New fish question

[SO23]

Hello all , been reading a lot and doing research since buying my first pipe ( from the Sue auctions )

I've ordered a few samples and will be ordering a zippo with the pipe insert today.

Question is , I see in a lot of pictures of the fine collection's you guy's have the tobacco being stored in the tins they came in . Are these not opened ? Do you tranfer them once opened to a humidor like cigars ?

 

[mikewood]

Tobacco can best be stored in a sealed container like a mason jar at room temperature in a dark place. Humidors are not required. A metal tin will suffice if you plan to use it but they will dry out with time. To moisten dey pipe tobacco mist it with rum or whiskey And let it sit a while. Ideally you should be able to pinch it and have it be springy yet clump. If it clumps it's too wet. If it falls apart too dry.

 

[SO23]

Ok cool , that makes sense.

 

[the_edski]

Tobacco can best be stored in a sealed container like a mason jar at room temperature in a dark place. Humidors are not required. A metal tin will suffice if you plan to use it but they will dry out with time. To moisten dey pipe tobacco mist it with rum or whiskey And let it sit a while. Ideally you should be able to pinch it and have it be springy yet clump. If it clumps it's too wet. If it falls apart too dry.

You can also mist with water, or lay a damp paper towel over the tin to re-moisten, if you don't want the spirits changing the flavor.

 

[Purplemonkey]

Just in case... don't store your pipe tobacco in a humidor, or with cigars, or in a humidor with cigars.

Mason jars work well and are relatively inexpensive. For my samples, I just keep them in Ziploc bags, sealed tightly.

 

[SO23]

Ok , will keep separately from cigars and get some mason jars.

Also , what's the deal with filters ?

Are they for all pipes , or just different pipes with different styles of tobacco's ?

 

[Hirsute]

Some pipes can use filters, some don't. Most pipes don't, at least in the states. In Europe, the majority of new pipes use filters.

There are two standard sizes of filters--6mm and 9mm.

A regular pipe stem usually has a 3mm hole. Filter pipes have the tenons drilled out to either 6mm or 9mm, but then the hole going through the rest of the stem is the standard 3mm hole.

You can use filter pipes without filters as well, and some people like filter pipes without filter because they have an open draw, some people like filter pipes with filters because they absorb moisture, and some people use filter pipes with an insert adapter, which is basically a piece of plastic stuck where the filter goes that has a 3mm hole through it, essentially adapting the pipe back down to the standard 3mm draft without filters.

6mm pipes: there are a variety available, but common ones are missouri meerschaum cobs, dr grabow, medico, and Savinelli. Each of those manufacturers makes pipes that take filters and pipes that do not, and Savinelli also makes 9mm pipes.

For 6mm filters, there are two basic options--medico/Grabow style filters are essentially paper tubes filled with filter material. They restrict the draw a bit but do a good job keeping bits of tobacco out of your mouth and absorbing moisture. the second 6mm filter style is the Savinelli balsa filters, which are triangular pieces of balsa wood. These absorb moisture but do not restrict the draw much, if at all. I prefer the Sav filters for this reason, but both types of filters have their fans.

9mm filters: there are a wide variety if manufacturers making pipes for 9mm filters. These are popular in Europe so any large manufacturer likely makes 9mm filter pipes as well. There are two basic styles. First, Savinelli also makes a 9mm balsa filter, and it is star shaped and kind of ribbed, so it is easy to distinguish from the triangular 6mm filters. Same deal with these as the other Sav filters. The other style is a tube, which is often filled with either carbon or some other filter material. Some brands of these are Vauen, Dr Perl, Adsorba, Castleford. I like these filters. They do a good job cooling the smoke, absorbing some moisture, but don't restrict the draw too much. Different brands are all a little different, so you need to buy a few kinds and experiment. I like the Dr Perl/Vauen filters.

There is another mind if filter worth mentioning, which is used in Brigham pipes--it is a rock maple insert. I have no experience with these, but folks seem to like them. It's basically a long piece of maple and smoke is filtered through. One of the advantages with these is that they supposedly last 20 bowls or so. For other filters, folks usually use them 1-5 bowls and discard. I use mine once and toss them even thought they're probably fine, because they're relatively cheap and I like clean tasting pipes.

One last note--I have filter pipes I smoke with filters, filter pipes I smoke with adapters, filter pipes I smoke without either, and unfiltered pipes. Just took a bit of trial and error for me to find what I liked best for each pipe.

 

[SO23]

Wow a sea full of knowledge and info , thanks that explains a lot.

So the Tinsky pipe I got from the Sue auction would not be a filter pipe ?

I would just look at it but hasn't showed up yet , hopefully soon.

 

[Hirsute]

Wow a sea full of knowledge and info , thanks that explains a lot.

So the Tinsky pipe I got from the Sue auction would not be a filter pipe ?

I would just look at it but hasn't showed up yet , hopefully soon.

Correct, not a filter pipe.

 

[SO23]

Going to go by my faters place tonight and pick his brain on all of his old pipes and stuff. He hasn't smoked them since the 70's , but I know he still has them all . Will try and get some pictures

 

[Boro62]

I see in a lot of pictures of the fine collection's you guy's have the tobacco being stored in the tins they came in . Are these not opened ? Do you tranfer them once opened to a humidor like cigars ?

Just thought I'd add some clarification and details as to your question and others answers.

Almost all tins of pipe tobacco is air tight sealed and can be stored in them without worrying about tobacco drying out. So lots of guys just buy them and don't open them because they want the tobacco to age some.

All the other options mentioned by others are ways to store the tobacco once the tin is opened.

Also a lot of time many of us might not like a particular tobacco when we get a new tin. So most of us will seal it back up in a mason jar and let it sit for months or even years. Sometimes our tastes change and when we give the same tobacco we tried a long time ago another try, we end up finding out how much we love it. Also letting it sit for a while lets the tobacco age and it also changes the flavors.

 

[Senshi]

I personally don't like putting liquid into direct contact with my pipe tobacco. I always just lay a damp paper towel over a bowl of tobacco (not coming into contact with each other). I have also had some success with putting the smallest boveda packs in my mason jars with dry tobacco for 12-24 hours depending on the dryness. But I wouldn't leave it in there for an extended period of time.

Going to go by my faters place tonight and pick his brain on all of his old pipes and stuff. He hasn't smoked them since the 70's , but I know he still has them all . Will try and get some pictures

Yes, lots of pictures

 

[captaincaveman]

For 6mm filters, there are two basic options--medico/Grabow style filters are essentially paper tubes filled with filter material. They restrict the draw a bit but do a good job keeping bits of tobacco out of your mouth and absorbing moisture.

More on this -- I've found Grabow filters clog quickly, while Medico last through plenty of smoking sessions. That thing about keeping bits of tobacco out of your mouth is very important to me.

One last note--I have filter pipes I smoke with filters, filter pipes I smoke with adapters, filter pipes I smoke without either, and unfiltered pipes. Just took a bit of trial and error for me to find what I liked best for each pipe.

Also, non-filter pipes with cut-down Savinelli balsa filters, I have one of those. I trimmed it until it gave me the level of draw that I like.

 

[SO23]

Awesome info guys , will take it all in .

Went by dad's place and he got all excited when I told him I got a pipe on the way.....couldn't get any pictures of his pipes as they are put away.....for now !

Will head back over in daylight and take a bunch

 

[Stevew443]

Just remember... pipe smoking is not rocket science. Try different things. Make mistakes, find what works for you. I have been pipe smoking for 44 years and what works for me may not work for you. No matter what I say in any pipe smoking group, there will be a half dozen other smokers ready to disagree with me, sooooo, find what you like and stick to that.

 

[Argonaut]

Just remember... pipe smoking is not rocket science. Try different things. Make mistakes, find what works for you. I have been pipe smoking for 44 years and what works for me may not work for you. No matter what I say in any pipe smoking group, there will be a half dozen other smokers ready to disagree with me, sooooo, find what you like and stick to that.

I completely disagree.

 

[SO23]

Lol , I came to the right place

 

[the_edski]

Just remember... pipe smoking is not rocket science. Try different things. Make mistakes, find what works for you. I have been pipe smoking for 44 years and what works for me may not work for you. No matter what I say in any pipe smoking group, there will be a half dozen other smokers ready to disagree with me, sooooo, find what you like and stick to that.

+1 to this. There are a million ways to smoke/load/clean/etc...a pipe. But the way that works for you is the best way. And if that way is relaxing, then you know you are doing it right!

 

[Shave_Rat]

And if that way is relaxing, then you know you are doing it right!

Gee.. that sounds oddly familiar of a phrasing to me... hehe

 

[SO23]

+1 to this. There are a million ways to smoke/load/clean/etc...a pipe. But the way that works for you is the best way. And if that way is relaxing, then you know you are doing it right!

Great advice and I'll definitely have fun giving it a go.

You mentioned cleaning , what's the normal time between a good cleaning ? After each smoke , a few smokes, or between different tobacco ?

And then I would imagine some would only smoke certain tobacco in certain pipes , kinda like a favorite shave set up that works well