Getting kitted up for a pipe

[Squidma]

I had a Peterson and a Nording a few years back, and think they may still exist somewhere in my house in a box somewhere. However, I decided that with the cold weather and the prospect of sitting on my brothers patio here and there during the winter time I would order myself a new pipe and reintroduce myself to this world. I ordered myself a Stanwell Hans Christian Anderson No. 6 in the rustic finish. I love the look of church wardens and figured that this one gave me the best of both worlds...plus it is made in Denmark, my wife's temporary home.

I of course had to order some tobacco to go along with the new pipe and went with: Peterson's Hyde Park and Sherlock Holmes; Just for Him Christmas blend 2012, Shortcut to Mushrooms, Longbottom Leaf, and Old Toby (yeah, I have a thing for LOTR).

When I get home tomorrow I am going to attempt to dig up my other pipes and see if they are still in existence...they probably have not even been properly broken in yet as they were only used periodically over the course of a year or so before they were packed up for a move, and then packed again a few years later for yet another move.

Any advice from the pro's on enjoying a nice pipe would be appreciated.

Cheers,
Jay

 

[Bk124tt]

No pro here neighbor, just someone wishing you an enjoyable smoke with your new set up!

 

[Price]

Jay,

Welcome to your newest addiction hobby. A good place to start would be the Gentlemen's Essentials sticky . Plenty of good info there to get you started and on the right path.

 

[FlyingMonkey]

Welcome back. I, too, returned to pipe smoking after a fairly long hiatus. I saw that Stanwell you were talking about and it does look awesome (I was always a fan of the churchwarden myself), though sadly, it's a bit out of my price range at the moment. I ordered a corn cob pipe to get back into it and am squirreling away some money so that I can treat myself to something nicer somewhere down the road. I really like the Peterson line of tobaccos, and the Sherlock Holmes is one of my faves. Good luck with your endeavor and post a pic with the pipe when it arrives!

 

[Squidma]

Price, thanks for pointing out the sticky.

I dug up my Nording last night but could not find my Peterson. I believe I may have given the Peterson to my father. The Stanwell should be arriving today...pics to follow.

 

[Squidma]

The pipe arrived today. Here are a few pics with both stems and my Nording.
View attachment 289354 View attachment 289357

The tobacco's should be arriving tomorrow so I can have my first smoke with it!

 

[Squidma]

Great looking pipes USCGME3. Pardon my ignorance but when they are black in the bowl like that, does that mean they are smoked from the factory?

I'm just as ignorant as you, but I would venture to guess that it means they are pre-charred.

 

[nortac]

My new Savinelli Clark's Favorite came with the blackened bowl, but I believe you should still break them in carefully. Nice pipes!

 

[Commander Quan]

Some makers coat the insides of the bowls with a carbon material which is supposed to help ease the break in process by protecting the wood, and giving the cake something to form to. As far as I know Dr. Grabow was the only pipes that were "pre-smoke" which was as much a marketing ploy as anything else, but the Sparta pipe factory where they are made no longer does this.

 

[Squidma]

Got pipes and tobacco...first smoke will be after dinner!

 

[Bk124tt]

Well????? How was it?

 

[Squidma]

Very enjoyable. First bowl was shortcut to mushrooms. I filled the bowl halfway for the first smoke out of the pipe and did have to relight about 4 times. Very pleasant aroma and super cool smoke out of the churchwarden stem. None of the bite I am accustomed to when I smoke a cigar (and hence none of the "butt" mouth afterwards). Bowl lasted about 30 minutes as I read a good book whilst smoking the pipe in my garage. I followed this pipe up with a bowl of Sherlock Holmes out of my Nording. Another enjoyable smoke and only 1 relight for the full bowl. Not quite as pleasing as the shortcut to mushrooms to me...more of a bold blend with a bit of bite, but flavorful and full bodied, in my opinion. Smoke number 2 will occur after tonights dinner, sticking with the churchwarden stem and moving to a full bowl of tobacco...I'm thinking longbottom leaf tonight.

 

[Bk124tt]

Success!