cigars are just too close to a world I don't wish to return to.

 

[Rockminer]

Thanks for the suggestion. I'll take a look. None that I know of, but I haven't been looking so who knows.

The Cig side is definitely not for me. I was a cigarette smoker and for me, cigars are just too close to a world I don't wish to return to.

Yeah, I read a lot of smoking posts lately and thought I remember you talking about how you wanted to try pipe smoking, but a little hesitant about it, because of the quitting smoking in the past. I think you will do fine, just nip it in the bud if you feel drawn to smoke the pipe.

 

[Hunter]

Well the drugstore brands have been around for a long time for a reason, people like them. But if you can find a tobacconist in your area I'd hit them up, other than being full of helpful advice and years of knowledge, it is always great to shop in local specialized shops. If you are looking for cheap I would go for a corncob, czech tool, tobacco, pipe cleaners, and if you really want a second pouch of tobacco so you can have something different to see what you like.

 

[Commander Quan]

You can get most everything you need at a drugstore, just check to be sure the cob is a Missouri Meerschaum brand, these are the only ones worth buying, I've seen other cobs from China and they are poor quality. You'll need something to tamp with, and I'm not sure if they sell tampers there, but a golf tee or a roofing nail works just as well. No one uses the screens, and the cob should come with a filter, some people use them others do not so you can use the one included and see if you like it that way or without.

 

[Blade Boy]

I bought my first pipe and tobacco at Walgreens, a MM cob and some Blender's Gold Rich Vanilla, it was actually one of the better Vanilla aros I have smoke, even beat some of the more expensive stuff, only problem is the big bags, like 12-14oz. if I remember correctly.

 

[Buster]

Nothing wrong with starting with a cob and a pouch of Captain Black. You can use a golf T or a nail for an improvised tamper/pipe tool. Then just flick your bic!

screens oh man you outed yourself with that one.

 

[syngent]

Get the cob... and leave the screens in the kitchen faucet where they belong

 

[Fishin Phil]

Nothing wrong with a cob and some Prince Albert, I still enjoy PA on a regular basis.

 

[Liberty_2112]

screens oh man you outed yourself with that one.

"I dreamed a dream of times gone by....."

 

[oc_in_fw]

I would lose the filter- for me, they do nothing but foul up the taste (unless you replace them every smoke)

 

[COHunter]

A cob full of Carter Hall is a daily smoke for me. I have briars and "fancy" tobaccos too, but that combo is hard to beat. Just one word of advice, make sure you get a reall MM (Missouri Meerschaum) and not a knock off. The knock offs have a tendency to burn up.

Oh, one other thing, if you go that route, you will get a burning wood flavor towards the end of the bowl. It's because it's burning wood. The end of the shank into the bowl is designed to burn up, and you'll also lose a bit of leaf underneath the shank, that's perfectly fine and helps build up a good carbon layer to protect the bottom of the bowl so don't try to scrape it out.

 

[PugslyCat]

Consider getting a tobacco pouch, unless you are getting tobacco that already comes in small enough pouches or tins to transport as needed. I used to buy the 12-16 ounce bags of aromatic tobaccos, so needed to break bulk if I was to smoke away from the house.

Don't buy the big bags of tobacco right away. I did that and kind of settled into cheap aromatics. To do it over again I would have bought many varieties in small quantities when I started. The fiance liked cherry, so that's what I stuck with from the beginning and missed a whole exciting world of tobacco.

You need a tamper of some sort, improvised or as part of a pipe tool. Consider spending the $0.99 on the tool, though, as you will also want a scraper.

If you are going to be smoking out of doors consider getting a wind cap for your pipe. I never heard of them before they were mentioned here, but seldom smoke out of doors without one now.

How are you set for ashtrays? Consider getting the cork bumper that sticks to the middle of one if you will be smoking at home.

Make sure that you have matches or a soft flame lighter. Avoid the butane jet lighters as they make it easy to scorch the top of your pipe.

If you are going to smoke more than a few times each week consider getting a couple of pipes right away. That way you can let one dry out and smoke the other one. Nothing quite as nasty as trying to smoke a wet pipe that needed cleaned.

 

[djh985]

AN MM cob and Carter Hall is a great smoke. For the money though you can catch some great estate pipe deals on Ebay. A used GBD or Comoy with an everclear cleanup would be fairly cheap and last forever. Be careful of aromatic tobacco though. The goop they put on them turns to steam when puffed too happily and will cause tongue bite.