New to the Brown Leaf. Decided to try a pipe!

[NRAM]

Like you NRAM I've been lurking n the brown leaf for a while. The wife recently gave me a soft green light to try a pipe, as an alternative to cigars. Where did you get your pipe from and the tobacco?

I visited City Cigar Emporium on 6th in Vancouver. If you have not visited this place before, I would highly recommend them. They suggested if I wanted something aromatic to start with, to try their own Broadway Breeze blend. Smells awesome! Taste is cool and light...

Hey, Purplemonky (or anyone else who is interested), I found this video of "how to pack a pipe" from Nadia at City Cigar Emporium in Vancouver - where I bought my pipe and tobacco. It is good information on packing a pipe, and from the place where I would recommend a visit if you have not done so already. I was also thinking that since this video is of a very nice lady showing the "How To" your wife might turn that soft green light into a brighter green light! Take her to the store with you... ...wink wink...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_qxtuhvrKQ0

 

[Purplemonkey]

I actually had a chance to swing by and I picked up a MM cob pipe, and some Broadway Breeze to get me started. I'm hoping to find some time to sit down tomorrow and pack my first bowl.

 

[Purplemonkey]

Hey NRAM, what tobacco did you pick up from City Cigar?

 

[Senshi]

Hey, Purplemonky (or anyone else who is interested), I found this video of "how to pack a pipe" from Nadia at City Cigar Emporium in Vancouver - where I bought my pipe and tobacco. It is good information on packing a pipe, and from the place where I would recommend a visit if you have not done so already. I was also thinking that since this video is of a very nice lady showing the "How To" your wife might turn that soft green light into a brighter green light! Take her to the store with you... ...wink wink...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_qxtuhvrKQ0

That's a good video on the basics of packing.

The only think I would disagree with is using alcohol to swab the inside of the bowl before a smoke. Some people do this to remove the finish inside the bowl (Peterson pipes sometimes have the stain inside the pipe). But you run the risk of dripping alcohol on the outside of the pipe and ruining the stain.

 

[simon1]

Welcome to the Wonderful World of Pipes!

As Carnac the Magnificent would say:

"

I see an accumulation of many, many pipe tobacco tins in your future."

Here's a little video that helped me with tamping instead of a relight, and the putting of the fingers over the bowl to create a kind of vortex to bring back a pipe that's about to go out:

 

[NRAM]

Hey NRAM, what tobacco did you pick up from City Cigar?

Same as you... Broadway Breeze. What did you think of it?

 

[Purplemonkey]

Its not bad. The flavour isn't what I expected on my palette, but I think it's going to be like learning to appreciate wine... it might take a while to discover the nuances. That being said, I do enjoy it but I'd be curious to try some of the other blends. On the plus side, the wife does not mind the smell of it at all!!!

What are your thoughts on it?

 

[NRAM]

Its not bad. The flavour isn't what I expected on my palette, but I think it's going to be like learning to appreciate wine... it might take a while to discover the nuances. That being said, I do enjoy it but I'd be curious to try some of the other blends. On the plus side, the wife does not mind the smell of it at all!!!

What are your thoughts on it?

I had the same experience. I mentioned this in my original post. I think you have hit it on the head with the reference to appreciating wine. The smell was great, but the smoke was not at all what I expected. I didn't mind the flavor, but it was not like a cigar and maybe a little too light for my taste. Read the reply posts #6 & 7 where they note that this is a funny thing about pipe tobacco not tasting what you would think based on the scent. There is also a few suggestions to others that taste more like cigars, etc.. I have also heard of people blending in other less aromatic tobacco with the these types of blends to give the pallet a bit more bang for the buck without loosing too much of the aromatic scent...
I also think that with more experience and getting the packing and density of smoke just right, it will be a different experience again.

 

[Purplemonkey]

With tobacco prices being what they are in Canada, if you ever want to split a purchase or something, let me know. Probably be easier to try more tobacco's this way.

 

[ctr]

Estate pipes can say dollars on the budget. The cost of the pipe isn't always an indicator on the quality of the smoke. So many wonderful pipes in all price ranges are out there.

 

[August West]

That is the only type of pipe I have as I am an infrequent pipe smoker. Love it!

 

[mswofford]

That is the only type of pipe I have as I am an infrequent pipe smoker. Love it!

The great bargain in pipes like boar brushes are in shaving!

 

[NRAM]

Welcome to the Wonderful World of Pipes!

As Carnac the Magnificent would say:

"

I see an accumulation of many, many pipe tobacco tins in your future."

Here's a little video that helped me with tamping instead of a relight, and the putting of the fingers over the bowl to create a kind of vortex to bring back a pipe that's about to go out:

Thanks for that. Putting the fingers over the bowl does work. Didn't know that you should turn over the pipe at any point during the smoke to dump a little bit of the loose burnt tobacco.

 

[NRAM]

With tobacco prices being what they are in Canada, if you ever want to split a purchase or something, let me know. Probably be easier to try more tobacco's this way.

Sure. I want to get through a bit more of the Breeze before I get any more to get my packing smoking skills more refined, but do want to try a different blend or two that has more flavor like that of a cigar taste etc. I think we should try a couple of name brand blends recommended by other members rather than City Cigar house blends. Frog Morton is highly recommended by lots of members... I am putting together a short list of ones I would like to try. Getting a few together to share will certainly allow us to try a few more at the same cost... Maybe a Captain Black even...

 

[Purplemonkey]

Yeah, definitely need some time to work through my bad of Breeze. I've only had time to enjoy 2 bowls so far.

It seems everywhere I look, Frog Morton is always recommended so maybe that should be a consideration for our first split.

 

[brownpeter335]

As a newbie for smoking pipe, I would like to suggest you to choose barrier pipe.. it's may be appropriate for you.

 

[NRAM]

As a newbie for smoking pipe, I would like to suggest you to choose barrier pipe.. it's may be appropriate for you.

"barrier" pipe? Is this a brand or typo meaning to say Briar?

 

[oc_in_fw]

"barrier" pipe? Is this a brand or typo meaning to say Briar?

Yep, sounds like an autocorrect issue.

 

[NRAM]

Thought so. A Briar pipe is a type, not a brand, right? Is a briar my best bet for a new pipe under $60? I would like to try a non-cob pip and don't want to spend too much. Not confident on shopping for a previously owned pipe yet... Any recommended brands or other non-briar pipes?

 

[Purplemonkey]

Briar is referring to the type of wood the pipe is made of. Don't know where to start for looking for my first new pipe either.